 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi new to this forum. We are hoping to go to Canada this coming feb with our little one, we would like him to have some lessons incorporating fun other stuff for half a day. We don't want him zipped away from us all day like esprit or only have an hour lesson too. We also would like it if there are other things that we can do while we are there. Can anyone recommend where to go and what to do? Would Europe be better?
Thanks for helping a newbie!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Our youngest was 4 when we first took him skiing. That was in Breckenridge, Colorado, and, despite what others will no doubt soon tell you, the relatively long journey wasn't a problem at all. Like you, we really didn't want to lose our kids or the holiday so, although that was 10 years ago, our experience is still relevant.
At 4, a half day skiing will be plenty. Most resorts offer kids clubs and or supervised lunches according to how much you want to ski as well. Typically in North America - and unlike most European resorts - you won't need to sign your boy into a week-long class, so you could have a family day or two in the middle of the week if you want.
Canadians and Americans seem to believe that childhood should be fun above all else. So, for example, Breckenridge has Ripperoo the skiing dog who invites the kids into his hut for hot chocolate on cold days. Panorama in BC has a kid-sized fort and play area hidden in a forest away from the adults. Other resorts often have similar schemes to add a sparkle of magic. In our slightly limited experience (you only have one lifetime from which to learn), lessons and childcare are much, much better in North America than in, say, France.
I would very strongly recommend that you stay within comfortable walking distance (no more than 500 metres) of the ski school. You'll have to carry your son's gear as well as your own, and most mornings something will be accidentally left in the hotel. I also suggest a pedestrianised resort so that you don't have to worry about traffic accidents. And you want beginner slopes that advance very, very gradually - a concave hill rather than a convex one is ideal.
From personal experience, I would recommend Panorama. Stay in the upper village and you won't see a car all week. The Pine Inn is cheap while the upper village apartments are somewhat posher; all are right next to the ski school meeting place. Like most Canadian resorts, off-slope diversions are scarce: there's a large outdoor pool and hot-tub for use by all village guests and there's a small wolf sanctuary across the road; otherwise, nada. It's a long transfer, too - 4 hours drive from Calgary.
I'm sure that other resorts are equally perfect, but I would stay away from most larger places. I wouldn't repeat my trip to Breck with a family, for example - it's too big and crowded for a little one IMV. If you're prepared to go just across the border, though,you might want to consider Big Sky in Montana. The skiing is blissfully quiet, the village is compact and ski in/out, and it throws up the possibility of a day out in Yellowstone's winter wonderland.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Panorama now has tubing!
Plus usually there are some other little kiddies activities. My two 'built a bear' once.
SS, BW and SP resorts do horse sleighing as well and dog sledding is often an option. Usually resorts have a rink
I think it could be good, yes there is the long plane ride BUT lessons and everything will be in English and generally level of instruction is very good with a strong customer focus
Fernie too is good for kids I think, ski wise- lots of greens accessible from a chair etc.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Most resorts have tubing most have skating rinks with zimmer frames for beginners then there are swimming pools in some resort some pools are just for hotels some are public pools usually open air pools. Silver Star has bowling alley but no pool but they run kids entertainment in the evenings including a climbing wall, story telling, art competition talent shows . They have mini snowmobiles that the kids drive round a track near the skating pond. The slopes are quiet and the classes are small. We stayed with a 7 and a 10 yr old a couple of years ago. Stayed at snowbird lodge it was a 30 sec ski to ski school. If you walked took about 90 sec via the lobby and a set of steps across the run outside down the slope a few metres and ski school is on the right.
Sun Peaks has great ski school, again small classes. There is a swimming pool, there is tubing and a skating pond though they are supposed to be building a full size rink this year or next I don't know which. There is dog sledding and full size snowmobiles. All the places we have stayed have had tv's, cable dvd players and wifi. All have had Hot tubs, and full kitchens. The last place we stayed 850 sq ft 2 beds and 2 bathrooms. Some times the runs were so busy we had to share them with an other family.
Not taken kids to big white nor to Whistler.
Banff to cold for kids same problem Lake Louise and Sunshine. Revelstoke was not good with the then 8 and 11 yr olds. The 8 yr old "ran out of breakfast" and finding somewere to top her up again was a pain for the rest of us.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| joneski wrote: |
| Not taken kids to big white nor to Whistler. |
Didn't find Whistler all that great for littleh_mkI when he was starting out - he was in the Whistker kids weekend camp at 3, but didn't really get on with it.
IMHO the beginner areas on Whistler are a bit of an afterthought - has a good travelator and learner terrain at the midstation, but unless you are in the kids lessons, nowhere to go really except a little snack shop, and the ancient lift there is very slow but strangely high. On Blackcomb the ski area is at the base, so whilst better facility wise and good terrain, it is more prone to being wet.
For us the N.shore mountains (Grouse mostly) were a better option.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I went to Whistler with my kids at about that age and after having heard the hype about the high quality North American childcare I was in all honesty a bit underwhelmed. It was not as friendly or as good as the Austrian equivalent which we did later in the year and the following year. It wasn't bad just not very good.(and the food that they were offered was dreadful junk, jam sandwich or cheap pizza slices).
It may well have changed since as this was about fifteen years ago.
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FAQ
too long. Flight will be fine a couple of DVD's any my boy could sit for hours 
