On a recent visit to Hyde Park in the Hudson Valley, we took our son for a tour of Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site. It’s a remarkable property was built over a hundred years ago in 1898 by Frederick Vanderbilt, grandson of railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt.

The tour took us to see about 15-20 rooms of the 50-room Classical style mansion. One of eight heirs to his family’s fortune, Frederick purchased the property in 1895 and hired architect Charles McKim to decorate a “country house” in which the family could entertain guests during the spring and fall. He also used the property as a “gentleman’s farm,” often spending hours among its gardens and specimen trees. Beautiful pieces of art and sculpture are interspersed around the house and in the gardens. There are also pieces of grand antique furniture, Venetian ceilings, 15^th century tapestries, gorgeous vases, Renaissance chairs, 16^th century Florentine chests and rooms lined with gold and marble throughout the drawing room, bedrooms, library, and walls lining the stairs. We also went downstairs to the kitchen and saw where the servants used to live and work, which was very reminiscent of Downton Abbey.

Our guide told us tales about the lives of the Vanderbilt family which kept my son interested and on his toes. After the tour, we ventured outside to take photos of the stunning views of the Hudson River and the spectacular gardens. I could see spending more time there in the future, as the grounds are heavenly and there is so much to do in the area, including the Culinary Institute of America, Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Home and great hiking opportunities.

Vanderbilt Mansion Tours

We got to the mansion thirty minutes before the last tour left for the day at 4pm. Tours are required in order to enter the mansion and the guide takes large groups in for each one, so it’s not hard to get a space on one. Children 12 and under are free. Older children and adults cost $10 each. The tour lasts about an hour and is very kid-friendly. The tour’s combination of architecture, history, antique,; history, Italian gardens and amazing scenery (the mansion sits on the banks of the Hudson River) make it an interesting experience for everyone. They have a shop with coffee and cookies if anyone gets hungry.

If you’re heading to the Hudson Valley soon, I highly recommend a stop to the Vanderbilt Mansion.  It’s a day of history, education and amazing beauty.

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If you like sports, particularly running, then you’re definitely going to like snowshoeing.  It’s easy to learn, cheaper than other sports, like skiing), poses little risk and is a fantastic way to get exercise.  We were told by our instructor after a 3 hour hike in the snow that we’d burned off 1,500 calories.  It’s definitely a good option for “non-skiier” who would rather sit by the fireplace and read.  It’s active and a great way to explore the mountain.

We got our snowshoes from the Beaver Creek Nordic Center.  They daily offer daily snowshoe tours in McCoy Park, one of North America’s premier lift-accessed trail systems located at the top of Strawberry Park Express Lift (Chair 12) where they only allow cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.  The tours vary in price.  Our 1/2 day tour cost $84 and our equipment cost another $30 and the trip is well worth the money.  On Tuesdays, the Beaver Creek Nordic Center offers free snowshoeing tours for children.

We were in a small group with a guide (pictured on left with us).  The snowshoe tour ranges in level of difficulty.  Our instructor gaged that we were intermediate and took us on a tour of the mountain. First we were fitted  with our snowshoes meant for first-timers.  They were quite comfortable and good for the simple terrain we’d be walking on.  We grabbed a few bottles of water, took the lift up and started our tour.  As I walked along the snow in the shoes, I felt a different kind of sensation in my step and knew I was in for a good work out. Much of our walk was uphill, but we went at a nice pace and took several water breaks.  The views from the top of three mountain ranges were breathtaking and my sense of achievement at the end of the trip was just as high. John, our instructor, was patient and engaging, telling tales of the mountain and provided information about trees, animal footprints (mostly foxes) and threw in other useful facts.

After the tour, we needed a good rest.  Our legs were soar, but in a very good way.

In addition, the staff at Nordic were really helpful, and I’d definitely recommend their services to anyone visiting Beaver Creek.  They also offer cross country and telemark ski rentals and lessons.  Here’s a short video with Nate Goldberg, who manages the center, talking about Nordic’s services:

The Beaver Creek Nordic Sports Center is conveniently located at the bottom of Strawberry Park Express Lift (Chair #12) in the Strawberry Park condo building next to the Medical Center.

