Experienced Smuggs......but I'm sticking with New Hampshire

[mdurette Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mdurette]

We are back from our week at Smuggs. Great score with a last minute exchange. This has a been on place on my bucket list for years and I was very excited about it. We traveled with a 7YO and another family stopped in for a few days. We had a 1BR Sycamore 60.

Overall the resort was clean (but the pools I saw could have used a good scrub down) The unit I was in typical for what I expect in a northern New England TS. They did have a lot of activities - our favorite was the zip line tree top canopy tour. We went 2 days. Smuggs advertises it - but it is a separate company that offers down the road. They had a course that was fun enough for my 7YO but yet challenging enough for her 40 something parents. If your kids liked the kids camps - there was plenty to choose from. A couple days were a bit cool and rainy - so we did the tourist thing in Stowe (Ben and Jerry's, glassblowing place, cider mill, etc). All of it was just ok...a way to kill an afternoon.

We left a day early and went to Shelburne, VT for a hot air balloon festival. They didn't lift off....wind in the wrong direction, but the balloon glow was pretty cool.

Why am I sticking with New Hampshire? Maybe I'm just a creature of habit.....maybe it's because I just love the White Mountains.....maybe because we have a kid in tow. I just feel like there is so much more to do in NH. I have no problem filling up a week with activities, taking in awesome scenery and kicking back and enjoying the outdoors there.

So....yes, here I am 1st week in August missing my NH summer vacation. So, as any good TSer would do.....I'm watching II and RCI for something I can snag last minute and heck....I'm taking another week off!

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

I'm a big White Mountains fan. I've been going there since the mid-80"s and I still want to go back every year. We were there last year and re-did a few things along with some new things and tried to get something this year without any luck. I have a request in for next year. We have just about done it all, but don't mind doing things we've already done. The scenery itself is spectacular.

[BWolf Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BWolf]

Interesting. We own in the White Mountains but exchange to Stowe every year for X-Country skiing. We love our spacious unit in Lincoln, but my wife really likes Stowe, Trapp in particular, so we make the trade. This past February we did a direct exchange to Village Green and found the change of venue interesting.

[susieq Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close susieq]

We are back from our week at Smuggs. Great score with a last minute exchange. This has a been on place on my bucket list for years and I was very excited about it.

I was glad to read that I'm not the only one who was disillusioned with Smuggs. IMHO this just wasn't Gold Crown material, and definitely over rated. We spent last summer in the White Mountains, after the year before at Smuggs ~ no comparison!!

[Hobbitess Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hobbitess]

We are back from our week at Smuggs. Great score with a last minute exchange. This has a been on place on my bucket list for years and I was very excited about it.

I haven't been there, but never could quite understand why Smuggs was such a big deal (unless you're a skier, at least). But it also seems to me it gets so talked up that people expect more than it offers and end up disappointed -- it sounds like a nice place, just not that out of the ordinary.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

I haven't been to Smuggs yet but sure did enjoy my stay in the White Mountains.
That is until the mud slides started and blocked the roads.

[3kids4me Super Moderator and Super Mom Find all posts View Profile Close 3kids4me]

I'm here at Smuggs right now. This is our 13th year here although we missed it last year due to some health issues.

I really like Vermont in general and I still love it here, but it's hard to separate out what I like so much versus what a new person might think. The resort isn't as homey as it used to be (I think since Wyndham took over) although the Wyndham cash has contributed positively to some of the amenities. For awhile there were some big housekeeping issues, but this year has been stellar in that regard...so perhaps that is also the Wyndham influence. (I am not a Wyndham owner...I own under the "old" regime but I did convert to RCI points, which can no longer be done.) We have friends we see here every year and I think that for me, that also makes it special. i think it's hard to make friends at a resort...we were very lucky to have done so and consider them very good friends now. Two of the families have kids who are friends with my daughters. My son (age 21) has not come up in years though, because his friends no longer come and he prefers the beach.

There are tons of activities here, and I really like the adult activities at night, but if you have young kids and don't want to get a sitter, or are really only interested in doing family things, then you may not be interested in that. I think it depends so much on your vacation habits and also what you prefer to do with/without kids.

I love Vermont, but I've never been to New Hampshire.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

Hi Sharon - nice to see you back and I hope Germany worked out well for you. You should try New Hampshire's White Mountains and if you do the best place to trade into is Pollard Brook in Lincoln.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

Hi Sharon - nice to see you back and I hope Germany worked out well for you. You should try New Hampshire's White Mountains and if you do the best place to trade into is Pollard Brook in Lincoln.

I agree. Pollard brook is really in a beautiful area and the units are real nice too.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

[BWolf Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BWolf]

I agree. Pollard brook is really in a beautiful area and the units are real nice too.

Yeah, well, we own the largest two bedroom with a cathedral ceiling week 6 -

[SallyHoover Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close SallyHoover]

When we stayed in New Hampshire during the summer, we stayed at Steele Hill in Sambornton. It was South of the White Mountains and closer to Lake Winnepesaukee and the Lakes region. We divided out week between the regions and did 2 days mountains, 3 days lakes, and one day coastal. We thought all the areas had gorgeous scenery, wonderful weather, and lots to see and do.

When we visited Smuggs we did it more as a destination resort with only 1.5 days of visiting the surrounding areas and the rest spent enjoying the activities at the resort (we paid the extra $350 for the Smuggs pass so we wanted to try to get our money's worth)

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

Yeah, well, we own the largest two bedroom with a cathedral ceiling week 6 -

Much warmer and more to do in summer.

I remember stopping in Lincoln and looking for a place to spend one night back in the 90's. I stopped at one motel and got a high night's rate. The guy behind the desk said they only had one season so the rates were high- I told him Cape Cod only had one season and that they had 3 of the 4. Ended up trying elsewhere and finding a room at half the price.

[BWolf Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BWolf]

Much warmer and more to do in summer.

Can't downhill ski in summer. Or X-country ski. Or Snowshoe. Or snowtube.

There is a lot to do in summer. I understand moms and kids go for the week and Dad comes for three or four days. Lots to do on Loon, lots of hiking trails nearby, even some places with activities for the kids.

[rapmarks Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close rapmarks]

okay, advice needed. check out in Berkshires on a Friday, Sept 27, go to my son's in Westborough, MA for weekend, maybe stay til Monday afternoon. have til Friday to check into Cape Cod unit.
so do we just drive around and hope for some hotel finds in New Hampshire, do we bid for something on Priceline?, or do I try to search for a week on RCI knowing I will only use half of it, or try for a last minute exchange with RCI.
smuggs is available, for 18 tpus right now, but when I saw all the additional fees, i don't need that for two old folks for three days.'we have never really visited new hampshire or vermont

[BWolf Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BWolf]

rapmarks: How about a B&B somewhere you want to visit? You might get a special mid-week rate.