Why Go?
For children of all ages. Jay Peak is a resort that takes winter family holidays to a new level, combining a state-of-the-art ski area with a destination indoor waterpark in a remarkable setting with views across the border into Canada. Designer rustic hotels are built into the base of mountains, making for an easy ski in/ski out experience. You can choose to skip skiing altogether and instead splash around in the waterpark or take skating lessons in the NHL-sized indoor ice rink. Jay Peak offers plenty for adults too, with good restaurants and bars and an admirable line-up of live music from top acts that you wouldn’t credit in this far-flung corner of Vermont.
The Skiing
Jay Peak boasts the most snow in the eastern US, covering 50 miles of trails that take in The Zone learning area and beautiful glades, but also lead to out-of-bounds back country terrain in the far corners. The 3,968-foot summit is impressive and offers a vertical drop of more than 2,000 ft. Beginners get 20 percent of the terrain and intermediates 40 percent, making this a great place to come and improve. There is plenty for better skiers with a smart tram reaching the summit that boasts a number of black diamond options.
The Resort
A trendy place that’s all about growing younger: you can have a lunchtime pizza in Mountain Dick’s with ski booted adventurers on one side of you and swimsuited kids on the other. The Pump House waterpark would be impressive anywhere, but with a glass wall looking over the snowy slopes, it’s one-of-a-kind. There’s the Big River, a combination of lazy river with rapids and currents; La Chute, a 65-foot vertical drop through a trap door into a water tube which dashes outside the building and back again; flowrider; tots’ play area; and even a bar with frozen cocktails. The Ice Haus Arena hosts hockey, figure skating and curling teams, and is open for free skating. And the music-loving crew who run the place tempt touring stars such as country singer Steve Earle and New Orleans legends the Dirty Dozen Brass Band to call in on their way past to play.
Hotel Jay, with direct access to the Pump House, has suites with kitchenettes, while the most affordable accommodation, the Stateside Hotel, sits right at the bottom of the beginner area. Plenty more housing options include cottages, townhouses and condos. A general store is close by for families who want to eat in.
Children’s Facilities
Kinders & Riglets lessons for ages three to five cover both skiing and boarding, Jay Explorers for ages six to 12 lets youngsters move on from specially sculpted learning terrain to attractions such as runs between the trees. Early drop-off and late pick-up options lets you make the most of your own skiing while letting the children have a great time with friends. Jaycare at Stateside offers all-day childcare from age six weeks to three, and Jaycare at the Tramside base from ages two to seven, both free if you’re staying at the resort.
Getting Around
Last stop before Canada or the first over the border. In the far corner of Vermont, Jay has excellent connections with flights into Montreal (90 minutes away) and Quebec City (three hours). Burlington with its airport is 90 minutes away. Boston is 230 miles and even New York (370 miles) is a straightforward drive. You don’t need a car in the resort but you’ll want it to explore the Northeast Kingdom, as they call it, with quaint towns such as lakeside Newport and Northeast Kingdom Tasting Center with its bakery, maple syrup cider and much more.
Nick Dalton, a U.K.-based travel writer for newspapers, such as The Times, has visited nearly 90 U.S. ski resorts (and another 20 or so in Canada). When not skiing he’s also an expert on cruises, and his children, Georgia and Henry.