7 Ways Ski Vacations Strengthen Family Bonds

Have you ever thought about what motivates you to travel? In my case, it is never just one thing but I have to say quality time with the family is a huge driver.

Understanding motivation—what compels us to actually execute on a trip—really does enable planning of more meaningful experiences. It actually becomes easier to choose destinations and fill itineraries when you keep the “why” at the forefront of your mind.

And, if your “why” involves family bonding, a ski vacation might just be the (lift) ticket. The decision of where to go is easy. We usually head to a Vail Resort (Vail or Beaver Creek most often) for our fill of epic powder because they’re experts at designing programming to keep families connected. And, we have other family who lives nearby.

Here are even more reasons to make this season the year your family hits the slopes

It’s the Great Outdoors

Snow alone is enough to pry many kids, including mine, off of digital devices and into the outdoors. And good old-fashioned exercise is easy to come by when trudging through powder, tossing snowballs, and building snowmen… all so important for building motor skills and fostering imagination. Plus, it’s fun!

No matter how old you are or whether it’s the first or 31st time, there’s also nothing like the rush associated with hitting the slopes each season. Amazing state-of-the-art ski schools get kids comfortable on skis in a jiffy. And, more people are learning to ski as adults, too.

And all of this healthy activity is happening in fresh mountain air.

It’s Not Just About Skiing

These days, you definitely don’t have to ski or snowboard to enjoy a mountain resort in winter. From sledding to snowshoeing to shopping, there is truly something for all ages to do. And, that’s incredibly important on a family vacation.

Lots of Quality Group Time

Another one of my motivators for booking travel is time. We have a limited amount and I fear running out of it without doing all of the things and without enough quality time with the people I love.

Family ski vacations naturally provide the quality time I’m speaking of. You could be spotting deer from the gondola heading up the mountain or huddling in front of the resort fireplace with a hot chocolate (or hot toddy for the parents) over conversation after a good day on the slopes.

These days, mountain resorts seem to understand that families want to stick together and offer plenty of onsite entertainment to fit the bill.

Change of Environment (and Mood)

Raise your hand if you need a break from the daily grind. Me, too. Maybe a little pampering? Definitely, yes. I’d rather be skiing instead of typing on a keyboard.

Any vacation is a break from the monotony of the normal routine. Our family tends to be in a better mood without the stress of work, school or daily life.

Learning Outside of the Classroom

Edutainment, if you will, is a huge reason why we travel. It doesn’t matter how old you are… there isn’t anything cooler than seeing and often touching history or something you’ve read about in real life. Or, it can be able learning or improving upon a fun skill that isn’t taught in a traditional classroom, like snowboarding.

Après-Ski Food

Hear me out on this one. Food actually can motivate us to book a vacation. We look into restaurants and regional cuisine in advance. I know that when I book at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail, the meals in all outlets are outstanding (try any menu item with local 7x Beef, Rocky Mountain Elk Corn Dogs and Maple Bacon Donuts at Flame).

Plus, a long day on the slopes gives me a bit more “room” to enjoy hearty ski favorites. It’s one of the only times I indulge in good fondue. And, our recent experience in Vail proves that these ski resorts have excellent on-mountain and base-of-mountain restaurants featuring a wide range of cuisines. Kids’ menus were also easy to come by.

And, more importantly, I’m not cooking whatever we’re eating and no one in the family is cleaning dishes.

Returning Home Ready

I usually hit the ground running after a vacation, feeling productive, inspired, sometimes (not always) rested, and ready to tackle what lies ahead. I dare say this applies to the other two members of my family, too.

Where to Next?

Ready to ski? I highly encourage you to consider planning a family ski vacation at one of the mountains in the Vail Resorts portfolio. I have been skiing their Colorado mountains since I was a teenager. My daughter learned to ski at an amazing school at Keystone. I’m comfortable at these resorts and they’ve always exceeded my expectations in more ways than I can describe in one post.

I am planning to return this season with the family for all of the reasons described above.

What motivates you to travel?

Photos are courtesy of Vail Resorts.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Vail Resorts. The opinions and text are all mine.