Seven mountain resorts make the Lake Tahoe mountain district straddling the California and Nevada borders one of the country’s most diverse and exciting snowsports destinations. Heavenly, Kirkwood, Mt. Rose, Northstar California, Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort and Palisades Tahoe (formerly Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows), each overlook the emerald waters of America’s largest alpine lake, enjoy some of the highest annual snowfall in North America, and bask in over 300 days of sunshine a year — no wonder it’s a winter wonderland.
The region’s location — less than an hour from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport in Nevada, a few hours from Sacramento, and within 3½ hours’ drive of San Francisco — makes it popular with a large population of active families and second homeowners. Recent consolidation in ownership means that multi-resort lift tickets (for example, Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood on the EPIC Pass) are available too.
Great Value Skiing and Snowboarding for Families
But Tahoe is no longer the locals’ secret; snow enthusiasts travel from all over the world for a bit of the action, some of the laid-back California vibe, and the pleasure of being part of a slew of interesting eco-initiatives (in water conservation, food service, online reservations systems, car pooling and more). You can obtain more information and regional lodging packages at each mountain’s website, as well as a free “Skiers and Boarders” and “Lake Tahoe Planning” guide from the Ski Lake Tahoe marketing group.
Remember also that the always-upgrading Tahoe resort has many activities for the snow-haters and couch potatoes in the family. There are new day spas; periodic culinary events and wine festivals; hip boutiques in downtown Tahoe City; lots of shops and restaurants in Truckee; a manmade kayak course and casinos in Reno; and ice skating, snowshoeing, indoor rock climbing, sledding, fishing, yoga, biking and hiking for the more active family members year-round.
Alpine Meadows
2600 Alpine Meadows Rd # 1C
Alpine Meadows, CA 96146
(800/949-3296)
This smaller resort is located about 6 miles from Tahoe City, Nevada and boasts 2,400 acres of forested trails on a sunny, scenic mountain with full lake views. The powder-crowned terrain is groomed for all ability levels and a single base lodge adds to the unhurried, cozy ambiance that makes newly independent skiers feel safe. Note, there’s no mountainside lodging and it’s very crowded on weekends. However, a gondola connecting it to its owner-neighbor Palisades Tahoe (just 10 minutes away by free shuttle bus) means more change to come. Check out the resort’s ‘family ski zone’ and special teen tickets, plus a kids camp for ages 4-6 and Mountaineer lessons for ages 7-12 attract families; private lessons available for ages 4 and under. Kids under 4 can also ski free all day. Additionally, new GPS tracking technology is used for all kids enrolled in daycamps, and each child’s route is stored online so favorite runs can be remembered. The easy check in process (automated registration kiosks and easy slope access) is also a plus.
Heavenly Mountain Resort
Corner of Wildwood and Saddle
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
(775/586-7000, 800/HEAVENLY)
Heavenly is one of the country’s largest resorts, with enough varied terrain to entertain all skill levels for a least a week. Families with novices take heed: beginner runs are mid-mountain and require ability to use a lift to descend to the base camp. Both the California and Nevada sides have long, long trails with lake or desert views from over 10,000 feet. Heavenly Village, the ‘in’ spot for dining, shopping and entertainment is busy at all hours and provides some indoor fun. Heavenly’s big new Tamarack Lodge — one of Vail Resorts’ capital improvements — is the latest dining and hangout venue, with a budget foodcourt housing a grill, artisanal pizzas (this is California), salad and liquor bars. The resort’s high-speed gondola carries skiers, riders and sightseers to the top of the ski resort a a breathtaking view. State-licensed daycare is available at the California Lodge for ages 6 weeks-6 years. The excellent ski school, known as the Bear Cave, is modeled on those at Vail and Beaver Creek; 250 instructors cater to skiers ages 4-13 and riders ages 7-13 at three locations. The resort’s family recreation area Adventure Peak on East Peak includes a four-lane tubing hill accessed by a state-of-the-art magic carpet reminiscent of the Jetsons, as well as sledding and ski bikes. Off the slopes, families can choose from an entire array of activities such as sightseeing, ice skating, dogsled rides, snowmobiling, arcades, spas, boat cruises, sleigh rides, incredible shopping and a variety of dining options.
