By Bob Williams

Dec. 27 (World Wide News) – Looking for a ski resort where you won’t have to wait on long lines for the lift? Head to Big Sky, Mont., according to Orbitz.com.

But if you are skiing with the family, consider Steamboat Springs, Colo., which has five kids-only lifts and kids-only terrain, the Web site says.

For the best nightlife at a ski destination, Orbitz recommends Aspen, Colo., while Beaver Creek, Colo., offers a variety of spas for skiers who want a soak and a massage after a long day on the slopes.

For non-skiers tagging along on a ski vacation with friends or family, access to casinos, shows, shopping and spas makes South Lake Tahoe, Calif., a good destination for those who love snow sports as well as for those who prefer other forms of recreation, the Web site said.

LOVE THAT SNOW – The figures are in, and Vermont’s ski resorts had a lot to be thankful for during the Thanksgiving weekend last month. They counted their blessings in inches of freshly fallen snow.

“We had a lot of terrain open, which means you can put a lot more people on the mountain,” David Dillon, president of the Vermont Ski Areas Association, said.

The good snow this season started to fall before Thanksgiving, which is the traditional start of the ski season in Vermont. This year, it was marked by several inches of new snow right at the beginning of the holiday weekend.

Only one more resort was open this Thanksgiving than last – 10 versus nine. But the numbers that tell the difference are these: Last year, those nine resorts had just 71 trails open. This year, skiers and snowboarders had 175 trails from which to choose.

At Stowe Mountain Resort a few days ago, the air was crisp and cold, a mix of natural and machine-made snow crunched satisfyingly under foot and the lift lines were short but steady.

“This is my escape,” said snowboarder Todd Kohlman of Burlington. “You don’t worry about a thing when you’re riding.”

Stove spokesman Michael Colbourn said many of the Thanksgiving weekend skiers were the real enthusiasts, often with season passes, eager and excited to start the season.

“If you measure success by the smiles of guests and the smiles of staff, we had a great opening weekend,” he said.

Stowe had eight of 48 trails – 17 percent – and four of 12 lifts open. Okemo Mountain Resort in Ludlow had opened more than a quarter of its 117 trails and nearly half its 18 lifts, spokeswoman Bonnie MacPherson said. Smugglers’ Notch in Cambridge had eight of its 78 trails and two of its eight lifts open, spokeswoman Barbara Thomke said.

She said the number of skiers and riders on Thanksgiving weekend matched that of 2002, the resort’s best year.

Dillon said the outstanding opening can help resorts not only this ski season but also next, as tourists praise the conditions after they return home.

“It’s doubly good for the state,” he said. “They’ll go back and encourage people to make a trip or two this season, and they’ll remember how good the evening was when they’re making their Thanksgiving plans next year.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.