New York Times' Practical Traveler: How to Find Lift Tickets for Less

If you are waiting until the last minute to buy lift tickets, you are probably missing out on major savings.

Taking a page from the airlines, ski resorts are lowering prices for traditionally sluggish travel dates, charging more for the most popular travel periods and offering discounts to those who book online in advance. It’s a major change for the ski industry. Until recently, most skiers had little choice but to buy their lift tickets only after they had arrived at their location.

While the new pricing options mean more opportunities for deal seekers, knowing when and where to buy is getting more complicated.

“For the exact same ticket you might see three different price points,” said Ron Schneidermann, a founder of Liftopia, an online provider of lift tickets, lessons and gear rentals at discounted rates. The trick, he said, “is knowing what’s out there.”

Here are seven tips to ensure you get the best bargains...

Winter Ski & Snowboard Vacations

Now is the time to plan your winter vacation on the slopes!

Here are some regional websites to provide you with the information you need:

-US Skiing (all U.S.)
-SkiCentral (U.S. & Canada)
-Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month (Learn to ski during January at resorts throughout the U.S.)
-New England Ski Resorts
-Ski Vermont
-Ski NH (New Hampshire)
-Colorado Ski Resorts
-Colorado Winter Ski Vacation Resort Guide
-Ski Utah
-Utah Skiing and Snowboarding
-Skiing Downhill in British Columbia (Canada)
-Iglu Ski (Ski deals worldwide)
-MySwitzerland.com
-Ski Austria

Fodor's Travel Blog: Europe's Best Holiday Markets

December 06, 2011
By Jennifer Ladonne

Nestled in the shadow of ancient cathedrals or in illuminated town squares, Europe's bustling holiday markets offer a taste of Christmas through the ages. Of the hundreds of exceptional celebrations around Europe, we've selected these five festive destinations and their best markets.

-Dazzling Lights at Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens
-Festive Spirits in Germany’s Nüremberg
-Handcrafted Gifts in France’s Strasbourg
-Celebratory Flavors at the Old Viennese Christmas Market
-Christmas Carols and Ice Skating in London

New York State Winter Travel Advisory System

The purpose of the system is to provide information about many of New York State's most traveled roads directly from the operators that are performing the snow and ice operations. Operators will provide reports to this system in areas where they are plowing or treating a highway due to winter weather. This advisory system provides a color coded map of major NYS highways indicating where many of these operations are occurring and the conditions that operators are observing.

The New York State Department of Transportation cautions travelers to avoid travel whenever possible when winter weather makes driving difficult - but in cases where travel is necessary this system can provide you information about potential conditions during your trip.