Snowshoe Resort, Allegheny Springs-Full Review
Snowshoe Resort - Allegheny Springs and Family Friendly
As a first-time visitor to Snowshoe Ski Resort, I realized there were many things I wished I had known before my trip. To assist others who may be planning to visit, I have decided to write a comprehensive review of the resort and share some tips for navigating it.
My trip was from Thursday to Sunday, which worked out great during peak season. The crowds were more manageable on Thursday and Friday, making it easier to take care of logistics such as ski school. Snowshoe is a stunning resort, and even though we were advised to print out directions, our Google Maps didn't fail us. We simply entered the address provided by our VRBO owner. While we didn't book directly through Allegheny, I can't recommend our VRBO enough! The owner was incredibly responsive and provided us with tons of useful information. The unit had everything we needed, including cooking utensils, towels, paper products, and soap. The Unit we stayed in was 444 and 442. Two joined areas and was labeled as the Penthouse on VRBO. Its location and views were spectacular. I will have to say the snow blower and trucks at night are an issue, but we turned on the sound machine and that helped quite a bit in helping us stay asleep.
Upon our arrival, the check-in process was quick and easy. We were able to collect our keys and ski passes at the front desk. We had already purchased our ski lessons, lift tickets, and rentals through the Snowshoe website, which was a straightforward process. It's important to bring your confirmation numbers with you, and the front desk staff at Allegheny were very helpful in getting everything organized. We used the luggage carts provided to unload our items from the car and brought them to our room first. The ski lockers are located downstairs, and there is a way to get a luggage cart down there, but it's best to ask someone for directions. Alternatively, everyone can take the elevator or stairs down to the lockers to unload their ski equipment. It was a little confusing at first, but by the second time we had it down pat and found the most efficient paths.
After settling into the condo, we headed to Expedition Station to get our ski rentals. This rental place is conveniently located near the ski school drop-off area. Very walkable from Allegheny, they have a nice little path through the village to Expedition Station. To save time, at Expedition Station, we filled out the paperwork ahead of time and then proceeded through three different areas - ski boots, skis, and poles - before exiting. Once we had everything, we stored them in the ski lockers at Allegheny Springs. We then decided to stretch our legs and get some exercise by going night tubing. We had previously bought our tickets and picked them up during the check-in process, so we were ready to go.
We had a fantastic time night time tubing! The cool lights and lack of crowds made it the perfect experience. Although we were late for our reservation, it worked out perfectly as only an hour was needed. There is also a convenient rope lift to take you back up to slide down again. Both adults and children enjoyed racing each other down the slopes and trying to find the fastest lane. The kids hooked their tubes together and competed as single riders, attempting to beat the adults. However, the parents always won! Tubing is located on the opposite side of the resort, closer to Silver Creek. We had to drive down to the tubing area, where there is a parking lot. You can either choose to pay for parking or park in the free area.
On our first night, we decided to warm up with a pre-made spaghetti sauce and organize our things for the next day. The condo was well-equipped with everything we needed to prepare meals, including cleaning products, towels, pots, pans, and a Keurig coffee maker. We quickly realized that sound machines were necessary due to the noise from ski mobiles, snow blowers, and snow trucks that worked all night. However, it was evident that the staff worked hard to maintain excellent skiing conditions. The lifts in the area close at 4 pm, but they put in a lot of effort to keep everything in great condition.
On Friday, we woke up early and had breakfast before taking our children to ski school. The ski school drop-off point was conveniently located outside the Expedition Station where we had rented our skiing equipment. The drop-off time was at 9 am and pickup was around 3 pm. The children had a great time and worked hard all day. The experience was enjoyable, and lunch and snacks were provided. The best part was the instructors' expertise. They made sure that the children learned how to ski properly, including stopping, turning, riding the ski lift, and more. At the end of the school, they gave us handy cards that indicated which slopes the children should tackle based on their current skiing level and what to work on to improve their skills.
While the kids were in ski school, the adults decided to visit The Junction, which is very close to Allegheny. The breakfast was great, particularly the pancakes, which were delicious. The mimosas they had were also very tasty and the service we received was excellent. It was the perfect way to start a day without kids!
Everyone was pretty exhausted after all the skiing, and the lift outside of Allegheny closes at 4 pm so we headed in for dinner and relaxing in our condo. With plenty of space to relax the kids watched a movie and the adults relaxed with conversation and cocktails.
On Saturday morning, it was a parent-and-kid ski day. After having breakfast, the group went out to enjoy a great green run that was just outside Allegheny. This run was long and not too fast, making it fun for everyone. The kids were having a great time skiing and didn't want to stop, but at approximately 11:30 am, they came back inside for lunch and some protein snacks. A ton of little snack-style boards were made and set out for everyone to enjoy quick bites. After lunch, I took the ones who were tired of skiing out to the heated outdoor pool at Allegheny while the avid skiers got three more runs in. Later, they made a pit stop near the lake called Flume Shack for a cold beverage. It's a cool spot where kids can get hot chocolate, and adults can have an adult beverage. The pool was great no one was cold, and it’s a beautiful area to be warm in the pool and see snow on the ground.
After the Ballhooter lift closed at 4 pm, we decided to have an early dinner at Cheat Pizza. The pizza and salads were delicious and the perfect meal after a day of swimming and skiing. Cheat Pizza is conveniently located next to Allegheny, so you don't have to walk outside to get there. However, if you prefer to take a quick walk outside, there's a downstairs door that's closest to the skiing area. The doors to Allegheny require room key access, which is great for keeping certain areas reserved for guests. After a full day and full bellies, it was chill time. Some of the group decided to have one more drink outside of Allegheny where there are numerous restaurants and bars available.
Cranked up the sound machines again and got some rest because it was time to head home the next day. Check-out was a breeze without any issues, but luggage carts were hard to find this time, so we had to make numerous trips to the car. Thankfully, they allowed us to pull up in front of the hotel to load and unload our luggage, which made the process easier. We entered our address while at the hotel and used the Wi-Fi just in case, but we didn't encounter any issues.
Overall, it was a fantastic experience, and we will be staying in the same location again. We took advantage of some of the best east coast skiing we have encountered and had one of the best ski school experiences as well. Although the hotel was a little outdated, I would still give it a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars!