Phone:  (970) 754-5313

Dates/Hours of Operation:  December 10, 2011-April 18, 2012. Open daily 8:45am-4:00pm.

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Here are some of our favorite culinary spots to check out while you’re visiting, both with and without the kids:

Starting with the kids:

Toscanini is located in the heart of the village at Beaver Creek Mountain, right next to the ice-skating rink.  The atmosphere is jovial and they serve home-cooked Italian food.  The menu is very family-friendly and offers smaller portions of dishes for the kids, including build your own pasta or cheese and pepperoni pizza.  They serve plentiful antipasta dishes for $10-15 that are shareable, as well, ensalada options for $12-$15 and piatti dishs for $27-$39 that includes lamb t-bone, risotto and gnitted hanger steak with pancetta.  When we were there, they were offering 30% off every bottle of wine on the menu, and on a regular basis, if you are attending a show at the Vlar Center, you can show your ticket to get 10% off your entire check.  We tried the pan fried parmesan crusted artichoke hearts, the mediterraneo salad and the risotto with roasted butternut squash, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, sage pumpkin seed oil and shaved pecrino cheese and everything was cooked to perfection.  This is a good place to go after a day of skiing when everyone is hungry.

Toscanini is located at 60 Avondale Ln  Avon, CO 81620, Tel: (970) 754-5590 and you can make a reservation using Open Table.

Chop House is located at the foot of Beaver Creek Mountain and offers great views of the action on the slopes.  It’s a great place to chill out with the family after a morning either skiing or snow-shoeing.  There is something for everyone on the menu as it’s basic American fare.  The kid’s menu offers pasta, chicken fingers, mac & cheese, burgers, pizza, and if you’re kids are more adventurous than my own, mahi mahi.  We were there for lunch and tried the Hand Diced Organic Salmon Mixed with Lemon, Dill, Eggs, Capers and Panko, as well as the Mahi Fish Tacos which has Fresh Mahi in Corn Flour Tortillas with Cabbage, Cheddar Jack Cheese and Chipotlé Mayo with Avocado-Tomato Relish.  Both dishes were delicious, very reasonbably priced and quite filling, but the best part about it was the low key atmosphere and time to recover from a day on the mountain.

Chop House is located at 15 West Thomas Place, Avon, CO 81620, Tel: 970-845-0555. No reservation is required and the restaurant becomes a big bar scene at night.

And without the kids:

The Coyote Cafe is a great night stop.  If you want a pint of beer, a plate of nachos, cheese and guacamole, quesadillas, some margaritas, this is the place for you.  It’s very laid back and the most inexpensive food you can get in Beaver Creek. Our waitress was from Rhode Island and happy to have some neurotic New Yorkers in there for a change.  We had just arrived from NY and needed somewhere to compress after a long plane ride.  They also have a simple lunch and dinner menu with burgers and the cheapest kid’s menu in town ($6 per meal).  The atmosphere is lively and fun and attracts a lot of Beaver Creek employees late at night.

The Coyote Cafe is located at 210 the Plaza, Avon, CO 81620, Tel: 970-949-5001.

The Osprey Lounge is located in the Osprey at Beaver Creek, the closest hotel to an actual ski lift in North America.  It’s a great spot for tapas, small plates and cocktails.  It offers custom cocktails and a tapas-style menu with options such as lobster nachos and deep fried snicker bars.  Chef Michael Wilganowski won the Beaver Creek Master Chef Challenge put on by Bon Appétit magazine two years in a row.  They have very original dishes lime sweet potato ravioli, marinated ahi tuna tostada, truffeled meatballs and other delicacies.  We tried the yummy spicy carrot soup, brussel sprouts, mushroom pizzas and steak tapas.  This is a great date night spot or when you’re traveling without the kids.  Of course, if your kids are more adventurous than mine, they’ll like it, too.

Source: BeaverCreek.com/

The Osprey Lounge is located at 10 Elk Track Lane  Beaver Creek, CO 81620, Tel: (970) 754-7400.

