I am looking for some advice for a ski trip next winter.

Here’s the deal: Want to take wife and two boys (4 and 7) to a resort in Vermont, New Hampshire or Maine. We’ll be driving to the resort from Providence, RI right after Christmas. This will be the boys first ski trip ever. Our plan is to spend a week. I’ve only skied in New England one time (Stowe) and don’t know much about the possibilities.

Here are the factors that I’ve come up with:

Resort: I’d prefer a resort that has a walking village, with restaurants and shops, so that I don’t have to drive around everywhere. In the perfect world, we would stay right in the village, could walk to the slopes, and would never need the car after arriving. A picturesque place would be nice as well.

Snow conditions: Is the week after Christmas problematic as far as snow quantity? Obviously, I’d love a place that has snow not just on the trails, but in the village also.

Terrain: Beginners slopes (for boys) and intermediates (for me and wife) are needed. No one is going down the double black diamonds, so hard terrain is not required or preferred. More trails is better than fewer trails, of course, as we’ll be there for a week.

Lodging: Want to get a condo or something like that (not just two hotel rooms) so that there is room to hang out, enjoy a fireplace, etc… Price is not a concern. What’s the best way to do this, a real estate agent, calling the ski resort???

Non-ski activities: It would be nice to have other options besides skiing, such as shopping, ice skating, sledding, etc…

Driving Distance: With two young kids in the car, a 5-6 hour drive is not desired. A 2-3 hour trip from Providence would be preferable.

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Places that I’ve come up with from a cursory search on the Internet are: Waterville Valley, Sugarloaf, Stratton, Okemo.

So, given all those factors, any ideas as to where might be a good place to go for a New England ski trip?

Don't do it Rothko, head west, there is no comparison.

If you must go to New England, I am sad to say that I can't be of much help as the bug did not hit until after we left NY. We have skied at Killington, and while crowded, it is large with a lot of terrain and good instructors. Only been to Mt. Snow in the summer, so that is of no help.

I would like to head West, but we are going to RI for Christmas With The Inlaws, so it needs to be a New England ski trip.

I've skiied out West, in Vail and Crested Butte, and I know how great those places can be. I think that the West will have to be Trip #2.

I just need to make sure that Trip #1 is good enough that the wife and kids will want to go on Trip #2 later...

Yeah, you have to reel them in.

Watch out for the weather, New England mountains can be bitterly cold, it felt much colder than our Utah trips have. I am sure some other posters will have more useful info for you than me. Look for the place with the best ski school.

MLV's birthday is 12-24 and if I recall correctly, we skied up in Vermont over her birthday twice and had no problem with snow, there was plenty both times.

Killington is big and there's a lot to do in the area. It'd be my first choice, though I don't ski anymore.

Having grown up in New England (coincedentally RI, school in VT) I had my preferneces for skiing while there. Although these might be somewhat sentimental I think they do offer a great experience as I have skied at more areas back there then I can remember. I am only offering advice based upon the quality of skiing; I am sure things have changed dramatically in the last 12-13 years.
1. Stowe, VT. Great place, I especially liked the 'New England Town Feel', no neon, very nice old fashioned ski town. I know you don't care for any of the radder runs, but Goat and National are not to be missed.
2. Sugarbush, VT. Lots of Mountainside Condos but I don't recall much of a village. I think they did grow the area quite a bit so I would investigate this one. Down the road is Mad River Glenn whose slogan is: Mad River Glenn, Ski it if you can. They don't (didn't) groom and the terrain is probably not what you are looking for. You could do day trips between Stowe and Sugarbush.
3. Sunday River, ME. I only remember the skiing there and thought is was the best terrain in the east with a ton of variety. This is truely the New England experience.
These would be my preferences but I haven't been there since I was a college kid with no care for anything but skiing. I know Board O threw out Killington, I never cared for it; too close to Boston thus was very busy. Samething can be said for Mt. Snow.
You could just stay in RI and ski there, believe it or not, there is a ski area, Yawgoo ski valley. They call it a valley because there really aren't any hills there. They have about 300' Vertical! I am actually not poking fun as my best friend's family owns it and he runs it. This is where I learned to ski and if your kids need a lesson, it is not a bad place as it is not intimidating and the cost is reasonable.
Good Luck.
Bob
BTW, I live in Colorado now if that tells you anything......

Short drive, walking village, good mix of terrain, excellent ski school, and a town (Manchester, VT) with a full lineup of services nearby if you want to escape, I would choose Stratton. Stowe is not a good choice to take kids who have never skiied before.

Sugarbush and Mad River Glenn are also really far, right up near Burlington.

