Although we just sprung ahead one hour last weekend, spring ski conditions, however oxymoronic that may sound, make things a little less chilly on the slopes, and the hour adjustment means an extra hour of daylight activity. Many of the resorts welcome spring even as they celebrate the last blast of winter, with festivals, concerts, and special events.
You can stay at the Cimarron Inn in Telluride from $149 per night and receive the fifth night for free, as long as you reserve through Bookit (tel. 888/782-9722; www.bookit.com), which is offering the deal. The special gives you ski-in, ski-out access, kitchenette, a hot tub (in the common area) and it's valid for travel March 23 through April 6.The property is located at the base of lift seven and consists of 1-4 bedroom condominiums.
Whistler, British Columbia's Callaghan Country (tel. 604/938-0616; www.callaghancountry.com) is offering 40 per cent off rates for its two-night ski-in, ski-out packages on select dates: March 12-14, March 17-19, April 1-3 and April 7-9, priced at C$359 per person. If you are traveling with a group of four people or more, the rates are 50 per cent off, putting it at C$299 per person. The packages include accommodations in a standard room, all meals and snacks, non-alcoholic beverages, trail passes and luggage transport. Although it's past the package dates, from April 11-20, Whistler-Blackcomb will host the Telus World Ski & Snowboard Festival a mountaintop party of music, arts, and sports. Heading to the area's official reservation site (tel. 800/WHISTLER; www.whistler.com/wssf), will reveal that there are specials on rooms available from C$109 per night, and two-night packages, which also include two days of lift tickets, from C$170.
Orbitz (tel. 800/504-3248; www.orbitz.com) has a bundled package to Breckenridge available from $387 per person for flights (from Chicago) and two nights' accommodations at the Breckenridge Mountain Lodge, or for $496 for the Lodge and Spa at Breckenridge. During April 1-20, Breckenridge is home to its 8th annual Spring Massive (tel. 800/789-SNOW; http://breckenridge.snow.com/info/winter/ea.springmassive.asp), a celebration comprised of shopping, skiing, comedy, concerts, beer, fireworks, and more.
In the Northeast U.S., Travelocity (tel. 800/TRAVELOCITY; www.travelocity.com) has a specials for destinations in New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. Hotels are available from $79 per night, and packages are available from $347. Stay at the three-star Rivergreen Resort in New Hampshire from $79 or book your flight and four-nights from $347 -- flights are calculated based on departures from Chicago O'Hare and rates are calculated based on double occupancy. Other properties, such as the Inn of the Six Mountains in Killington, Vermont, is available from $129 per night or $446 per person for airfare and four nights' hotel, with a free full breakfast included daily. The Green Mountain Resort is offering 15 per cent off for midweek stays, with nightly rates available from $133.
Before you book, you might want to know that Killington (tel. 800/621-MTNS; www.killington.com) will launch Spring Loaded on April 5 and 6, a two-day celebration that includes entertainment and snowrider competitions, along with a Grateful Dead tribute on April 12 and pond-skimming (April 13), which involves hurling your body across frozen ponds, for sport.
If the idea of very late season skiing appeals to you, then head to Travelworm (tel. 888/700-8342; www.travelworm.com) has a special for its sister properties Harrah's Lake Tahoe and Harvey's Casino Resort Lake Tahoe; they're across the street from one another. The promotion takes 25 per cent off three-night stays until May 2, for travel up to May 23. Additionally, you can receive a $10 food credit (not much, but credit is credit) and two-for-one tickets to the casino's improv performance. Rooms at Harvey's, which has two enormous towers and eight restaurants, go from $58; rooms from Harrah's, a slightly smaller property, start from $78.
ResortQuest's Inn at Aspen (tel. 800//952-1515; www.innataspen.com) has rooms available from $100, for travel dates through April 6. You receive your accommodations, of course, along with free daily ski or snowboard rental, and dinner at the onsite Elkhorn Restaurant. There are blackout dates on March 15-16. The property is located right at the base of Buttermilk Mountain, which is home to ESPN's X Games, and is just a couple of miles from downtown Aspen. Area attractions can be reached by shuttle. The offer is valid for travel through April 6 and can only be reserved if you call the hotel directly and request promotion code INT ZOO. Incidentally, the Aspen/Snowmass Colorado area (tel. 800/525-6200; www.aspensnowmass.com) will host the 8th annual Spring Jam on March 21-23, March 28-30 and April 4-6, comprised of entertainment, winter sporting competitions and more.
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