Ski Vacation Travel Tips

The ABC's of Ski Trip Planning

A ski vacation is truly a unique travel experience. There are many variables to consider and planning that needs to be completed to ensure that your ski vacation will be a smooth and positive experience. There are many things that can go wrong on your ski vacation if you do not plan properly in advance so take a look at some of the tips below and you will have a great time in the mountains!

Travel Insurance

Since a ski vacation requires prepayment and can be quite expensive, we highly recommend travel insurance to cover the non-refundable costs of your ski vacation should something arise that forces you to cancel your trip. Rocky Mountain Getaways partners with Travel Guard for our customer's insurance needs.  

Lodging

Most ski resorts offer a multitude of options for individual, family, and group lodging. With options including hotels, bed and breakfasts, condo rentals, townhouse rentals, and private luxury home rentals, choosing the right type of lodging and the right location are very important to ensure your ski vacation is a success. Rocky Mountain Getaways takes a great deal of time to visit and inspect all of the properties in each resort, we then do a detailed analyses to find the best options and prices for your ski vacation needs. Properties take great liberties in describing the quality or location of their units while Rocky Mountain Getaways gives it to you straight! Most lodging options require a nonrefundable deposit and have strict cancellation and balance deadlines.

Airfare

Rocky Mountain getaways offers competitive rate for retail airfare as well as contracted rates. Typically, retail fares are ticketed upon purchase, are non-refundable, and carry a fee of $150.00 plus any additional costs for the new flight for changes to the names or dates of the flights. Contracted rates are typically not ticketed until the final balance for the trip is submitted; in this case, the ticket can be cancelled until the balance due date without any penalty…after that the same change penalty as the retail fares is available. Your Rocky Mountain Getaways Ski Vacation Specialist will quote the best fares that are currently available, contracted or retail, so the policy is dependent on the ticket type.

Ground Transportation

There are several choices for traveling from the airport to the resort. Shared van service, private shuttle service, Motor Coach service, and rental vehicles are available from the airports to the resort destination. Mountain travel can be treacherous, so choose your transportation option with the possibility of blizzard conditions in mind. Ground transportation is cancelable outside of 45 days of arrival without any penalty, inside 45 days all monies are nonrefundable.

Lift Tickets

Purchase your lift tickets in advance for extreme savings compared to the pricing that will be available when you arrive. Major discounts and specials that include free days of skiing are available with advance lift ticket purchases. Completely unused multiple day lift tickets are completely refundable until the end of your stay and the multiple day lift ticket, good for skiing and snowboarding, will not only save you tons of money but it will also save time waiting in line.

Rental Equipment

Renting your equipment in advance saves a considerable amount of time and money! By providing your information in advance, the ski rental shop will have your equipment ready for your arrival. This will save an enormous amount of time and frustration from the beginning of your trip. Beginner and intermediate skiers and snowboarders are typically fine with the basic Sport Ski or Snowboard Package, while the more enthusiastic members of the group will appreciate the comfort and improved performance of the Performance Packages and the Demo Packages. Advance rentals are interchangeable at the shop and are refundable up until your arrival.

Ski & Snowboard School

If you have never skied before you need to take a lesson, period. Your experience will be exponentially better if you have some instruction for your first day on the slopes. At least plan your first day of lessons in advance, so you will be prepared for the first morning of your ski vacation. Full day, half day, and multiple day lessons are available…the more time you spend with and instructor, the faster you will learn, the better time you will have.

Children's ski school is a wonderful way for the kids to get introduced to the fun of skiing and snowboarding. They will be able to make friends and will enjoy their ski vacation so much more. Ski school is the perfect way for both kids and adults that have some experience skiing or snowboarding to get to the next level and improve their time on the snow. Ski School is refundable up to 24 hours prior to the lesson, so if you are not sure the best bet is to plan the first day and take it from there.

Activities

Your ski vacation fun does not stop on the slopes! There are so many fun activities available in the High Country that you must plan to take a day off of the slopes to experience everything the Rocky Mountains have to offer. From scenic snowmobile tours to exciting dog sledding excursion, romantic balloon rides to authentic sleigh rides with dinner and entertainment, mine tours to paragliding…there is fun for all in the Rockies! Reservations are highly recommended, especially for the busier holiday dates and cancellation policies are typically 24 - 48 hours.