JEFFERSONVILLE, Vt.-
Anyone planning a holiday ski vacation at the Smugglers’ Notch resort should pack a bathing suit.
Plagued by not enough natural snow, Smugglers’ Notch is one of several Vermont ski areas playing up their swimming pools and hot tubs, according to The Burlington Free Press.
Resorts are making their own snow when it’s cold enough–temperatures in the 20s are needed. But for those unimpressed with sometimes spotty ski conditions, they’re also offering alternatives.
At Smugglers’ Notch, resort staff distribute flyers to the 650 condos to let guests know what’s going on both on and off the slopes.
“Some resorts don’t have the luxury of being the booking agent as well as the one who owns the facilities,” spokeswoman Barbara Thomke told the Burlington paper. “Since we have that combination and we have years of experience, we lock right into that.”
The resort’s Family FunZone and recreation center usually open at 1 p.m., but can be opened earlier in the day if conditions warrant, Thomke said. Teen centers, miniature golf and bouncy houses are meant to keep visitors entertained.
Resort officials say keeping kids happy is key–nothing spoils a family vacation like kids who are bored and ornery.
“The fastest way to a parent’s pocketbook is through their kids,” said Tom Horrocks, spokesman for central Vermont’s Killington Resort. “If the kid has a fun experience they are going to say, ‘Daddy, I want to go back.'”
Resorts are trying to recover from a season last year in which rain marred key holiday periods, skier visits dropped to 4.1 million from 4.4 million the year before, and energy costs were up sharply.
If the weather turns in a repeat performance this year, the resorts are hoping to show people a good time, anyway. Stowe Mountain Resort is playing up its proximity to the charming Stowe village and to one of Vermont’s premier tourist attractions, the Ben & Jerry’s plant in neighboring Waterbury.
At Okemo, in the southern Vermont town of Ludlow, the resort recently opened a skating rink and is soon to follow with a fitness and aquatics center. An indoor golf training center allows golfers to play virtual courses and work on their swing.
Every time the temperatures dip into the 20s though, resorts turn their full attention to making as much snow as they can.
“We have Operation White Christmas going right now, making snow at every available moment,” said Mike Colburn, vice president of marketing at Stowe.
