(aka, making an adult trip fun for our kids)
We just had an absolutely lovely two nights at Alyeska, a ski resort just an hour south of Anchorage in the beautiful town of Girdwood. Pre-kids, Derek went out there to snowboard multiple times a year, and we've been to Girdwood several times in the summer to hike, but we've only been one other time in the winter as a family, when Autumn was just two weeks old. I didn't ski that time given, you know, the infant, and I figured I wouldn't ski again this time since Isaac, 2 1/2, and Autumn, now almost 1 (!!), aren't quite old enough to hit the slopes. We had just returned from a weekend at our cabin which is always lovely, but not conducive to normal routines, so I wanted to give the kids normal meals and naps and hopefully some fun of their own.
So instead of joining Derek on the mountain, I thought I'd take the kids to the nearby Alaska Wilderness Conservation Center, maybe go for a hike down the Winner Creek Trail, and make sure that they ate well and slept at their normal times. I was thinking that some kid-centric activities and routines would help all of us have a better time. Plus, I haven't put on skis in over a decade! So what was I missing, anyway?
But then Derek encouraged me to rethink my stance. We want both kids to learn to ski (or snowboard! interjects Derek), so eventually I needed to get back in the saddle. Derek says (as do others) that if you can ski at Alyeska, you can ski almost anywhere in the lower 48, meaning I'd be even better prepared to help Isaac learn next year and Autumn a couple of years later. So I agreed to rent some gear and get a ticket, but just for the lower mountain (I'm not crazy).
It was starting to feel like this trip was going to be really fun for Derek and me, but I was a bit worried that we were sort of leaving the kids out. How could we make the trip fun for them, too?
First of all, Derek and I agreed that we would only ride/ski on one day (rather than also try to go out on our last day after checking out of our room). That was a big shift.
Then it was on to plan activities that all of us would enjoy. Isaac loves the tram, so we knew that would be something to do as a family. We also made reservations at the pool each day (covid restrictions mean a set number of people each hour), and Isaac got to choose some favorite toys and books to bring. We ate at a kid-friendly restaurant on the second night and ordered room service one morning, just for the novelty of it. Isaac tipped the guys who carted our mountain of luggage, pushed all the elevator buttons, and got to choose what to watch on the tv. Autumn slept in her familiar pack and play, and we asked the hotel to provide a crib just in case Isaac needed it (he didn't).
To break the in-room monotony we walked all around the hotel with Isaac pushing Autumn in the stroller (a real win bringing that along!). And if Isaac wanted to growl at the stuffed polar bear, we let him. When he wanted to run around the empty conference rooms as we waited for a table for the first night's dinner, we let him (and subsequently got our food to go as the minutes and then hour ticked by and we still hadn't been seated - flexibility, right?). When Autumn was sick of being strapped in, we let her crawl all over the cafe floor or the fireplace seating area and practice standing in the windows or on the couches, all the while screeching and laughing with her brother and saying a big "Hi!" to whoever walked by.
On ski/snowboard day, Derek and I took turns. He doesn't like to ride more than a couple of hours at a time anyway, and I was basically starting all over again. So he took the first tram up the mountain. The kids and I played and I got Autumn to sleep and Isaac to "rest" and then Derek came in around lunch and we switched. We each went out one more time. It worked well - for our muscles and our energy.
It was disruptive to naps coming in and out of the room so much, but what trip out of your house isn't? In the end neither kid slept much at their usual time, but both passed out later in the afternoon and in the car on the way home the next day.
One of the cooler aspects for both kids turned out to be choosing a hotel room that faced the mountain (you could choose valley or mountain view - all windows in the hotel have awesome views). By chance we had the perfect view of the tram which, if you remember, Isaac loves. This meant that the hour- (or sometimes more) at-a-time in the hotel room was still pretty fun because it was like having a giant television looking out on all the colors and chaos of a ski resort and watching the tram go up and down, up and down, imagining who was riding it (is Daddy on there?) and what would happen if it stopped working or went too fast. We made up stories about the types of animals you would find hiking in the mountains and had serious discussions about what we would eat in the "tram house" when we rode the tram up up up the mountain on our last day. We got to ooh and aah over two spectacular sunrises, and talked about where snow and rain come from as the drops fogged our view. When I was taking off my skis after my second turn on the mountain, I heard "Hi Mommy!" from up high in the hotel. Derek and the kids had spotted me and opened the window, waving and yelling like maniacs to get my attention.
One thing I wished we had done was get outside with the kids more. Anticipating that we would walk to the local and delicious Girdwood Brewery (or even just around the resort), Derek had loaded both towing sleds into the back of the truck. But in the end we arrived later than expected, got in a lot of pool time, took our time with the tram ride and meals, and were pretty exhausted what with the weird sleeping situation. If I had brought a baby carrier then Derek or I could have gone out solo with the kids - pulling Isaac and carrying Autumn - while the other person was on the mountain, but I forgot it. At least we know for next time!
I think the kids had a great time. And I am so glad that I got back into some skis. I am grateful to the Alyeska staff who were nothing but kind and patient with our kiddos as we let them take up and take over space after space. I am also happy that there is a "Sundry" on site that sells snacks and adult beverages, and that our hotel room had a sort of foyer where Derek and I could enjoy said snacks and beverages on our rubbermaid tub after the kids went to sleep. The bottom line is that I think trips like this - pretty adult-centered - can work when you plan a little bit ahead (toys, books, cribs, pool and restaurant reservations), stay flexible (get take out, go on many, many elevator excursions, take turns skiing/snowboarding, change or let go of nap times), and go in thinking, We're going to be exhausted, but we're going to have so much fun.
What are some ways that you make "adult-centric" adventures more kid-friendly? Drop your own stories and travel tips in the comments and don't hesitate to get in touch!
Comments