We’ve all learned to use the Internet to not only research how to get where we are going and where to stay on our next vacation, but also to save money on flights and hotels. Even people who don’t exhaustively read up on how to get the best deals typically visit multiple sites before booking a flight. Even reserving a hotel room — which at first was something you did without much shopping around – now typically involves a variety of sites to make sure you getting the best deal on the room you want.

Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity dropping their booking fees was a direct reaction to travelers’ habit of researching flight options on their sites, picking the one they wanted, then booking it directly from the airline because they could get it $5 cheaper. It was easy to do, so not surprisingly most people did. If you were trying to get the cheapest flights, that was the easiest $5 you could save. Some went even further, using multiple sites and trying to find the optimal day and time to save even more on their flights. This behavior spawned a whole host of “meta search sites” like Kayak.com, looking to make this kind of exhaustive searching easier. Hotels came at it from a slightly different direction, but with the advent of Priceline, special packages available only from hotels, and so on, spending time on your room booking can be even more rewarding for a traveler.

Bearing out how advanced the tools have gotten is the great article that the NY Times’ “Frugal Traveler” had on all the best tools and tips for researching travel and getting the best price. Matt Gross, as the Frugal Traveler is known to his parents, referenced sites like Kayak and Hotels.com as well as a number of research options, all of which he uses as a matter of course before undertaking any trip.

But Gross - and most travelers - had no ideas past the point of getting flights and hotels locked in. Despite the fact that the cost of the time a traveler spends in his or her destination often far exceeds the costs of flights and housing, people seem resigned to paying full price. Either the Frugal Traveller sits quietly and economically in his hotel room, or he’s paying full rates to see and do things when he gets where he is going.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Not surprisingly, the Internet offers a variety of options that a growing number of travelers are tapping into to save on their “destination experience.” It is no secret that individual tours and attractions offer deals on their web sites that are available to anyone who buys in advance. And not surprisingly, aggregators of a wide variety of these type of buy before you fly deals are starting to have a growing presence online.

On popular example is Viator.com. This site allows travelers to select from destinations across the world and select from tickets to attractions, tours, events, airport transfers, and so on, often at a significant discount to walk up prices. And travelers might be surprised at the breadth of the offering. Disney, Grand Canyon, Broadway Shows, etc. are all on offer. But so is a Ghost Hunting tour in Edinburgh, skydiving in Australia, kickboxing matches in Bangkok - the list goes on and on.

Obviously committing to specific sites and activities in advance requires a bit of pre-planning. This fact alone has been as much a barrier as anything to more rapid expansion of travelers seizing on destination deals. For those looking to save while preserving flexibility and spontaneity, an ”city pass” (also known as an “attraction pass” or a “sightseeing pass“) like those offered by Smart Destinations could be just the ticket.

The company offers a credit card sized ticket in 14 North American destinations that allows the holder to go into most if not all of the main attractions and tours in that destination for one prepaid price. Perhaps best of all, there’s no need to decide in advance what you intend to see. In destinations such as San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Oahu, San Diego, and New York City, the Pass offers savings that can be as much as 55% compared to buying separate tickets, and that’s not counting deals on shopping and dining that are included in the card.

So as you plan your next trip, make sure you don’t stop with flights and hotels, but give some thought to the things you plan to do once you get where you are going. You could end up significantly lowering the total cost of your trip with just a bit more effort.

New Hampshire Ski Areas
Attitash- 75 trails open, 6 lifts, loose granular
Waterville Valley- 52 trails open, 8 lifts, packed powder
Ragged Mountain- 33 trails open, 6 lifts, loose granular
Gunstock Mountain- 45 trails open, 7 lifts, frozen granular
Pats Peak- 20 trails, 9 lifts, loose granular
Whaleback- 30 trails, 4 lifts, hard pack/variable conditions

Vermont Ski Areas
Jay Peak- 60 trails open, 8 lifts, packed powder
Bolton Valley- 44 trails open, 5 lifts, packed powder/frozen granular
Ascutney Mountain- 34 trails open, 5 lifts, loose granular/corn snow powder
Mad River Glen- 40 trails open, 4 lifts, variable conditions/packed powder

