Smuggler's Notch - Pitstops for Kids

Where to go for spring break: affordable spring break ideas for families

February 25, 2019 By Amy Hagstrom

If you live in a cold climate like me, you’re probably ready for some fun in the sun. Or maybe you get plenty of blue sky, and want to experience snow one last time before summer. Either way, we have budget spring break ideas for you. Read on to learn where to go for spring break in the U.S….without breaking the bank.

Then, check out our often-overlooked spring break ideas, compiled with additional family travel experts!

For sun and sand:

Want a sun-kissed vacation, but can’t afford a trip to Hawaii or Mexico? Opt for the desert or Caribbean instead! Pack swim suits and sunscreen for the following family-friendly desert destinations:

1. Palm Springs, California: House rentals abound in the greater Palm Springs area, or resort stays include all the amenities you’d expect: multiple pools, golf courses, kids’ clubs, and fine dining. Just outside the city, hiking

and Jeep touring abounds. Where to stay? Our pick: Westin Mission Hills, where kids can take advantage of the SPG Kids Pass for free snacks and drinks and fun activities on-site.

2. Phoenix, Arizona: An easy flight from most airports along the west coast, Phoenix and nearby Scottsdale enjoy warm temperatures year-round and fun activities for kids like horseback riding and hiking. Lounge poolside all day, or hit the links while the kids enjoy their own children’s programming. Where to stay: try the JW

Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa to score big points with the kids as they hit the lazy river and Nickelodeon Activity Zone. In nearby Scottsdale, the Westin Kierland Resort is king.

3. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic: this Caribbean destination was slow to gain popularity with families, but now the word is out. Punta Cana all-inclusive resorts tend to be cheaper than their other Caribbean counterparts, and the beaches are every bit as nice (and the water every bit as warm). Where to raise your beach umbrella: Dreams Punta Cana, where kids love the water play structure, and adults love the luxury of never having to worry about where the next meal is coming from.

4. Laguna Beach, California: Nearby Disneyland Resort may be packed with families during spring break, but the Pacific seaside town of Laguna Beach is much quieter. March is still considered a shoulder season for coastal towns, so you can snag a good room rate in most cases. Hit the beach if the weather permits, but if you visit during typical spring fog or clouds, opt to go whale watching instead.

Snow and mountains:

Need one more ski or snowboard fix before summer? The major ski resorts will be crowded (and demanding spring break rates) but smaller resorts will welcome your family with open arms. The following destinations are big enough to provide great ski schools and childcare, but small enough to be affordable.

1. Lake Tahoe, California: Think you can’t find affordable skiing in Tahoe? Think again! With so many resorts in a small area, competition is steep…which is a good thing for guests. A few extra miles from the lake, family-focused Sierra-at-Tahoe sits just past South Tahoe, an easy commute from San Francisco or Sacramento. Because Sierra-at-Tahoe does not offer on-site lodging, the crowds stay away, but you won’t suffer: cozy HomeAway vacation cabins are only a few miles away. The resort has one of the best layouts for families, with all runs ending in a common bowl for easy meet-ups.

2. Vermont: Vermont is home to both family-friendly champion Smuggler’s Notch and classy Stowe, plus offers plenty of outdoor fun in addition to skiing should the weather cooperate. We love Smuggs even during busy spring break, because this family resort is always offering great deals for parents. Stay, ski, and keep your kids in camp or lessons for one low price.

City escapes:

If you’re city touring, it doesn’t much matter what the weather is like, so head to less-than-ideal-in-spring urban areas to soak up culture instead of sun. Spring break is a great time to tour museums, aquariums, and historical sites when school field trips are at bay.

1. New York City: The Big Apple is exciting no matter what the season, and families can find great deals in March and April. Take in a Broadway show or spend your time in the best family-friendly museums. Not sure where to stay? Try Affinia 50, where families can enjoy some of the largest rooms in Manhattan, family gaming nights, and a relaxing guest lounge.

2. Chicago, Illinois: Check out Shedd Aquarium or the Lincoln Park Zoo, then bundle up and head to Millennium Park free of crowds. Take advantage of shoulder season discounts, and hit as many museums as you can. Stay at the Four Points by Sheraton where families get a big bang for their buck. It’s located right on the Magnificent Mile and includes all the amenities you’ll want after a busy day sightseeing.

