Planning A Family Ski Vacation
Subert Kiing
It is time to plan a family vacation and everyone wants to go
skiing. Do not worry, skiing is not as expensive as you might
think, and there are numerous resorts that cater to families,
offering a variety of packages designed to save you money. The
problem will be choosing the right destination.
Most ski resorts have information websites. Start the planning
process by accessing these websites to determine where you and
your family might want to go for your family ski vacation.
There are many different things to look for when choosing a
resort. The absolute most important thing to look for is a ski
school if someone in your family will need instruction. While
most resorts do have ski schools, some do not. Do not make the
mistake of choosing a destination where one or more of your
family members won’t have fun, simply because they do not know
how to ski.
Next, take a look at the slopes, lifts, and trails. You want to
make sure that the resort has something to offer everyone in
your family. If the resort only caters to beginners, an expert
skier will become quickly bored. If you have a snowboarder in
your group, and there is no snowboarding park or terrain, that
snowboarder will not be happy. There are resorts that serve all
winter sports, so make sure that interests of your family are
covered.
Lodging is the next thing to look at. You want to be
comfortable, so where you will sleep at night matters a great
deal. In most cases, there is a hotel right at the base of the
slopes, but this is not necessarily the best or most affordable
place to stay. Find out what your lodging options are for the
area, and choose the one that is right for your family and your
budget. If you will be staying farther away from the slopes,
make sure that there is transportation to and from the slopes
each day.
Your family will have many more interests that you will need to
search for before deciding on a particular destination and
resort. Some of those interests may be dog sledding, sleigh
rides, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, or horseback riding. Resorts
do offer these activities, but some do not, so be sure to ask
about the winter activities, as well as the planned events
during the time that you will be at the resort. This will help
you plan a ski vacation that your family will enjoy and
remember for the rest of their lives.
Ski Vacations – What To Pack
If you will be traveling for a ski vacation, it is often
difficult to know what to pack. You may not even have a problem
knowing what to pack, but instead have a problem figuring how to
get everything that you need from your home to your destination.
Skis do not easily fit into suitcases, and if you are flying,
this presents a huge problem.
Start by knowing what is available at your destination. Is
there a rental shop? How much are the rental fees for skis,
boots, and poles. If it is reasonable, and you don’t mind
skiing with rented equipment, this is a viable option and it
makes packing and traveling much easier.
If you do not care for rented equipment, there is another
option. Find out if there are any ski shops in the area. There
usually are. Get prices on skis, poles, and boots, and then ask
if they buy used equipment. If they don’t, ask if there is
anyone near by that does purchase used equipment. Call that
place to get an estimate on how much you could get for barely
used ski equipment. Figure the difference in the money you will
spend on the ski equipment, and the money you will get for the
used equipment when you are finished with it. If it is not much
more than what it would cost you to rent the equipment, go for
it!
Ski suits, ski jackets, and sweaters can be very bulky, and
hard to pack. These items will take up a lot of room in your
suitcase, and leave less room for other clothing and
essentials. If you are trying to pack for a two week ski
vacation, it will be impossible to fit everything you need into
one suitcase.
There is a way to solve this. Call the lodge or resort where
you will be staying. Tell them that you need to ship a package,
for yourself, to them, and that you need that package to be
there when you arrive. Ask them if they will hold it for you at
the desk. In most cases, they will. Next, get a box, put all of
your ski suits, your ski jacket, and any other bulky items in
the box, and ship it to yourself, in care of the lodge or
resort. Shipping can be overnight, two day, or three day
depending on how far it must travel. Depending on how much the
box weighs, you will usually pay less than fifty dollars to
ship a package in the continental United States, which is a lot
less than you would pay an airline for extra overweight baggage.
About The Author: Subert Kiing - an Architect who has lived and
traveled in many parts of Asia. He writes for
http://www.1asiatravel.com and
http://www.tropicalcaribbeantravel.com/RoyalCaribbean.html
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