Kirkwood Ski Resort
1501 Kirkwood Meadows Drive
Kirkwood, CA 95646
(209/258-6000)
This smaller, top value resort typically gets the largest powder dump of any around Tahoe – up to 600” — perhaps why it was scooped up by Vail Resorts for $18 million in a surprise 2012 acquisition. Having long drawn a commuter crowd from throughout the region, Kirkwood just may become Tahoe’s next big thing. Just 45 minutes from South Lake Tahoe at Carson Pass, Kirkwood is a quiet, heavily wooded, self-contained resort that is a delight for beginners. The Tahoe Learning Center provides quick access to lessons, rentals, and an outfitter so you don’t have much running around, and if you park the car in the preferred lot reserved for families with pre-purchased lessons, it’s a short stroll away. There are 65 trails on 2,300 skiable acres, comfortable condos at the mountain’s base, and a little nightlife. The mountain has daily daycare for ages 2-6 in a state-licensed facility, a ski school for ages 4-12 and a snowboarding program for ages 5-12. The resort’s new two-hour “parent and me” Small Fry program, introduces children aged 2 to 4-years to winter sports. The Junior Expedition Program teaches kids mountain safety techniques and tips. The tubing park is located near the heart of the Mountain Village and offers fun for all ages. Watch out for some upgrades at The Wood!
Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe
22222 Mt. Rose Highway
Reno, NV 89511
(800/SKI-ROSE)
Mt. Rose, with the area’s highest base elevation at 8.260 feet, is just a half-hour from the town of Reno and a favorite with Nevada locals. The appeal is low rates for 1,200 acres of skiable terrain, carved into only 60 trails served by six chairs and two tow lifts. Within its small and homey learning center (not a daycare), “Rosebuds” or kids ages 4 and up can tackle the basics of skiing and riding. Classes are limited to certain age ranges (ski school for ages 4-10, snowboard classes for ages 7-10) and kids are divided into turtles, squirrels, foxes and bears according to their skills. The reasonably-priced school offers two-hour programs in the morning, mid-day, afternoon or full-day and asks parents to remain on property. These are group lessons; private lessons are available for almost all ages and ability levels and those with special needs. The resort offers well-priced Family Packs which include lift tickets for two adults and two children under 17 years. They also offer interchangeable lifet tickets for parents taking turns with the kids. The new Winters Creek Lodge provides improved traffic flow for parents as they pass from the slopes to the lodge with their children in tow. The fun “Wild Horse Adventure Trail” on the mountain winds through the trees and is made up of whoops, rollers and banked turns.
Northstar California Resort
100 Northstar Drive
Truckee, CA 96161
(800/GO-NORTH)
Since its purchase by Vail Resorts in 2010, we’ve seen a lot of luxury upgrades at what used to be called “Flatstar” by those who feel its expert runs are overrated. We love this place for upscale families: the 2,904-acre property has many scenic beginner and intermediate runs, 50 kms of cross-country trails, local snowtubing and snowmobiling, and high-touch service. Hotels, condos and rental homes adjoin both a pedestrian-only lower Village and a mid-mountain ski base served by a gondola or private bus, so your kids can be comfortable getting about on their own. Families will appreciate the new highspeed quad, mid-mountain lodge, enhanced snowmaking, tree thinning to make for improved glade skiing, and wider ski area boundaries. A just-for-boarders run designed by Burton has been created to replicate glade and “natural” terrain conditions for those ready for a challenge. Minors’ Camp is the mountain’s licensed childcare and outdoor play area for non-skiing children ages 2 – 6. Ski school and snowboard lessons are given for ages 4-6 and 7-12 in separate age groups. The resort’s popular Mommy, Daddy and Me program involves you in helping to teach your beginners ages 3-4. For those more experienced, check out the new ‘EpicMix Racing’ where skiers and snowboarders can record their own performance to see how they compare to pro skier, Lindsey Vonn.
Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort
1111 Sierra-at-Tahoe Road
Twin Bridges, CA 95735
(800/AT-TAHOE, 530/659-7453)
S-A-T is preferred by locals as a less crowded, yet pretty interesting hill outside South Lake Tahoe, and it’s the closest option to Sacramento. Beginners can take advantage of a snowboard teaching accessory – the Burton Progression Park – which has a designated drop-in zone before each terrain feature, along with signage offering guidance on how best to approach it. S-A-T is great for self-taught beginners, while the instructor-led classes that focus on riding or freestyle skiing are well regarded. Their Family Private Lesson offers a personalized class with an instructor who is specially trained to teach multiple ability levels in the same lesson; everyone rides the lift together then selects their line of choice down, receiving instruction on how to better carve the groomers, hit the park, launch tricks out of the Superpipe, or enjoy the gladed runs. In a nod to the themeparks, a “Parent Predicament Ticket” allows two adults to share a lift ticket and take turns holding baby or skiing/riding throughout the day. Similarly, the “ParentZone” with bleachers and tables gives guardians a spot to relax and cheer on kids participating in ski and snowboard school. New themed Adventure Zones complete with sound effects and interactive features add some history and local color to runs. This season the resort’s latest edition is Yoda’s Riglet Park, which feautres life size characters from Star Wars Galaxy. No mountainside accommodations here, but very good value beginner packages and free lessons for Advanced Skiers (Level 7-9). Daycare is available for ages 18-months to 5-years; intro to skiing classes begin at age 3 and snowboard lessons at age 4. Take advantage of the cheap, season-long Learn-to-Ski or Snowboard package that the resort is offering.
Palisades Tahoe
1960 Squaw Valley Road
Olympic Valley, CA 96146
(800/403-0206, 530/583-6955)
The United States’ second largest ski resort (six peaks spread over 4,000 acres) and site of the 1960 Winter Olympics, Palisades Tahoe (formerly Squaw Valley USA) has a wide variety of expert and intermediate trails, and well run learning programs that teach ages 3-12 how to ski and ages 6-12 how to ride. Beginners will love being able to snowplow at the peak, where there are scenic vistas of the lake and surrounding mountains from several green runs. Families will relish the resort’s three terrain parks, half-pipe, free ski clinics throughout the day, and an outdoor mid-mountain barbecue. A lateral tram runs mid-mountain over to Gold Coast, so non-skiers can do some aerial sightseeing as well. Palisades’s enclosed cablecar takes skiers and non-skiers up to the play areas at High Camp, where energetic teens and kids can chill at the amazing sky-high skating rink, lagoon pool, bungee jump course, scenic vista restaurants, and night-lit snow tubing and ski trails. The resort’s newest feature is the Kid-O-Rama Kastle, a 5,000 square foot snow castle that has four towers, three slides, and four stair cases. Check out some parades and dance party during the Kid-O-Rama weekend, held February 15th-23rd. Celebrating more than 50 yeras since the Olympics, the mid-mountain Olympic Heritage Museum has been revamped too. The resort’s European-style base village offers posh hotels and condos (with amenities such as outdoor hot tubs, a kids’ club and theatre), shops and over 30 restaurants. IKON Pass lift tickets from Palisades can also be used at the smaller and cozier Alpine Meadows resort.
Dear Reader: This page may contain affiliate links which may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Our independent journalism is not influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative unless it is clearly marked as sponsored content. As travel products change, please be sure to reconfirm all details and stay up to date with current events to ensure a safe and successful trip.
We vacationed at a dude ranch in Colorado called the Drowsy Water Ranch. We have two kids (9,4) who along with us had the best vacation we have ever had. The ranch offered lots of activities and excellent kids programs and riding instruction.
Our favorite parts of the trip was the evening activities, great staff and ranch owners, learning to ride like cowboys and cowgirls, rafting and most of all watching our kids enjoy their vacation.
We would highly recommend Drowsy Water Ranch to anyone looking for a dude ranch vacation. We are planning on returning to the ranch again this coming summer!
I've heard that this housing development project has made Amsterdam city living more affordable for young families. What a wonderful way to keep a very old urban center alive.
Jessica,
I love your essay. Very descriptive and well written. Thanks for sharing it!
Mrs. Toombs
I love your incorporation of the “Disney” portrayal of Paris. I was also a little disappointed when I actually saw the Moulin Rouge, it was definitely not as romantic as Nicole and Ewan made it seem.
This is really good!
your job sounds so interesting, sort of like a war correspondent with less of the war and more of the correspondence. I look forward to week 2.
Wow… really interesting to hear about Iraq from this non-news oriented perspective. Thanks for sharing and can’t wait for more.
Good luck and be safe!
I’d like to thank the judges, who gave my essay the time of day and even went as far as to award it third place. This event has been really awesome.
