How wonderful that the first weekend of December we found the best early season snow in the East at Stratton. Our family will always have special memories of first tracks down the hill followed by cocoa and waffles at the Waffle cabin. Now, skiing the first snow of the season ranks the top of our list of holiday traditions.
Stratton is known for its wide variety of terrain that offers something for every skill level. Several runs are marked specifically for families allowing parents the room to teach their children safe skiing practices. Early season is the perfect time to help the children get their ski legs back since many trails are open, lift lines are short and the slopes are not crowded.
Special deals & Strattitude:
Stratton’s goal is to make skiing easy for parents by offering accessible and flexible ski school programs, family friendly conveniences such as bag storage during the day and ski storage overnight, and opportunities for savings with advanced planning.
The Best Early Season Snow in the East at Stratton: photo by Hubert Schriebl
This year Stratton features many ways for family savings:
- Kids ski and stay free is back again and a super way to save: Kids 17 and younger ski and stay free when two adults purchase a lift and lodging package
- The Fab 5 lodging special is a good deal for busy families that want to come up multiple times during the winter. While you purchase five nights at once, you don’t have to use them all at the same time. You can hit the early season skiing for a night in December and then do two nights in both February and March
- Stratton now offers “good to be young programs“ with the spirit pass (all access for ages 7-17) and then the new Strattitude pass for ages 18-29
- The resort also provides savings in the Online ticket store
- Dwellable.com: lists family friendly rentals & B&B options at reasonable cost
The Adorable Stratton Village
Favorite Restaurants:
Grizzly’s: we have to mention again this year one of our favorite après ski places: Not only is the Grizzly’s kiddie friendly but also the food is good and the crowd always boasts a neighbor or a long-lost friend.
Fire Town Pizza: brand-new this year, the family restaurant offers cozy private booths or wide-open seating options dependent upon the behavior style of your children. We found the service outstanding and the pizza quite tasty.
Verde: for those looking for a more adult atmosphere, this beautiful restaurant offers a sophisticated après ski option. We have enjoyed their delightful menu many times.
Festive Events:
Stratton has a calendar packed full of festive events every weekend. We attended a lecture in the West Lodge by John Huston, author of Forward. The book has been highlighted on NPR because it is about the first American unsupported expedition to the North Pole. Even the children enjoyed learning about John’s journey. Our family won a Bergan’s of Norway hat for asking a question about the Arctic fox chronicled in the adventure: “What does the Fox say?” (Our children laughter so hard!)
Author John Huston, the hat, and Loretta Sutter of Bergan’s of Norway
After the lecture, the Bergan’s of Norway representative Loretta Sutter invited everyone to the Grand Re-opening of the First Run Ski shop. We enjoyed complimentary drinks while John Huston signed his book for the children. Be sure to check out First Run because you can’t beat the value of its practical yet fashionable basics.
A visit to Stratton would not be complete without a trip to the Spa! The Day Spa at Stratton Village has expanded its menu to include couple’s massages, which are a treat after a long day on the slopes! The Spa can also help mom celebrate successfully organizing the family ski trip. No easy feat!
Skiing is an important holiday tradition for our family. Now, we plan to make an annual pilgrimage to hit the best early season snow in the East at Stratton.
Disclosure: please note that we did receive complimentary lift tickets for our family from the Stratton resort but the opinions expressed are our own.
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