Summary
What it's like to stay, ski and play at Magic Mountain in Vermont.
I’ve been to (almost) every ski area in Vermont, but my kids only rock sweatshirts from one of them. You guessed it. It’s Magic Mountain in Londonderry, Vermont. Magic might be the most humble and yet rad ski area in Vermont. It’s got fun rugged terrain, a no-nonsense vibe, and one of my favorite places to stay, Upper Pass Lodge.
Upper Pass Lodge
The first time I stayed at Upper Pass Lodge was about 10 years ago and I was child-free. We brought our dog instead of children (it’s pet-friendly!) and hung out at the bar and in the living space with friends. I was excited to do the same with my kids in March 2023 when we stayed there with another family.
Upper Pass Lodge did not disappoint. Our two families had rooms on the first floor and our kids felt right at home, just as we did the first time we visited. While the Lodge is obviously for visitors, it also seems to be a haunt for locals and you feel like part of the community just stepping through its doors. A cozy bar serving Vermont brews and spirits lays just right of the entrance, a divider between the Red Slate restaurant and what I call the “living room.” Two couches, a few armchairs, and a roaring fire welcome guests to settle in with a drink, games, or in our case, Legos.
The Red Slate Restaurant boasts delicious food from a variety of steaks to fancy sandwiches, fish and chips to a kid-friendly menu. Breakfast is served Saturdays and Sundays from 7:30 to 10 am, and a spread of coffee and tea awaits at the bar every morning.
Insider tip: It’s worth noting that Upper Pass Lodge isn’t fancy. The rooms have a motel feel, and it’s a bit worn, but it’s also affordable with standard rooms usually running under $200 on a weekend. For us, it also feels like home. It’s not stuffy or uptight. We could let our kids play and be kids without worrying about them being scolded by management, patrons, or ourselves.
Magic the Mountain
Magic Mountain boasts 1500 vertical feet with a variety of terrain from classic rugged Vermont black diamond runs to low-angle greens near the base. We were keen on exploring the beginner area with the two 3-year-olds we had in tow, and blues with our 6-year-old. It was late March and a gamble on conditions, but despite the lack of recent snow and recent thaw-freeze, the terrain was well-covered and edge-able.
The beginner area was a few steps from the Black Line Tavern and base lodge. A nice low-angle slope, it featured a conveyor lift, or “magic carpet.” The littles enjoyed a few cycles with their dads, while our oldest was in a lesson, learning to fine-tune his parallel turns. The moms snuck in a run together and a stop at the on-mountain snack shack for a beverage by the fire.
The group reconvened at the base lodge. The top floor of the lodge is an open-air space called the Black Line Tavern, with a slope-level deck and lots of space to spread out. Whether ordering classic ski lodge food from the kitchen, snacking on your own brown bag lunch or just hanging out, it’s a place for all and everyone. They even have games to entertain the kids while you grab a bevvie from the bar. Stay long enough on a weekend night and you can dance the night away to live music.
Bromley Bonus
When in Rome… Visiting from northern Vermont, we took the opportunity to swing by Bromley on our return travel day. Bromley is just a few minutes down the road from Magic and they are two of the three corners that make the Golden Triangle of Vermont ski areas. The third is Stratton Mountain. All 3 mountains boast views of the others from certain trails.
It was a blustery day at Bromley, but the snow was sugary, soft, and fast. My oldest, Ollie, had a blast practicing everything he learned from his lessons the day before. He showed off his newly learned hockey stops spraying snow on us whenever he could.
Inside the base lodge, two 3-year-olds resisted going back outside. The base lodge at Bromley also has a cozy local feel, with folks setting up crock pots in the cafeteria and racers prepping for a day of training. They were feeling pretty comfy by the fireplace. That said, we eventually got them out for a few runs on the covered magic carpet lift. When my youngest decided he didn’t want to stand on his own anymore, we trekked back to the base lodge. There the kids spent a half hour sliding down a little slope of snow, having a blast. At that age, sometimes you just need to go with the flow.
