Vacations

This year when considering a family vacation, I strongly urge you to think about a skiing trip. It is the perfect way to create a memory that will last a lifetime. Skiing and snowboarding are all day activities that can be just as relaxing or exciting as you make them. All mountains have runs that are divided into different levels. Generally speaking, green is for beginners, blue for intermediate, and black for advanced. People who are looking for a nice relaxed ride in the snow should stick to green runs, while those that want a challenge should try blue and up. If you are a first time skier lessons are not required, but they do help a lot! I have seen many “do it yourselfers” that insist that lessons are a waste of money and that they can figure it out on their own. The truth is, if you don’t take lessons you are more likely to not know what you’re doing and instead of enjoying the short time with your family or friends, you will be on your butt wondering why you didn’t listen to me(sorry its true).

The Snow conditions haven’t been as amazing as they were during winter break 2010, but it is still enjoyable. Many big resorts, like Breckenridge have been making snow to open all the runs and make the skiers experience more pleasurable. I recently went to Breckenridge, CO for my first ski trip and it was amazing! If you would like to view a video I made from the vacation just click on this link (http://youtu.be/7dVEcnp3dW8). The small town, filled with hundreds of restaurants and clothing stores makes the place seem like heaven. We rented a condominium at the bottom of the mountain with another family. Although it was expensive, it was very convenient and allowed us to walk around the town and chill, after an eventful day of snowboarding.

For people who are looking to save as much money as possible, I would suggest staying in a hotel just outside the town where things are a little cheaper. If you’re driving it won’t be a problem, allowing you to make a small drive back and forth from the hotel to the mountain. I’m not going to lie, the restaurants they have on the mountain are nice, but very expensive. To save money I would suggest buying some food and snacks from a local market, allowing you to make lunch or breakfast.

When looking at the cost of buying ski’s or snowboards that range from $800-$1500 it doesn’t seem that bad to rent them, especially for kids whose snow boot and binding size will continue to change until adulthood. Ski rental prices usually stay around the same price from place to place, but to minimize spending I would do some research on the stores in the area and find out what equipment and packages they offer.

Lastly, if you decide to embark on this great journey that you will never forget, remember to keep a positive attitude and have as much fun as possible! I hope I was able to give good advice and help you consider a wonderful vacation.

(below are pictures from my vacation)