What better gift to give your children this year for Christmas than a family-bonding event? There is no better way, in my book, than doing something physical and challenging together. We are all into sports, so skiing is our top favorite idea for a winter vacation. We live on a tight budget and in the southeast, so traveling to the famous ski slopes of Colorado is just not an option. As I researched, I ask myself, where can I get the most-bang-for-my-buck for a family snow-skiing trip close to the Southeast that accommodates my 42’ RV? Simply put, you have about four options within six hours of north Alabama: Gatlinburg, Tennessee; Asheville, North Carolina; Mentone, Alabama; and St. Louis, Missouri. They are close to North Alabama and we have actually been to all four of them! Here are my thoughts on each of them.

Gatlinburg TN

During the holidays, this town is like a Christmas theme park on steroids.  Ober Gatlinburg Ski Area & Amusement Park features so many awesome activities, including multiple slopes and freestyle terrain area, ice skating, snow tubing, scenic sky lift, arcade, ice bumper cars, wildlife exhibit, and more! It was the first place I ever snow skied and I loved it!

I have reviewed the cost of an RV trip there for two adults and two teenagers, and for us to ski during the holidays with rental equipment is $356 for a full session. The other activities cost their own amounts separately. There are also very nice RV parks close by for anywhere from $21 to $50 like the Greenbriar Campground and the Smoky Bear Campground and RV Park. You have to request to get a reservation with many of them so you can not book right away, so plan in advance. The downside for RVing here is there is only one National Park near by which is The Great Smokey Mountains, and it closes in early to late November and only accommodates 35’ trailers and 40’ motorhomes. That cheap option is out. Other than that, this location for a family ski trip for the holidays is a winner! I estimate this trip for a family of four staying four nights, going for a day ski trip and getting some meals on the town to be roughly $1,200 including gas.

Asheville NC

I am in love with this place because of the beautiful mountainous landscape, tons of great RV camp grounds the Cataloochee Ski Resort and the Biltmore Estate! Last year, our family traveled here for our family Christmas present, and that summer we had been there to see the Biltmore. If you want to make only one trip, I hear the Biltmore is unbelievably beautiful during Christmas! I was really shocked that a trip to NC was within six hours of North Alabama.

The ski resort was busy during December, but it was not too bad. Parking was tough as you just park along a mountain on a muddy road. There were some really good ski slopes for us, but we are amateurs. We tried the Black Diamond slope, and I was scared out of my mind. I had no business being up there as a beginner, but that is how our family is. So if you need a challenge, they have it at the Catalooche Ski Resort. The food is like a typical baseball game concession, which we love and it is very reasonably priced.  They have a place at the bottom of the mountain where you can take your kids snow tubing for $20. There is also a quiet town going up the mountain that could be really cool place to check out the shops . . . not to mention there are other ski slopes just an hour away like the Wolf Ridge Ski Resort you can choose from!

We stayed at the Lake Powhatan Recreational and RV Park, which is a National Forrest at only $31 a night for full hook ups. There are a ton of other RV resort options that are very reasonably priced, but nothing is cheaper than National and State parks so we typically shoot for those. The only downside for Lake Powhatan was it is 50-minute drive to the ski slope from the campsite. However it is only 20 minutes from the Biltmore. We did arrive at night too, and with our 42-foot camper, we had a really tough time getting our RV into the site. We had an uphill and curved entry into a very tight tree-enclosed site. Let’s just say it went down as one of those “funny family memories” as we stood out in 10 degree Fahrenheit weather cursing our way into place after six straight hours in the car together.  The total price for our trip was roughly $1000, which includes gas ($200), food ($200), stay (4 nights $124), and a day of skiing at the holiday rate for 4 adults ($408). It costs $65 per adult and $32.50 for kids 16 and under to get day time admission into the Biltmore, and if you really want to make it special, they offer a Candlelight Christmas Evening for $80 per adult and $40 for 16 and under kids! I estimate for a family of 4 to stay 4 nights and ski and attend the Candlelight Christmas at the Biltmore to cost $1,500.

Eureka MO

This was the location of my second ski trip and it was only a few hours from where I was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood Missouri, but never-the-less, it was a super convenient location for a ski slope directly off the interstate, and you can enjoy down town St. Louis for the New Year! Hidden Valley Ski Resort is located just southwest of St. Louis and technically is not part of the southeast, but is only six and a half hours from North Alabama. It’s a simply fake snow slopes, but the ski resort does not jack its prices up during the holidays and it offers a nice military discount! I skied and got equipment for a total of $30 and now as a veteran, I still get a 50% discount! The weekends are only $10 more a person thus our family of four can ski and rent equipment for $280! They also have snow tubing for $26 a person! I stayed in a hotel when we went here, and this was before I bought an RV. However, I have found that there is one RV park open in December. The KOA St. Louis West/ Historic Route 66 is available with full-hookups for $45 a night, and it is also conveniently located off the interstate minutes from the slope!

Mentone AL

The fact that this ski site exists is amazing since it is in Alabama. Cloudmount Ski & Resort in Mentone, AL is all fake snow and really only one straight slope, but you can ski four adults for only $210! Unfortunately there is no ski lift and you have to hold onto a rope to get to the top. If you have never done this, it is really difficult and tiring.

We live only two hours from the site, so we can make it a day trip. I have not brought my RV here but instead stayed in a very nice cabin that was enough to fit 12 people. There is Little River RV Resort for $30 a night FHU or Wills Creek RV Park $28 a night FHU. The one other thing is that most holiday seasons, it is not cold enough to make snow, so you may have to hold off on this being a Christmas time ski trip. This trip would cost roughly $600! If you are looking for a quick get away, this trip may be well worth the memories!

I hope you are considering an active winter vacation trip with you family and are not intimidated by the idea of using your RV during the winter. It is completely feasible to have an affordable ski trip starting from the southeast and making those all important memories with the kids!