Disclosure: The meals at Toscanini and the Osprey Lounge were complimentary to facilitate this review, but the others were out of pocket.  However, all opinions expressed are my own.

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Source: BeaverCreekResortProperties.com

I recently discovered a true gem for families in Beaver Creek, Colorado.  It’s the Elkhorn Lodge, a ski-in/ski-out lodge situated just minutes from the village.  It’s clean, spacious and comfortable and ideal for a family staying for more than a few days.  It has everything to suit a family’s needs: location, free shuttle service to the resort, fully equipped kitchens, jetted bath tubs and more.  The lodge is actually a condominium with wholly owned condos, but you can pay per night while the owners are away. They are immaculate and the lodge truly offers an experience like being in a home away from home.

We were greeted by name as soon as we arrived and given the full run-down on the hotel, which is about 30-40 minutes from the airport.  It was late at night after arriving from New York, and reception was quick to point out what food could be ordered and delivered and what restaurants would be open in town.  He called a shuttle for us which came immediately for us to ride into town and provided us with information for our stay.  The staff is exceptional and very courteous and remained that way throughout our visit.

The lodge certainly provides for the experience of a real ski vacation.  The decor is mountain and rustic chic with pine furnishings, granite, floor-to-ceiling windows, a fireplace in the lobby and best of all, a moose head gazing over everyone who enters. They serve coffee, tea, hot chocolate and there is always a good supply of granola bars in the lobby (Nature Valley granola bars are found all over the area, as the brand is a big sponsor of Beaver Creek Resort).

The Elkhorn also has an exercise room, free parking, a jacuzzi open until 11pm, and most importantly, free Wifi.  Best of all, if you’re an avid skiier, you can ski in/ski out and ski between Arrowhead, Bachelor Gulch and Beaver Creek villages and they offer ski storage.

When we walked into our suite for the first time, we were immediately impressed and somewhat relieved to find a full kitchen, two bedrooms, living space, two bathrooms, washer &  dyer and lovely patio  Oh, and did I mention an eat-in kitchen?  Given the fully equiped kitchen, it’s easy to make healthy meals for your family, which can be a huge time and cost saving, as well as a relief that you are feeding your kids right while away. The beds are lush and the bedding is really comfortable. There’s a jacuzzi in the master bedroom suite which is fantastic after a day out on the slopes (particularly for aching feet).  The rooms have flat screen TVs and WIFI.  I would imagine that the rooms might look somewhat different as they all have different owners.  Ours featured a photograph in a frame of the owners, adding a personal touch.  Check out some of the photos of our room:

And the views…ahh, the views.  When you wake up and look out the window and see snow covered mountains, it’s pretty grand.

It’s also nice to know that after a full day of skiing, you can come back and not be on top of each other.  The kids can play in one room, you can relax in another, and when you’re ready for a real treat, you can all head to the outside jacuzzi.

My experience at the Elkhorn Lodgeone that I’d recommend to anyone looking for future family vacations in Beaver Creek.  If you are interested in finding more about the offerings at the Elkhorn Lodge visit their web site. You can also visit their Facebook page or join their Twitter handle over at @vbcrp.

They are offering heavy discounts for travel now through April 15th, 2012. Book by that date to save.

To get an even better idea of what the Elkforn Lodge has to offer, watch this video:

Disclosure: Our visit was made complimentary by the team at the Elkhorn Lodge to facilitate this review, but all opinions expressed are my own.

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From the moment you step into the crisp air with mountains gazing at you from every direction, you will be transported. The views are stunning and the resort is immaculate and perfectly built with ski in/ski out accommodations.  But the beauty of the resort is not only that it provides a unique amount of ease for families (everything is close, transportation is free and efficient, there is ample family programming) but also that everyone at the resort loves either visiting, working or living there.

This is the first of my many posts about Beaver Creek.  All week I’ll be blogging about the resort so you have all the information you need as you plan your next trip there (because you’ll want to after you read my posts).  You can read about it here and on other web sites which I’ll point out.  Before I launch into details, I now present my top ten reasons you and your family should choose Beaver Creek as your next family getaway:

1. Beaver Creek Resort was voted the #1 place to ski and stay by Conde Nast Traveler this year calling it “tops for terrain, speedy lifts and apres-ski to the hotel havens that provide to the softest of landings.”  It even edged out Whistler Blackcomb, in British Columbia.  That came straight from the expert’s mouths.

