31 Things To Do at Smugglers’ Notch Resort Vermont

Paula — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 11:43:23 +0000

There are so many great things to do at Smugglers’ Notch Resort Vermont that it’s hard to know what to pick first. There are dozens of great activities for winter warriors, and even more fun family centred excursions. You will want to do them all. Your kids will also want to do them all. It’s not unlike traveling to Disney. You simply have to prioritize. I mean life is full of hard choices, right? You can either stay long enough to tackle a bit of everything or come back repeatedly and discover new things every visit. Either way you will love your stay at Smuggs. 31 Fun Activities at Smugglers’ Notch, Resort Vermont We had a chance to visit Smugglers’ Notch Resort this winter and we had a fabulous time. The northern Vermont resort is one of the most family friendly spots we have ever visited. Plus there’s no end to what you can do while visiting this beautiful friendly resort Vermont destination. Preregistration is recommended for many of the events and activities here. Check the RIG (resort information guide) for full details regarding timing, prices and age limitations as well. Let’s Start with the Obvious Winter Sports Skiing The skiing is excellent here. So many great runs and three mountains to choose from – there are beautiful meandering runs like Meadowlark and Garden Path (which is not a cakewalk – there’s a good first pitch there – and the only triple black diamond in the east. That is to say there is something for every single skier in your family or your group.) Snowboarding Snowboard (there are many activities related to this and there’s also a night school for boarding and jibbing. Such a great spot to carve – memories will be made here that last forever.) CIDER WALK – The Nordic Centre at Smugglers’ Notch Resort Vermont is the place to sign up for several different things We signed up for the Cider Walk and joined our tour guide at the Nordic Centre one day after a full ski lesson and ski university (for the kids) We strapped on some snowshoes and hiked through the forest for about an hour then headed back to the Nordic Centre where we had some apple cider to finish the excursion off. There’s an extra fee for the cider walk. There’s also a Smores and Snowshoes walk that sounded pretty fantastic too. This was excellent physical activity too. After skiing most of the day we were exhausted and still managed to get through the snowshoe hike. But I could feel it the next day for sure. The guide we had knew what he was doing and he was pretty good with our kids too. He had my youngest engaged regarding trolls living beneath bridges. This was a lot of fun for all of us. Take a Cat Trax Ride. We did this for the first time ever and it was so much fun! Plus Cat Trax is offered several nights a week. Click through the link to read more about our Cat Trax ride up Madonna Mountain. It is one of the coolest things we have ever done as a family together. Twice a week the Cat Trax Express climbs vertically up the mountain all the way to the very top. It’s a heated ride up the side of the mountain. There is room for 12 inside the cab. The Cat Trax Express is relatively new at Smuggs. Be warned children must be six and up and the cost is $49 per person. This is a fun ride though. You must try it at least once! I-did-a-sled – Fun Family entertainment. This was an all ages family friendly competition and it was included as part of the Resort Information Guide (RIG). No extra fee. With cardboard, paint, streamers and duct tape you and one other partner have to design and build a sled in an hour. Then you launch the sleds off of Sir Henry’s learning area. So much fun! Ours didn’t travel too far and it was a blistering cold night but building it was fun and the kids enjoyed trying to race it down the beginner’s hill. Snowshoe – There’s a Soup and Snowshoes excursion and a Snowshoe lesson winter survival trek too. There are snowshoe hikes and a back country snow shoe tour too. There’s an extra fee for these activities. Highly recommend trying one of these snowshoe activities. The snowshoes are very current and the guide knows what he is doing. Cross Country ski There are cross country group and private lessons too. Swim There are more than a couple of pools here. Each community has a community centre with an indoor pool and play zone. There’s also an all ages lap pool. Tubing Who doesn’t love tubing? It’s a great way to have some fun while not exerting yourself too much after a long day of skiing, or ski university. Ziplining – Arbortrek Zipline Canopy Adventure Park Open both summer and winter. This is just a couple of minutes from the entry of Smuggs. Check http://www.smuggs.com/arbortrek/ for more information. Daily at 10 am and 1 p.m. Also an extra cost of about $100 US each. This lasts about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. 8 ziplines, two sky bridges, and 2 rappels. I’d love to do this but maybe when the weather is a bit warmer. They run all winter and summer too. Family Karaoke I mean why not? Kid’s Night Out This is something I wish we could have taken advantage of much earlier. Call Treasures Nursery and Child Care and find out when they have a Kid’s Night Out scheduled to happen. I wish like mad that we had learned how to ski earlier and when the kids were younger. Treasures Nursery is amazing. We took an hour one day and rode over to visit the Nursery and talk with the supervisor there while taking pictures. Such a great space and a reliable staff with which to leave your little people. You can also book a babysitter for the evening. If you are booking your vacation time here make sure to call ahead so they can staff adequately and your child will be well looked after. I would have used this when the kids were small had I ever had the chance to visit Vermont back then. We only just discovered skiing in 2015. Ski University Amazing. That’s all I have to say about this. My kids loved ski university. The staff were exceptional and might be some of the best I have ever encountered anywhere. Winter Walking You don’t need any extra equipment for a good long walk in the snow. Explore the Notch. Good for ages 18 plus. Airboarding There wasn’t enough snow for this to be operating when we were there during the unusually mild winter we just had but this is something we would do for sure. We’d return for this too. Age 12 and older. Helmets are required. Meet at Morse Highlands Lodge. If the upper Morse Highlands lift is not running then this is cancelled. Otherwise you access via the lift and the airboarding is done at Upper Morse Highlands All Terrain Park. Done on something that looks like a boogie board or inflatable sled. No prior experience is needed. We would return to try this also. Broomball Age seven and up at the ice rink. Snowmobile Evening Tour Snowmobiling can be a lot of fun and a really enjoyable Kid’s Mini-Snowmobile Just what it sounds like. For ages 6-12. Must have a helmet and parent must be present. $27 each for a half hour ride. Dodgeball There are quite a lot of fun activities that teens can join in when they aren’t skiing or snowboarding. Water Aerobics Stay fit while on vacation. This appeals to older relatives and non skiers too. Ice Skating Skating Located near the Nordic Centre. All ages outdoor ice skating and you can rent skates too for a small fee. Fun Zone Bouncy house, mini golf, arcades and so much more. Don’t miss this! Yoga for Every Body All ages at least once a week – preregister and wear workout gear. Good for alignment and balance necessary for skiing! Fireworks On Thursday nights there is a TOP of Morse Cat Trax Express fireworks show. Character Dance Party Often in the Meeting House. Boogie with Billy Bob or Mambo with Mogul Mouse Arts and Crafts There are several arts and crafts kinds of activities scheduled throughout the week. Women’s Ski Clinics NEXT TIME!!! I am ready for ski clinics now. I actually really loved the nearly private lessons though. I had private lessons almost every day but one, when I shared with one other woman who had flown in with family from Puerto Rico! I am so ready to challenge myself next time. Mountain Massage Centre WELL, of course there are several spa type treatments here too. Honestly that would be a very different vacation for me because the mountains and the people are the best features at this place. Beaver Trek Take a hike and explore the wildlife. Learn a little about the history of the area too. Sugar on Snow Snowshoe Trek We missed this, but let’s face it how many hours are there in a day. There are dozens of really fun snowshoe treks and when we return we will do this one. Hot Tubs Located in pretty much all of the communities and in the resort community centre spaces that are central to each area, if you can’t find a hot tub here then you just aren’t looking. PIN THIS FOR LATER – > There’s more than enough for everyone to find something they love and embrace it at Smugglers’ Notch. I will return for the skiing and the people. Staff were exceptional with our kids. If you are a beginning skier it wouldn’t hurt to read this post – Five Ski Gear Tips. Smugglers’ Notch is also on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Follow hashtag #SMUGGS or #SMUGGSLOVE to read up on current conditions if you plan to go. I was a media guest at Smugglers’ Notch this past winter. My accommodations and activities were all complimentary. My opinion is all my own and it is also truthful. We loved every moment of our stay.

