By Amy SuskiTo escape the summer heat, this July our family headed north to the Laurentian Mountains for a 4-night stay at the Tremblant resort in Mont Tremblant, Québec. After a lot of road-tripping this past year, it was a luxury to just park the car and forget it. By staying at the Westin in the pedestrian village at the base of the mountain, everything from the summit to the beach was in walking distance. We were able to give our kids wilderness adventures during the day and in the evening relax in the ambience of a french-speaking lakeside village with fine dining, street cafes, and live music. Although there is too much to do in one trip, we packed a lot in!
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By Amy SuskiNatural Beauty, Great Skiing For a real life "Frozen" experience, its hard to beat a winter trip to Tremblant in Quebec. From the 2,871 foot summit, as far as the eye can see the landscape glitters magically in ice and snow. With on-and-off gentle snowfall throughout our stay, the skiing conditions were perfect. Our two beginner skiers enjoyed the long green trails that meandered down from the summit, while our daredevil teenager found a variety of black diamond trails and snowparks to challenge him. Ranked year-after-year as the #1 eastern ski resort by SKI Magazine, this European-styled resort in the Laurentian Mountains more than lives up to its reputation as world-class ski destination. Après-ski In addition to the mountain, what makes Tremblant truly special are its Quebec hosts. Everyone we met was helpful, cheerful and more than willing to help make our stay special, even if that meant speaking only English to our linguistically-challenged family. After a day full of winter sports, the pedestrian village at the base of the mountain welcomes weary skiers to the warmth of its outdoor fireplace, charming restaurants, cozy cafes, and colorful shops. Decorated with holiday lights and snow sculptures, the village is as picturesque as the pages of storybook. But however tired you are from skiing be sure to save some energy to explore the village -- the uphill walk from the parking lot through the village is "invigorating." Fortunately, there is a lift (Le Cabriolet) to carry passengers to the top, but it runs mostly during the day, not so much at night. Super fun activities for families include iceskating by Saint-Bernard's Chapel, nighttime snow tubing at the base of the mountain, indoor water play at AquaClub Source, movies at the cinema, paint-your-own pottery at Le Studio Creatif, building your own teddy bear at Universe Toutou, and an irresistible little toy shop, Bangles et Bobinette. The kids also especially enjoyed the local treats of maple taffy on snow and poutine -- one of the greatest comfort foods on earth (french fries smothered in gravy and melted cheese). To experience fine Quebec cuisine, our family favorite is La Forge Bistro Bar & Grille, where you can enjoy fine wine, steaks cooked over a fire, and a great view of the mountain. Family Lodging Options Whether you want the full service of a hotel or the added space of a condo, there are plenty of options for families to choose from. To ease the burden of lugging our kids' gear, we recommend a hotel in the pedestrian village (such as Sommet des Neiges, pictured below) or any of the ski-on, ski-off condos. This trip we stayed at a condo in Etoile du Matin (view from our window pictured below), just steps away from the Soleil lift to the summit. The added convenience of having our own kitchen, washer/dryer, master suite, and underground parking made the family trip SO much easier. Tremblant Snow School The excellent Learn to Ski or Ride Programs offer half- or full-day ski or snowboard lessons for beginners of all ages. Mother Nature Camp for 3 and 4 year olds includes 1/2 day of skiing, lunch, and 1/2 day of daycare so that mom and dad can enjoy the mountain. Parents will also appreciate that the Snow School provides kids under 12 a free Flaik GPS so that they can be tracked anywhere on the mountain. School Holiday Breaks During the month of February Tremblant welcomes kids with special activities including toasting marshmallows, street hockey, and Saturday Night Fever dance parties. This year Washington Week (Feb. 13-20, 2016) is timed to coincide with New England's school breaks and special activities for Quebec's School Break are scheduled Feb. 27- Mar. 6, 2016. Finding Deals At press time, Tremblant was offering discounts on lodging up to 30%. Combined with a favorable exchange rate (currently 1 USD=1.37 CAD), the savings for American visitors can be HUGE: we booked our trip in the fall of 2015 during a 35% lodging discount promotion and with the exchange rate ended up saving around 65% on our trip. If you have any questions about booking your trip, take advantage of the friendly booking agents to find lodging that best suits your family's needs. All in all we couldn't be happier with the value, convenience and absolute fun of our stay at Tremblant. If you're up for an adventure, Tremblant is certainly worth the extra drive or flight. More Tips:
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The opinions expressed herein are entirely my own and do not reflect those of Tremblant or any of the other businesses mentioned. All copyrights reserved to Kid Trips.
By Amy SuskiTremblant is best known as a great Canadian ski resort, but it has SO much to offer in the summer too. Once the ice and snow have gone, the street cafes open up, mountain wildflowers begin to bloom, and outdoor festivals abound. My favorite things about a summertime Tremblant trip:
By Amy Suski Spring skiing anyone? Although a thaw is finally in reach on the U.S. east coast, ski season is still in full swing in Quebec. Admittedly, temperatures over the winter were frightful but with the warmer temperatures in March and April, families can enjoy the abundant snow without their smiles freezing in place. With current exchange rates [$100 CAD = $80 USD] you can also expect a sweet discount on your trip. We recently took advantage of a 35% off winter deal from Tremblant resort, which combined with the favorable exchange savings of 20% made a trip for a family of five very affordable.
By Amy Suski If you've been longing for a European family vacation without the jet-lag or sticker-shock, our Canadian neighbor Montreal is the perfect choice. With old world cobblestone streets, sidewalk cafes, chic shops, open air markets, and world-class performing arts venues and museums, Montreal has all the panache of a European city with some key differences. First, although French is the official language, most signs and menus are also in English and most residents are more than happy to switch back-and-forth with visitors. Second, Montreal is not a pretentious city. There is a casual, friendly vibe in Montreal that welcomes families to come as they are and simply enjoy. Finally, although it's a foreign country (don't forget your passports!) you can drive there -- which is a huge savings when traveling with kids.
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