Peter GreenbergTODAY Travel Editor
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It’s one thing to plan a ski vacation with friends, but when you have children in tow, the challenges can be daunting, both in experiences offered and price. It’s a delicate balance between outdoor activities, how accessible they are to all ages, and, of course, price. It’s also a delicate balance of free time for parents and involved, active time with parents and their children.But there are some resorts and winter festivals that are doing a pretty good job of offering parents something they desperately need: affordable, accessible options:
Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia
Considered one of the top family-friendly resorts in Canada, Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia (about 75 miles north of Vancouver) is packed with family and kids-only activities. The Magic Castle on Blackcomb and the Tree Fort on Whistler are free outdoor adventure centers where kids can take off their skis and explore. If you need a break from skiing, Whistler offers other activities such as tubing, dog sledding, heliskiing, and ice climbing.
And if you’d rather spend the day without the kids, Kids Adventure Camps offer small-group ski lessons for children, where they can tackle the slopes without their parents in tow, and child care is available for kids ages 3 months to 4 years old. During the season, Discovery Whistler Days offer 40% off selected youth programs, coming up November 22-December 21, 2007, January 14-February 8, 2008, and April 7-20, 2008. And, of course, don’t forget to stop at a beaver tail stand, where families can have a relatively unhealthy — but fun — moment eating the famous fried sweets served piping hot right on the slopes. 866-218-9690, www.whistlerblackcomb.com
Smuggler’s Notch, Vermont
Another ski resort with family-friendly activities is Smuggler’s Notch in Vermont. This East Coast resort has a state-of-the-art child care center for infants and toddlers, featuring 5,400 square feet of indoor space and a 4,000-foot playground. Ski lessons are broken up by age groups, including tiny-tot ski lessons for children ages 2-and-a-half to 3 years old.
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