There’s an area in Berlin with segments of the Wall still standing, and these are covered with graffiti and really interesting to see. I never heard of this, will definitely check it out next time I’m in Praha. Thanks for sharing.
gee Brandon,
that’s a really heavy thought but a very interesting one. i loved cancun when we went; it’s full of life and very sophisticated. yes, we could see the difference between the glitzy lifestyles of the locals around the tourist hotels, versus the people who lived in the countryside, but they all seemed pretty happy to me.
The Holland America ships sailing on a 7-day itinerary only have time for a day in port at Quebec City. However, they have a few 13 day itineraries that spend 2 days in this fun port of call. Mid September-October is a great time to go.
I was able to get the docs, cancel the request. If all else fails, read the directions, right? Thanks
For a unique, exhilerating and unforgettable experience in Wales, try an “adventure weekend” at Preseli Venture. My weekend there included learning how to surf and hiking for 7 miles along the gorgeous coast. Other activities were kayacking and, my personal favorite, coasteering – a combination of swimming, rock climbing and cliff jumping that will leave you sore, tired and smiling. The rest of our time there was spent hanging out around a bonfire, eating delicious food and having drinks with friends. Your body will be challenged and your soul will be rejuvinated after a weekend here!
Norway is an absolutely magical country where you can see tiny grass-roof houses occasionally dotting the countryside and some of the bluest waters you can imagine. My family has an incredible trip to Norway a few years ago. All of us would definitely recommend that you try the strawberries at the open-air market in Bergen. They were the best we’ve ever had. However, don’t be tempted to try the chain pizza restaurant, Pippin’s. Their idea of pizza is not quite what most Americans are used to and its very expensive. After a disastrous experience with Norwegian pizza, we ventured toward the less touristy eateries and discovered that tiny restaurants that sell delicious rotisserie chicken platters were everywhere and quite affordable. We were so proud of ourselves for making this little discovery that I though I’d share it with anyone considering a trip to this amazing place!
Big Sur, the National Park along Highway 1, just south of Monterey is also worth a visit. I spent many summers there as a child and it’s always a pleasure to go back. You’ll be camping(but there are cabins and hotels available) among the giant redwoods, with the beach right beside the forest. Some of the scenery just driving through the park are the best, in my opinion of the entire Highway 1 experience and definitely worth at least a day trip while in the area.
The Bellagio has an amazing nightly water show. The fountains make the water seem to dance to classical music. The show only lasts about 5-10 minutes, but it runs every half hour during the week and every 15 minutes on the weekends. You can tell when the show is about to start as soon as the area around the Bellagio’s entrance gets packed, so be sure to beat the rush and get a comfortable viewing area.
I’ve made two requests for permission travel letters and have not received an email. I have a mac…is that a problem?
The Lake George region is one my favorites to vacation in upstate New York. The town is beautiful and an evening walk along the water after a nice meal makes for an enjoyable evening.
When I vacationed with my family a few years ago we stayed at the Lake George Escape Camp Ground. My family is not one for roughing it, so even though there were families on the grounds living out their tents and RVs, we were able to rent one of the log cabins, with all the modern “luxuries” that I deem necessary (shower, bed, kitchen). The huge grounds has a baseball field, an outdoor pool and a rec room with a tons of games for the kids to play. There is nightly entertainment and the atmosphere is very friendly with families grilling on their own BBQs and offering hotdogs to other guests walking by.
While in town, we found the time to explore the area and two of the things I highly recommend are Six Flags Great Escape Park and just a half-mile down the road from that is the Glen Falls Drive-In movie theater. The theme park has a bobsled rollercoaster and the drive-in has double features (for the price of one) every night during the summer!
Our teen son has been to the New Orleans Jazz Festival twice and he just loves it. There is something magical about listening to music out of doors that keeps kids involved. If we put on some of the music he loved at NoLa at home, he would scoff at it! But there, sitting on the lawn, his musical horizons were much broader. This festival sounds just great.
Hello Steve~ I’m hoping your still active on this site and my post reaches you soon. It was a wonderful sight for me to stumble upon this site and find your name and some photos. Please try to contact me so that we can catch up. You may email me erinmbrice on yahoo.
Everyone should go to the Cliffs of Moher, one of the most amazing things I did in Ireland!
During Christmas of 2006, I went down to the Caribbean for the first time with my family. It was me, my younger brother and sister (who were in their mid to late teenage years at the time) and our parents.
