Insider ski vacation tips from Suzanna Keith

Please welcome Suzanna Keith, blogger at RevolutionaryMarketingideas.com and Brand Director, EVP of OnlineMomMedia.com.

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Skiing Vail with a "Mom" perspective

Ore House, Vail, ColoradoVail Ski resort is absolutely fantastic for a fun family vacation. If you've never skied Colorado before or want a wonderful place to teach your children how to ski, start your Colorado ski adventures with Vail. What's extraordinary about the resort is the amount of terrain and its variety. Plus, Vail definitely has the best ski village with superb shops from everyday skiwear at reasonable prices to art galleries to outstanding restaurants.

Vail offers the perfect ski day: morning skiing (for all) followed by afternoon shopping (for mom). We started the morning exploring the front side of the mountain. Then, we had a wonderful lunch outside at Larkspur in the Golden Peaks Lodge. In the afternoon, the hubbies and teens skied the back bowls, while the moms and younger children took to the village. A rickshaw ride throughout the picturesque quaint streets ranked as the highlight of the day.

We toured Lions Head, the Four Seasons, the ice skating rink at the Solaris and the many wonderful shops. Here is a quick and simple guide to navigate the resort:

Lift tickets, ski rentals and ski school

• Lindsey VonnSave 20% if you buy tickets on-line seven days in advance
• Save 20% if you order ski rentals on-line.
• Be sure to sign up for the great perk of free equipment delivery to your hotel. This service saves about five hours that can be spent on fun on the hills.

Friends highly recommend the ski school. If Lindsey Vonn calls the mountain her home, it has to be incredible.

Lodging & dining in Vail

Use the concierge service of any of your credit cards such as AMEX or VISA to find family friendly deals.

• The Four Seasons and The Solaris hotels look incredible but you must budget big bucks
• AirBnB or VBRO are great options for rental houses.
• Avon village down the road has many less expensive hotel options (with a Wal-Mart for shopping nearby).
• Vendetta has wonderful Italian cuisine and a festive outdoor patio.
• Ore House by the bridge: is perfect for family friendly seafood and steak.
• Pazzos can't be beat for casual pizza.

Unique attractions in Vail

• snowmobiling in ColoradoTubing and child friendly snowmobiling at adventure ridge.
• Recreation center in Avon is equipped with a full fitness center and pool, as well as a family water adventure center, complete with a 50-foot water slide.
• Marshmallows and hot chocolate at the Hyatt après ski in nearby Beaver Creek.
• Combo lift ticket with Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin.

Ways to save cash while on vacation in Vail

• Check out the kids fly free promo from the resort and American Airlines.
• Pack a picnic lunch and sit outside at the Golden Peaks Lodge.
• Eat breakfast at the condo and pack a lunch from Wal-mart or Citimarket in Avon. Store your lunch in the lockers at the ski hill.
• Use your air miles and consider a credit card with air or hotel miles.
• Visit aCostco or big box store before your leave for hand and feet warmers.
• Sports Authority in Avon has affordable ski stuff if you forget anything.

Quick packing tips for a family ski vacation

quick packing ideasTry to pack 2-3 days before the trip so you have time to review the items several times. Lay out items in a pile for each person: long underwear, ski jacket, pants, neck warmers, hat, helmet, gloves, ski socks and boots. Pack extra socks & gloves.

Be sure to take time to pack for Mom. We always forget something key: contact solution, medicines, phone chargers, a watch or gloves. And pack your swimsuit just in case you get a pool or hot tub invite

Thanks so much to my girlfriends Molly, Stephanie, Margi and Sonja for their wonderful recommendations.

So let's do our best ski and snow dance for powder!

Have you ever skied Vail? Tell us about your experiences.  Chat with us on Facebook or connect with us on Twitter. We'd love to hear your stories!

About Suzanna Keith

Suzanna Keith @skconceptsSuzanna Keith is an experienced marketing professional who believes in revolutionary insights and ideas to grow brands. Her expertise includes researching consumer insights and building on these insights to drive long-term strategic direction in all aspects of brand management. Prior to starting her own consulting company, Suzanna served as Brand Manager for Mitchum AP at Revlon in NY, NY. She has also worked in brand management at Sterling Withthrop and Cadbury Schweppes. Suzanna graduated from Bryn Mawr College and received her MBA in marketing from New York University.

Catch up with Suzanna online:

• OnlineMomMedia
• Facebook: Tech and Travel Mom
• Twitter:@skconcepts

Thank you Suzanna for sharing your travel adventures with us. Have a travel story to share? Connect with us on Twitter and Facebook - we'd love to hear from you!