The Best Skiing On The East Coast: All You Need To Know To Visit Snowshoe Resort
Skiing in West Virginia is some of the best skiing on the east coast. And Snowshoe is one of our favorite family vacation destinations. These “ know before you go” tips will help you plan a great family ski trip.
So, full disclosure here... I probably love the idea of a ski vacation a bit more than I love an actual ski vacation.
I mean what’s not to love in the idea version - an active trip where the kids are completely unplugged because they’re so busy shushing down the slopes during the day and sipping hot chocolate by a cozy fire in the evening?
It’s not skiing itself that bursts my vacation bubble - that part I really enjoy. But, I’m not really a “stuff” person. And there are just a lot of things necessary for skiing - layers of clothes, heavy skis, awkward-feeling boots, poles... you get the drift. It turns out I am just not very good at getting all of said stuff on all of my children before the lucky child who was the first to get help dressing and readied to ski is melting from heat exhaustion, waiting on the last of us.
You can see where a ski vacation may be a bit of a hard sell for my ski-enthusiast husband.
But, I do love a good challenge and in every marriage a little compromise goes a long way. And skiing really can be a great family activity. (No, my husband really didn’t twist my arm to write that.)
I’ve learned the best way to save all my patience for the “stuff” part is to make the rest of the ski vacation as easy as possible. And I’ve found a few tricks to do that at Snowshoe Mountain Resort, a family favorite spot for skiing in West Virginia.
Here are some know-before-you-go tips for the best skiing on the east coast. Hopefully they’ll turn others like me into happy(er) ski bunnies.
Avoid the Most Popular Travel Dates If You Can
As with many popular vacations, avoiding the busiest seasons can make a huge difference. At Snowshoe as well as at other ski vacation destinations, the busiest time is the week of Christmas and New Year’s, followed by President’s Day weekend and Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend.
On our trip last year, a staff member told me the resort was at almost 100% capacity during our stay January 1 through the 5th. The resort was expecting 19% capacity the following week. That’s a tremendous difference that can be felt in lower accommodation costs, less crowded skiing conditions, more availability at restaurants, and even friendlier/ less stressed out staff which can equal significantly better service.
Because the resort is located in a rural area where getting supplies can be bit more challenging, we noticed every restaurant was sold out of at least a few of their items during the busiest part of the season. We also waited over 2 hours for a dinner seating one night, experienced long lines to get on the ski lifts, and the slopes were pretty crowded, making learning to ski for our younger kids challenging.
If your schedule allows it, planning your trip for a less busy time will surely help avoid some frustrations. Or tack on a day that most people won’t have off from school or work at the beginning or end of your trip. If you can’t, just remember to factor in some extra time for waiting.
Skiing in West Virginia - ready for the slopes!
2. Remember you'll be in the mountains so prepare for no GPS
Skiing in West Virginia requires going a bit rural. So, it’s important to plan your route prior to leaving for your trip because you may lose cell service and GPS. We have noticed that plugging the destination into a map app such as Waze when you have adequate service then allows the app to work even when your cell service can’t connect to a tower.
A back-up physical map is also a must because it may be difficult to find assistance if you get lost. Additionally, the area is prone to fog so visibility may be poor along the way so allow extra time to get there.
3. Family vacation planning 101: Make Sure They're Not Hungry
Making sure you have plenty of healthy snacks and maybe some meal options to fill tummies can be key in making little skiers happy.
Be sure to stop at a grocery store prior to heading up the mountain. A small store is located within driving distance of the village but for most things, you’ll need to stop along your route to avoid having to travel back down the mountain mid-vacation.
The last grocery stores along any route leading to Snowshoe are located approximately 45 minutes before arriving at the resort. There are several restaurants located in the village but many don’t take reservations and particularly if you’re visiting at a busy time, getting a table can sometimes involve a wait so it’s nice to have food you can prepare in your rental unit as well.
Several restaurant options dot the landscape at Snowshoe.
4. Come Prepared With A Few Necessary Essentials
So you can stop along the way for the grocery part of the stay, but what about all the other things you need to bring with you? Although Snowshoe Resort does have some options for things you might forget, if you’re used to skiing at larger ski resorts you might find those options not as plentiful as you might hope. And the nearest large store (a Walmart) is about an hour away in Elkins, WV.
So, a packing list is often a good idea when traveling with kids but with a ski trip to Snowshoe, it’s especially helpful. I found some great packing lists on Pinterest that I now use when it’s time to pack the suitcases for the slopes. And here are a few things you want to make sure your packing list includes for Snowshoe specifically:
sunscreen (the sun can be strong, even when it’s cold);
layers of clothing (my kids have found themselves too hot while skiing just as many times as they’ve been too cold so remember to bring thin layers just in case);
bathing suits (many units have hot tubs that you might want to utilize);
ski googles (they often seem to be overpriced at the resort but can make the glare of the snow much more tolerable);
casual clothes (the resort is not dressy so comfy, casual clothes are perfect for dinners out);
extra toiletries and a hair dryer (I tend to pack light when we’re staying in a hotel and use the soaps and shampoos in the room but since you’ll likely be renting a private unit, it may not come with toiletries or supply a hair dryer);
extra gloves (someone always manages to lose one).
5. Sneak in a family learning adventure on the way
Sometimes it’s all about the journey and there are some great places to stop on your way to your family vacation at Snowshoe that are both really fun and educational (my favorite type!) None of the stops require a great deal of time to still make them worthwhile.
About 1/2 hour from the ski slopes, the Greenbank Observatory offers insight into the fun question of whether or not life exists on other planets. Nearby Cass Railroad offers train excursions on steam-driven locomotives, as well as a look at an original lumbering town, a company store, and a small museum. And Smoke Hole Caverns is a great stop to take in some geologic and man-made history. The area offers tours of the caverns as well as a glimpse into the history of the Native Americans and early settlers who once lived there.
Appalachian Kitchen at Snowshoe Resort
6. Find the best family vacation rental for your travel style
When it comes to travel, I’ve realized there are 2 kinds of people - the “who cares what the room looks like because I don’t plan to spend much time in it” kind and those of us who just love a great space, even if we’re not in it very much. While I aspire to be the kind who just doesn’t really care what the room looks like (because it sure would be a lot cheaper), darn it - I’m just not! I love a really great hotel room or rental.
At Snowshoe, you have the option of booking accommodations directly through the company, through a third party real estate and rental agency, or through services like Airbnb and VRBO. Most accommodations are individually owned so decor will vary. Most units are decorated in a rustic fashion but some are more updated than others.
If it’s important for you to have a unit that’s more updated, you may not want to book directly through Snowshoe because they won’t provide you pictures of your specific unit and the pictures on their site may look quite different than your actual rental.
7. Skip the long commute at the end of the ski day
Sometimes paying for convenience is totally worth it and that holds true for our family when it comes to ski-in-ski-out accommodations. Ski-in-ski-out means that you are slope side, in a location that is easily walkable to the ski runs. Many units have ski lockers in the lower level of the building so storing your skis or snowboarding equipment is easy.
Although there’s a shuttle to accommodations that are on Snowshoe property but not within walking distance, eliminating the step of waiting on the shuttle and then loading your gear pushes the easy button for us.
Snowshoe village also has a great feel to it. So staying right in the village is our favorite spot, making the vacation seem like a true winter wonderland outing. It also makes going out for meals and shopping more convenient.
Ready to tackle the mountain at Snowshoe.
8. The best secret to happy travelers on your trip: easy ski rental
Getting your skiing gear can be a lengthy process so we always tell the kids the day we get our gear will be short ski day so they don’t expect to get on the slopes right away only to be disappointed.
Gear and lift tickets are also very expensive. On our holiday Snowshoe family trip, our costs for renting 5 sets of skis with helmets, purchasing 6 lift tickets, and tacking on a lesson for 1/2 our group of 6 was over $2500.
You may save both money and time renting skis off the mountain, prior to arriving at the resort. There are several ski and snowboard rental shops located before you arrive on Snowshoe property including the Ski Barn and Route 66 Ski Rental.
Elk River Snowboard and Ski Rental is also an option and is located on the mountain. Plan ahead and they’ll even offer ski delivery at an extra charge.
9. Snowshoe ski school with an expert may save the day
I believe parenting takes a village and sometimes it’s time to call in the professionals of the ‘village’. Learning to ski can be fun … but challenging, particularly if you don’t have an instructor to help along the way.
Although we have often been tempted to save the money associated with private or group ski lessons, lessons have always been one of the best things we’ve done when one of our kids is learning to ski, hasn’t skied in a while, or just wants to improve their skiing. We have always found the ski instructors to be patient and so helpful at turning skiing into something fun instead of frustrating.
There have been many ski days I’ve been tempted to call it a day just getting the kids out to the slopes only to have a helpful ski instructor save me from a mom-fail by being a new face to the kids and offering invaluable tips. And lessons aren’t just great for the kiddos - my own lessons have helped me enjoy the sport more too!
Best skiing on the east coast
10. Schedule breaks for Worn Out Skiers (Big and Small!)
So… you’ve checked all the boxes for a great family ski trip and you’re finally prepared to hit the slopes all day. Right?
Not so fast.
I know it’s tempting to get in as much ski time as possible after all the prep that’s involved with getting ready to ski but nothing wears out new skiers quite like too much time on the runs.
So don’t expect super long days skiing. And maybe schedule in some time to do other things. Snowshoe offers a fun tubing park for kids of all ages, snowmobile tours for kids over 6 and off-road tours for those over 12 years old.
