Tahoe Discounts (February 2009)

by: TahoeKidsGuide.com
New snow fell on February 5th and 6th, and February Ski Week Vacation is approaching for many California and Nevada schools. With family budgets in mind, here are our family's favorite Tahoe Discounts (as of today-February 6, 2009):

Ski Tahoe North Interchangeable Lift Ticket: At only $62 per day, with no blackout dates and 2-for-1 purchasing power at Diamond Peak, this is likely to be the best deal around during the February Ski Break. Ski at any or all of the following resorts: Alpine Meadows, Diamond Peak (2 for 1 value), Homewood Resort, Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, Northstar-at-Tahoe, Squaw Valley USA and Sugar Bowl. Call 1-877-949-3296 and press 1 for more information.

Diamond Peak Ski Resort has an entire page of discounts. Buying tickets at participating Costco stores is a great savings: $72.99 for two tickets. (Compared to $99, if you wait until you get here.) If it's your birthday...you ski free! Remember the Interchangeable Parents' Pass. With this ticket, mom and dad can share one ticket ($49), by trading off during the day. If you're taking an airplane to get here, Diamond Peak is offering 50% off a ski or snowboard rental when you show your airline boarding pass. Take out the hassle of flying with your ski equipment! Military discounts: Active, Retirees ski free midweek and non-holidays. Active, Retirees and Dependents can purchase a $39 ticket on weekends and holidays. Show a season pass from another resort, and ski for $35.

Homewood Mountain Resort offers a list of deals too. By skiing on selected days, you can ski 29 days for $29; even if you're only skiing a few of these days, this is a bargain. You must buy this ticket on-line. Show a season pass from another resort and ski for $25. Active military personnel ski free any day, including holidays. Get $5 off when you show you skied the day before, or when you ride the Tahoe Area Rapid Transit (T.A.R.T.).

Northstar-at-Tahoe offers quite a few discounts. Many of them, however, are not offered during the Februay Ski Break (Feb 14-20). The new Quad Pack Tickets are valid during this time period. Purchase your lift tickets at participating REI stores for a discount. If you start out early in the morning, and decide to quit early, turn in your single-day lift ticket by 12:30 p.m. to the ticket and pass office at the Village Center and receive a partial credit coupon for your next all-day visit. With the "Parent's Predicament Ticket", mom and dad can share one ticket ($83-two days required with a one day grace period.) by trading off during the day.

Squaw Valley: Kids ages 12 and younger ski and snowboard for only $10 every day all season. Kids don't need a lift ticket if they're enrolled in an all-day ski school program. Squaw also offers multi day packages.

Alpine Meadows: The Alpine Club offers the bulk of the savings at Alpine.

Heavely Mountain Resort: Visit a participating Save Mart or Lucky store, and walk out with an Adult Heavenly direct-to-lift ticket for just $70 - a savings of up to $16*. Teen and Youth Lift Tickets are also available .

Attention Tahoe Businesses: Contact Us with your discount offers; we'll add them to our Tahoe Discounts page, at no charge to you!

Tahoe in Winter-Top 10 Activities to Consider Before You're 10 Years Old

In a previous article we wrote about the Top 5 Places to Visit at Lake Tahoe Before You're 5. As kids reach the age of 5 (and older), we think the following Winter activities are worth considering. Depending upon the age, ability and interest of your child, some activities may seem more exciting than others.

Ski or Snowboard Lessons

A great family friend reminded us recently that, sometimes, parents are the least well-suited to teach their children a new activity. (This brings to mind my dad trying to teach me to drive, in a Model A Pick-Up Truck. Another story.) We've listed some really wonderful ski school programs at Lake Tahoe that are a truly fun way for kids to learn to ski. Proper instruction and a fun learning experience will make a difference for years to come. Make sure to dress right. There's really nothing that will end a day on the slopes quicker than a cold child!

Full-Moon Snow Shoe Hike

Snow shoeing under a full moon is one of the most mystical experiences I've ever had. You can see your surroundings almost as if it's daytime. The moon looms large and glorious overhead, casting shadows onto the snow. Don't be intimidated if you've never snowshoed; it's really not that tough. Unless there is a lot of deep fresh powder, kids shouldn't find it much more difficult than taking a hike. For some added assurance, take a guided snow shoe hike; you'll find them listed on our calendar on February 6th through 9th and March 6th through 9th.

Sledding or Tubing

When I was a kid, growing up the San Francisco Bay Area, my family made regular trips to Lake Tahoe. In the Winter, we couldn't wait to go to the local hardware store to buy a sled and slide down a hill behind our house. While I still love homemade sledding runs, recently a friend treated our family to a day of tubing on a groomed tubing hill. WOW! That was so amazing.We were surprised to find a rope tow that pulled us up the hill as we each sat in our sledding tube. My husband and I were even more surprised to find that our kids, ages 3 and 5, were able to manuever the entire process quite well.I can still picture each of our kids' faces as they launched down this perfectly smooth run with curves and a fun bank at the end. My husband and I were delighted to find resort employees at the top and bottom of the run to assist our kids (ok, and us). This saved us from having to "man" the top and bottom of the hill ourselves. We've listed the best groomed sledding and tubing venues at the lake...try it you might like it.