3. San Francisco, California: Yes, it may still be brisk by the bay, but hotel room rates will be low, Alcatraz tours will be uncrowded, and you probably won’t have to wait for a cable car. Check out nearby Muir Woods in Marin County, beautiful in all seasons, and take a drive along Highway 1 to see the California coastline. Stay at Omni San Francisco to be located right on the cable car line and mere blocks from colorful Chinatown.

Back to Ski: Smugglers Notch Resort for teens and advanced skiers

January 5, 2018 By Amy Hagstrom

We covered Smugglers’ Notch amenities for young kids and babies last winter, but Vermont-based Smuggs has older kids, teens, and advanced skiers covered as well. In fact, this combination makes Smuggs an excellent resort pick for multigenerational family travel, so bring Grandma and Grandpa along, too. If you have expert skiers and older kids or teens in your midst, here’s what you need to know about Smugglers Notch Resort for teens:

Two-hour lessons appeal to older kids:

My kids—all of whom are expert skiers—balk at all-day lesson programs. They long to explore the mountain on their own, but we insist they continue to work on their skills. At Smuggs, advanced skiers can opt for two-hour lessons (ages 6-17), giving kids plenty of time for free skiing. Tip: book the afternoon session instead of morning for a less crowded lesson. You may even luck out with a private experience!

Mountain configuration is teen-friendly:

Smuggs is comprised of three interconnected mountains. Morse Mountain is where all the action is: you’ll find the childcare and ski school at its base, along with the entire Village Center, and a network of trails primarily for beginners, with a sprinkling of blues for intermediate levels. Madonna and Sterling mountains are further afield, and offer a solid helping of intermediate runs, plus the resort’s black diamond, double-black diamond, and even triple-black diamond runs. To get there, skiers need to ride the chairlift up Morse Mountain, ski the access trail, then catch the double chairlifts at Madonna and Sterling. What this means for parents of teens: to get back down the mountain, runs funnel back down to Morse, ensuring there’s only one place your kids will end up. It’s easy to plan meeting places for tweens and teens, and if you have kids in advanced ski school while you’re hitting the slopes solo, you can meet them at the Madonna/Sterling base lodge.

Adult lessons are not just for beginners:

Practice what you preach to your kids, and take a lesson yourself! If you’re an expert skier, consider your time to be a lesson on Smuggs as well as a lesson on ski form. Madonna and Sterling mountains are chock full of secret stashes, hike-only terrain, backcountry tree runs, and hidden powder pockets. Newbies to the mountain cannot hope to find many of them on their own, and ski instructors act as mountain guides, showing you where all the fun stuff is. (Tip: be a hero and show your kids the best tree runs after your lesson.)

No need to sweat about snow conditions:

Families can plan their entire ski vacation carefully, but no one has control over the weather. Smuggs takes care of this worry as well with advanced—and ever-increasing—snowmaking abilities. With 150 new snowmaking guns last season and another 100 in place for this winter, families can book late or early in the season with confidence, taking advantage of school holidays and long weekends. (Though the resort’s traditional 300 inches from Mother Nature per year certainly help!)

Don’t forget about cross-country terrain:

Included in the vacation packages, the resort’s Nordic terrain includes 30 km of cross-country trails and 24 km of snowshoe terrain. Lessons are available if you’re new to the sports, and ice skating is on-site as well (we find our kids prefer skating while we enjoy the tranquility of the trails). Rent equipment at the center or bring your own.

Teen clubs:

Teens and tweens are usually forgotten when it comes to kids’ clubs (most end at age 12), but Smuggs offers not one, but two! Kids ages 13-15 have their own space at Teen Alley, and 16-17-year-olds have access to Outer Limits. Both clubs are open for après ski fun without parents, and programming includes organized games, video game tournaments, movie nights, and dance jams. How teens have the energy for all this after a day of skiing, I’ll never know, but they do!

Photo credit: Smuggler’s Notch

Smuggler’s Notch with kids: guide to skiing for adults

February 21, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

I grew up skiing in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, so I have a healthy skepticism of New England skiing. The mountains aren’t as big, there’s not as much snow (although there also aren’t as many giant Manzanita bushes to get stuck in…just saying), and there’s too much ice. Well, I still can’t ski on ice, but I’m coming around to New England ski resorts, and Smuggler’s Notch is one of the best spots I’ve seen. There are plenty of sections of intermediate trails (especially on Morse Mountain), but two of the three mountains (Madonna and Sterling) are full of legitimate black diamonds and double black diamonds. Smuggler’s Notch also boasts New England’s only triple black diamond, but it was closed on the weekend we visited (and from the look of it, I wouldn’t have tried it had it been open!).

If you like to go off-trail, Smuggs is the where you want to be! During our stay, I experienced a great session with an instructor who teaches adult lessons, and we barely touched a groomed, marked run the entire time. Off-trail bumps and tree runs are everywhere, and the rule is thus: if you ski off-trail but are able to return to a marked run, you haven’t gone out of bounds. Meaning almost everything is fair game! We even hiked a little bit above the top of Sterling to the Long Trail, and skied down a tree run that finally (and legally!) linked back up to one of the marked runs.

Even if you’re a very good skier, it can be a lot of fun to take a lesson, because it’s a great way to get an insider’s view of the mountain. There were all kinds of great trails I never would have found on my own. I have to say that I haven’t had that much fun skiing in years! It didn’t hurt that it snowed 3–4 inches the night we got there, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky all weekend!

Skiers will also appreciate the way the mountain is set up. The Village Center, condos, swimming pool, etc. are all located at the base of Morse Mountain. This is also where you’ll find the kids’ programs and Treasures (child care). To get over to Madonna and Sterling, where the big skiing is, you have to ride up the Morse Mountain lift and ski over to the other lifts. At the base of Madonna and Sterling, there is a small base lodge, and not a lot else. (You can also drive directly to Madonna and Sterling, but if you’re staying in the condos, it’s easier to ski over.) This configuration minimizes traffic and congestion at the most popular lifts, so you feel like you’re at a small, funky hill with a lot of great terrain.

Tip: The fact that both Madonna and Sterling lifts are pretty slow doubles really enhances the funky old resort feel, and it’s also why it’s great to come on a day that’s not too crowded. Lift lines can take a while when it’s busy.

Smuggler’s Notch offers morning and afternoon adult lesson sessions, lasting two hours. Afternoon sessions are small (lessons are limited to five skiers), but during both my vacation days, I happened to be the only one signed up, and had a private lesson! If you have older kids (ages 6–17), you can sign them up for morning or afternoon lessons to coincide with your own. This would work well for kids who are independent skiers and don’t want to sign up for an all-day program, but are looking to learn some new skills.

Smuggler’s Notch with kids: programming for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers

February 17, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

If you’re like a lot of families with very young kids (think pre-K), the prospect of a ski vacation is tempting, but overwhelming. Who wants to spend precious vacation dollars taking endless runs on the bunny hill with a toddler while your partner is stuck in the lodge chasing a baby determined eat every French fry she finds on the floor? Family ski resorts like Smuggler’s Notch understand this, and provide age-appropriate programming to help families take (and actually enjoy!) ski vacations with young kids. To put Smuggs’ legendary family-friendliness to the test, my husband and I set out from our home in Massachusetts with Homer (3) and Greta (1) for a three-night stay.

Homer was just old enough to enroll in their Discovery Camp (included in most packages), and Greta spent some quality time at the TREASURES child care center (ages six weeks to three). And what did TJ and I do? We skied all day, ate lunch at the lodge, and lounged in the hot tub. Heaven!

The Discovery Dynamos program is for kids aged three to five, and accommodates all ability levels. Homer had already been skiing a few times this winter, so he was bumped up to a group that uses the beginner chair lift, but a lot of the younger groups use Sir Henry’s Learning Hill. This is a nice, wide bunny hill serviced by a magic carpet (it is also where the Burton Riglet Park for beginner snowboarders is located). Also, much to Homer’s delight, the program uses a tractor and wagon to haul kids to the upper slope-side condos, where they can enter the run and ski down without having to use the lifts (easier on the instructors, too!). The camp starts at 9 am, breaks for lunch around 11:30, then goes back out to ski until about 2:30 pm. In the afternoon, the kids come back inside for some indoor entertainment (on Homer’s days they had a science show and a movie). Needless to say, they sleep well at night!

The instructors are friendly, very focused on the kids, and seem to be really excited about reaching a new generation of skiers. If at all possible, I recommend that your child spend a few consecutive days in the program. Homer had the same teacher every day, and became a little more confident and outgoing every day. If your kids are older, keep in mind that there are similar all-day programs for kids up to 15 years of age.

Tip: Though all ski and board ability levels are welcome at the Dynamo level, kids must be potty trained!

