Arranging a Skiing Holiday - it’s all Location, Location, Location!

A skiing trip provides the perfect holiday for both fun with friends or relaxing as a family. Skiing can be a fun sport, with numerous ski destinations providing tuition it's suited to all, combine this with magical surroundings and it is a fabulous holiday choice. Whilst we're aware of the fundamental kit, your kid's ski jackets and kid's ski pants, how many of us actually give too much thought to the local knowledge for the area we are heading.



The official ski season runs from December to March, and your timing is crucial to the conditions you'll find. At the beginning of the season the snow is often patchy and can be icy; this isn't ideal, particularly for skiers who are quite a new comer to the sport. January and February usually offer the best conditions, especially if you are heading to some of the resorts located within Northern Europe, bear in mind though the slopes may be particularly busy at the end of February when many European countries have school holidays.



The main skiing hotspots in Europe are France, Austria and Switzerland. Chamonix in France is among the most well-known ski resorts. Chamonix is a resort boasting fantastic facilities for skiers of all abilities. And with the majority of the ski slopes situated above 2000m, good, fresh snow is almost always guaranteed. It’s popularity however, means that Chamonix can often be very busy, therefore you may wish to weigh these pros and con’s up.



While France currently is Europe’s preferred ski destination, Austria comes a close second. Austria has a slight disadvantage in that its resorts generally lie just a little lower than those in France. This shouldn't cause any major problems, but you may wish to confirm the weather to ensure that the conditions are suitable, particularly at the start or end of the ski season.



Switzerland would be the perfect choice for all those of us who food and exquisite surroundings. Besides the skiing facilities the resorts offer, you could enjoy a meal at among the best mountain restaurants in the world, overlooking stunning landscape.



Many people consider Switzerland to be one of the pricier skiing locations, this is not automatically true, and because of this you can enjoy major benefit of fewer crowds. The reality is, most of the best ski hotels in France are in fact more expensive than the Swiss equivalent.



And if you are planning a ski trip that has a smaller budget, take a look at Italy, Italy can be a lot more affordable than some of the other European destinations. General cost of living is usually cheaper too, meaning that if you’ve left the purchase of your kids ski jackets or kids ski pants to the last minute, you’ll probably get a better deal in Italy than you would elsewhere.



If you are thinking of somewhere further a field then the ski resorts on offer in the US or Canada can be really worth considering . This could be a great choice if you're planning to travel slightly later in the year, because typically the ski season lasts longer, even as late as June.



In California you will find the huge mountain appropriately named 'Mammoth Mountain'. It is a massive 11,000 feet and boasts in the region of 3,500 acres of slopes. And lastly Canada, which has been host to this years Winter Olympics and home to 'Whistler' probably one of the greatest skiing destinations in the world.

This article was written by R. Deans on behalf of Little Terra, experts in kids ski jackets. For more info on kids ski jackets please visit LittleTerra.co.uk