Maine Ski Areas
Shawnee Peak- 40 trails open, 5 lifts, loose granular
Saddleback Maine-56 trails open, 5 lifts, packed powder/loose granular

New York Ski Areas
Gore Mountain- 51 trails open, 10 lifts, loose granular/packed powder Windham Mountain- 32 trails open, 6 lifts, loose granular/frozen granular

Massachusetts Ski Areas
Wachusett Mountain- 18 trails open, 8 lifts, loose granular
Ski Butternut- 22 trails open, 4 lifts, loose granular/frozen granular

New Hampshire Ski Areas
Attitash- 75 trails open, 6 lifts, loose granular
Waterville Valley- 52 trails open, 8 lifts, loose granular
Ragged Mountain- 33 trails open, 6 lifts, loose granular
Gunstock Mountain- 45 trails open, 7 lifts, packed powder
Pats Peak- 22 trails, 9 lifts, loose granular
Whaleback- 30 trails, 4 lifts, spring conditions/variable conditions

Vermont Ski Areas
Jay Peak- 72 trails open, 8 lifts, frozen granular/variable conditions
Bolton Valley- 60 trails open, 6 lifts, loose granular/frozen granular
Ascutney Mountain- 45 trails open, 5 lifts, loose granular/packed powder
Mad River Glen- 45 trails open, 4 lifts, variable conditions/packed powder

Maine Ski Areas
Shawnee Peak- 39 trails open, 5 lifts, loose granular
Saddleback Maine-61 trails open, 5 lifts, powder/packed powder

New York Ski Areas
Gore Mountain- 64 trails open, 11 lifts, loose granular/frozen granular Windham Mountain- 31 trails open, 6 lifts, loose granular/frozen granular

Massachusetts Ski Areas
Wachusett Mountain- 21 trails open, 8 lifts, loose granular
Ski Butternut- 22 trails open, 5 lifts, loose granular/frozen granular

New Hampshire Ski Areas
Attitash- 75 trails open, 9 lifts, packed powder/powder
Waterville Valley- 52 trails open, 8 lifts, packed powder/powder
Ragged Mountain- 47 trails open, 6 lifts, packed powder
Gunstock Mountain- 51 trails open, 7 lifts, packed powder/powder
Pats Peak- 22 trails, 9 lifts, powder/packed powder
Whaleback- 30 trails, 4 lifts, packed powder/powder

Vermont Ski Areas
Jay Peak- 76 trails open, 8 lifts, packed powder/powder
Bolton Valley- 61 trails open, 6 lifts, powder/packed powder
Ascutney Mountain- 57 trails open, 6 lifts, powder/packed powder
Mad River Glen- 45 trails open, 4 lifts, packed powder

Maine Ski Areas
Shawnee Peak- 44 trails open, 5 lifts, packed powder/powder
Saddleback Maine-61 trails open, 5 lifts, powder/packed powder

New York Ski Areas
Gore Mountain- 75 trails open, 11 lifts, packed powder/powder
Windham Mountain- 40 trails open, 6 lifts, packed powder

Massachusetts Ski Areas
Wachusett Mountain- 22 trails open, 8 lifts, packed powder/frozen granular
Ski Butternut- 22 trails open, 5 lifts, loose granular/frozen granular

Do you think snowboarding is the craze of the season? Think again! Though you may see lots of boarders on the slopes in their fashionable gear, twin-tip skis are the hot item of the season according to “A New Direction with Twin-Tip Skis” in the New York Times. Twin-tip skis are traditionally known to be used for freestyle skiing, designed to help skiers improve their skills in hitting and landing jumps backwards.

While this may sound like intense equipment for most skiers, people of different age groups and skill levels are running out to buy twin-tip skis. If the ski is designed for freestyle skiing, then why are so many different skiers interested in this product?

The answer is lifestyle. Not only are the graphics creative, lively, and intense, but they also make skiers feel free and more youthful. Twin-tip skis are known to be more forgiving on the slopes as well, giving skiers the control and feel of a shorter ski. Though the ski is stylish and versatile, the main reason people are buying twin-tip skis is because everyone is doing it, so join the latest craze on the slopes!

