Montpelier, VT – Snow covered pine trees, quaint New England villages decked in twinkling lights, and the feeling of gliding down a mountainside, followed by hot cocoa by the fire. What could be a better way to spend a holiday?
Vermont’s ski and snowboard resorts are getting ready to offer a full slate of cheerful activities to ring in the season across the Green Mountain State.
Bolton Valley
Nothing brings friends and families together quite like the holidays, and holidays spent on snow create lasting memories. Bolton Valley’s cozy base village will be trimmed in white lights for the holidays, creating a festive atmosphere for guests at the resort. In the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, the mountain will be full of guests enjoying skiing, riding and daily family events. The resort’s Indoor Amusement Center will be open every day that week. Free family oriented events include a Magic Show and a Balloon Twister creating balloon sculptures. Skiers and riders will also have a chance to warm up around a campfire with complimentary hot cocoa and cookies or head inside for family movie night.
Bromley Mountain
Bromley is planning some classic Christmas holiday fun to kick off the vacation week. Dress up like Santa on Christmas Day and ski or ride for just $25. Wear a santa outfit to the ticket office to redeem the savings. Coat, pants, hat and beard (real or fake) are a must.
Jay Peak Resort
Food comas are something to be thankful for. Try Thanksgiving at Howie’s or Alice’s for a hearty homemade meal served slopeside. Work off the buffet on opening day when Stateside gets the lifts rolling on November 28th, and ring in the New Year at Jay Peak with fireworks and music.
Killington Resort
Thanksgiving at Killington means shredding the slopes, and the first rail jams of the season in Loaded Turkey and Rails 2 Riches. Another tradition, the Killington Test Fest, goes down at the base of Superstar on Tuesday, December 16 and Wednesday, December 17, showcasing some of the best gear for the 2015 season. And be sure to hit the after party at the Wobbly Barn on Tuesday night.
Magic Mountain
Scheduled to open on the 20th of December, Magic will get everyone’s ski legs back just in time for holidays. A New Year’s Eve fireworks bash will be held to show the beauty of Magic against a brilliant night sky.
Mount Snow Resort
The holidays are a special time at Mount Snow, starting with Thanksgiving weekend. Friday, November 28 is the Turkey Hangover Hill Climb and then on the 29th the resort will have the season’s first torchlight parade (conditions permitting) and fireworks extravaganza with a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. The resort is also providing a third night free to those who book two nights over Thanksgiving weekend.
The Christmas holiday week at Mount Snow is also loaded with events and activities, including Grommet Jam #1 for kids age 12 and under on Monday, December 29. New for this year, enjoy a huge family friendly torchlight parade and fireworks display on New Years Eve, plus live music all week long, family activities and more.
Okemo Mountain Resort
Okemo kicks off the holidays with a traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner at Coleman Brook Tavern, followed by the annual Trot it Off 5k, November 29. The holiday season is packed with fun events and activities like visits with Santa, a food drive, a Demo Day, a torchlight parade with fireworks, a moonlight hike, an ice skating party, the Mountain Dew Vertical Challenge and more. Finally, Okemo rings in the New Year with its annual Family New Year’s Eve, an evening of fun that culminates with a DJ dance party and fireworks show. And did we forget to mention skiing and snowboarding?
Smugglers’ Notch Resort
Gobble up a Thanksgiving weekend getaway at Smugglers’ Notch Resort with a three night stay in condominium lodging starting at $372 in a studio home. On Thanksgiving Day, the resort’s Hearth & Candle will serve holiday dinner. Ski or ride on intermediate terrain beginning Friday, November 28 at early season lift ticket pricing ($50/adult, $38/youth ages 6-18). Other holiday weekend activities include enjoying a zip line canopy tour, competing in a mini-golf tourney in the indoor FunZone, heading out on a nature walk, or playing bingo.
Smugglers’ Notch Resort’s holiday celebration December 19-26 includes elf tuck-ins and bedtime stories, a holiday crafts party, and on Christmas Eve, the arrival of Santa, a torchlight parade and fireworks. Rates per night start at $115 per youth and $145 per adult, with inclusions of condominium lodging, daily lift tickets, outdoor ice skating, use of the heated pool and hot tubs, the indoor FunZone with games and inflatables, evening snow tubing, use of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails, and nightly family and adult entertainment. During this period, bookings of six nights or more receive the next night free.
Stowe Mountain Resort
Take everything you don’t like about holiday lift ticket lines and make that easy, as easy as walking from your car directly to the lift and going skiing. That’s the ByPass at Stowe Mountain Resort. Purchase an Evolution Stowe Card online, sign up for ByPass and go direct to the lift every day you ski or ride in Stowe. The discounted ByPass rate is charged the first time you’re scanned at the lift each day, even during the holidays.
Stratton Mountain Resort
The holidays are a tradition at Stratton Mountain where Thanksgiving starts with the Gobble Gobble Wobble 5K. That’s one way to earn your dinner, served up at restaurants throughout the Village including Table 43.1 where the feast is Vermont farm-to-table. Skiing, riding and plenty of family activities round out the opening weekend celebration.
The Christmas holiday week menu at Stratton includes a torchlight parade and fireworks, movies and music, sugar on snow, snowshoe treks, snowmobile tours, snowtubing, an ice castle, dogsledding and more.
Sugarbush Resort
Sugarbush hosts numerous fun activities for the whole family throughout the holidays. Don’t miss The Big Kicker, the winter kickoff party complete with films, freestyle expos, food, presentations, and more. The annual Taste of Timbers event takes place on December 8th, when you can sample locally inspired foods prepared by Sugarbush’s culinary team. Over Christmas week, enjoy everything from the kids’ cooking class and cookie decorating to a live bird show and family fun nights with street performers. Be sure to catch the torchlight parade and fireworks display on New Years Eve, as well as a dog parade earlier in the day.