Beat the bucks: cheap family ski trick revealed
Instead of breaking into a cold sweat at the expense that comes with a family ski trip, use this simple trick and you’ll be schussing in no time at one of these three resorts.
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Nothing says ‘empty slopes and accommodation steals’ quite like an end-of-season snow trip
It’s a rare gift in life to be rewarded for blatant disorganisation and tardiness but when it comes to late-season skiing with kids, families can expect unexpected benefits to rain down on them like a game show cash bonanza.
Sure, you may miss peak snowfall (a fact that can frustrate the competitive skiers among us), but those who choose to head to the ski fields in March and April can look forward to fewer skiers on the slopes, which means significantly shorter lift queues and more time strutting your stuff out in the snow.
Add to that longer lift opening times, sunny days with a solid base of winter snowfall at your feet and bargain basement pricing (the price of everything drops dramatically at this time of year) and you’ve got the perfect family getaway. Not sure where to go?
The following are some of the best for those with little ones.
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NISEKO, HOKKAIDO, JAPAN
A three-hour drive from New Chitose Airport, Niseko United is made up of four resorts, each one positively teeming with dedicated snow play and adventure areas tailor-made for kids, as well as gentle slopes for snow bunny beginners all the way up to serious runs for adults.
Select the resort that’s most appropriate for your child’s age and their abilities and they can spend their days snow tubing, hooning around on a child’s snowmobile and playing at the Niseko Grand Hirafu Kids Park.
Those more invested in staying upright on their skis may prefer to take children’s ski lessons (private and group lessons are available) with English-speaking instructors.
With a flight time of 10 hours, and a time difference of only two, the risk of jetlag ruining your holiday will also be minimal.
PARK CITY MOUNTAIN RESORT, UTAH, UNITED STATES
With its ski season due to draw to a close in the first half of April you’ll have to get in quick to bag a deal at Park City Mountain Resort, a Utah resort with a reputation for being one of finest family-friendly ski experiences around.
A 35-minute drive from Salt Lake City International Airport, the resort not only has a signature kids ski program, with guaranteed class sizes of five students or less for children aged 6-14, and a class size of three students or less for those aged 3½ to 6, but it also has an I Ride Park City Freestyle Camp for 10-15 year-olds, with time in a video lab editing content taken during sessions.
Park City also offers families a range of activities, such as an alpine coaster, zip line, sleigh rides, ice rink and child care services.
SAAS-FEE, SWITZERLAND
Pack your best (and possibly, only) Choose Life shirts and head to the charming chocolate box village of Saas-Fee, a traffic-free space high in the Swiss Alps where Wham’s 1984 hit, Last Christmas, was filmed. That’s not the only reason to head there, of course. The village – surrounded by a ring of 4000m-high peaks – is also famous for late-season snow and family-friendly offerings.
Admittedly, Saas-Fee’s kids’ program is at its best at the height of winter but those who book in for March or April can still expect to enjoy a host of activities that can range from a dedicated ski park, sledging, afternoon discos, family movie screenings and Easter egg painting workshops.
Accommodation tends to be on the pricier side in Switzerland, however, with holiday options that range from luxury hotels and chalets to private holiday rentals there are options suitable for all budgets. Check out the WellnessHostel 4000, which features a children’s pool and water slide as well as a range of steam rooms, treatment rooms and a pool for the adults.
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Originally published as Beat the bucks: cheap family ski trick revealed
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