GRAND Magazine - November/December 2008 - (Page 64) reunion Smugglers’ Notch, Vermont f In the heart of Vermont’s Green Mountains, about 30 miles from Burlington, is Smugglers’ Notch (aka “Smuggs”), which readers of SKI magazine consistently rank as one of the East Coast’s best resorts when it comes to entertaining families with stellar service, lodging options and off-hill activities. Three mountains, Morse, Madonna and Sterling, all interconnected by lifts and trails, keep skiers and boarders busy on 78 trails and more than 1,000 acres of terrain. Accommodations: Condominium options at Smugglers’ run the gamut from cozy one-bedroom homes nestled in the woods to two-level, five-bedroom townhomes within walking distance of the Village Core and all the resort action. Value-wise, the way to go is to book a Club Smugglers’ Advantage Package, which includes not only lodging but also lift tickets, lessons, entrance to the FunZone Family Entertainment Center and more. Visit www.smuggs.com or call 800-451-8752. If your group contains multiple families as well as multiple generations, consider customizing a Family Group Package with the help of dedicated groupreservations staff: call 800-521-0536 or e-mail gvacations@smuggs.com. Lessons: You’re (almost) never too young to learn at Smugglers’ Notch: Kids can get instruction on skis at age 2 1/2, on a snowboard at age 4. The resort’s Snow Sport University offers group and private lessons for all ages, including all-day camps for kids that combine two hours of morning on-slope instruction, lunch and age-appropriate indoor entertainment in the afternoon. Smugglers’ Notch guarantees that each member of the family will learn to ski or snowboard or will improve technique, regardless of ability level, or the resort will refund the entire lesson portion of that person’s vacation package. Dining: Resort dining options are decidedly casual and family friendly. Choose from Riga Bello’s for pizza, calzones and pasta dishes, or the comfortable Hearth & Candle, where the dinner menu includes seafood, lamb and filet mignon. Further afield in the towns of Jefferson, Cambridge and Essex are still more pizzerias, as well as Mexican, American and Chinese food. Beyond the slopes: The FunZone Family Entertainment Center houses a handful of giant, inflatable bounce houses, slides and obstacle course, plus mini golf, an arcade and ping-pong tables. Teens have their own supervised centers with Xbox and Wii, Internet access, pool tables, DVDs, music, popcorn, and special events like Nightspiker Volleyball and a Glowbal Dance Party. For more non-skiing thrills, take some spins on the outdoor skating rink. Warm up every afternoon with free hot chocolate around the bonfire at the Gazebo, and by night go tubing on Sir Henry’s Hill. Scheduled weekly family events include airboarding, sled making, bingo, karaoke, and a torchlight parade down the mountain. Strap on some skinny skis or snowshoes and explore the 34 kilometers of cross-county trails or 24 kilometers of dedicated snowshoe trails that wind through pretty forests and wide-open fields. Getting there: Smugglers’ Notch is a 45-minute drive from Burlington International Airport (BTV); shuttle service is available to the resort. Another fun option: arrive via Amtrak train from other points on the East Coast; the nearest depot is Essex Junction, Vermont, about 25 miles from the resort. Learn more: www.smuggs.com. 64 GRAND NOVEMBER DECEMBER 2008 e http://www.smuggs.com http://www.planwithtan.com http://www.smuggs.com
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