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Marriott for a Family Mountain Vacation

Marriott for a Family Mountain Vacation

Old Dec 6, 2017, 6:08 am
  #16  
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Originally Posted by nacho
That's why timeshare properties are great - there's no resort fee, free parking.
Some of them do charge for parking. So that isn't always free either.
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Old Dec 6, 2017, 7:43 am
  #17  
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Originally Posted by hhoope01
Some of them do charge for parking. So that isn't always free either.
I assume they don't charge full timeshare members parking fees, do they? That would be incredibly insulting after spending whatever it costs to buy a timeshare.
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Old Dec 6, 2017, 12:22 pm
  #18  
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Originally Posted by 3Cforme
Your concept of mountain is regrettably - and simply incorrectly - narrow.
Agree but it reflects a typical expectation when someone asks about vacation on the mountains... southwestern deserts just don't make that list no matter how high the elevation is...
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Old Dec 6, 2017, 1:16 pm
  #19  
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Originally Posted by azepine00
Agree but it reflects a typical expectation when someone asks about vacation on the mountains... southwestern deserts just don't make that list no matter how high the elevation is...
Given that the OP made it clear that this isn't a ski trip, I think the Southwest recommendations are good ones to consider. I think of Red Rocks, etc. as a mountain-ish type of activity. I'd say the same holds true of some other western national parks as well as some of the eastern mountain areas that aren't really ski destinations.

The big ski resort towns are a good option but they aren't the only option.
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Old Dec 6, 2017, 2:49 pm
  #20  
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Thanks for all the great suggestions everyone! Palm Springs, Lake Tahoe, and Vail/Breckenridge all look very promising! We were afraid that some of the ski towns might be empty in the off-season (I was at Sun Valley ID one time in the spring and it was a ghost town), but based on everyone's comments, it seems like that's not the case.

Now it's time to dig into the details, I'll let you know what we find!
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Old Dec 6, 2017, 10:44 pm
  #21  
 
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Jackson Hole

There's a new Marriott Springhill Suites in Jackson, WY which I stayed at this summer for a family vacation. It was a nice place and Jackson is very cute. The Tetons are absolutely wonderful. Teton national park is about 20 minutes north and Yellowstone beyond that as well.
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Old Dec 7, 2017, 12:09 am
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would probably help to know ages of kids in family/how many...

good suggestions above. I'd probably go with:
1) Jackson, WY -- could spend some time in Yellowstone.
2) Bozeman - great new SPH there and a decent RI if you need 2 bd. Lots of outdoor activities, and you could hit Yellowstone for a few days.
3) Park City -- standard marriott, but $20/day resort fee. nice property though and good concierge lounge that will save you $ on meals.
Walked through the vacation club property in old town Park City a few weeks ago. not bad but nothing great. Lots to do in PC for everyone.
4) Vail Lionhead is very lodge-y and plenty to do for everyone. hike and bike during day and then hang around vail village at night. very family oriented. but
once you are there, you are smack dab in the mountains, so you just look up and see 4,000 ft of mountains straight up. it's like standing next to Manute Bol ( RIP) : when you're that close, it's just a different view. You valet your car and then bus around everywhere on free shuttles that just loop around.

X Factor: Kalispel, MT and spend some time in glacier national park. Get there early. It's huge. One of the prettiest areas of the country. There's a nice SPH in Kalispel. Spend some time 15 minutes up road in Whitefish. Just gorgeous. You can fly into Kalispel directly. Or you can fly into Missoula and drive 90 minutes. Great drive, especially as you come into Polson. It'll take your breath away.
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Old Dec 7, 2017, 7:23 am
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What time of year are you going? There is a SHS in Springdale, UT which is right outside of Zion National Park. You could also take day trips to Bryce and Cedar Breaks. I wouldn't go in the middle of summer though, and it isn't cheap.
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Old Dec 7, 2017, 7:40 am
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Just a couple more ideas, Banff is absolutely beautiful, but expensive. If you are also interested in eastern mountains, there is Gatlinburg. Gatlinburg is tacky as hell (although it is downright classy compare to Pigeon Forge), but there is a lot to do, especially if you have kids of a certain age and the Smokey Mountains are very pretty. Places like Asheville or Lake Placid could also be options in the east.
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Old Dec 7, 2017, 7:52 am
  #25  
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The whole Custer State Park (Western South Dakota) area is awesome for a family trip with hiking, outdoors activities, etc. Smaller mountains but some cool canyons and such. Tons of wildlife.

But kind of sparse on the Marriott front. We did an HIX while we were there and thought if we ever go back, we'd probably rent cabins or book one of the old park lodges instead of doing a chain hotel. There are a few choices from among the limited-service brands but there weren't any particularly high-character properties that I can recall.
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Old Dec 8, 2017, 1:05 am
  #26  
 
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Originally Posted by Enginerd
would probably help to know ages of kids in family/how many...

good suggestions above. I'd probably go with:
1) Jackson, WY -- could spend some time in Yellowstone.
Yellowstone is a bit of a trek and has some interesting things. But I like the Teton National Park even more than Yellowstone. It's prettier and a lot closer. I think we split our time 2 days Yellowstone (long days) and 4 Tetons.

Last edited by bdschobel; Dec 9, 2017 at 5:58 am Reason: fixed coding
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Old Dec 8, 2017, 8:57 am
  #27  
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Originally Posted by pinniped
I assume they don't charge full timeshare members parking fees, do they? That would be incredibly insulting after spending whatever it costs to buy a timeshare.
Ko Olina doesn't charge owners using their ownership week, though I do believe if they "trade" into Ko Olina, they would pay for parking during that stay. I also believe the Ft. Lauderdale BeachPlace towers has the same rules.

I do believe that the "owners" through the HOA and their board members will normally be the decision makers on who and when parking charges are paid.
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Old Dec 8, 2017, 12:32 pm
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One of my favorite overall travel destinations is Asheville, NC. It's a pretty amazing small city with something for the entire family as far as lodging options, the Grand Bohemian is really hard to beat. Also take a look at the AC Downtown.
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Old Dec 9, 2017, 3:10 pm
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Originally Posted by SouthernBanker
One of my favorite overall travel destinations is Asheville, NC. It's a pretty amazing small city with something for the entire family as far as lodging options, the Grand Bohemian is really hard to beat. Also take a look at the AC Downtown.
You could also look at the Aloft in downtown Asheville.
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Old Dec 9, 2017, 3:28 pm
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Originally Posted by Cledaybuck
Just a couple more ideas, Banff is absolutely beautiful, but expensive. If you are also interested in eastern mountains, there is Gatlinburg. Gatlinburg is tacky as hell (although it is downright classy compare to Pigeon Forge), but there is a lot to do, especially if you have kids of a certain age and the Smokey Mountains are very pretty. Places like Asheville or Lake Placid could also be options in the east.
+1 on Gatlinburg. It is truly a beautiful place with great outdoors activities. No full service Marriott last time I was there. More of a Courtyard type town. Super nice, easy drive from Knoxville airport, and could also keep driving through the mountains and go over to Ashville NC.
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