2. The resort’s mountain is unique in that the harder terrain is at the bottom so more beginners can go to the top.  It’s pretty terrific for beginners, especially, young children, riding all the way to the top of the mountain (11,400 feet) to ride down the greens.  If you plan your trip in advance, book your Beaver Creek lift tickets online to save a significant amount.  It’s usually cheaper within 7 seven days of your visit.

3.  The resort is less crowded than Vail, at all times of year, so the lines to the lifts are shorter, the lines in the restaurants are shorter and it’s easy to make reservations for meals.  The resort also uses Epic Mix, an app allows you to track your vertical feet, connect with friends, and share photos from your ski vacation.

4. The resort is extremely family-friendly.  In addition to ski-school, they offer day care for children 2 months – 6 years old, ice-skating, tubing, sleigh rides, complimentary snow shoe tours one day a week and different activities every day of the week from Christmas to March including disco ice-skating, story-telling, Cookie Time and others that I will be going into more detail about this week.

5. As mentioned above, everyone loves Beaver Creek who visits.  Many never leave, as witnessed from my meetings with hotel staff, shuttle drivers, ski instructors, wait staff in restaurants and ski equipment rental staff.  The people seem to be on happy drugs, but they’re not.  Everyone is just happy to live near good skiing terrain and seem to really, really, really enjoy life. It takes natural high to a whole new level.

6. The shuttle service is free, accessible and easy at all times of day from 7am until it stops its service at midnight.  All you do is call the front desk, tell your waiter, or step into designated areas with phone service to call Village Transportation (tel: 970-949-1938) and transportation comes right away.  It’s quick, efficient, clean and free (I have to mention that again).

7. There is a wide variety of food in Beaver Creek, and it’s really good.  There are top-rated restaurants with prestigious chefs, like the Pines Lodge’s Grouse Mountain Grill, a AAA Four Diamond Award- winning restaurant and a 2011 James Beard Best New Restaurant nominee. Other restaurants worth noting include Toscanini, Coyote Cafe, the Osprey, the Chop House and when you’re skiing, the Spruce Saddle.

8. Accommodations come in every price range and are plentiful and scattered all over the village.  You can stay in hotels like the Pines Lodge which offers ski in, ski out and a full-service restaurant  or in condos like the Elkhorn Lodge with a full kitchen and multiple bedrooms so you and your children can sleep separately.

9. Ski and snow shoe equipment are easy to rent.  Places like Beaver Creek Sports or Beaver Creek Nordic Center make it really simple, and you can can’t beat the customer service.  They can also hook you up with group ski lessons, show shoeing tours and private lessons.

10.  If you’re not a big skier or you’re going with your family and want to sit some of the skiing out or relax, there are other offerings around town.  There are free wine tastings offered on occasion, and there’s the Vilar Performing Arts Center, a 350 seat theater where you can catch a symphony, dance performance or popular band or singer. There are also spas like Spa Struck, located in the Charter Hotel, where you can get a massage, facial or bodywrap (which also comes in handy when your muscles are sore from skiing or snowshoeing).

Check out my Flickr collection below from the trip and stay tuned for my many reports coming down the pipeline this week on Traveling Mom and elsewhere.  Believe me, you’ll soon be packing your bags to experience Beaver Creek for yourself.

Disclosure: I visited Beaver Creek to research this article and others and received what was largely a complimentary stay, but all opinions expressed are my own.

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Before you go, a few things to remember:

–          Rent your skis and boots in advance at Pedigree Ski Shop in White Plains.  It’s much less expensive than renting them on the premises and you get coupons for ski lifts and passes included in the rental package.  You will also avoid long rental lines on busy weekends.

–          Look up all information about a resort before you leave home – check opening and closure times, as well as times of classes and ski school.   You can also check the amount of snow (although many of these resorts also make man-make snow.)