I was a little apprehensive since I have never been on vacation during the holidays before, but like Kristen, we stayed at the Barcelo Capella and it was a GREAT TIME. There was a huge tree in the middle of the resort decorated with lights and they even had parties for all the guests on Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
The staff is comical, welcoming and entertaining. My favorite part of each night was after dinner when the performers took a break from their music and dancing and put on what the resort calls, “Ice Breakers.” Basically, they pull out random guests and members of the audience to come on stage and participate in embarrassing, but incredibly funny activities. You may have to dance the tango with a stranger, pop balloons with your butt, or make animals noises. It keeps the crowd pleased and certainly does break the ice.
I went down with my family, but left the resort with a ton of friends. The Barcelo Capella definitely enhances the typical family vacation. PLUS- It is ALL INCLUSIVE and beach front. You really cannot go wrong here.
Oahu can be congested sometimes, but it’s too beautiful to pass up. Another great thing to do is visit The Contemporary Museum on Makiki Heights Drive. It’s small and intimate and full of interesting exhibits. It’s a great place to beat the heat and get away from crowds.
Absolutely beautiful, in summer and winter. Lake Louise holds a special place in my heart! Although I would suggest during winter bundle up. Seriously, I spent the winter holidays skiing here and it was -40 degrees, hand warmers are a must!
I loved going to Lugu Lake. It took a six hour bus ride to get there from Lijiang, which is a short flight away from Kunming. The trip was definitely worth it though, the lake is gorgeous! If you have time, get tickets for the Mosuo performance. The Mosuo people are a matriarchal society who lives near Lugu Lake and the show teaches you all about their customs through singing and dancing.
I go back to Grand Targhee every winter with my dad for so many reasons. I love it! The lift lines are never long, the food is cheap and with my college I.D I was able to ski for $35 over spring break 2008. I was even able to go skiing with my friends who had never skied before.
If you’re looking to visit pandas without leaving the city, just head over to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The research base is just a short taxi ride away from the heart of the city and a perfect day trip. I spent three hours there before my evening flight, just enough time to visit everything from the Baby Panda Nursery to Giant Panda Kindergarten. The pandas are adorable and although they didn’t do much (mostly sleeping and eating), none of the visitors, including me, could take their eyes off the slow-moving animals. For 400 RMB (about 53 US dollars), visitors can stand next to and take a picture with a baby panda, but if you want to hold one, be prepared for sticker shock. It costs 1000 RMB, or about 133 US dollars!
I also recommend stopping and watching the video about the giant panda and the center’s breeding efforts. Visit the less popular red pandas as well. They’re much more energetic than their large black and white counterparts and the kids were excited to see them leaping around and wrestling with one another. Like most other tourist destinations, the breeding center has a souvenir shop near the exit. Stop by and take a look at the cuddly stuffed pandas and t-shirts, but you may want to buy the items at the stands across the street from the breeding center where you can bargain. Be careful when getting on one of the taxis waiting outside. They know that most of the visitors are tourists and will try to rip you off so make sure they start the meter once you get on.
While in Chengdu, I stayed at Universal House Golden Hotel, a four star hotel not far from the city center. It was inexpensive (I paid around 60 US dollars per night) and the service was wonderful. The front desk was eager to help and recommended two wonderful restaurants, including Huang Cheng Lao Ma which specializes in Sichuan-style hotpot.
The Giant’s Causeway is definitely worth the trip from Belfast, which by bus tour took a couple hours for us. There is a particular rock out near the water that is rumored to be magical and is considered Finn’s chair. Supposedly anyone who sits on that particular step stone can wish for any one thing and Finn will grant that wish.
I also highly recommend the Crown’s Liquor Saloon. The Farmer’s Chicken was excellent and keeping with the wonderful pub atmosphere. Now that there is a smoking ban in Northern Ireland, I bet it’s even more pleasant without the cloud of smoke.
A couple other things that to think about doing is visiting Queen’s University, just to see how like good wine, universities are better with age and a stroll through the Botanical Gardens is nice when weather permits, but if showers occur, seek shelter in the Palm House, a glass greenhouse with a huge variety of tropical flowers and plants. Admission is free to both.
Another way to travel through Belfast is with the Black Cab tours, which offers private tours in those classic cab cars that look old fashioned compared to the sedan Yellow Taxis of New York City. These personalized tours allow up to four people to pick and choose which sites ranging from within Belfast City to as far as Antrim to the Giant’s Causeway. They also have tours to the Shankill Murals and Falls Murals, which are always viewed better with a local guide to explain what these paintings represent, along with the history.
