| You have decided you want to take a winter | | | | same idea. If you go to skiheavenly.com, not only |
| vacation in Lake Tahoe, and as all the reviews of the | | | | can you see a live webcam of the snow and skiers |
| area suggest, it is a good choice. But now, how do | | | | at Heavenly, you can also search for packages and |
| you get the best deal? Luckily, for the savvy | | | | be redirected to a page that shows all sorts of |
| traveler, "Ski & Stay" Packages are a staple of | | | | vacation and savings packages that Heavenly is |
| most Ski resorts and winter vacationing towns. "Ski | | | | offering. They have a "BIG SNOW PACKAGE" |
| & Stay" Packages are special deals that hotels, | | | | offering five nights four days at $389. The great |
| resorts, and even local towns and businesses put | | | | thing about the Heavenly website is it also has |
| packages together to get visitors to not only stay in | | | | custom plans that you can create working with one |
| local hotels and eat at local eateries, but visit key | | | | of their agents and exclusive online deals. |
| area recreational activities. During the winter months, | | | | Not only the resorts offer great packages online, but |
| ski towns, like Lake Tahoe (both North and South | | | | also hotels in nearby Reno and Carson City also have |
| Shore) offer tons of different tempting ski, | | | | "Ski & Stay" packages that include |
| snowboarding, snowboarding, spa, and shopping "Ski | | | | transportation to the nearest ski resorts, not the |
| & Stay" packages. | | | | mention the deals and packages the departments of |
| The easiest way, for the internet savvy traveler, to | | | | tourism for Nevada, California, city of Reno, city of |
| discover a vast array of packages it to use your | | | | Tahoe, and city of Carson City have cooked up... And |
| favorite search engine and search: Lake Tahoe Ski | | | | they all can be accessed through a simple engine |
| & Stay packages. Literally hundreds of sites pop | | | | search. |
| up. Lots of the local hotels and time-share resorts | | | | If you happen not to be internet savvy, that does |
| have their own "Ski & Stay" specials on their | | | | not make your Ski & Stay options non-existent, |
| sites. | | | | just a little bit harder to track down. Most of the |
| Click on the Squaw Valley link and there you are, on | | | | hotels, tourism groups, and resorts have little |
| one of Tahoe's most famous resorts and the site of | | | | pamphlets scattered all over the airport, restaurants, |
| the 1960 Olympic Winter Games. This site has many | | | | and any visitor center in the Reno/Tahoe area. But if |
| different packages ranging from the $122.00 per | | | | you want to plan something before you get there, |
| person, per night package that includes two days of | | | | you could start with calling the Reno/Tahoe tourism |
| unlimited skiing at Squaw Valley and two nights stay | | | | board (officially called Visit Reno Tahoe) and they will |
| at America's Best Value Inn in Tahoe City to the | | | | gladly send you all the pamphlets that they have in |
| more deluxe Ski, Spa, and Wine Tasting package | | | | stock. I called information and was given the 800 |
| from $553.00 per person for two nights. This | | | | number and a local number .800.FOR.RENO |
| package includes two nights of lodging at the base of | | | | (800.367.7366)775.827.7600. when I called, I was |
| the Squaw Valley Mountain and two days of unlimited | | | | greeted cheerfully and when I said I was looking for |
| skiing. Breakfast is included each morning and a facial | | | | pamphlets and brochures on "Ski & Stay" |
| or a massage per person and a wine-tasting event | | | | packages, I was told they had plenty of great deals |
| are included in the price. | | | | and information they could send me. They then |
| If you visit and look on the main page, there is an | | | | asked a few questions about my interests in the |
| advertisement for "Stay & Ski" packages, click | | | | area, and my name, address, and phone number, and |
| on the link, and you can see the packages they are | | | | that quick and easy, I had a bulging envelope of |
| featuring at that time. The day I searched, they had | | | | brochures on their way to my house! Local travel |
| several packages ranging fro $103 a day per person | | | | agencies also have information, but the deals are a |
| to an American Express package that offered a free | | | | little bit more outdated, and of course, include a |
| night's stay with the purchase of three. North Star | | | | travel agency commission. But you could always go |
| was also adding a little sugar to the package pot by | | | | and get a handful of brochures and then follow up |
| adding a $25.00 gift certificate (per person) to be | | | | booking and new pricing information on your own! |
| spent at the resort and lift tickets being | | | | Either way you get the "Ski & Stay" package |
| exchangeable for cross-country trail passes. The | | | | information, it is a great way to visit Lake Tahoe on |
| lodging also includes access to the recreational | | | | a budget and get some coupons and passes for |
| facilities, fitness center, pool, spa, and a game room. | | | | things that you might not normally visit, making your |
| Not all the resorts call the packages "Ski & Stay" | | | | vacation all the more memorable and rich! And isn't |
| (even though many do) but Heavenly Resort, just call | | | | that really the point? |
| them vacation packages, but they are essentially the | | | | |