No snow in Ontario? Check out Smugglers’ Notch—Vermont’s renowned snow sanctuary—for exceptional accommodations, exhilarating slopes and endless family entertainment.
Words :: Mado Gourlay
Time’s up—pens down! I finish my exams and we leave our life behind for a last-minute, week-long ski vacation. We’re ready for a road trip from Ontario to Vermont. Our final destination? Smugglers’ Notch Resort.
Just an hour over the border from southern Ontario, Smuggs prides itself on being “America’s family resort with the best vacation value for family fun.” And it’s all true.
To start with, the rooms here are perfect. There’s something for every family here, including ski-in/ski-out condos. The norm is spacious: think kitchenettes with two or more bedrooms/bathrooms plus a spacious living space. You’ll also find amenities including pools, hot tubs, saunas, gyms and more throughout the resort.
But most importantly, how’s the skiing? For starters, the 795-metre vertical rise is one of the highest in the East.
Three big interconnected mountains provide over 43 kilometres of fun with a huge variety of terrain; the learning terrain is primarily on Morse, and nearly half the total terrain is intermediate. But there’s also expert terrain on Madonna and Sterling and the only triple black diamond run in the East can be found over at the Black Hole.
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Smuggs takes you back in time with two-seater lifts that run you all over the mountains. And perhaps even better than that (as far as your wallet’s concerned) is the price of lift tickets are also stuck in the past: regular season day passes are only $95 US!
There are tons of other activities and events happening here at all times. From a family-friendly perspective, there are activities for all ages including daycare and ski lessons. There are also evening activities to keep you and your children occupied and stoked.
Smugglers’ Notch is in a prime location, with only a short drive to Cambridge. With a grocery store, amazing little coffee shops and small authentic restaurants, the town has everything you need. Its quaint vibe, unique to Vermont, is a huge part of the state’s charm. You can stroll around this town all day long.
And of course even in winter it’s worth the short drive to check out the Ben and Jerry’s ice cream factory (with or without kids!).
Smugglers’ Notch really is a perfect ski destination for the whole family. We had an absolute blast and will remember it forever. Whether it’s a last-minute plan like it was for us, or you plan it years in advance, you’ll always find something for anyone and everyone to enjoy. We’re going back ASAP.
Check the ML Podcast!
