Ski & Snow Board in the Poconos? or New York?

NJGit will disagree with me, but I prefer Elk Mountain to Camelback. I work at yet another Pocono ski hill and will plug Elk over my own place of employment.

Camelback, Shawnee, Jack Frost, and Big Boulder all have affordable hotels close by. Elk does not, but the skiing is better and I don't think the few hotels there run more than $100 an night. The above mentioned four are also very busy on weekends as they draw from NJ, NYC, and Philly. Elk is further away and draws somewhat from those areas, but more from Binghamton NY and Scranton. Ski any of them mid-week and you'll be better off.

Blue Mountain is another option...but I haven't skied there in years. There might be some hotels in the area near Jim Thorpe or Lehighton...but it's been awhile...ask me again on Friday. I'm going skiing there on Thursday.

Hunter, Bellayre, and Windham are all nice mountains....except on the weekends. Gore is a little further up the Thru-way and isn't that bad on non-holiday weekends. The place seems to clear out by noon on Sundays. All have good trails for any ability. Cheaper hotels can be found near Gore. There are some deals around the Catskill resorts, but you have to dig around. I've never stayed there overnight as they are all day trips from where I live. I ski Gore on my way home from the northern Adirondacks, but I've passed many chain hotels in the area.

VT....I'll dish out my info on Southern VT only....

Mt. Snow...not bad. No cheap hotels nearby. Good bars. Good food in West Dover and in Wilmington.

Stratton...expensive. If you want a party look when the US Open or the VT Open is...otherwise it's old people wasting money on bad martini's and rich middle-aged folks with thier teens and their iPhones wondering why their reception sucks.

Bromley...has a cheap ski-and-stay usually at it's hotel. Close by Manchester has good food, but the bars shut down around 10pm on most nights. Inns like the Olympia nd Four Winds won't hose you for a room, but their not cheap. The B&Bs will cost an arm and a leg, but a lot of them have decent packages with Bromley and Stratton. Just don't piss off the locals...I used to be one.

Okemo...a great mountain all around. My favorite of the big VT resorts. Cheap lodging is a premium in Ludlow. Lots of B&Bs and Condos. It's a 30-40 minute ride to Rutland from Okemo and budget hotels do exist in Rutland. Ludlow has a bunch of great pizza places. I suggest you try them all. The bar at the base of the mountain is also a good place to hang out.

Killington. It's usually party central on the access road. The Pickle Barrel and Wobbly Barn usually have weekend parties and there are lots of good places to chow down. Weekends are crowded only at select lifts near the base. I've never waited more than a minute to get on any of the mid-mountain chairs, except Needle's Eye. The Inn at the Long Trail is the best bar in the area that has a hotel attached. It's not too expensive. Most people using Killington condos or the Grand Hotel drink on the access road bars and use the free bus service. Cheaper hotels can be found in Rutland 20 minutes away and you can drink for nearly free at the Fraternal Order of Moose Lodge...wait, you have to be a member....um...drink in your hotel....it's safer that way. I lived in Rutland for two year sand the only place I would drink was the Moose Lodge...the town bars all suck. (Long Trail Brewing Company is 15 minutes East of the access road on Route 4....drink there too.)

Pico is near Killington...everyone without green plates on their car just drives by it. I still sometimes teach there. It's a great mountain and closer to Rutland. If you are hitting Killington for a few days, spend one at Pico.

Don't speed on Route 4 in Mendon VT...Constable Tift loves to nail people with yellow plates on their car. He hangs out near the "Sugar Shack" resturaunt. He also pulls deputy duty in several other towns, so watch your speed in Danby and Wallingford on Rourte 7.

I live in central NJ by Princeton and work up at Camelback on the weekends. It's a 2 hour drive and it is a nice place.

There are a bunch of hotels around there. I haven't stayed at any of them though. Go to skicamelback.com and look for packages.

I meet people who stay at Great Wolf Lodge but you have to buy a ticket to the indoor water park there to stay there. They ski in the mornings, hit the bar then go to the waterpark.