Edinburgh has a great haunted tour. A lot of it is more about the ‘gore’ of hanging days, but they take you down into their underground vaults, which was voted as one of the most haunted places on earth. It’s not all that scary, but definitely for older kids (and grown-ups) who love to be spooked.
I love Portland! Try out the Rose Gardens, it’s a nice place for the kids to run around while the parents enjoy the flowers.
I stayed at the Embassy Hotel while there and we ended up with a suite, very spacious, clean, great staff.
Little Italy is a great spot for gelato and family-style Italian food. And the suburb of Westlake (about 15 minutes from Cleveland) has a huge pedestrian area and shopping village called Crocker Park with tons of shops, eateries, and kid-friendly stops.
I stayed at the Hix House, designed by environmentalist architect John Hix. We absolutely loved it, though it is very rustic and run on solar power, no TV, AC, etc. They require children be 16 and older, so this is only a good option for older kids who love the outdoors and want to explore unique environmental lodging options.
I like free kayaking in Hudson Park through Downtown Boat House. They provide free kayaks to venture out solo or tandem for about 20-minutes along the Hudson. Kids under the age of 16 have to go tandem with a guardian. While 16-18 year olds can go solo, but their guardian has to sign a waiver and be present the whole time. Makes for a fun and inexpensive family activity.
Hudson Park also has a summer trapeze school, batting cages, bike rentals, rock climbing, play areas, and free movie programs during summer.
St. Thomas isn’t the island for me. Personally, the last thing I want to see when entering a Caribbean port is an oversized Rolex store, a local market overflowing with cheap goods from China, and a misplaced McDonald’s.
The Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort is well-kept, but has some of the worst service I’ve ever experienced. If you’re not there on an all-inclusive, they’ll nickel and dime you to death with $20 to $50 to check your email, or even more to get online from your room. My room’s internet connection did not work and when alerted to the problem, the cranky staff did nothing beyond making false promises and passing the buck and I left having never been able to connect.
The beach is rocky and uninviting and so far from the rooms as to almost make it not worth the visit. Snorkeling gear is free to guests, but they make you pay $5 for life vest’s for your little ones. I had to leave my credit card as a deposit when they wouldn’t take my room number instead.
I don’t recommend the Wyndham…
Hi
Stay in what Hans Christian Andersen called “Denmarks Garden” at this magnificent Manor House, http://www.skrobelevgods.dk
Huge and bright suites with en-suite bathrooms, winecellar, lounces with open fireplaces etc.
Hi
Another fantastic French castle is Hattonchatel Chateau in Lorraine – the view is fabulous and the listed knights hall “la Salle de Burgraves” is one of the few wonders of this world.
Mention the night skiing at Squaw Valley. It has one of the longest night-lit runs I’ve ever skied — 3.2 miles from top to bottom. Plus the terrain park is lit at night and that includes a half-pipe. Really fun.
Susan F.
Northstar at Taoe is a great place for teens because all of the housing on the resort site is served by a bus. That means they can sleep in and get themselves to the slopes. It also has really fun terrain park features for both skiers and snowboarders. It would be nice to see daycare for infants, though.
– Laura S.
Wow, you sound like a disgruntled Yankee Fan!
Having personally vacationed at Point Sebago with my family for a week at least 7 years so we speak from first hand experience. Most years we never leave the resort and check-out feeling we participated in a small fraction of the resorts multitude of offerings. You make no mention of the family camaraderie we find so refreshing around the campfire each evening. Did you ever start a camp fire? Probably not as it sounds like you spent very little time at the resort (5 days vacation and 5 Maine excursions).
Obviously your teens do not enjoy tennis, canoeing, kayaking, golf, driving range, miniature golf, sailing, volleyball, shuffleboard, hanging out on the beach, or going on a teen cruise or teen dance.
You make the “Park Homes” sound small. And, when compared to a house – this point can not be argued. However many families vacation and share a single motel/hotel room with 2 double beds. Compared to that, our 2-bedroom Park Home every year feels quite spacious.
You also mention the 10 minute walk from your unit to the water. You do not mention the dozens of homes directly on the water (given the resort popularity, we do reserve months in advance to get a waterfront Park Home).
Point Sebago Resort has over a 80 percent repeat guest and referral rate. Families who love Point Sebago are loyal, return year after year (some for generations) and tell their friends. We have refered dozens of families and all have loved it! Thousands find this to be a real “Maine woods” experience.
