Best Skiing And Snowboarding Getaways For NY, NJ, Conn. Families
With the colder weather arriving, many New Yorkers are flocking upstate to master the snowy slopes. From the highest peak in Lake Placid, to tubing in the Poconos, here are some of the best places to have some winter fun. By John Friia/CBSNewYork.com Staff
Whiteface Lake Placid
2634 Main Street
Lake Placid, NY 12946
www.whiteface.com
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Lake Placid is synonymous with the "Miracle on Ice" from the 1980 Olympics, but it also boasts some of New York's quintessential skiing slopes. Just a few hours from Manhattan, Whiteface Mountain offers one of the highest peaks on the east coast and has 86 snowboarding and skiing trails stretching over 22 miles. Besides winter sports, people can experience Lake Placid's restaurant, signature craft beer, dog sledding and fat tiring biking.
Mount Peter
51 Old Mt. Peter Road
Warwick, NY 10990
845-986-4940
www.mtpeter.com
New Yorkers can enter a winter wonderland in Warwick with Mount Peter. Known for their signature Free Beginner Ski and Snowboard School, the resort is filled with high-quality terrain for winter sports. The resort recently added a tubbing area -- the long and fast trail is perfect for family fun. As the sun sets, the fun begins at Mount Peter, with night skiing available on all of their trails.
Woodbury Ski Area
785 Washington Road
Woodbury, CT 06798
203-263-2203
www.woodburyskiarea.com
More: Best Skiing Day Trips Near NYC
As the weather begins to get colder, Woodbury Ski Area starts the winter fun once the temperature hits 32 degrees. Located in the Southern Litchfield Hills of Connecticut, this getaway offers skiing, snow tubing, snowboarding and cross-country skiing. Throughout the park, sport enthusiasts and adrenaline seekers can tackle the quarter pipe and test their abilities.
Thunder Ridge Ski Resort
137 Birch Hill Rd.
Patterson, NY 12563
(845) 878-4100
thunderridgeski.com
Approximately one-hour from New York City, Thunder Ridge Ski Resort offers several pros: good snow (real and homemade), pleasant staff, reasonably priced and efficiently-run ski school for children and easy slopes for kids. The resort is a short drive and an easy way to get your children familiar with the sport. Several hotels offer overnight ski and stay packages, including the The Pawling House Bed & Breakfast, Hilton Garden Inn, Maron Hotel, and Holiday Inn Danbury-Bethel.
Mohawk Mountain Ski Area
46 Great Hollow Road
West Cornwall, CT 06796
(860) 672-6100
mohawkmtn.com
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Mohawk Mountain Ski Area is about two hours from New York City in Cornwall, Conn. Mohawk offers great snow (real and homemade), well-marked trails, an excellent ski school for children with extensive programming, challenging trails for adults, an on-mountain restaurant, and is less crowded than Thunder Ridge. This is more of a ski experience, like offered in Lake Tahoe and Park City.
Mountain Creek Mountain House
200 Route 94
Vernon, NJ 07462
(973) 827-2000
mountaincreek.com
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Mountain Creek Mountain House is about one hour from New York City in Vernon, N.J. You can count on Mountain Creek for good snow, a family-friendly atmosphere, picturesque views, convenient lodging options on premises, and being first-timer friendly. Mountain Creek offers 167 ski-able acres on four mountain peaks, 100 percent night skiing, the region's most extensive snow-making system and highest vertical at 1040 feet. You can save on tickets by buying online, with discounted options like Season Passes and Friends & Family All Access Pass Deals.
Hunter Mountain
Hunter Mountain
Hunter, NY 12442
(800) 486-8376
huntermtn.com
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Located in the Catskills, Hunter Mountain offers renowned terrain, award-winning facilities and luxury mountainside accommodations at the Liftside Condominiums. They offer a dozen unique mountain eateries speckled throughout the resort, two full-service retail stores and plenty of programs for adults, children, and families. The resort makes snow early, often, and in large quantities so the snow can be very plentiful. Along with day passes, Hunter Mountain also offer season passes, as well as specialty deals.
Windham Mountain
Windham, NY 12496
(518) 734-4300
windhammountain.com
More: Family-Friendly Winter Destinations Near NYC
Windham Mountain is a ski resort located in the town of Windham, New York, in the northern section of the Catskill Mountains. It has 53 trails and 12 lifts, including two high-speed detachable quads -- one from the bottom to top of each peak. The highest peak is situated at 3,100 feet, with a vertical rise of 1,600 feet from the base. Snow covers 97 percent of the resort's 284 acres of trails. Windham offers daily ski and snowboard lessons -- perfect for those who are just starting out, or eager to brush up on their techniques.
Ski Shawnee
401 Hollow Road
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
570-421-7231
www.shawneemt.com
From the seasoned athlete to the amateur, Ski Shawnee is the ideal place for winter sport lovers. With 23 slopes and trails, half of them are catered towards the intermediate skier. Snowboarders can also practice their skills at Incubator Park before heading to the Bushkill Terrain Park -- a course filled with multiple jumps and obstacles. People can also enjoy the slops of Pocono Plunge Snow Tubing Park, which boasts six different chutes.
Jack Frost Big Boulder
434 Jack Frost Mountain Road
Blakeslee, PA 18610
www.jfbb.com
Blending together the convenience of various parks, Jack Frost Big Boulder is one of the first ski resorts in Pennsylvania that offers more than the typical ride down the slopes. Guests can choose to explore up to seven different parks, including ONE Park and Freedom Park. These two areas are ideal for experienced snowboarders to showcase their freestyle skills. There are 35 other trails that are perfect beginners to test their newly-discovered winter tricks.
John Friia is a freelance journalist and native New Yorker writing about food, drinks and lifestyle. You can follow his adventures on Instagram.