New Hampshire Ski Areas
Attitash- 75 trails open, 12 lifts, machine groomed
Waterville Valley- 50 trails open, 10 lifts, loose granular
Ragged Mountain- 30 trails open, 5 lifts, machine groomed/granular
Gunstock Mountain- 49 trails open, 7 lifts, frozen granular
Pats Peak- 22 trails, 9 lifts, loose granular
Whaleback- 30 trails, 4 lifts, loose granular

Vermont Ski Areas
Jay Peak- 72 trails open, 8 lifts, machine groomed
Bolton Valley- 48 trails open, 6 lifts, machine groomed
Ascutney Mountain- 42 trails open, 5 lifts, packed powder
Mad River Glen- 30 trails open, 5 lifts, machine groomed

Maine Ski Areas
Shawnee Peak- 43 trails open, 5 lifts, loose granular
Saddleback Maine-62 trails open, 5 lifts, loose granular

New York Ski Areas
Gore Mountain- 57 trails open, 12 lifts, loose granular
Windham Mountain- 31 trails open, 10 lifts, machine groomed/frozen granular

Massachusetts Ski Areas
Wachusett Mountain- 22 trails open, 8 lifts, machine groomed/loose granular
Ski Butternut- 22 trails open, 9 lifts, machine groomed/packed powder

New Hampshire Ski Areas
Attitash- 75 trails open, 6 lifts, packed powder
Waterville Valley- 52 trails open, 7 lifts, packed powder/loose granular
Ragged Mountain- 45 trails open, 7 lifts, packed powder/powder
Gunstock Mountain- 48 trails open, 7 lifts, powder/wet packed
Pats Peak- 20 trails, 8 lifts, loose granular/wet packed
Whaleback- 30 trails, 4 lifts, corn snow/loose granular

Vermont Ski Areas
Jay Peak- 76 trails open, 8 lifts, powder/packed powder
Bolton Valley- 60 trails open, 6 lifts, packed powder/powder
Ascutney Mountain- 30 trails open, 4 lifts, loose granular/packed powder
Mad River Glen- 45 trails open, 4 lifts, powder/packed powder

Maine Ski Areas
Shawnee Peak- 37 trails open, 5 lifts, packed powder
Saddleback Maine-61 trails open, 5 lifts, packed powder/powder

New York Ski Areas
Gore Mountain- 74 trails open, 11 lifts, packed powder
Windham Mountain- 32 trails open, 6 lifts, loose granular/frozen granular

Massachusetts Ski Areas
Wachusett Mountain- 21 trails open, 8 lifts, loose granular/variable conditions
Ski Butternut- 22 trails open, 5 lifts, loose granular/hard pack

New Hampshire Ski Areas
Attitash- 75 trails open, 6 lifts, powder/packed powder
Waterville Valley- 52 trails open, 7 lifts, powder/packed powder
Ragged Mountain- 20 trails open, 4 lifts, powder/packed powder
Gunstock Mountain- 48 trails open, 7 lifts, powder/wet packed
Pats Peak- 22 trails, 9 lifts, powder
Whaleback- 20 trails, 3 lifts, loose granular/variable conditions

Vermont Ski Areas
Jay Peak- 75 trails open, 8 lifts, powder
Bolton Valley- 50 trails open, 4 lifts, powder
Ascutney Mountain- 31 trails open, 4 lifts, loose granular
Mad River Glen- 45 trails open, 4 lifts, powder

Maine Ski Areas
Shawnee Peak- 37 trails open, 4 lifts, powder
Saddleback Maine-60 trails open, 5 lifts, packed powder

New York Ski Areas
Gore Mountain- 48 trails open, 11 lifts, powder
Windham Mountain- 27 trails open, 6 lifts, packed powder

Massachusetts Ski Areas
Wachusett Mountain- 21 trails open, 8 lifts, wet snow
Ski Butternut- 22 trails open, 5 lifts, loose granular

Ski and Snowboard Gear Photo uploaded by Joe Shlabotnik

Ready to embark on your first journey to the slopes? As a first time skier or snowboarder it’s important to make sure you’re well equipped prior to heading to the mountain. Not having the right amount of clothing or poorly fit equipment could make your trip a lot less enjoyable. Below we’ve comprised a list of all equipment, gear, and clothing you will need.