–          You can buy warm garments at these ski resorts, but it’s certainly better and easier not to forget anything.   The prices are higher than average and there’s always the chance that they won’t have what you need.

–          On a holiday weekend, be sure to get an early start to avoid long lines.

–          Make sure you get helmets for your children.  Keep them as safe as possible.

–          Keep your children fed and hydrated.  Skiing takes a lot out of a child.

–          Lastly, be sure to know where your children are at all times.  When they are in ski school, that’s the best time for you to catch some quality ski time.

Here are three ski resorts that are extremely child-friendly and are really close to NYC:

–          Thunder Ridge Ski Resort is located up the 684 and is approximately one-hour from New York City.  Pros: good snow (real and homemade), pleasant staff, reasonably priced and efficiently run ski school for children, easy sloped for children, babysitting is only $10 an hour.  Cons: crowded at times with long lift lines, only a few slopes so there’s not much variety, slightly greasy food in the cafeteria with no healthy options.  Given the cons, we still highly recommend Thunder Ridge.  It’s a short drive and an easy way to get your children familiar with the sport.  Just don’t compare it to Lake Tahoe or Park City and you’ll be just fine.

–          Mohawk Mountain Ski Area is about two hours from NYC in Cornwall, Connecticut.    Pros: great snow (real and homemade), well marked trails, new lifts, excellent ski school for children with extensive programming, challenging trails for adults, on-mountain restaurant, less crowded than Thunder Ridge.  Cons: slightly further than Thunder Ridge, slightly more expensive than Thunder Ridge but not very much.  This is more of a ski experience.

–          Mountain Creek Mountain House is about one hour  from New York City in Vernon, NJ.   Pros:  good snow, family-friendly, good views, close to NYC, lodging options on premises, good for first-timers . Cons: crowded on weekends, not cheap.

If you don’t mind driving further, check out Hunter Mountain and Windham Mountain.

So, whether you want to stay close or go further from your house to introduce or nurture your kid’s love of skiing, check out some of the above-mentioned ski resorts.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this review nor did I receive anything in exchange for it.  All opinions expressed are my own.

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Since I met dear hubby who has a passion for skiing, I’ve gotten more into the spirit of the sport and look forward to our annual trips. While we were dating, we skied down the slopes of Whistler (Vancouver), Mammoth (CA) and Park City (Utah). We actually went to Park City during Sundance and that may have been one of the best weeks of my life: MOVIES AND SKIING.  What more could you ask for?! And now my own kids have been skiing well before the age of 25!

When they were very young, we went back to Park City and also went to Late Tahoe (CA) for week-long trips where we put our oldest in ski school starting at the age of 3. She enjoyed herself but we never skied enough the rest of the seasons to give her continuity in the sport. She was also of the age where if her friend chose to skip the day of skiing, so would she.  She neither loved nor hated it.  We have friends in San Francisco we would meet for these annual trips and rent chalets with jacuzzis out back (selfishly so we adults could sit and drink champagne while our soar muscles would chill out after a day out).  Our kids would run around the house playing and catching up with their long-distance playmates.

This year dear hubby invested in rental skis for the season from Paragon Sports in White Plains for himself and my daughter. A few weeks ago, we all took a trip to Thunder Ridge Ski Resort near Pauling, NY which is an easy one-hour trip from our house. Little son who is only 5 was determined to join in on the fun and take a class.  Ski lifts cost about $50 per adult and $35 per child.  They also have a daycare for $10 an hour for very young kids. If they don’t have enough snow, they make it – enough to cover 100 acres.

At 1:30 or 2 the kids headed to their ski lessons which would take about 1-1/2 hours.  Hubby went to ski on his own and I went to sit in the waiting area to read my book.  I was reading “The Help” and didn’t want to put it down.  Dear daughter took to the sport right away and was transported to the ski lifts within the hour.  Dear son, who is a little twig, took to skiing like a house on fire.  He’s really good at ice-skating which seemed to train him for this.  At the end of his session, hubby took him up the lift and there was no stopping him.  He didn’t want the day to end.

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