Mom travel with Suzanna Keith

Sharing with us is Suzanna Keith, Blogger at RevolutionaryMarketingideas.com and Brand Director, EVP of OnlineMomMedia.com.

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Ski jumping on Shalako Run

My husband and I grew up road tripping and we still love cross-country trips with our kids. While road trips aren't for everyone, I think it's a must-do at least once with your kids. While everyone complained about the 16 hour drive from Houston, the kids thoroughly enjoyed the vacation.

On day one we drove 13 hours to beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico, known for its amazing pueblo architecture and the bevy of art museums including the Georgia O'Keefe Museum. We enjoyed a delicious dinner at Tomasitos - a Santa Fe institution that we highly recommend for NM cuisine. But be ready for the chilis!

The drive from Santa Fe to Taos Ski Valley took less than two hours. The best views are on the "High Road" from Santa Fe to Taos, but avoid this winding highway during a blizzard. The slow trek to the top of the mountain worried us but suddenly, we rounded a curve in the road and got a glimpse of Al's Run full of steep and deep moguls. Perfect!

What makes Taos Ski Valley revolutionary is that it's a 3^rd generation family run mountain with many of its employees working there for more than 20 years. Rare in the industry, the family culture creates a homey laid back ski environment that combined with terrain for all levels makes for a wonderful family ski vacation. Plus the mountain features the best benefit of all: short lift lines. The resort prides itself in not being Beaver Creek or Vail, Colorado with their super easy access and high-end luxury. No wonder half of Texas goes there for Spring Break.

Skiing Taos ski valley accommodations

While Taos is tricky to get to because of flying into Santa Fe or Albuquerque, American and Southwest Airlines offer great family ski packages. When booking your ski vacation online, the resort can provide an Airport shuttle for $85 from Albuquerque - highly recommend this option.

• Taos Country InnRio Hondo Condos - Convenient for families with little children since its right by the parking lot and ski school but it's a pricey option at $445 a night for 4 people.
• Edelweiss Lodge & Spa - Offers easy luxury right beside the ski hill. Expect to pay a premium though ($550 a night or $700 for two bedroom suites during peak periods). If you go, visit the spa and ask for Daniel.
• VBRO, Dwellable.com and VISA Concierge - Family friendly rentals & B&B options
• Taos - Stay in the town of Taos and use public transit to the hill - $1 per person.
• El Monte Sagrado - For super high-end luxury head over to this beautiful Marriott property on Kit Carson Rd in Taos
• The Taos Country Inn - Beautiful bed and breakfast featuring pueblo architecture.
• Hampton Inn and Quality Inn - Stay here and enjoy free cocoa & cookies every day.

Ski tickets, ski rentals & ski school

Book your tickets online in advance for the best savings but if you buy the day of, it's $70 per person (much less than our $100 ticket in Colorado). We booked our ski rentals in advance and arrived early to avoid the long lines to fill out all the forms. The locker room is around the corner (follow the red line on the floor). Thank goodness you can pay for a locker with a credit card. While we didn't use the ski school, our friends rave that the staff is friendly and great with kids.

No-fuss family friendly restaurants

• Martini Tree - On the ski hill, has super affordable bar food and has WIFI if you need to check emails over lunch or dinner. We enjoyed the live music with the band called "Better than Bacon."
• Taos Cow - In Arroyo Secco serves up some of the best ice cream in America (in my opinion).
• Michael's kitchen - Serves super affordable Americana fare in Taos on the main drag.
• Five Star Burger - Rated the best burger join in NM with a fantastic family friendly happy hour and sliders for less than $2. It's on the main drag right across from the town movie theater.
• Orlando's - On the north end of town serves delicious Mexican food.
• The Bavarian on the hill creates a true German experience with waiters in lederhosen

Unique attractions in and around Taos

Santa Fe is less than two hours away from Taos and features the Georgia O'Keefe Museum  - well worth a visit. Also, only a short drive away is Albuquerque - with a great desert wildlife zoo. The Atomic museum features as much bomb history as you can take or you can hit Roswell for something completely unique.

If you want to be on the hill but don't ski, Taos Ski Valley has now tubing starting at 2pm.

Taos Ski Resort closes April 7^th, but it's smart to begin planning for spring break next year. Hope you love the resort as much as we do.

About Suzanna Keith

Suzanna 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
• Revolutionarymarketingideas
• Facebook: RevolutionaryMarketingIdeas
• 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!