New England offers a wide variety of snowsports venues, but nowhere more than in verdant Vermont, whose 17 resorts are easy to sample.

The Vermont Ski Areas Association is the industry-wide organization that nvites you and your family to celebrate winter by enjoying the state's homey villages, striking scenery and varied terrain. With the East's most advanced snowmaking facilities and one of the largest skiable areas, Killington (www.killington.com) is usually the first resort to open, often before Halloween. By Thanksgiving Day each year, most of Vermont's 17 mountain resorts have geared up for the season, offering families a wide option of programs and prices.

Over 5,000 acres of skiing and snowboarding, excellent instruction for children and adults, ice skating, snowmobiling and sledding, shopping and cultural attractions await, and train, bus and air service make the going easy.

A Few of Vermont's Family-Oriented Resorts

Family-owned Okemo Resort in Ludlow offers free skiing and riding for kids <6, two free beginner surface lifts and free lodging for kids <12. Discount rates are also available for teen lift tickets. Excellent day care (6 months to 6 years) is offered at the Penguin Playground, which also oversees ski and snowboard instruction for the kids. Check out their recent expansion of trails. Call 800/78-OKEMO or visit www.okemo.com for Okemo Ski and Stay rates and more information.

Stowe Mountain Resort is at Mount Mansfield, Vermont's highest peak. However, Spruce Peak is home to its children's programs. CUBs Daycare Center welcomes kids from 6 months to 6 years. Children's programs, led by instructors considered to be among the best in the country, are arranged by age with Kids Adventure introducing skiing to the 4-6-year olds, the Mountain Adventure program for 7-12-year olds and the Holiday Adventure program for 11-14-year olds. Call 800/253-4SKI or visit www.stowe.com for package rates and more information.

Mount Snow Resort boasts family-friendly values with savings on their instructional programs, vacations and season passes. Additionally, children <12 ski free with families who have purchased midweek lift tickets during select weeks. Their childcare program is for 6-week to 6-year olds, Cub Camp and Skiing Programs introduces skiing and boarding to children in age-appropriate groups from 3 to 14-years-old. Call Mount Snow Resort at 800/245-SNOW or visit www.mountsnow.com for package rates and more information.

Bromley Mountain near Manchester has about 70 years of experience training skiers and now boarders, and states that "word of mouth" is what keeps families coming. Ranked #1 in North America for Family Programs by Ski Magazine in 2005, this mountain combines exciting terrain with a cozy, family-friendly feeling. With PigDog as their mascot, 6 to 12-year-olds spend their days in age and ability-appropropriate groups exploring the mountain while learning skiing and snowboarding. The Mighty Mites Club provides daycare for 6-week to 3-year olds, and introduction to skiing plus playtime is offered to 3-5-year-olds at the Mighty Moose. Ask about their Family Fridays where up to 3 kids ski for just $10 with a paying adult, and Mom's Day Off (in February) when moms ski for a $20 donation to the Vermont Chapter of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Call Bromley Mountain at 802/824-5522 or visit www.bromley.com for more information.

Suicide Six in Woodstock is a favorite among families who praise its manageable size and great staff. Family Ski Packages (4-day, 3-night packages) during January and February offer a great way to acquaint your family with skiing and a chance to take in the cozy and rather deluxe Woodstock Inn with connecting rooms for children, sleigh rides and country breakfast. Call Suicide Six/Woodstock Inn at 800/448-7900 or visit www.woodstockinn.com for rates and more information.

Jay Peak Resort, popular with our Canadian neighbors for its abundant snowfall, is conscious of the family budget and offers value-oriented vacations including great skiing, varied activities and comfortable facilities. Age-appropriate ski school programs start with an indoor learning ramp and advance to skiing and snowboarding. Childcare for infants under 2 and a Nursery for 2 to 7-year olds is available from 9am-9pm giving mom and dad some well-deserved alone time. An introduction to skiing takes place in "Kinderski" (ages 3-5), and snowboarding is introduced in "Mini Learn to Ride" (ages 5-6). "Jay Explorers" is for ages 6-10 and the "Mountain Adventures" group covers skiing, boarding, and other snow activities for ages 8 and up. Call Jay Peak Resort at 800/451-4449 or visit www.jaypeakresort.com for package rates and more information.

Voted #1 for five years in row for its Family Programs by Ski Magazine Readers, Smugglers' Notch guarantees that children will enjoy their program or your money will be refunded! "Smuggs" has received rave reviews on its new 5,400-square foot "Treasures" Child Care Center for the 6-week to 3-year-old crowd. This new facility replaces the former building and adds an outdoor playground, heated snowmelt walkways, and ski-in and ski-out access. Also, in addition to Ski Camp beginning at age 3, Snowboard Camp will be available to kids as young as age 4. Teens will not be forgotten with the inauguration of the second Teen Center and two ski and snowboard programs. Ski lift improvements, a warming house, dogsledding and snowmobile tours and additional one, two and three-bedroom condominiums complete the exciting plans. For package rates and other information, call 800/451-8752 or visit www.smuggs.com.

Sugarbush Resort features updated equipment, new chairlifts and enhanced snowmaking and grooming equipment. Sugarbush has also introduced the "Scan'n'Ride" tickets and passes, essentially a lift pass debit card on which you can pay for a lesson, a lift pass or a meal, similar to the systm already in use at Jackson Hole, Whistler and Park City. Ski lessons are available for children from age 3 to 12-years-old; snowboard instruction begins at 7-years. Daycare Cubs is available for children 6 weeks to 6 years. Call 800/53-SUGAR for package rates, reservations and information, or visit www.sugarbush.com.

So if your family wants to enjoy Yankee hospitality, try snowboarding, go for a sleigh ride or sip hot chocolate in front of the fire, Vermont may be the place for you. Call Ski Vermont at 802/223-2439 or visit www.skivermont.com for more options and details.

Save Money with a Vermont Sampler

The Vermont Ski Areas Association organization has made trying several Vermont resorts easy and affordable. Check out their website for information about the Vermont 3PASS or Vermont 5PASS. Basically, a 3 PASS ($125) gives you three single-day, non-holiday lift tickets that can be used at any of the resorts mentioned below for a lift ticket, or for a beginner lesson package (a good deal for families because it includes a limited lift ticket, lesson and rental equipment). The 5PASS ($200) is similar, entitling you to five one-day lift tickets, or five beginner learn-to-ski or learn-to-snowboard packages.

Many rules apply. These discounted passes can be used only once at each resort during the season, unless you're participating in the beginner package. There is a purchase limit of one Ski 5 pass or 2 Ski 3 passes per person (you can purchase them for the whole family) and they are not valid in conjunction with any other discount or promotion. Passes can be ordered by mail: Ski Vermont P.O. Box 368 Montpelier, VT 05601 or by Fax 802/229-6917

Participating Vermont Ski Areas for the 2006-2007 Season:
Ascutney / Bolton Valley / Bromley / Burke / Jay Peak / Killington / Mad River Glen / Magic Mountain / Middlebury Snow Bowl / Mount Snow / Okemo / Pico Mountain / Smugglers’ Notch / Stowe /Stratton /
Sugarbush / Suicide Six /