Massanutten or Wintergreen: Options Vs. Affordability
Planning a Virginia ski vacation? Massanutten and Wintergreen ski resorts are practically neighbors, making many take a step back, head cradled in hands, and wonder, which one of these winter adventures is right for me? While they both offer amazing amenities, they do have their differences—including price! Figuring out which resort works best for both pleasure and budgetary reasons can be difficult—this all-inclusive comparison will have you seeing the real differences between Massanutten and Wintergreen Resort, so that you can make the best decision for your next getaway on the slopes in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains.
Ski & Ride the Slopes
Massanutten Ski Resort is the first for many things in Virginia– first place to offer snowboarding, tubing, chairlifts, and even light the trails at night— but does their seniority mean they hands-down have better slopes? Although they boast the longest vertical plunge in Virginia, at 1,100 feet, they only offer 14 trails; I say only because current competitor, Wintergreen Resort, has a whopping 26 trails to blaze!
The majority of Wintergreen’s terrain is for advanced skiers and boarders, while Massanutten has instead evened out the number of trails for all skill levels. Wintergreen has so many trails to offer though, that even with so many advanced trails, they still have a superb variety for all other levels of boarders and skiers as well. Both offer 2 amazing terrain parks that snowboarders will never get bored of; it’s a goal of both resorts to change the layouts and obstacles daily.
Dining
Wintergreen offers more options in terms of dining than Massanutten. In fact, Wintergreen appeals to those who want to enjoy more than just good food, but a decent nightlife scene as well. Wintergreen has a great variety of both fine dining and casual dives, some of their restaurants even offer entertainment so that you can hit the slopes all day, then be entertained throughout dinner.
Massanutten also offers a wide variety of restaurants, most of which are casual dining places, which include but are not limited to, a pizza joint, sandwich shop, and a buffet that overlooks the water park. If you’re not the type to fuss with fine dining while enjoying a day of carefree fun, the selection at Massanutten will perfectly suit your needs, and food cravings!
Other Winter Sports
Both parks offer a similar selection of sports including tubing, the fast paced thrill of flying down a snow-capped mountain while riding inside an oversized tire. Wintergreen has taken it one step further; they have added a zip line you can ride, gliding high above the mountains, your body dangling in the air. Massanutten fights back with the larger ice rink of the two– if you love to ice skate, I suggest checking out their 4,250 square foot ice haven. Wintergreen also has an outdoor skating rink but it is far smaller in comparison at less than 1,000 square feet.
Kid Friendly Factor
Wintergreen offers plenty of fun activities for kids of all ages, including a whole park that even includes a collection of miniature hills for kid-friendly tubing! While Massanutten offers ski lessons to kids 4 years and older, they do not place the same level of attention on entertaining children, especially those that are younger than 4.
Higher Cost, More Options
Weekends at Massanutten will run you $46 for an all day, 8-hour, lift ticket. At Wintergreen, you will pay $72 per adult admission for the same 8-hour lift ticket. Clearly, Massanutten costs less money to enjoy but it also lacks the same endless amounts of space and has fewer activities for both kids and adults to partake in. Of course, this does not mean it’s any less of a resort—Massanutten has a lot to offer at affordable rates. If you don’t have small kids to entertain or you lack the need for more than 14 slopes, these options are pointless to have. On the other hand, if you need these options, the higher price to hit the slopes at Wintergreen will be of worth to you.
Special thanks to Stan Horst for the great information about Virginia Ski Resorts. Cabin Creekwood, in close proximity to Wintergreen Ski Resort, the George Washington National Forest, and Sherando Lake, is a popular Blue Ridge Mountain family vacation getaway. Located near the central Shenandoah Valley town of Lyndhurst, Va., they feature a variety of quality vacation rental cabins that are perfect for families with children. You and your kids will love the swimming pool and the secluded historic log cabins. Within easy reach of Richmond, Washington DC, and Norfolk. Visit their website at www.CabinCreekwood.com or see their vacation rental store at RentItToday.com.
If you’ve been in this situation, you’re probably broken out in a cold sweat just reading this. A line at the copy machine is almost as bad as a line at Starbucks, and no one is going to let you cut in front of them just so you can get your mocha frappe before theirs. In fact, it’s almost dangerous to even attempt it.