Climbing Walls

What a great way for kids to gain confidence. Scaling an indoor "mountain face" that is "really high", while benefitting from the safety of a harness and ropes. The "I did it" look is worth more than I had imagined.

Geocaching

Often described as a "high tech treasure hunt" geocaching is a really great adventure. It can become a passion. Armed with a gps device that you can rent at a geocaching venue (like Northstar's), if you don't already have your own, families enter longitude and latitude coordinates to find hidden treasures. This is a really terrific way to do something "cool" together as a family.Check out the geocaching video to learn more about this fun activity you can do virtually anywhere in the world.

Lake Tahoe Area Museums

Don't make the mistake of thinking museums are, as our kids would say, "Borrrrrrring." Visiting Lake Tahoe museums can be a lot of fun for your family to enjoy together. To mention just a few...Children's museums are predictably good fun for kids. While the Kidzone museum, in Truckee, is designed for kids as old as 7, the Northern Nevada Children's Museum has fascinating exhibits for kids up to 14 (and older).The Tahoe Maritime Museum is a real treasure. (Check out our video too) They offer a children's activity center, where our kids made their own wooden sailboat and launched it in a little "pond" of water. They also show kids' movies on Sundays. If you have any interest at all in boats (wooden boats in particular), Lake Tahoe History, or engines, you'll be delighted with what you discover here.

Dog Sledding

Now this is a true mountain Winter adventure. Dogs, sleds, whoosh, giggle, it's really a kid's dream come true.

Cross-Country Skiing

While I've been downhill skiing since I was 5 years old, I hadn't cross-country skiied until recently. What fun! We took our kids with us and they loved it too. Since we were learning, there was a bit of falling and getting up involved. Make sure to dress right to stay warm. Tahoe Cross-Country offers a fun service: They'll deliver your lunch to you out on the cross-country track. Enjoy the fun warming huts with hot chocolate too.

Ice Skating

This is another confidence building adventure. Whether you take lessons together as a family, or cling to eachother and giggle, you'll enjoy the experience. Lake Tahoe has a good collection of ice skating rinks. You can skate for next to nothing a Northstar; five dollar skate rentals is all it takes.At Squaw Valley, you can ride the cable car to high camp and skate in front of one of the most beautiful views of Lake Tahoe around. Be sure to check out the 1960 Olympic Museum while you're up at high camp.

Horse-Drawn Sleigh Ride

Dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh! Now you can do more than just sing about it.

For more Winter family fun, see our Winter Fun, Year-Round Fun and Calendar Pages.

Our Visit to Homewood Mountain Resort

Yesterday, our family went exploring again. This time we scouted-out Homewood Mountain Resort. Homewood is a great mountain to learn and improve on with the majority of the terrain designated as beginner or intermediate. Equipment rentals are available and there are a number of lesson options for children and adults. Possibly one of the best features, especially for families, is that it is not difficult to get to the mountain.

In fact, you don't even need to drive yourself there. Homewood will pick you up! Brooke drives the Homewood "Dial-a-Ride" shuttle van. Simply call her, and she will pick you up where you're staying and take you back when you're ready to go home.

The shuttle vans appear new, clean and safe, including studded snow tires. Call Brooke, between 8a and 5p, for a ride: (530) 525.2922, she's looking forward to hearing from you.

We drove our own car, and had no trouble parking. It was lunchtime when we arrived, and families were enjoying grilled burgers, hot dogs and more on the North Patio. You'll find the grill open Saturdays and Sundays, during the Winter, from 11 a to 4p. The North Base also offers adult ski lessons, equipment rental, lift access, and lift ticket sales.

Our next stop was about a 1/2 mile down the road, at the Homewood's South Base Lodge. Before Homewood added this area to their resort, it was a separate ski resort called, Tahoe Ski Bowl. Homewood runs shuttle buses between the North Base and South Base lodges, and there is parking and lift access at both base lodges.

At South Base Lodge you can find Homewood's brand new Children’s Center. The "Snow Rangers" program teaches skiing to kids from 4 to 6 years old. There is a special area reserved just for the Snow Ranger lessons.

Homewood's "Mountain Rangers" program offers instruction, to kids from 7 to 12 years old, in skiing and boarding. Reservations, for both programs, can be made by calling: (530)525-1265 from 8:30am to 4pm. Kids' ski lessons at Homewood are also among the more affordable at the Lake, ranging from $70 for an afternoon lesson to $105 for a full day lesson.

Parents that don't want to ski, can watch Snow Ranger lessons or relax on the South Base Lodge patio, where you can enjoy oak fired half chickens and top sirloin steak with all the fixins.

Next year, Homewood is slated to begin construction on their 5-star boutique hotel with up to 75 rooms, approximately 40 two-bedroom, two-bath, individually-owned condo hotel suites, approximately 30 individually-owned penthouse units (top floor) and a lodge with a full service restaurant, spa and fitness facility.

In addition to underground parking, Homewood also plans 25,000 square feet of retail space designed to include: a grocery store, hardware store and an ice cream parlor.

At the current South Base Lodge, Homewood envisions a residential area complimentary to the existing neighborhood. This area is planned to included 99 multi-family condominium residences, up to three stories, replacing the current lodge and ski school site. Eleven single family lots are also contemplated,on the north end of Tahoe Ski Bowl, overlooking Lake Tahoe and the North Base Lodge.