As our kids become more connected - cell phones, IM, iPods, and YouTube –
they really do expect to be entertained 24/7. A ski trip is no exception.
When I was a kid, skiing was the weekend
activity, period. Après ski consisted of my brothers and me entertaining
ourselves in the parking lot snow bank while my parents went to the bar.
Today’s next gen expects to ski, hit the parks, tube, hot tub and then “do
something” in the evenings.
Whether or not this demand for on-demand distraction is healthy or not – I’m
not going to cover. Perhaps Dr. Phil could help with that hot topic.
Instead, let me point out that ski resorts are adding on adolescent
amusement beyond last chair at 4pm. After all, it’s the youtube youth that
are surfing the web, ultimately steering the family SUV to their choice of
ski area. Resorts are counting on the kids to bring their wallets (kid code
for parents) by amping these kid-geared events.
Loon Mountain in Lincoln
offers Twilight Parties for 13-17 year olds on certain peak evenings. This
après event starts at 4pm, teens can snow tube, snowshoe, ice skate or scale
the indoor climbing wall without their parents (after mom & dad sign them
up), then chow down at a pizza party.
Loon’s tubing hill is open every night - kids must be 48” and at least 8
years old to slide. Every Saturday, Loon’s Adventure Center is open for
indoor rock wall climbing and outdoor ice skating. February vacation week,
Loon illuminates their halfpipe for Fluorescent Nights, mom and dad can opt
for libation in the lodge at Bunyan’s instead.
Sugarloaf has Turbo Tubing,
for kids age 5 and up, Tuesdays – Saturday evenings. This silly sliding
venue has a handle tow to pull you up between wild rides down each of the
four 1,000’ chutes on lower Whiffletree. Sugarloaf also hosts themed “kids
nights out” each week to include Game Night and Movie Night in the Base
Lodge for ages 5-10. Sugarloaf’s Outdoor Center, which received a tremendous
expansion this season, is open Saturdays (and holiday weeks) till 8pm with
ice skating, cross country and snowshoeing if your youngster can’t get
enough winter playtime on the slopes.
Sunday River’s White Cap
Fun Center attracts teens in the twilight hours. There’s lift serviced
tubing with two lanes, a lit ice-skating rink with rentals skates available,
and a toasty bonfire outside the lodge. Inside White Cap Lodge is an arcade
to drop coins and hang out. Parents can seek refuge upstairs at Pugsley’s
Pub, or grab a bite and a brew at the Shipyard Brewhaus. Almost every
Saturday night, and certain holidays, fireworks go off at 8:30pm.
Stowe is open for skiing and riding
under the lights Saturday nights on Mansfield’s gondola-accessed terrain,
which coincides nicely with the Summit Series dinners at The Cliff House.
Mom and dad can ride the gondola with the kids, then wine and dine at the
mountaintop chalet while the kids ski laps.
Kids night out is Stratton’s
plan for ages 6-13 on Saturday nights. The evening starts outside with snow
tubing, snowshoeing, and ice skating. Then the group heads inside for make
your own pizza (great way to handle fussy eaters), crafts, games, and a
feature movie. This kid-fest goes from 5:30 till 9pm, giving parents some
freedom.
For teens, Stratton has “The Wreck” – a cool club for the under 21 set to
can hang out and play video games, Playstation, shoot some pool or air
hockey. Teens at The Wreck also have access to a court for basketball,
soccer, football and hockey, a climbing wall, and an indoor skate park with
a mini-ramp. All parents have to do is sign a waiver, and pay – as usual.
The Wreck is open weekends and peak holidays.
Smugglers’
Notch has enough après entertainment to make your kids scream. First
there is the Fun Zone – a huge indoor playground with slides, climbing walls
and bouncy games – kid heaven. For teens, every night brings a tempting
theme from Snowboarding Night School, to Dodgeball, and Night Spiker DJ
Dance parties. Smuggs has mastered the age milieu by providing designated
teen hangs out, Teen Alley for 13-15 year olds, and Outer Limits for 16 and
up.
So if your kids need more than a parking lot snow bank and a pillow to cap
off their day on the slopes, these resorts keep cranking after the lifts
stop.
