Families Come Together at Bolton Valley

Families come in all shapes and sizes, especially those that travel on family ski vacations together. And while Dad may want to catch first chair, mom may be looking for a swim in the pool. The kids? Well, some may want to ride in the parks, while younger ones may need some lessons or childcare. Keeping the ever-changing dynamics of family needs in mind, Bolton Valley makes it easy for families to enjoy skiing and riding together.

 “The biggest challenge we see families facing when they go skiing is their proximity from their car to where their lodging is and then from the lodging to the lifts,” said Josh Arneson, director of marketing at Bolton. “We completely eliminate both of those factors because of our ski-to-your-door lodging and walkable village. Those who stay with us literally park their car and forget about it. Once at Bolton, everything is within walking distance, making it convenient and easy for families to keep their brood corralled and still have fun at the same time. Our biggest complaint we hear from guests after a three-night stay is that they can’t remember where they put their car keys for safe keeping while they were skiing for three days!”

Once the car is parked, guests simply walk to the Inn at Bolton Valley or the multi-bedroom suites located right at the base of the mountain in the village. Lodging accommodations allow guests to wake up in the morning and ski right to the lift or take a break mid-day and easily ski back to the hotel room.

On the Mountain
Once on the mountain, every member of the family will find terrain to suit their needs whether its finding air on the jumps and rails in one of Bolton’s three terrain parks, including the Burton Progression park, or in the 300 acres of trails and glades, divided up almost equally for novice, intermediate and advanced skiers and riders. One of the best treats, however, is a tasty waffle from the Waffle Cabin, with choices of sugar or chocolate to top off the sweetness.

100km of Nordic and Backcountry terrain take meandering cross-country skiers and snowshoers or more advanced alpine and telemark skiers and snowboarders into some of the most pristine gladed terrain at Bolton. The Nordic Center’s trails reap the benefit of its high elevation location and an abundance of natural snowfall annually.

In the Base Area

The Bolton Valley Sports Center in the base village houses an indoor pool, plus an Indoor Amusement Center with video games and bounce houses for family fun off the slopes. Parents can simply walk over to a full rental and retail shop for equipment needs and the ski and snowboard school or the Burton Learn to Ride Center plus an on-premise childcare facility make it easy for parents to know exactly where their children are at all times. Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports’ northern home is located at Bolton as well, offering skiing, riding, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing to people with disabilities.

What to Eat

Three restaurants plus a cafeteria, deli and a real deal Vermont General Store offer a wide variety of dining choices for families. For those who like to cook in, the Real Deal Vermont General Store sells everything you need to make your own meals or to grab a fantastic homemade meal from the deli. Fireside Flatbread located in the main base lodge, serves up wood-fired pizza for lunch and après ski. On Saturday nights, lift tickets are just $19 at Vermont’s only area to offer night skiing and riding, and guests can enjoy $2 pizza slices, plus sodas and beer. The James Moore Tavern, located on the top floor of the Base Lodge, offers a great view, a warm fireplace, and live entertainment on weekends. Not to mention 18 beers on tap--including a selection of local brews. Signature soups, fried ravioli, Bolton’s in-demand angus burger, or any other well-crafted offerings can be found each night. For those families looking for a fine dining experience in a relaxed environment, Bailey’s Restaurant offers Italian-style entrees that incorporate Vermont-grown produce, meat and poultry.

After having so much fun without needing a trip back to the car, it’s no wonder guests can’t find their keys upon leaving Bolton Valley. With a park and stay philosophy and a convenient, manageable base area, Bolton Valley makes it easy for families to come together and enjoy what’s important about a family ski vacation—time together that create lasting memories.

Bolton Valley Resort is Vermont’s most convenient and affordable big mountain skiing. Less than 10 minutes from I-89 and less than 30 minutes from Burlington, the family-friendly mountain offers skiers and riders of all abilities three mountain peaks with 71 trails and 6 lifts, plus 3 terrain parks including the Burton Progression Park.

Bolton Valley is one of only two ski resorts in the U.S. to implement wind power as an energy source and is the recipient of the National Ski Areas Association’s 2010 Silver Eagle Award for environmental initiatives. Approximately 100km of high elevation Nordic terrain, a complete Sports Center and Indoor Amusement Center and Vermont’s most extensive night skiing and riding are just a few of the extras available to guests. All-inclusive, true ski-to-your-door lodging packages from $79/person/night. For more information visit www.boltonvalley.com or call 877-9BOLTON.

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