Lovin' Blue Mountain!

Canadian winters are long and cold. Getting away to do some skiing or other winter activities can make that long stretch between New Year’s and Easter go much faster. And if your credit card is still aching from its Christmas workout, you can still enjoy a Blue Mountain winter get-away without breaking your budget.

Here are 10 tips to saving money on your winter vacation at Blue Mountain.

1. Avoid busy dates such as Christmas, Family Day and March breaks. Those are prime travel times and prices often reflect that.
2. Travel mid-week. At Blue Mountain, weekends may be busy but mid-week is often less crowded. Therefore rates for hotel, skiing and events are often cheaper. An added bonus: the slopes and other venues will be less packed.
3. Avoid peak times. Many ski resorts offer a reduced rate for evening only lift tickets. Take advantage of them.
4. Practice cross-training. Mix-up your day-to-day vacation plans with different activities offered. With no lift-tickets to buy, your non-skiing days will cost a fraction of what your skiing days cost.



5. If you don’t already own ski equipment, rent rather than buy. If you decide you really love skiing and plan to do it often, wait until the end-of-season sales or look for some good used equipment.
6. Book a chalet or room with a kitchen. Cooking yourself will save you huge amounts of money.
7. Look for multi-day lift tickets or family rates. If you plan to ski or snowboard often during the season, get your seasons pass during early bird for a substantially cheaper price.
8. Check your favourite locations for sales and special deals. They may have cheaper rates on certain dates, for special events or as part of a special promotion.  The biggest deals come out near the end of the season.
9. Many resorts offer group rates. Gather a group of friends and plan a mass get-away. What you save on the lift-tickets could pay for the après ski drinks.
10. Ask about special discounts for seniors, kids, CAA members, and on-line only deals. It doesn’t hurt to ask and you may find a way to save some money.