Getaway Winter Weekend

Winter weekends are precious but often hard to get motivated for. Between school, sports, the holidays, and our busy daily lives we regularly forget to make any plans for the weekend. As a result we end up doing the same thing every weekend, not because it is fun or special but because it is easy. However, taking a little time to plan a special weekend can make an ordinary winter into something memorable.

There are many ways to make a weekend special–it can be simple or extravagant and may become a tradition that you will look forward to year after year.  If you aren’t much of an entertainer or organizer try to start with planning something simple.  Traveling close to home will cut down on the expense and hassle of air travel and typically won’t interfere with school, work, or other activities. Your local ski resort should have both hotel rooms and condos available to rent and you can base your decision on cost, availability, and what you hope to do over the weekend. Mountain getaways are perfect for a little romance, family adventure, or fun with friends. While this may be just a family affair, including friends or extended family can add to the event.  When considering who to include, remember that they do not need to ski or snowboard to enjoy the mountains. Many resorts offer snowmobiling, snow tubing, as well as a variety of indoor activities to satisfy just about everyone. Even settling down with a good book next to the fire can be enough to lure someone to the mountain. Since this is a weekend that may require some preparation, it is wise to make your invitations early, let them know the costs involved, and allow them to get back to you once they have had a chance to consider it.

There are two ways to approach planning your special weekend. If you have a specific idea of how you would like the weekend to be spent, plan it yourself and ask your friends or family to come along. However, just because you do all of the planning doesn’t mean you can’t delegate duties and spread out the costs. If you are more open and don’t need to make all the decisions, invite someone to help you plan the weekend. You will find it easiest if you assign specific jobs to each person once you have all added your input. Be sure your list of jobs includes travel arrangements (including maps and directions), accommodations, activity reservations, dining reservations, and food shopping. You will find that your trip will be far more successful if you plan your activities in advance before the inertia of a cold day and a warm fire set in to zap everyone’s motivation. By planning meals and activities beforehand you will have the chance to make reservations and everyone will know the agenda. Feel free to make these plans for guests—they are typically willing to do just about anything. You may ask for their input while you are planning the trip, but don’t wait until you get there to discuss your options, or else many opportunities may be closed to you.

While hotel lodging has it’s advantages (closer to the action, room service, and housekeeping) consider a condo where you can relax and have a drink when the kids go to bed. Ski-in/ski-out condos make for a really easy way to do a nice lunch, snacks, or dinner. It tends to be more intimate and lends itself well to a group participating in a wide variety of activities. 

Group meals can be fast and fun in a condo when they are well organized. Create a menu for the weekend and shop with a plan in mind to avoid extra food that is hard to bring home. Labor-intensive meals make the weekend feel like more work than its worth.  Choose fast but healthy meals where prep work can be done before leaving, so that a spread is easy to get on the table when you’re trying to get out the door or you’re cold and tired from an active day. Snacks are incredibly important for a winter weekend, as you will be burning many calories in the outdoor air. Even if you are staying in a hotel or planning to eat at a restaurant, hearty snacks will fill the void between the slopes and dinner.

Time together is the most special part of a weekend in the mountains.  Be careful not to over-schedule your activities. Allow for downtime to simply relax, enjoy the company, and soak in the atmosphere of the mountains in the winter.