First resorts

Monster mash On view now at the MASS MoCA are Richard Criddle’s jumbo figures.

Photograph: Courtesy of Mass Moca

Ski vacations can be tricky when you have children who may not be ready to spend long days—or any time at all, for that matter—on the slopes. To stave off a meltdown (which would, after all, be bad for the snow), choose a mountain like Belleayre in the Catskills or the Berkshires’ Jiminy Peak. They both offer not only great skiing but also child care, kids’ lessons and enticing side adventures.

Belleayre Mountain
The Catskills, home to Rip Van Winkle and Woodstock, have always had a countercultural feel; so if your family’s après-ski tastes run to chai rather than cocoa, Belleayre is a good bet. Located two and a half hours from NYC, the mountain boasts 47 trails, eight lifts, a 3,325-foot summit and cross-country skiing (181 Galli Curci Rd, Highmount, NY; 845-254-5600, belleayre.com). Introductory lessons for children ages five to seven require parental attendance, but Friday through Sunday the all-day supervised KidsCamp (ages four to 12) gives you much-needed tyke-free time.

Once your brood has had its fill of sport, head east on Route 28, the region’s main drag. Your first stop (for that chai) should be the Black Bear Hollow Espresso Café and Gift Shop. Hearty comfort food, including a full breakfast menu, is complemented by a small area with a play mat and a well-stocked box of toys (6375 Rte 28, Phoenicia, NY; 845-688-9800, blackbearhollow.homestead.com).

About five miles farther along Route 28, get a (legal) dose of psychedelia: Walk inside the 64-foot-high World’s Largest Kaleidoscope and sit (or lie down, as ticket sellers encourage when there’s no crowd) to watch patterns and colors swirl above you in a mirrored sound-and-light spectacle. Younger children may be scared by the high volume and hallucinatory look of the show, but the cool gadgets for sale at the adjacent “kaleidostore” should console them (5340 Rte 28, Mount Tremper, NY; 877-688-2828).

You’ll find less trippy pleasures at Alpacas of Dun-Dor Woods—just five minutes from Belleayre—where kids can learn all about the long-necked lovelies. The owners of this family farm caution that it’s not a petting zoo, though visitors may be given permission to pat certain animals when it’s not breeding or birthing season (101 Kelly Rd, Arkville, NY; 845-254-4602, alpacas-of-dundorwoods.com).

Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort
Are high culture and Americana more your family’s speed? Then head to the Berkshires and Jiminy Peak, a three-hour drive from New York City. With 44 trails, day and night skiing, and a high-speed six-passenger chairlift—plus ski lessons for kids ages four to 12, a supervised playroom and on-site dining—your crew may not want to leave (37 Corey Rd, Hancock, MA; 413-738-5500, jiminypeak.com).

If you do venture out, contemporary art awaits at MASS MoCA, 20 miles northeast. In the Kidspace gallery this winter, “It’s Rude to Stare” features oversized sculptures of mythological creatures made from found objects (87 Marshall St, North Adams, MA; 413-662-2111, massmoca.org).

By contrast, diversions at Hancock Shaker Village, 20 minutes southwest of the slopes, are anything but modern. The restored 18th-century settlement showcases the simple lifestyle upheld by these early Americans. Guided tours visit buildings like the water-powered Laundry/Machine Shop and the 1826 Round Stone Barn, where kids can feed the resident livestock (Rte 20, west of the junction with Rte 41, Pittsfield, MA; 800-817-1137, hancockshakervillage.org). Hungry? Area parents recommend Freight Yard Pub, about a half hour away. Its kids’ menu is fairly standard, but desserts like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup pie and Chocolate Lava Divine make the trip worthwhile (Western Gateway Heritage State Park, North Adams, MA; 413-663-6547, freightyardpub.com).

Address book

Surrounded by stunning mountain scenery, the Full Moon Resort, a 15-minute drive from Belleayre, manages to have a hippie-dippy vibe without being the least bit divey. Rates start at $125. Valley View Rd, Big Indian, NY (845-254-5117; fullmoonresort.com).

You can sleep right at the base of Jiminy Peak at the New England Country Inn, which offers suites with kitchenettes and vacation home rentals. Winter rates start at $199 (800-882-8859, jiminypeak.com).