The post 31 Things To Do at Smugglers’ Notch Resort Vermont appeared first on Thrifty Mommas Tips.

Wings of Paradise: Family Travel and a Butterfly Rescuer

Paula — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:30:00 +0000

This summer you will want to check out this little gem near Cambridge. Wings of Paradise Butterfly Conservatory is a perfect day trip for kids who are school aged. First catch of the day. Payton lands one easily at Wings of Paradise near Cambridge. Ainsley waited and waited. At first the butterflies swirling around her head were really making her nervous. Then she started to get a bit more comfortable and, when her sister proudly landed one carefully on her finger, well, my competitive six-year-old was not be to outdone. Here little sister finally had her moment. The Blue Morpho butterfly – just like on Diego. This one is easier to capture in the cartoon show than in real life. When it lands to eat, its wings close up and a camouflaged brown butterfly sits in its place, completely hidden in the trees. Payton and Ainsley in the lobby of Wings of Paradise Butterfly Conservatory. Where can you spend an afternoon fantasizing you are deep in the rain forest of Costa Rica as Blue Morpho butterflies swirl around you magically? Wings Of Paradise butterfly conservatory is located just outside of Cambridge in a tiny spot known as Breslau. Is the Trip Worth The Drive? Wings Of Paradise butterfly conservatory is an excellent, affordable, educational field trip to take with the kids. If you are in southern Ontario, the road trip is worth it. But be warned this is not a place for rampaging preschoolers. More for the school-aged set. Even with my girls, now six and nine, I had to remind them a few times to walk, because this is a spot you want to soak in and not race through. Also you don’t want to step on the butterflies. Which is not to say that you need to walk on egg shells, but a bit of caution goes a long way. Did you know butterflies tend to hide on rainy days and we’ve had several of those this summer. Try not to visit then. We picked a sunny day and packed our snacks and our GPS and were excited to learn more. So with that in mind, and armed with another one of my Lay’s Chip Trips vouchers, for buy one get one free admission, (we saved about $8) we headed down Highway 401 for the afternoon. Lay’s Chip Trips The space is new and clean and Wings of Paradise is a lovely spot. Make note it is near the K-W airport, so if you go for lunch at the cafeteria style restaurant inside, you will be able to spot several airplanes. Also make sure the tank is filled with gas as the building is in a remote spot. We paid about $25 for our day and went through the conservatory numerous times as my sixer got braver each time through the rainforest. Great Place to Pretend Ainsley started pretending she was Diego, animal rescuer, about the fourth time through, when she spied a butterfly on the ground, looking wounded. She managed to scoop him gently off the ground, without touching the wings and placed him back on a plant. For pictures, patience is key, but also I noted girls who wore straw hats had many butterflies land on them and also butterfly print shirts seemed to somehow attract these beautiful creatures. This Wings of Paradise family day trip was entirely worthwhile. I only wished that there had been a guide giving regular tours through to point out the varieties present and perhaps to discuss some of the background and geographical information. That would have made the day even more educational and it would enhance the experience. We will return to this spot. What’s your favourite family day trip in Ontario? Thriftymommastips rating $$$$ out of $$$$$.

The post Wings of Paradise: Family Travel and a Butterfly Rescuer appeared first on Thrifty Mommas Tips.

family trips Archives — Thrifty Mommas Tips

31 Things To Do at Smugglers’ Notch Resort Vermont

Wings of Paradise: Family Travel and a Butterfly Rescuer