Love skiing and looking for a getaway this winter? Snowshoe Ski Resort in West Virginia is the perfect East Coast destination.
Snowshoe Ski Resort in West Virginia is a year round destination in the Allegheny mountains. Our family plans a trip to Snowshoe at least once each winter to enjoy the snowy slopes. It’s about 3.5-4 hours from the Washington Metro Area and is a great getaway with lots to do for families. This post is all about planning for a ski trip to Snowshoe!
Planning
Booking your trip to Snowshoe Ski Resort is easy to do once you have the dates you are available to go! Planning Tip: Snowshoe is a very popular destination and we find that weekends, especially holiday weekends, are extremely crowded. This leads to long lift lines which wear out the kids quicker. We now try to plan a getaway by driving up Wednesday eve and skiing all day Thursday and Friday and check-out Saturday OR check in on Saturday and ski all day Sunday and Monday and check-out on Tuesday. This makes all the difference for our family and we get in so much more time on the slopes vs waiting at the bottom of the mountain for a ride back to the top!
If you cannot plan on either side of a weekend it is ok we have another work around especially if you are traveling with the kids. You can easily take the bus to Silver Creek and ski there (your Snowshoe lift ticket works at Silver Creek too) all day without battling the crowds! The picture below was taken on a busy Saturday! Seriously! Ok so now that you have your dates in mind let’s discuss where to stay.
Snowshoe accommodations are nice because most are ski on/ski off! It makes it super easy for skiing with kids (and for us too!). The accommodations at Snowshoe are all condo/studio style most with a kitchen/dining/living area. This is nice so you can bring your own meals if you do not want to eat out the entire weekend.
Our favorite spots to stay with the kids are the following:
Where to Stay
Allegheny Springs – Located slopeside, adjacent to Ballhooter Lift, in the heart of the Village at Snowshoe. Relax in the hearth room by the fire overlooking the courtyard with heated pool, hot tub and fire pit. Exercise room, ski storage, sauna, concierge, valet and indoor access to Sunset Cantina. Standard, Junior Studio, Studio, One, Two and Three Bedroom Units Available.
Rimfire Lodge – Located in the heart of the Village at Snowshoe, these units give you access to all the shops & restaurants as well as Ballhooter Lift and the basin ski area. Western vistas or plaza views with a fitness room, outdoor hot tub, sauna, ski lockers and underground parking. Junior Studio, Studio, One Bedroom and Two Bedroom Units Available. You will see amazing sunsets from Rimfire!
Seneca – Here you’ll find spacious luxury located in the heart of the Village at Snowshoe. Relax on the garden patio next to the outdoor fireplace or in the large outdoor spa/hot tub. Concierge service available as well as a fitness room, sauna, laundry, ski lockers, hearth room and underground heated parking. Junior Studio, Studio, One, Two and Three Bedroom Units Available.
Highland House – In the heart of the Village at Snowshoe, adjacent to Ballhooter Lift, this location gives you access to it all. Eastern slope vistas will provide beautiful sunrises and plaza side views give you a look at all the action in the Village. Fireplaces, balconies, full kitchens, hot tub, fitness room and sauna available. Junior Studio, One, Two and Three Bedroom Condos Available.
Soaring Eagle Lodge – This is one of the newest lodging options (and our personal fav) at Snowshoe. Located next to the Soaring Eagle Express Lift and South Mountain area of the basin. Amenities include an on-site restaurant, concierge service, slope-side access, hot tubs, covered parking and more. Studio, One, Two and Three Bedroom Units Available. Planning Tip: Sometimes this location is fully booked via the Snowshoe Ski Resort site. I have had good luck booking units via VRBO. We find that a studio here is perfect for the two of us and we think that it would be ok for us and the kids as well!
If your family is really good at skiing I would recommend this lodging as it is our most favorite. We always stay here sans kids. It is newer and has beautiful views. The hot tubs are so nice after a day on the slopes. There is bus service so you can easily hop the bus to Silver Creek for more skiing or the Village for places to eat, the Big Top and swimming too!
Planning Tip: We find that a one bedroom is plenty of space for our family of four. There is a sleep sofa that is fine for the kids. We always bring an air mattress (queen) for the kids to share instead of using the sleep sofa. I think they get a better rest and it is easy to fold up and put away each day giving us our living space back. If you do not spend a lot of time in the room I do think a studio would be enough room with two small children. It is personal preference. We often go with friends and like to have more space to have our friends in our unit and a studio would be too small.
Book Now! Search for availability via the Snowshoe Resort Website. When you book thru Snowshoe Ski Resort you have access to the indoor/outdoor pool at the Village as well as the BigTop that is fun for the kids in the evening with rock climbing, various inflatable bounces/slides, etc. If you do not book through the resort you can still go to these places but there will be an admission fee.
Lift Tickets
If you are not already a season ticket holder you will need lift tickets! You can buy these ahead of time via the Snowshoe Resort Website. They often have better deals if you buy online ahead of time (at least 72 hours in advance). In the fall keep a lookout for announcements for the 3-day pass at a discount. You can use the three days at any time during the season and they do not have to be used on consecutive days. Also if you decide to buy season passes keep an eye out for when they go on sale usually the end of February/early March for the best prices! Sometimes they offer specials for the kids too.
Other Activities
Lessons! Snowshoe has amazing instructors. I learned how to ski at Snowshoe thanks to their staff. So did both of my kids and my husband got a good refresher putting him back on the Blues the first year and the Black Diamonds the second. The lessons do book up so it is important to call ahead if you want them! Private lessons are offered at 9am and 12:30pm daily. TO BOOK A PRIVATE LESSON, CALL 877-441-4386. Snowshoe offers group lessons, ski school and of course the privates. Lots of ways to learn!
There are so many things to do at Snowshoe besides skiing and snowboarding! There is something to do for everyone. Snowshoe Ski Resort offers lots of winter activities. Sleigh rides, snow tubing, snowmobiling tours, offroad adventures, etc. All need to be reserved and because this is such a popular destination make your plans ahead of time so you aren’t disappointed! The snowmobiling night tours are SO much fun!
Planning tip with kids: When we ski with the kids our mindset is we will pay a lot to ski a little! It is so important to us that the kids have fun learning to ski and that we do not go too long. You want their last run of the day to be FUN so they will want to return the next day as well as next year! We take lots of breaks and drink lots of hot chocolate. It is a lot of fun for the kids to look forward to going to the pool and swimming outside when it is snowing! Heading to the Big Top after dinner to work off any energy they might still have! We have so much fun when we go each year. They have really special memories and look forward to going back each winter.
Are you ready to head to Snowshoe!?! I hope so! It is a special getaway for our family and I hope it will be for yours too! Does your family ski/snowboard? Where is your go to each winter season? I would love to know. Please comment below!