Sarah Wojcik is the founder of All Mountains Mamas, starting it in 2012. Becoming a mother in 2017, she grasped the opportunity to share her passion of skiing and snowboarding with families across the U.S. and came on as a contributor and manager. Formerly the Director or Marketing and Communications for Ski Vermont, and currently the creative editor and digital partnership director at Ski Area Management magazine, she writes with great knowledge of the ski industry in Vermont and beyond, and from the point of view of a new mother working to get back out on the slopes with two kids in tow. She is also the proud owner of Vermont’s #1 family fun resource, FindandGoSeek.net.
We love Magic Mountain! We went as a family last year and it was wonderful, love that smaller mountain feel.
Love that they are with Indy
Indy is a great option if you want to explore homey independent resorts like Magic, Bolton, and Jay Peak.
I used to ski Magic as a teenager and from what I remember it was a great mountain! Love to ski it again w/my family.
My wife and I are from Swanzey, NH. We always ski at Bromly or Stratton. Both are just the greatest ski areas for us. I ski intermediate to expert and my wife skis beginner.
It’s Magic!
Bromley is awesome, still feels a bit off the beaten path!
We love upper pass lodge too! Great price for location.
Just bought a place in Andover so looking forward to checking out the golden triangle ski mountains so our grandchildren can learn to ski there. Any recommendations on which mountain of the three might be best for kids under 5 years old?
I think it would depend on your budget and if they are taking lessons. Bromley is in the middle when it comes to budget, beginner terrain, and crowds, so I might suggest trying that first. It caters to families incredibly well.
My two kiddos learned to ski at Bromley and it was great! The terrain is a bit easier than Magic and felt more family friendly than Stratton. And with them now older, we love skiing Magic!
David – congrats! You are one of five winners! We will reach out via email with details.
Also – you’d suggest starting at Bromley to get a feel there. It’s less busy than Stratton (though they have great beginner terrain), and more beginner-friendly than Magic (though they also have a magic carpet.) You can’t go wrong whatever you choose.
Always a good time up in the magic mountains!
I have skied at magic mountain many times and it is very fun and challenging. It has a great big mountain feeling. Bromley is an awesome place to ski and enjoy the Vermont views! Vermont has the most amazing mountains in the northeast!
Great memories of Magic in the seventies. Driving up with friends from Coast Guard Academy
I haven’t been to Bromley or many places yet:/ , but it sounds like a great place to visit. The fish and chips are what I’m looking forward to trying if I go!
We love Magic! The east side is perfect for families and the apres vibe is great at the BLT! For the more adventurous, the west side offers more than enough challenge. But thanks to Wizard (a long blue), those not ready for some of their steep terrain or trees, can cruise through that area just to see (wink).
Bromley is wonderful too. I finally went there after so many years of looking at it from the top of Magic, and I’m sorry I didn’t go sooner! I love the family vibe and there is something at Bromley for everyone.
Magic is a great mountain and can be very challenging
Magic Mountain is the best! Thank you for the lodging recommendation!
I love Magic. Its been a terrific mountain to bring my kids, who are now teens. Getting reservations at Upper Pass isn’t easy unfortunately, or that would be a no-brainer. Love the vibe at Magic, the customer service, and their commitment to keeping the old school feel.
I look forward to spending time at Magic with my family during February vacation week this winter!!
Haven’t been to this resort yet. Adding it to my list!
Great amenities and atmosphere for the whole family
I’ve heard great things about Magic. So nice to read about the mountain here!
Can’t wait to visit this one with my kids!
Humble but rad… sold!
Bromley is a favorite for our family. Love the local feel and there is something for everyone.
This one is a bit south so we haven’t visited it yet, but sounds like we will have to give it a try!!
I heard great things about this ski resort. Would love to try it out sometime.
Been skiing Bromley and Magic since the 80’s. Both are great Family mountains. They are the jewels of Southern VT!
the greens and coffee shop will make my day!!! fun for everyone!
Hoping to visit this ski area for my first time someday!!!! I love to explore Vermont…I grew up here, and teaching the family to ski
Upper pass Lodge sounds like it’s right up our alley, we’ll check it out the next time we’re up! Thanks for highlighting.