Published May 5, 2004 12:00AM
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Week of May 2-9, 1996 Pilgrimage to mountain biking mecca: Moab, Utah City dwellers’ salvation: Canoeing in New Hampshire Adventure hikes at the Grand Canyon East Coast beach vacations Rafting Colorado’s Animas River Planning your next family-style ski vacation Planning your next family-style ski vacation Question: Where can I take my child to ski next winter where she has excellent instruction and I have an Olympic-size pool to swim in and other non-skiing activities? Jayne Seattle, WA jaynev@starwave.com Adventure Adviser: For a stellar junior ski school, ample powder, and decent off-slope activities, you can’t do much better than Steamboat Ski Area, about 160 miles north of Denver in Colorado’s Yampa River Valley. Check your daughter into their Kids’ Vacation Center, where about 60 instructors teach children from ages two and a half to 15 at two recently expanded kids-only ski areas. A particular favorite with the preschool set is the Magic Carpet conveyer belt, a new addition that takes the guesswork (and occasional mayhem) out of chairlift rides. The center also houses day-care facilities for ages 6 months through 6 years, as well as evening care Tuesdays through Saturdays. Another noteworthy perk: For each parent who purchases at least a five-day pass and stays in a participating lodge, one child skis free. Speaking of accommodations, the Sheraton Steamboat Resort–hovering over Gondola Square–looks like a high-rise transplant from Miami Beach, but what you sacrifice in quaintness you more than make up for in plush amenities like a health club, pool, restaurant, and ski rentals. It also happens to be the most convenient lodging in town, a nice boon when you’ve got to get peewee skiers to their lessons on time. Doubles range from $99-$319; call 800-848-8878 for information and reservations. And while your daughter’s out carving turns, you can try your hand at bobsledding, nordic skiing, dogsledding, or snowshoeing. For more ideas, check out “En Famille: Five Resorts in the Vanguard” in the Destinations section of our November 1994 issue. |