• Travel

    A Smugglers’ Notch Summer – Open Your Eyes to Something New

    July 23, 2019 - By 

    We were hosted media guests at Smugglers’ Notch this summer. My opinion is all my own and also truthful. Have you ever seen a Luna moth? They have an impressive wingspan, a lime green colour that makes them look almost bioluminescent and streamers trailing behind as they fly. If I’d never seen this moth, I’d still believe all moths drab and grey. Looking Through a Different Lens If I’d never experienced a Smugglers’ Notch summer I might have missed seeing all the fun ways you can play at a ski resort when the snow has long since melted. Sometimes, a…

  • sunday_river_maine
    Travel

    Where Can You Find Amazing Skiing in Maine?

    April 30, 2019 - By 

    “There’s skiing in Maine?” That’s what my family asked the week before we left for a 12-day road trip through New England and up to Quebec. Oh yes, indeed, there’s great skiing in Maine and when it comes to affordable family friendly ski trips, Sunday River Resort delivers. Spring/Winter Family Road Trips As a family, we ski Vermont every year and we’re extremely familiar with that territory and the Green Mountains. But this year we decided to add on to our trip and keep exploring for as long as we could. So, after five days of skiing at Sugarbush and…

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    Travel

    Celebrate 60 Joyful Years at Sugarbush Ski Resort Vermont

    April 22, 2019 - By 

    Update – in November 2019, Sugarbush Ski Resort Vermont announced they’d been sold to Alterra. Win Smith told me in an email: “Alterra is focused on sustainability at all their destinations both in terms of doing responsible things but also in advocating for initiatives to deal with the growing climate crisis.  Sugarbush has been doing this already and will have a greater voice as part of Alterra.” Alterra Buys Sugarbush Ski Resort The sale is expected to go through January 7, 2020. Staff will retain their jobs, the reaction to the announcement has been positive and current staff will all…

  • Travel

    Vermont Family Resorts – All The Pretty Things At Okemo Mountain Ski Resort

    April 2, 2019 - By 

    With bountiful pristine snow-covered deciduous trees, sprawling Green Mountain views, long, wide, memorable alpine trails and a tiny, quirky, local downtown area, Okemo is one of the prettiest of all Vermont Family resorts we have visited yet. Located in Ludlow, Vermont, Okemo rewards visitors for braving the cold and embracing an outdoor lifestyle. A few weeks ago we set off on an epic family road trip. First stop was Okemo Mountain Ski Resort, in South-Central Vermont, where we stayed at Jackson Gore Inn. Vermont is always a spectacular choice for families, hardcore skiers and snowboarders. There are so many great…

  • pack_for_a_ski_trip
    Travel

    How to Pack For a Ski Trip

    November 20, 2018 - By 

    It’s almost ski season and that means it’s almost time to pack for a ski trip. Packing for a ski vacation is easier with a little organization. I say easier because there’s a lot of gear and a lot to remember too. But, the best way to make sure you have everything required for your trip is to start a list of course. You won’t want to leave anything important behind because let’s be honest it’s cold out there and also expensive. YOU don’t want to get to your destination missing something vital and then have to buy it or…

  • mint_restaurant
    active family travel - Food - Travel

    Mint Restaurant and Tea Lounge Vermont #IFWTWA

    February 27, 2017 - By 

    Mint Restaurant and Tea Lounge, located in picturesque Waitsfield, Vermont, serves up New American inspired vegan and vegetarian clean cuisine. Good food speaks to everyone and Mint Restaurant and Tea Lounge is fluent in food. Mint Restaurant and Tea Lounge brings the best vegan and vegetarian cuisine to Vermont residents and tourists. Mint Restaurant and Tea Lounge – Fine Dining in Vermont This restaurant, the culinary child of a couple who had a successful vegan/vegetarian restaurant in LA, sits on Main Street in Waitsfield, Vermont. A town practically in the shadows of two major ski resorts, with the Green Mountains to the west and the Northfield…

  • adaptive ski
    active family travel - family - family travel - FASD - parenting - special needs - Travel

    Adaptive Ski Programs for People with Disabilities

    January 10, 2017 - By 

    Children with special needs face challenges that other kids don’t. Whether their disability is physical, mental or neurological, children and adults with special needs require extra support with certain activities. Many ski resorts are getting excellent at meeting this need. I have seen some adaptive ski programs at family friendly resorts like Smugglers’ Notch in action. Some are super impressive so I thought I would share a list for families like ours. Adaptive Skiing Shines at These Ski Resorts Children and adults with special needs face barriers too many places still. So when I find a resource with adaptive or inclusive programs sometimes…

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    Travel

    Canadian at Par – 5 Ski Resorts That Don’t Break the Bank

    November 22, 2016 - By 

    Canadian at par. Those are the sweetest words any Canadian can hear when they’re travelling to the U.S. The Canadian dollar is often very low compared to the U.S. dollar. What that means for Canadian travellers is that we often pay far more on our trips to the States. This post has been updated to reflect 2020 information.  At an exchange rate of 1.3 to 1.4, we can pay hundreds more for trips to the US versus trips to Europe or even domestic getaways. Sometimes that means staying in country and not visiting the US at all. BUT, that doesn’t always…

  • smugglers-notch
    active family travel - family - parenting - Travel

    One of the Best Family Ski Resorts You Could Find – Smugglers’ Notch #Smuggs #travel

    February 9, 2016 - By 

    I am a Smuggler. Actually the Schuck family are all Smugglers. This winter, we fell head over heels for Smugglers’ Notch, America’s Family Resort, Vermont, and are craving a return visit as soon as possible. Because winter is so much better when you are at Smugglers’ Notch doing ALL THE Fun Things Together as a Family. This past month we had the pleasure of visiting Smugglers’ Notch in north Vermont. It’s so easy to see why Smugglers’ Notch (Smuggs) has been named Ski Magazine’s Number #1 Kid-Friendly Resort in the Eastern US and Canada. Smugglers’ Notch might get you there with…

  • Ermitage Du Lac, Tremblant
    Travel

    Ermitage Du Lac, Tremblant, Quebec

    May 20, 2015 - By 

    Spacious Accommodations at Mont Tremblant I wish that I had taken more pictures of the inside of our suite at Ermitage du Lac, Mont Tremblant when we stayed there earlier this year. Ermitage Du Lac was one of the biggest suites we have ever stayed in as a family. Three massive self contained bedrooms, each with their own bathroom, plus a large kitchenette and gorgeous views. Can you imagine? My kids thought they were in paradise (No arguments over who slept where and no yelling as someone hammered on a bathroom door for the other to speed it up. No,…