One of the reasons I enjoy traveling with one of my kids at a time is because of the special memories it creates for us. There’s a different dynamic when you aren’t being defined as “big brother." Last winter my boys discovered a love for snowboarding so it was perfect that my oldest son and I were heading to Wintergreen Resort in Wintergreen VA for a few days of fresh, winter air and snowboarding (for him) and skiing (for me). There would be no little brother to compete for my attention or for his attention on the slopes. He didn't have to be the big brother for a few days.
Wintergreen Resort is at the top of a beautiful mountain somewhere in the middle of Virginia not far from Charlottesville and an easy drive from Richmond and DC. It felt like we were in our own little world when we reached the top, where the resort is located. Wintergreen is a full-on destination, all season resort. In addition to skiing, there is snow tubing, tennis, golf, a fitness center, spa and many dining and shopping options. The mountainside was dotted with condos overlooking the slopes, where we were thrilled to be staying. With views to die for, the condo felt like home from the moment we entered. For just a few days we got to pretend it was all ours. I may have even been imagining spending Christmas there with a tree in the corner and hitting the slopes on Christmas Day. Who doesn't want a white Christmas?
From the moment we looked out the window over our condo overlooking Wintergreen we couldn't wait to hit those slopes. According to my 12-year-old snowboarder, the slopes were pretty cool. (That’s like the ultimate compliment in case you don’t speak tween.) I think his private lesson on our first morning helped him give Wintergreen this stamp of approval. He had a 75-minute private lesson with a super cool instructor, way cooler than his mom, who taught him a ton and really worked with him on the skills he needed. Basically to learn how to not "go straight down the mountain and then fall to stop." Group lessons are great but if you have the chance for a private lesson, I highly recommend it. The instructors work with all levels and abilities and that one-on-one attention can make all the difference. I saw such improvement in his confidence and ability on the slopes after that lesson. I’m not sure words can adequately describe it, but when you can see your child doing something they love, and when you can see their confidence growing and you can actually witness that moment when they discover they are pretty good at something (meaning it’s not just mom and dad telling them so or the number of likes on their Instagram post validating them)…it’s a pretty powerful experience. With social media and peer pressure, there are so many ways for kids to not feel confident or worthy. I love that snowboarding is something my kids can turn to to get away from it all. To feel confident. And to not worry about what anyone else thinks.
We did something like 16 runs at Wintergreen that day, thanks to their 4 and 6 person lifts making lift wait time almost non-existing. Trust me, it's always better to spend more time going down the mountain then waiting to go back up. The only breaks we took were to refuel because let me tell you, you will work up quite an appetite skiing and snowboarding. Wintergreen Resort does not disappoint in the food department either and the restaurants are all easy to access from the slopes. We enjoyed breakfast at The Copper Mine Bistro, I had the most amazing spinach and crab frittata. I’m not a foodie but O.M.G. And The Edge restaurant is perfect for a family lunch or dinner. The Edge is located literally on the edge at 3245 ft overlooking the slopes so at night we got to watch the ski patrol buzz around turning on the snowmaking machines. Fun fact, the snowmaking machines at Wintergreen could, in optimal conditions, cover a football field with 37 feet of snow in 24 hours. Hello snowpower! Very cool for kids to see. Ok, cool for me to see, too. You don’t need to keep the kiddos entertained at a restaurant like this because the view does that job for you. Score one for the Edge!
There are not many activities that I can do with my 12-year-old. I don't play basketball or baseball or video games. So finding an activity, like skiing and snowboarding, that allows us to spend the day together is amazing. I wish I could bottle up the feeling of happiness and contentment we had as our trip came to an end. I think what warmed my soul the most is when my boy turned to me and said "I wish Ryan could have been here for this. He'd love it here." Wintergreen Resort touts its snowpower and while I'm pretty sure they are referring to their sophisticated snowmaking ability, to me, snowpower is all about the memories we made on the slopes. And yes, now I'm already trying to figure out when we can head back there to do it all over again. Brady and I have our memories at Wintergreen so it's time to show off the snowpower at Wintergreen to the rest of the family.
To learn more about Wintergreen Resort visit wintergreenresort.com
The writer received overnight accommodations, ski rentals and lift tickets and some meals were provided in exchange for this review. All opinions are her own.
