http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/14/travel/the-nonskiers-guide-to-ski-towns.html 2014-12-10 23:30:58 The Nonskier’s Guide to Ski Towns Here are a few ideas — soaking in hot springs, sleigh riding and sampling fondue among them — for the ski-averse traveler. === Friends and family are clamoring to hit the slopes. You, on the other hand, are not. What’s a nonskier to do? Happily, there are plenty of destinations with compelling trails for skiers and other pleasures — soaking in hot springs, snowshoeing, sleigh riding, bowling, gambling, shopping, ghost tours, The first rule of thumb is to opt for ski towns with a range of off-the-slope offerings. Take Park City, Utah, where about a half-hour from Main Street, Those who would like to At At Park City’s Places like Stowe, Vt.; Lake Tahoe, Calif.; Aspen, Colo.; and Whistler, British Columbia, have quaint streets lined with boutiques and galleries that will keep nonskiers occupied for hours. In Breckenridge, Colo., visitors can try panning for gold at the Or consider Jackson Hole, Wyo., where you can take an Iditarod sled dog tour, enjoy a tram ride, shop, snow bike, or join a safari to spot moose and bald eagles. There’s also Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park and the National Elk Refuge, where you’ll find one of the most impressive elk herds in the world. At In New York amid the Adirondack Mountains in Lake Placid, you can visit the At Tourism boards in popular ski destinations know that not everyone loves to ski, which is why it’s easy to check out alternative itineraries in some places. The Colorado Tourism Office, for instance, has a web page devoted to “winter in Colorado ski towns for nonskiers.” Ideas include soaking in mineral-rich, naturally heated pools at the Vail Resorts, Ski NH Farther afield, bordering Switzerland and Italy is In addition to activities for nonskiers, some resorts offer them discounts. Club Med The options for nonskiers nowadays are, in a word, plentiful. Yet sometimes, the best activity involves a book or stack of magazines you’ve been meaning to thumb through. While everyone else is zigzagging over mountains, you can lean back in an Adirondack chair, wrap your hands around a warm cup of tea and be grateful for the opportunity to do nothing at all.