Does a family-owned resort deliver something special for families? We think so. 25-years ago, Tim and Diane Mueller designed Okemo with their two young children in tow and that family focus remains evident throughout the resort.
The experience starts with a few guys with warm smiles standing by to help you unload your car. With skis, bags, boards, gear and two kids to wrangle, you know how challenging even the load-in can be and the help is always appreciated. After leaving our skies and bags deposited by the base lodge, next up were lift tickets and ski rentals for the kids. As every skiing family knows, this is where the challenges really begin, but Okemo makes the process easier with big open spaces in the rental room and lots of energetic help along the way.
We made our way over to ski school check-in. Okemo offers a wide, wide variety of ski school options … ranging from half-hour private lesson for the littlest ones in their Star Booster program, to amplitudePLUS for advanced skiers 7-14 “looking for camaraderie and coaching” and everything in between with day care for nonskiers six months to four years.
As is our usual routine, it is morning ski school for the kids while we explore the more challenging parts of the mountain. And explore we did with more than 600 acres of skiable terrain to cover. Though there are no snow boarders in our clan, Okemo offers much to satisfy them with half-pipes and seven varied terrain parks. After lunch on the hill, we pulled the kids for an afternoon on the mountain together.
There is plenty of non-skiing fun to be had at Okemo these days. The Timber Ripper Mountain Coaster is an outdoor, high-speed don’t miss adventure and we promise that the Ice House skating rink and indoor pool will zap any remaining energy your kids have, guaranteeing a good night sleep for all.
Ah, but where to sleep.
On the mountain, there is no better option than the relatively new Jackson Gore which offers ski-in-ski-out convenience, spacious accommodations, oodles of parking and ready access to the Timber Ripper coaster (okay, we are a little obsessed with this coaster), the ice rink, pool and snow park. Coleman Brook Tavern is an upscale but still – like all things Okemo – family-friendly dinner option. Finish dinner with s’mores at the table and the kids won’t forget it.
If you prefer to stay off-mountain, the recently renovated Pointe at Castle Hill has got you covered. Designed with families in mind, the Pointe offers a convenient location, four types of rooms (including a family suite), on-property breakfast and an indoor pool with hot tub. Just a short stroll up the hill is the Castle Hill Resort and Spa. This small, elegant hotel is a member of the prestigious Small Luxury Hotels of the World and offers incredible gourmet dining, luxurious accommodations and a terrific spa.
Okemo is located in Ludlow, in south-central Vermont. Opening day is November 17. Click HERE for more info.
The writer and her family were guests of Okemo Mountain for three days to facilitate this review.
