Holiday Valley
| 346 views - |  (No Ratings Yet) Loading ... |
Holiday Valley is an excellent ski resort situated in a small town called Elicotville, about an hour outside Buffalo, NY. Holiday Valley offers a lot for the whole family. It spans far beyond simply being a ski resort.
Elicotville is noticeably different from most towns. It has small shops, well groomed sidewalks, quaint beds and breakfasts, and few big businesses. There is a Burger King, but it is designed to unobtrusively blend in to its surroundings.
Holiday Valley is a large resort, but doesn’t feel like it. The parking lots are well designed to make it easily accessible. There are unloading areas where you can get rid of your gear so you don’t have to carry it, and signs pop up when a lot if full, saving you the trouble of driving looking for a spot. There is also a separate area for buses, so you don’t have to deal with those. Once you get in the resort, the rental shop and lift ticket window are easy to find, and you don’t need to worry about slipping on ice, since all of the walkways are heated.
For the skier and snow boarder there are 12 lifts and 53 slopes. There is also a terrain park. The slopes range in levels from beginner slopes that double for snow shoers and cross country skiers, to the wall, a near vertical drop that is covered in moguls. Don’t worry, there is plenty of fair warning before you hit the point of no return. All slopes are well groomed and well watched by ski patrol on snow mobiles. A nice thing about the set up is that a first time skier can immediately go up a chair lift and have no problem getting down, rather than being stuck on a rope tow. The rope tow is an option though if the chair lift is too intimidating.
Holiday Valley is busy, but efficient staff and quick lifts minimize waiting time. The fastest lift is called Mardi Gras. This lift has blazing speeds while you are on it, but nearly stops when you are loading and unloading.
Ski lessons are taught at all levels, and there are even races held occassionally.
In addition to skiing, Holiday Valley has 3 base lodges, all that look like they belong in a 5 star resort. They have high ceilings, grand fire places, and a variety of food from snack bars to sit down restaurants. It is all overpriced, so the option of bringing your own food is there. The lodges are well designed with the skier in mind. There automatic doors, easy to climb stairs for those in ski boots, and amble storage. There are also warming chalets on the top of the mountain, and fire pits and grills along the slopes.
There is also an overnight hotel right on the premises. The coolest part about this is it’s outdoor pool that is heated and open even in the middle of winter. As you ski you can see people outside swimming. Another unexpected facility Holiday Valley has is a spa.
Childcare is available. I have no experience with this part though. I have only seen the outside of the facility, but I have heard good things about it.
Summer activities abound as well. There is an 18 hole golf course. You can buy a pool membership in the summer. A playground is nearby for kids. There is fly fishing and mountain biking. There are classes offered in fishing and golf.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment