Less than a two-hour drive from both New York City and Philadelphia, the Poconos have been a popular getaway spot since the mid-19th Century. The fresh air, the mountains and an abundance of trout, bears and deer originally drew sportsmen to the area (of course travel time was considerably longer than two hours in those days).

The advent of railroads was a boon to the region, and by the late 1800s vacationers seeking relief from big city stress found their way to the mountain breezes and simplicity of life in the burgeoning Pennsylvania vacation land.... Read More

Two years ago, I traveled to Vermont to ski Stratton Mountain with my son and daughter-in-law.   I enjoyed the mountain, but struggled with the terrain.  Whether that was the state of my conditioning, the weather or the mountain itself, is up for debate.   In spite of that experience, I ‘signed up’ for the return trip to Vermont.  The kids wanted to try a variety of mountains and Killington Resort was highly recommended.... Read More

  When my children were young, I thought skiing would be the perfect family activity.  As a single mom, I was certain that I wouldn’t be standing in the lift lines alone; the kids would always be sharing the chair lift with me.  I learned, however, how quickly children learn and the kids were off exploring more difficult runs, while I was back in the singles line.

Fast forward almost 20 years; my kids are still enjoying snow sports.  My son and daughter-in-law enjoy it so much they purchased season passes to Stratton Mountain Ski Resort in southern Vermont - driving the 3 hours from Boston most weekends. So, in true mother form, I invited myself for a weekend skiing in Vermont. ... Read More