I know that the thought of planning a winter vacation at this point in time may be the last thing on your mind, considering we are just getting into the swing of enjoying Fall, football, pumpkins and turkeys. But really there is no better time.  Since we are still a few months out from the heart of winter vacations, you can get great deals on airfare, hotels, and even ski lift tickets.

What with Ireland planned for this week, Las Vegas for Thanksgiving, and Southern Utah for Christmas, it’s time for us here at DTM to look forward to our next phase in travel planning. For now, that would be winter getaways. Winter is a hard time for a lot of people. A lot of people get depressed and feel cabin feverish, what better way to chase away the winter blues than with a blissful retreat to the mountains.

There are many, many, many great places to choose from. We have a list of places we are looking into. Some of these places include (these are all on the west coast- sorry east coasters! Better come check out what the hype is all about!):

Park City Mountain Resort, Park City, Utah – hey it’s right in our own backyard! Every year thousands of people flock to Utah powder to bask in it’s delicious soft cloudlike texture. Seriously, if you have never experienced Utah powder, you are missing out! They didn’t hold the 2002 Olympics here for nothing! And Park City is a great place to check out. The resort is fantastic, and the nightlife is booming and posh. And it’s only thirty minutes from downtown Salt Lake City, so it’s very accessible and easy to get to.

Grand Targhee, Alta, Wyoming- This resort feels like home for us. We went to school nearby and had season passes to this resort. It’s not pricey at all compared to it’s neighboring Jackson Hole slopes and just as nice of a mountain in my opinion. It would also be fun to head to Yellowstone or Island Park for some snowmobiling.

Heavenly, Lake Tahoe, Nevada- I have only snowboarded in Lake Tahoe once and I was such a beginner, it was embarrassing. But I’d like to go back , and when I do, I’ve heard amazing things about Heavenly. If it’s true to it’s name, you are supposed to get a great view of the beautiful blue Lake Tahoe. Also it boasts the most groomed trails in Lake Tahoe. I love a nice smooth groomed trail.

Big Sky, Montana- Another ski resort I have never been too, but would really like to check out. Anyone been? It’s touted as the biggest skiing in America. I’m not sure what that means, but I would really like to find out! The pictures are just breathtaking. I just hope it’s not too steep (eek!) I’m a little but of a wuss when it comes to that stuff.

Kona, Hawaii- A girl can dream right!?! Yeah you won’t find any skiing here (unless it’s water skiing), but who says all winter vacations need to be of the powdery nature? Many many people find solace in a winter vacation soaking up their vitamin D in Hawaii. We did it last year in January! And although it wasn’t quite the same dragging along a 3 month old, we still had a blast! I think it could be a little more fun taking a 15 or 16 month old right?

So what do you think? Have I given you some ideas/inspiration to go start planning your winter getaway? Which of these places should we look into? What places did we forget to mention that are on your list?

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Tags: ski, snowboarding, winter

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