The Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains create an environment for winter recreation in the state of Virginia. The state's proximity to the United States capitol in Washington, D.C. makes the snowboard resorts in Virginia a possible diversion for public officials looking to take a break. It also gives you a place to go to hit the slopes during your trip to the region's historical sites.
Identification
The state of Virginia has four resorts that provide a full range of snowboarding opportunities for residents and visitors to the state. Wintergreen Resort and The Homestead are the southernmost venues, located east of Charlottesville. Masanutten Resort and Bryce Mountain are further north, about two hours west of Washington, D.C. A visit to the state's ski villages will give you a chance to experience the history of skiing in the area. The Homestead was one of the early resorts towards the southern United States to introduce downhill skiing. If first opened in 1959, with soldiers who had picked up skiing while serving in Europe enjoying its slopes.
Types
Snowboarding gets all kinds of people out to enjoy Virginia's mountains and outdoor recreation opportunities. These resorts offer terrain parks where you can show off your acrobatic skills whether you are a beginner or an expert boarder. The downhill runs are also available to snowboarders who prefer the speed and exhilaration of racing down the slopes. Bryce Mountain Resort makes it easy for you to keep your eye on your children even if you want to take a break. The runs there all end up at a central collection area that is within view of the lodge's back deck, where you can drink hot cocoa and watch the skiers and snowboarders finish their runs. Both Massanutten and Wintergreen welcome freestyle skiers to join snowboarders in their terrain parks.
Features
The resorts in Virginia rely on a combination of natural and man-made snow to provide you with your winter recreation experience. The resorts cater to your snowboarding needs and also to the needs of your entire family. Snow tubing parks are available at all four resorts so the younger kids can enjoy their day in the snow. The resorts also give you something to do no matter what you are looking for with your snowboarding. Massanutten has an Easy Street terrain park for beginning riders and Bryce Mountain offers competitive snowboard racing leagues when you want to participate at that level.
Amenities
The Homestead has an on-site hotel, with an Olympic-sized ice skating rink where you can spend your time after you are done enjoying the slopes. Massanutten is a timeshare vacation resort with a lodge that offers live entertainment along with your dinner. You might need get there late, however, as the resort's 14 ski runs are all lighted for nighttime boarding and skiing. Wintergreen also has lights on 14 of its 26 runs as it lets you keep your outdoor enjoyment going well past the setting of the sun. Neither Wintergreen nor Bryce Mountain have overnight lodging on-site, but their lodges do give you a place to warm yourself and put your feet up before you head off to a local hotel for the night.
Offseason Activities
Virginia's snowboard resorts continue to provide you with outdoor recreation options even after the snow has melted away. Bryce Mountain's golf course may entertain some members of your family, while others might enjoy the zip line, bungee jumping or the climbing well. The water park at Massanutten gives the whole family a place to go during the summer months. The Homestead is a destination during the spring and summer as well as you can get out and enjoy golf and tennis in the Allegheny Mountains.
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