A Guide to the Perfect Winter Weekend in Big Sky

Mid-winter, the cabin fever was setting in; the ground was covered with a thick layer of snow, and the outside temperature was stubbornly remaining below freezing. The kids had a three day weekend. What to do? The answer: take the kids to Big Sky Resort in Montana to enjoy the myriad of winter sports and outdoor activities offered.

First things first, where to stay? Much of Big Sky was built in the 1970's and many of the properties look a bit dated. My husband is not one to appreciate the nostalgic feel of yesteryear's architecture (or carpeting for that matter,) but we weren't out to spend a fortune either. Big Sky offers a variety of lodging choices ranging from the antiquated Huntley Lodge to the lofty Summit Hotel, as well as cabins, condos, apartments, and deluxe penthouses...the choices seemed a bit overwhelming. I called Markus, a friend and owner of Alpine Properties. Markus set us up with the perfect ski in/ ski out, 2 bedroom cabin with private hot tub, full kitchen and cozy fireplace. They even offer free transportation to and from the airport for those flying into Bozeman, MT.

Accommodations...check! Now for the activities. Skiing was, obviously, first on the list, and Big Sky accesses two ski areas: the original Big Sky and Moonlight Basin. An adult, one-day pass at Big Sky costs $84 (kids 10 and under ski free.) At Moonlight, tickets are $64 per day (adult) and kids 10 and under ski free. There are always multiple day discounts and off-peak deals, so check out the websites before you buy your lift tickets. Big Sky has significantly more ski terrain, but Moonlight has no lift lines. They are both big, beautiful and fun.

Skiing and snowboarding are not the only fun activities in Big Sky; one evening we headed over to the "Basecamp" and signed up for the Tube Park. What a blast! My younger son and I opted for the lazy, glide-along run while my husband and older son raced, at break-neck speeds, down the wild-side on huge inflatable tubes.

By now, everyone was tired and hungry. We decided on Choppers Grub and Pub, a new sports bar with a game room and free live music. We got buffalo burgers (awesome) and the band started around 9pm. They sounded pretty good, but the kids were fading fast, so we gave up and went home to our cozy cabin.

The third morning we decided to break from the slopes and try sledding with the dogs instead. Spirit of the North's sled dog adventures are unlike anything you've ever done. You can make the adventure as hands-on or kick-back as you like. If you choose to, you can help harness the dogs, drive the sled or, accidentally, turn in on its side and fall out...headfirst...into six feet of snow. Of course, there is also the option to just hang out and watch the goings on from the "backseat." It's up to you, and it is tons-o-fun with a spectacular view.

We just had to squeeze one more fun experience into our weekend; thus, we chose to join in on one of Montana Backcountry's Yurt Dining adventures...

Do not miss this one-of-a-kind, totally fun, and particularly Montana-ish adventure!

By the end of our winter weekend get-away, the whole family was sleeping very well at night. There is something about exercise and fresh air that just has a way of resetting all of the internal gears, mentally and physically. I hope you have found this guide to the perfect winter weekend to be helpful in planning your own winter getaway!