Siblings Haley (from left), Adam and Brian Klein wear helmets — a wise move at Woodbury Ski Area. (Zandy Mangold)
Sisters Julianna (from left), Alexandra and Sara Griesbauer. (Zandy Mangold)
FOR CATSKILLS CHARM
Windham Mountain Adventure Park, Windham, NY; 518-734-6974, windhammountain.com
Scene: With picturesque views of the Catskills and rustic red barns, fresh-faced college-age staff pushing tube-riding kids down the mountain and a quaint nearby town, Windham Mountain’s Adventure Park is an idyllic setting for family fun.
Despite all the kids, the atmosphere is also adult-friendly, thanks to a well-kept lodge. Rhode Island lawyer Rhiannon Huffman, 31, quips, “I would prefer a roller coaster, but this will do.”
By the numbers: $20 for two hours, $25 for four hours, $15 for Friday nights.
Tube ride: The 650-foot ride down is about 20 seconds.
Snack time: A cozy lodge offers basics like burgers with fries and soft pretzels, as well as a crackling fire surrounded by Adirondack chairs.
Getting there: A 2 ½-hour drive from NYC. Several bus services go from Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens to the Windham Mountain Ski and Snowboard Resort, where tubers pick up a free shuttle to the Adventure Park, a quarter-mile away. — Hailey Eber
FOR FAMILY FUN
Tuxedo Ridge, Tuxedo Park, NY
845-351-1122, tuxedoridge.com
Scene: Don’t come for the glitz — this is a low-key place that’s popular with local families. Once derelict, the 50-year-old spot was taken over several years ago by a couple of partners who’ve been making improvements. Prices are likewise unassuming.
The tubing run is small and no-frills — four side-by-side tracks that offer a straight run of a few hundred feet. There’s a rope lift that will pull you and your tube to the top, but it’s just as quick to walk it. If that sounds like a slight upgrade on a sledding hill, that’s about right: “Like sledding, but funner,” said my son Leo. Both he and his sister Katie loved it.
By the numbers: $15 to $25 (depending on when you go) for 90 minutes.
Tube ride: It’s a short, straight shot, about 12 seconds to the bottom.
Snack time: The lodge has two options: a self-service line with
cafeteria-grade burgers, fries and chicken tenders, and a pub area offering soups, sandwiches, chili and pirogi — and beer and wine.
Tuber’s tip: The dank, cinderblock bathroom could use an upgrade. On a brighter note, you can hear live music on Saturdays.
Getting there: Only 35 miles from the George Washington Bridge, this is the closest of our spots to NYC. There’s a Metro-North station in Tuxedo, and with advance notice you can arrange pickup and drop-off. — Chris Erikson
FOR THE FEARLESS
Woodbury Ski Area, Woodbury, Conn.; 203-263-2203, woodburyskiarea.com
Scene: Chaotic — and dangerous. We saw countless poor suckers who were waiting on line taken out by out-of-control tubers. Helmets ($10 rentals) are a must. During our visit, the tiny ticket office was staffed mostly by confused-looking teens.
For the brave, a key attraction is the raft-like “family tube” which fits about eight people. Most customers hail from Long Island and nearby Connecticut towns, and it seems the owner, Rod Taylor, a former ski champ, is hoping to widen its appeal to the daredevil (er, kamikaze?) metropolitan set.
By the numbers: $32 per person for 90 minutes (double and family tubes cost an extra $25 to $35).
Tube ride: Depending on the run and the size of the tube, it’s either a short and sweet 10 seconds, or a more leisurely 30 to 60 seconds. Either way, your whole life will flash before you.
Snack time: A rustic-style lodge and a canteen-like cafe serve lukewarm basic fare like hamburgers, fries and hot dogs. Stick to hot soup or pack a lunch.
Tuber’s tip: If you want to avoid danger, just relax at the lodge, where a cozy wood-burning stove and a giant deer head mounted on the wall make good conversation points for city dwellers.
Getting there: It’s an-hour-and-45-minute drive from NYC. Buses run to nearby Southbury from Port Authority, plus a 10-minute taxi ride. Or take Metro-North to Waterbury and get a 30-minute cab ride. — Jane Ridley
FOR REBELS
Mountain Creek, Vernon, NJ
973-827-2000, mountaincreek.com
Scene: Mountain Creek, the self-proclaimed largest tubing park in America, has a laid-back attitude; the teenage staff let us flout the rules and form a five-tube downhill chain.
Post-tubing, enjoy a free pass for the Soaring Eagle — the resort’s attraction that takes you down the mountain side on a more comfy chair lift.
“It’s a great escape from the city,” says Michael Griesbauer, 43, of Hoboken, visiting with his wife and three young daughters.
By the numbers: For two hours of tubing, $25 per person on the weekends and holidays; $20 on Thursdays and Fridays.
Tube ride: The downhill trip lasts about 30 seconds.
Snack time: A snack bar near a roaring fire pit offers chili dogs, fried Oreos and cotton candy.
Tuber’s tip: Cap off the day at nearby Red Tail Lodge, and watch skiers from the beer garden.
Getting there: 90 minutes from NYC. Bus service available from Port Authority. — Tim Donnelly