Okemo Jackson Gore Inn Family Activities

In winter, it's all about the skiing and the apres-ski activities. The Penguin Playground Day Care Center, located at both Jackson Gore and Okemo base areas, caters to children, ages 6 months to 4 years. Kids will have fun doing arts and crafts, singing, storytelling and drawing.

As young as 2 years old, children can take half-hour private lessons with a ski instructor in a Star Booster sessions. Mini Stars, ages 3 to 4, go out with instructors in small groups for 1.5-hour lessons. The Super Mini Stars group is for children, ages 3 to 4, who already have experience on the slopes. Keep in mind that the staff at the Penguin Playground Day Care Center can transport kids to the Mini Stars lessons but not to the private lessons at Star Booster.

Snow Stars, for children ages 4 to 7, have the option to go with ski instructors for half-day sessions (10 to 1:30) or full-day sessions (10 to 3:30) that include lunch. The same holds true for Mountain Explorers, ages 7 to 14.

Whether your family skis or snowboards, there are a slew of trails, a halfpipe and terrain park to keep everyone occupied. Get the most out of a sunny day by starting your morning at Jackson Gore and ending on the South Face trails of Dream Weaver and Rim Rock. To get the body working, a high-speed quad leaves you at the summit of Jackson, where you can choose Upper Limelight, an advanced trail that snakes through the tall spruces and birches that carpet the hillside.

During the course of the day, gradually make your way across the mountain on a series of blue cruisers like Upper and Lower Arrow and Lower Chief. There are a few steep pitches here and there, but mostly the terrain is a steady downhill, making you feel like the next Bode Miller as you carve those turns.

Unlike nearby Killington and its seven peaks, you can pretty much ski the entirety of Okemo in a day and get a feel for which of the trails you'd like to try again the next day. Dream Weaver tops the list of favorites for many. With spectacular views of Ludlow and the valley below, the trail is on the edge of the mountain, rolling up and down the terrain on a rollercoaster-like ride that always seems to test your mettle late in the afternoon.

The after-ski scene at Okemo also thrives. Many families head straight to the fire pit to unlatch those boots and warm up. Nearby is the Snow Fun Playground, where kids climb up and slide down the snow structures. Older children, at least 42 inches tall, will want to cruise down one of the four lanes at the snow-tubing park. It's located just off the magic carpet in the Jackson Gore courtyard.

Want more? The Ice House is Okemo's skating rink. Rent skates, do some figure-eights, and then relax by the gas-fueled fireplace. The Spring House is Jackson Gore Inn's fitness and pool area. There are hot tubs, a children's pool with waterslide, an adult pool to swim laps, saunas, racquetball rooms that double as walleyball (volleyball with walls) rooms, a workout facility with weights and aerobic equipment and daily yoga and Pilates classes. The Jackson Gore Inn also offers a heated outdoor pool and hot tubs, in case you want to hear the groomers working their magic on the mountain.

After showers, everyone huddles in the cozy chairs of the lobby for a pint or a s'mores kit to make the sticky marshmallow, graham cracker and chocolate concoction at your table. There's also usually some talent on hand, drawing caricatures of the kids or performing magic.

Don't forget that Okemo is a four-season resort. Go there in the spring, summer or fall, and the prices at the Jackson Gore Inn are greatly reduced. That skating rink at the Ice House is now tennis courts and a running track. Less than a mile away is the Okemo Valley Golf Club, nestled in the valley below the mountains. Okemo is just off Route 100, one of the most exquisite stretches of road in the country -- a bucolic blend of rolling hills, farmland so fertile you feel like jumping out of the car and digging your hands in the soil, covered bridges and the ubiquitous Vermont white steeple. So, not surprisingly, Ludlow and the maze of roads that loop around Okemo Mountain are some of the best road-biking spots in the state.