• Skis/Snowboard- As a first timer it is best to rent your skis, boots and poles as a package. Skis and snowboards can be quite expensive and you want to make sure this is a sport you plan to continue before purchasing. Packages are often available with lift tickets. For example, Whaleback offers a package that includes skis/snowboards, boots and a lift ticket.
• Ski Boots/Snowboard Boots- Boots are the most important piece of equipment so it is important to make sure they fit correctly. They should be snug enough to hold your heel securely in place yet only allow your toes to brush the edge. Rental store employees will help you to find the right boot size.
• Ski Poles- When looking for the right size pole, turn the pole upside down and grab just below the basket. Your elbow should be at a 90 degree angle.
• Goggles/Sunglasses- Make sure your goggles are fog resistant and if you wear glasses purchase a pair of over-the-glasses goggles.
• Helmet- Helmets have become an essential part of ski gear in the past few years. The helmet should be snug and there shouldn’t be any space between the goggles and the helmet.
• Gloves/Mittens- It is important to have a good, warm pair of gloves or mittens. They should be wind proof and water resistant yet allow your fingers to move and stay warm. If you tend to have cold fingers mittens will be your best bet.
• Neck Gaiter- This will keep your neck warm and your chin from getting wind burn.
• Long Underwear- Long underwear is important as it will keep you warm while wicking away moisture from the skin. Make sure the long underwear you purchase is breathable and has moisture-wicking properties.
• Additional Clothing Layers (turtleneck, sweater, fleece)- Layers are key when playing in cold weather. The weather from the top of the mountain to the bottom can vary drastically as can your body temperature depending on if your riding the chairlift or skiing downhill.
• Ski Socks- Make sure to wear a warm, thick socks that will keep your feet dry and warm.
• Ski Jacket- There are a lot of coats out there so its difficult to know what exactly to look for. The most important thing to look for is that the coat is both water resistant and windproof. Make sure the coat fits properly and can be worn with numerous layers underneath.
• Ski Pants-You can purchase pants that are either heavily insulated or thin shells. Either way make sure they are waterproof and allow for flexibility. If you choose pants that are shells make sure to compensate with more layers underneath.
• Hand/Foot Warmers- Always carry a few of these in your pocket to stick in your gloves or boots whenever needed.
• Sunblock- Lather up on sunscreen before you even start skiing. Even on cloudy days the snow can reflect a great deal of sun leaving you with an attractive raccoon tan.
• Chapstick- Dry winter conditions often leave dry chapped lips making this stuff a lifesaver.

New Hampshire Ski Areas
Attitash- 75 trails open for the weekend, 12 lifts, frozen granular/machine groomed
Waterville Valley- 46 trails open, 7 lifts, loose granular/machine groomed
Ragged Mountain- 13 trails open, 3 lifts, loose granular/machine groomed
Gunstock Mountain- 22 trails open, 6 lifts, packed powder
Pats Peak- 22 trails, 9 lifts, loose granular
Whaleback- 18 trails, 4 lifts, variable conditions

Vermont Ski Areas
Jay Peak- 76 trails open, 6 lifts, frozen granular/variable conditions
Bolton Valley- 45 trails open, 4 lifts, loose/frozen granular
Ascutney Mountain- 31 trails open, 4 lifts, wet snow/packed powder
Mad River Glen- 24 trails open, 4 lifts, variable conditions

Maine Ski Areas
Shawnee Peak- 31 trails open, 4 lifts, loose granular
Saddleback Maine-58 trails open, 5 lifts, packed powder

New York Ski Areas
Gore Mountain- 51 trails, 10 lifts, packed powder
Windham Mountain- 33 trails, 6 lifts, loose granular

Massachusetts Ski Areas
Wachusett Mountain- 21 trails open, 7 lifts, loose granular
Ski Butternut- 22 trails open, 5 lifts, loose granular/packed powder