But when you visit a resort with so much to offer and the 6 highlights of your visit are 5 off-sight visits (you were only there for 5 days) and the sixth highlight was teaching your son to drive. Well, as you say, clearly your family “did not click with it” – but did you even try?
Does not sound like you will, but if you were to visit again, try actually participating in some of the resorts activities and events. They are numerous, they are fun! You make new friends and you reconnect as friends with your family – surprisingly this happens over mini golf or s’mores. We find this is what really makes the true Point Sebago experience!
-Greg Burke
This author is amazing! This article was very informative and makes me want to go to Seefeld right now!!!Keep up the good work!!!
Our family visited Columbus in July one year and attended the Ohio State Fair. What a great time we had – our 2 year old loved petting the animals in the 4H tent where many older kids were gathered with the younger “siblings” of the cows, sheep and goats who were in competition. The Ohioans are so friendly too, that made it extra fun. Highly recommended, especially with little ones.
I was at this ski resort in March one year and it was awesome. There’s an outdoor cafe halfway up the mountain, near the open air skating rink built for the Olympics — both are a great place to hang out in the noon day sun. really neat.
This sounds like such a fun trip, but do you think it would be hard to drive a minivan full of kids for us, since it’s on the “wrong” side of the street in Ireland?
I wonder how much traffic there is and how stressful this would be, with parking, filling up the gas tank, etc.
Don’t miss “Gum Alley” in downtown San Luis Obispo, where visitors have left their artistic mark in gum. You’ll see gum initials, gum hearts, gum peace symbols, and thousands and thousands of pieces of ABC (already been chewed) gum. Found objects such as old 45 rpm records and charms are often stuck onto the wall and there’s always room for more. The wall is located off Higuera between Chorro and Broad Streets.
I haven’t, but I found a nice site at http://www.auto-europe.co.uk/- It’s AutoEurope, the car rental company, and they have lots of fly-drive offers for families interested in visiting the Christmas markets in Munich, Dresden, Nuremberg, Salzburg, Vienna, Zurich and Strasbourg. maybe it will have some good ideas for your next Christmas market adventure.
A few things to do iin Moscow include the Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier’s changing of the guard ceremony, a Kremlin tour, Lenin’s Mausoleum, Armory and Diamond Fund Tours.
You can explore central Moscow on foot. Kids may like the shopping mall with the food court under Red Square.
Other possiblities include the Izmalova flea market, the KGB Museum and Park Pobedy (Victory Park).
The Bolshoi ballet is a treat and you’ll need to book tickets quite a ways in advance.
You should have plenty of excellent ideas for St. Petersburg in this article!
I am interested in a family trip in July for my two children and myself to include at least Moscow and St Petersburg. I am a member. Help! Christi Bourne
I just didn’t want FamilyTravelForum.com to be hit by nasty emails from parents with young kids curious to know just what Bomba and the women are doing in all those photos and why.
The Bomba Shack is a tourist attraction — trap may be more like it. It’s a really gross place.
Candyce Stapen
Anyone who has ever been to Tortola knows that this is just an absurd landmark… a taste of local color… that people actually ask to stop at. It is definitely just a place to take a photo as they have the strangest things hanging there. We saw lots and lots of license plates, etc… and did not take note of bras and panties, etc. We did not recommend that anyone “hang out” there.
Nonetheless, we feel that if anyone is offended… then this item definitely has to be eliminated from our article about the island.
Mel and Ronnie Greenberg, authors
You really should delete the reference to “Bamba Shack.” First of all, it’s the “Bomba Shack” and secondly, it appeals to drunken college students and twenthysomethings. It’s not family-friendly.
Women’s panties and naked, explicit — very explicit photos — of Bomba feeling up and doing all kinds of X-rated activities with visiting women are on the walls and hang from the rafters.
I wouldn’t even want my daughter going there when she was in college, let alone when she was younger.
Candyce Stapen
[Editor’s Note: Travel expert Candyce H. Stapen is a contributing editor and columnist for Family Fun, Vacations, the Washington Times, and National Geographic Traveler. She is also the author of the four “Great Family Vacations” guides (Prima Publishing): Northeast, South, Midwest & Rocky Mountain Region, and West, as well as “Cruise Vacations With Kids” and “Fun With the Family in Virginia” (Globe Pequot Press). Stapen has two children and lives in Washington, DC.]