A White Christmas
For families wanting to maintain a semblance of the typical white Christmas but with a unique twist, the YMCA of the Rockies’ offers very affordable large family accommodations at Estes Park Center. It is a 5,100-acre Snow Mountain Ranch just outside Rocky Mountain National Park.
You can choose to rent multi-room cabins, most can accommodate between 30-40 (the largest sleeping up to 72) people, and some are pet-friendly. Taking you right back to Christmases of your youth the Y staff at Estes provides non-stop fun and games. You will be able to take guided snowshoe hikes, play broomball, make gifts in the arts and craft center, enjoy campfires replete with s’mores, there’s caroling at the cabins, and a cross-country ski scavenger hunt for candy canes, of course. Downhill skiing is nearby at Winter Park Resort, 12 miles away, or SolVista Basin, 8 miles. For a real white snowy Rocky Mountain National Park invites visitors to join a park ranger for this 1.5 hour wilderness cross-country ski tour of the Kawuneeche Valley.
The best part of this experience is all after a long night traversing the world, Santa and his elves will arrive to hand-deliver your family’s gifts directly to your room or cabin.
A White Sand Christmas
Cold weather dwellers might prefer to do a 180 and head somewhere warm. One option I recommend is the Peter Island Resort & Spa in the British Virgin Islands.
Families can opt for one of Peter Island’s 52 suites or stay together in the “home-away-from- home” villas.
This year the resort is offering “12 Days of Christmas” with activites that range from gingerbread houses, sandcastle making, Santa visits, a Christmas eve buffet, 5k run/walk and a cricket match.