Hey Rothko-
After Christmas I would shoot for NH or VT. In Maine you really only have two options now a days, Sugarloaf (too long a drive) and Sunday River (too damn crowded). My suggestion would be the following:

Sugarbush: There is a Village albeit small but there is enough to do within striking distance. You can ski on ski off from most of those condo's as well. Restaurants are a little sparse up there but Chez Heri is good and then you can alway's head into the Valley and go to Flatbread at the Laroux Farm, The Den, Egan's Big World Etc. The snow will be good, the terrain will be what your looking for lot's of good intermediate begginner trails. Not to mention you have two mountains to ski, Sugarbush North and South. North will be colder but less people and better snow. South will be a bit more crowded have a little more terrain and easier to get to.

Stowe: Great Ski Town not too sure about the village as I only ever skied/coached at Sugarbush. Good terrain but less of it than Sugarbush, a little more ritzy good restaurants and shops......crowded.

Killington: This is just personal oppinion but stay away. There is a reason they call it "Killingfields" WAY too many people, It just feals like your skiing in a shopping mall at Christmas and can't get out.

Shoot me a PM if you want any more info.

Rothko

from my past life sking weekly and living in area:
STOWE: Nice town has everything. Good food and shops. Most lodges do have shullt to the mountain
SUGARBUSH: Skied here for 15 years. Great slopes. Family friendly. Book early. Will need to use car evening for local dining. No real down town.
MT> Snow: Mascara Mountain. STAY AWAY!!!! CROWDED!!
KILLINGTON: Too many teenie Boopers. Very spread out.
Mt WASHINGTON: Great village. Has everything handy. Loon is good to ski at.
OKEMO: Nice but quaint.

From what you described, with a village, shops, food, and atmosphere, go to STOWE!!!!

Thanks for all of the good ideas and suggestions. Keep them coming…

Stowe, the one place I’ve skied in New England, is really a nice place. My wife and I went there for a 4 day ski trip back in college. I remember the village as being picture-perfect Vermont. I don’t remember there being very much up at the mountain itself; we stayed in a hotel down the road and drove up each day to the ski lodge.

Unfortunately, my wife popped her knee on the first day of the 4 day trip, and spent the rest of her time on crutches. As a result, Stowe is OFF LIMITS; I don't think she'll ever go back there...

Sunday River sounds like a pretty good place. It looks like a huge ski resort, spread out over several mountains.

I haven’t heard of Sugarbush before (or maybe I’ve confused it with Sugarloaf), but I will check it out.

I wonder whether a week at one of these resorts is too long a time. I can imagine a week at Vail or Whistler, but would we get a little bored if we are at one of these New England mountains? Would finding a place that is near other ski resorts (such as in Vermont) be worthwhile?

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No one has commented yet on ideas on how to get a condo. Would going through the resort website be the best way, or would calling a real estate company be better? Are there other options to consider?

People really like skiing at Sugarbush, for what its worth. On the condo front, I am not sure as we have always stayed with friends who live nearby when we have skied. There are a lot of companies that specialize in renting them out.

Sunday River aka. Someday Bigger, is one of those mountains that you either love it or hate it. personally I don't care for it only from an access and layout perpective. It's like Killington, it's a horizontal mountain. At the end of the day you feel like you spent all of your time traversing on lifts instead of actually sking. The terrain is ok, the services pretty good and it's wicked crowded.

How far is Tremblant from New England? Or just come visit me.

Or....
If price is no object and you want to go to Sugarbush this is where you stay.

http://www.pitcherinn.com/

That's living large at Sugarbush..

My favorite was always Sunday River. Although I haven't been skiing there for years, I did swing by last fall to show my new family what it looks like at peak foliage (in early October). It's got better condos and apres ski choices then I remember.

Don't forget that you can get to NH (Wildcat / Tuckerman Ravine / Loon Mtn) or Portland (for seaside activities and some of the best food and wine in Northern New England, plus a great Children's Museum and other activities that could keep the family busy) in less than two hours in either direction.

Note that Sugarloaf (and Saddleback, not that you mentioned it) are pretty far removed. If you go there, you're pretty much ... there.

It seems like an easy answer to me: Get the condo at Sunday River. But remember, I'm biased.

I've ordered brochures and materials from:

Attitash
Waterville Valley
Okemo
Smuggler's Notch
Sugarbush
Sunday River
Sugarloaf

When she was really young, my wife used to ski at Waterville Valley, so I think she wants to go back there for nostalgia reasons. Although it does make Ski Magazine's East resorts top 10 lists in many categories.

LOL!

I won't be going there...