While Homer ripped it up with his instructor, Greta spent her days at TREASURES. The facilities are beautiful, and the staff is extremely helpful and accommodating. They even have their own magic carpet lift in the adorable outdoor play area for the older toddlers to try some skiing (refer to the Little Rascals on Snow program)! They specialize in non-recurrent childcare, meaning that they are good at making your child feel comfortable in a new environment, with unfamiliar adults and children. Snacks and meals are provided, but you can bring your own if there’s something special that you know for child will like. They also ask you about mealtimes and naptimes, and really do their best to stick to your normal routine. At the end of the day, you’re given a card detailing everything your child ate, when they slept, and an overall impression of their day.

TREASURES is located right on the trail coming down into the Village Center, so you can easily ski in/ski out to check on your little one. One of the best features of the baby room (0–16 months) is the two-way mirror by the door that allows you peak in without being seen (and thereby causing a meltdown!). But the proof is in the pudding—Greta, who isn’t in any formal, regular childcare at home, had two and a half great days at TREASURES, which equated to TJ and I having two and a half great days of adults-only, guilt-free skiing!

Smuggler’s Notch Resort: planning your winter ski vacation with kids

February 15, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

If you’re planning a ski vacation at one of the resorts in Vermont with young kids this winter, then Smuggler’s Notch, Vermont is the place for you. We recently got back from a great weekend at Smuggs with Homer (3) and Greta (1), and the convenience and accessibility of the resort made the weekend not just possible, but so much fun!

When reserving Smuggler’s Notch lodging, it’s important to note that the resort is comprised of five distinct ‘communities’ of condos, each with their own pros and cons. We opted to stay in a Village East slope-side condo (Hakone) that was just steps away from the Morse Mountain lift and the Village Center (which is complete with restaurants, a rental shop, and even a small grocery store, well-stocked with Ben and Jerry’s, of course!). We highly recommend staying this close to both amenities and the lifts with young kids; parents know just how important it is not to have to lug skis in and out of the car, pack lunches and backpacks to leave in the base lodge, and wrestle kids in and out of car seats every morning and afternoon! If you’re staying in one of the communities a little farther away from the action, however, there are shuttles going to and from the Village Center and Madonna/Sterling Mountains all day.

All Smuggler’s Notch condos are well-equipped with linens, dishes, pots and pans–basically everything but the groceries. You have the option of choosing anything from a studio to a five-bedroom condo (descriptions and layouts of which can be found at the Smuggs website), making it easy to find the perfect fit for your family.

When you make your condo reservation, you’re given the option of signing up for a Club Smuggler’s package (Base, Classic, or Summit). Packages include lodging, lift tickets, and the use of many amenities. With the Classic and Summit packages, Treasures childcare (six weeks to three years) and the all-day Discovery Camp (ages 3–5) are included. Be sure to take advantage of this: when you break down the per-day expenses of child care and lift tickets, you’ll see that these packages are a great deal!

There are several great dining options at the Smuggs Village Center, but we mostly stuck to the groceries we brought from home (all condos have a full kitchen) and the Morse Mountain Grille in the nearby lodge. Travel Tip: the Morse Mountain Grille has a take-out option. Great for after a long day of skiing, and even better when you have two tired toddlers on your hands!

In the Village Center you’ll also find some bad-weather entertainment options like a heated indoor pool and hot tubs and the Fun Zone, a big indoor arena with a bounce house, all kinds of slides and games, and even a fenced-off area for babies and toddlers. For older kids (13¬18), Teen Alley and Outer Limits are supervised centers with Internet access, Xbox 360, and other activities.

Seasonal Tip: Keep in mind that the fun doesn’t stop when the snow melts. Smuggler’s Notch is a year-round resort with lots of kids’ programming all summer long. Activities for kids and grownups include swimming, hiking, climbing, tennis, and lots more.

Date last visited: February 3–6, 2012

Distance from the interstate: Smuggs is about 40 miles off I-89 in Vermont. Check out www.smuggs.com for directions; search engines like googlemaps or mapquest might try to send you to Smuggs via VT-108, a portion of which is closed between Stowe and Jeffersonville in the winter!

Rates and reservations: Rates vary by condo size, location, and time of year. Rates (including Club Smugglers Base, Classic, or Summit packages) range from $109 to $209 per person for adults, and from $79 to $199 for kids.

Directions: Smuggler’s Notch is located at 4323 Vermont Route 108 South in Jeffersonville. The most reliable directions are on the Smuggs website. Check-in is located in the Village Center by the main parking lot as you enter the resort.

As I disclose whenever applicable, Smuggler’s Notch hosted our stay for the purpose of review. While we appreciate such Vermont hospitality, this compensation came with no expectation of a positive review.