How to Plan a Trip To North America From Europe
Planning a skiing adventure can be a thrilling experience, especially when the destination is out of your usual resort, as adventuring on the slopes is that much more enticing when you are simultaneously exploring new slopes.
With our recent expansion of beautiful Hotels in both USA and Canada, we worked with top blogger Spencer Atwood top to develop this blog.
We have a great range of American hotels in Vail, Breckenridge, Aspen, Keystone and Winter Park and Canadian hotels in Whistler, Lake Louise, Banff, Jasper and Mont Tremblant.
That being said, planning your ski trip in a land far away means that paying attention to the details is what’s going to make your journey a success… especially with flights, what to pack, what kind of transportation will best serve your needs and how to best stay within your budget are all important elements to take into consideration.
Planning In Advance Is Wise
Whether you’re trying to book flights, reserve hotel rooms, or rent gear and transportation, you’re going to be much better off doing so in advance.
Especially if you’re planning on going to a popular hotspot during peak ski season, it would be quite risky to wait until the last minute to try and make reservations.
Rooms are booked quickly, ski rentals sell out, and available car rentals start to dwindle down. The early bird does get the worm, and the earlier you get all of your bases covered, the more secure your trip will be.
On a similar note, finalising your plans ahead of time should help save you some money as well. Flights are usually always cheaper when booked in advance, and you are much more likely to find wallet-padding discounts on equipment rentals, lift tickets, lodging, and car rentals if you’re not buying them at the last minute.
Side note: Life happens and plans can change. Make sure you understand the cancellation policies for all of your reservations before committing. We make this very clear when booking with Powder White.
If all this sounds a little confusing and complicated, leave it to us to book your trip away, saving you the stress of it all and enquire at the bottom of the post.
Research Weather Conditions
Don’t pick your destination blindly. The last thing you want is to book your trip weeks or months in advance only to find out that the mountain-of-your-choosing doesn’t have enough snow to get any real shredding done.
Of course, there is no crystal ball that will let you see into the future and know for certain how much snow a particular location will draw in, but you can research the snow trends of recent years to help you paint a picture of what to expect during the time you’ll be travelling.
We have LIVE updates on recent snowfall, and keeping track of this throughout the season can help you better predict which destination you should journey towards.
Know Your Size Before Reserving Ski Rentals
When flying out to North America, it would be perfectly reasonable to rent your skis/board and boots as bringing your own on a plane can be quite an expensive hassle depending who you fly with. If you know your sizes already, you’d be better off reserving online, as many rental shops offer a percentage off of the purchase if you go this route.
On the other hand, if you don’t own your own skis and aren’t quite sure what sizes you need or what pair would be right for you, it’s helpful to figure this out before reserving if you’re going to be travelling during a peak time.
As we discussed above, ski rentals can go quickly when the season is busy, and if you book the wrong size, there’s no guarantee that the rental shop will be able to swap your pair for what you need.
Using fooba.com is a great way to find the right pair.
There are many helpful posts online on how to choose the right pair of skis and how to find the right size, but there is no substitute for an in-person fitting. It’s always best to get professionally fit if possible, so see if any ski or sports shops in your hometown are willing to give you the expert fit and advice that you need.
Know What Transportation You’ll Be Using
Arriving at your destination while having no clue how to actually get to your hotel room to the ski area can be frustrating to put it lightly.
The first thing to decide is if you will be renting a car, and if so, do you know the rules of the road?
They might vary quite a bit from your state, so find out if it’s necessary to have snow tires, traction devices, etc. to prevent a ticket from dampening your experience.
If you’re not accustomed to driving on snowy and icy roads, you might want to think about if you’re going to feel comfortable doing so or if another option would be better.
If you are going to be utilising another mode of transportation, do your research in advance.
How far away is the airport from where you’ll be staying? Is your lodging close to where you’ll be skiing? How often does public transportation run up to the resort? Are there shuttle buses available, and if so, do you need to reserve a seat and buy/print your ticket ahead of time? How much can you expect to pay for a cab up there?
These are all questions we can answer for you when you book one of our many great hotel rooms in North America.
Ironing out these details ahead of time will allow you to breathe easy once you step off your flight feeling confident that you know what next step to take.
Know What Hotel Suits Your Needs
As we mentioned before, we have a fantastic range of hotels across the top resorts in North America. From your budget three-star hotels by the slopes to your stunning five-star penthouse suites in the centre of town, we have something for you.
We are also British Airways preferred partner due to the quality of service we provide to all our guests.
Bon Voyage!
It’s clear that there are many things to keep in mind when it comes to planning a ski away, and while it can seem overwhelming when you’re just getting started, taking on each task one by one will help you sort through all of the details in an organised manner. That being said, plan in advance, stay safe, and enjoy your time on the snow!
If you are looking to spread your wings and ski in North America, simply drop us a message and we will do all the hard work for you.