Taking my kids to see snow, need suggestions

General General Discussion
1

For the past 5 years I have promised to take my kids to see snow. This is the price we pay for living in Florida. Anyways, each year something comes up with work or the funding. Well this is the year. I just got final confirmation on my books and we can do it. I would dearly love to take the kids some where and spend Christmas break there. Bonus is that I leve the psycho in-laws in Florida.

So where do I take the kids? I want them to have a good chance of seeing snow falling. I’d like to find a resort where there will be activities for them to do beyond just skiing. I’m thinking Utah, Colorado, or Vermont.

I know it’s short notice, but any suggestions?

2

In terms of family oriented escapes, Utah is great!

There are a huge number of good resorts (Deer valley, Brighton, Snowbird) close to Salt Lake.

Deer Valley is in the top 5 every year. Snowbird has a very good family atmosphere.

3

Look at Big Sky, Montana. Great skiing on Lone Mountain, you’re right north of Yellowstone Park and can snowmobile/snow coach into Old Faithful from West Yellowstone. There’s an airport in Bozeman, MT that has regular passenger service to get in and out.

http://www.bigskyresort.com/

http://www.destinationyellowstone.com/

There are plenty of places to stay around Big Sky that are more affordable than some of the actual on-site resort hotels. The park in the winter is terrific whether you choose to x-country ski, snowmobile, or just ride in a snow coach.

4

I say either the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, or Colorado, I was born and raised in Jax Beach, FL (when my father wasn’t being stationed somewhere else) and the first time I ever saw snow I was 15 at the grand canyon on a school trip…

Let their first experience with snow be something majestic like the G.C or the Rockies… not just some craphole like Buffalo, NY

Believe me, seeing snow for the first time at the Grand Canyon… was quite the experience and that just furthered the enchantment of the mountains, snow, and open country all the more… it think it’ll be the same seeing it for the first time in the Rockies… plus you’re pretty much guaranteed snowfall there…

Go for the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona… it would be an amazing vacation… there is the Painted Desert/ Petrified Forest, Meteor Crater, Hoover Dam, and the Grand Canyon all within 5 hours of each other

take the train to the top of the South Rim, they rob the train on horse back and really do it up for the kids

here is the winter guide, the cover picture pretty much says it all:
http://www.nps.gov/grca/parknews/upload/2011SRwinter-guide1103.pdf

5

Brother, look no further than Estes Park, CO. Stay at the famous Stanley Hotel, ride horses, go sledding at Bear Lake in RMNP just 20 min away. Shop the quaint and unique shops downtown. Visit the “Arc”, a stuffed animal paradise for kids. Enjoy the sights and gave a good time at around 9,000 feet with good snow.

6

I had no idea how many forum members were employees of their respective local Chambers of Commerce. :lol:

7

Lol, its just the standard M4C reaction, you know, the “my things are better than your things!!” reaction. Lol.

8

I was present when my aunt, then about 50 years old got to see her first snow. We were in Hendersonville NC and she asked a local where the snow dump was. “The what?” said he. “The snow dump. You know, the place all these folks carrying snow in the back of their pickup trucks take the snow to dump it.”

9

Come to Colorado.

If its not snowing, you can always go up Pikes Peak.

Theres always snow up there, plus the drive is awesome.

It snowed here yesterday, should be more comin soon

10

If a more rustic vacation is your style go to Michigan’s upper peninsula. There’s a TON of cabins/cottages up there with power/running water/etc. and some are right on one of the Great Lakes. Plenty of snow as well.

11

Ya want snow, come to Maine! Ever go trick-or-treating with snow & ice on the ground? Hell, the day before Thanksgiving we had a Nor’easter. Nothin’ like being stuck inside for three days with your girlfriend and a five year old to make you want revarnish your Roque mallet! :jester:

12

.

Go north past the Mason-Dixon until the ground is white. Hit some black-ice, scare everybody and then haul your butt back down to dixie.:wink:

Snow is neat … for about 4-hours, then give me some good ol’ mud.

.

13

I grew up in Buffalo and the snow in the Rockies is just different. Dry, powedery and DEEP.

14

Come to New Hampshire.

We have excellent snow, and we have a very interesting combination of animals, plants, and weather patterns.

There is a reason that the old saying around here is “if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes.”

If you decide to come up to the Northeast, shoot me a P.M. and I will give you some suggestions on good places to visit…

15

…

16

[QUOTE=DeltaSierra;1158401] we have a very interesting combination of animals, plants, and weather patterns.

There is a reason that the old saying around here is “if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes.”

QUOTE]

There is a reason that the old saying around here is "if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes."QUOTE]

Isnt that the saying in almost EVERY state?

Hahaha, Im from Fla and people would say that.

I have family in Mich, they say the SAME thing.

Guess what it is here in Co. ?

Same thing lol

17

.

BCmJUnKie,
The people down here say it a little different…
“A coonass can look at a 500 acre rice field and tell you how much gumbo it will take to cover up all that rice when it is harvested but they can’t tell you what the weather is going to do in 5-minutes!”

.

18

gonna toss a vote in for this…

thomas edison was so amazed by the rocky mountains that he elected to ride in an open freight car (train) to take in the scenery on a journey through colorado.

we also have non-snowy (usually) weather along the front range when you’ve had enough of freezing your ass off. though you florida folks will probably still think it’s cold :smiley:

19

Hahahaha. When people come to Fla in december and are jumping in the “Freezing” 65* water…we think the same thing haha

20

just make sure to get them some decent felt pack type boots :slight_smile: Kamik has decent kid stuff and decent mittens !!
keeping your feet hands and head warm go a long way to happy kids

besides working in the tropics most my life I used to come back and teach on the slopes every winter mostly west coast never got past colorado but places like colorado utah etc… at least have nice warm radiant feeling sunny days and dryer snow so does not seem to wipe the little guys out as quick depending on how much outside you do :slight_smile:

my thought for fun and seeing the snow is also what do you want to do ?
sledding basic fun hills sleigh rides and such or let them try skiing ?