My first day of the season at Sunshine Village definitely got me into the holiday spirit. With a roaring bonfire at the base and Mr and Mrs Claus making an appearance, it was all very jolly, indeed.
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If you’d like to experience the magic of Sunshine Village with your family, you’re in luck. I’ve got all deets on what’s new this season, plus a fantastic giveaway launching on Monday, December 18.
Table of Contents
The Lifts
Almost all the lifts are open at Sunshine Village and as the days go on and the snow piles up, we can expect Goats Eye to open shortly. I went too hard too fast my first run (Angel in the Village) and took more than one tumble. It was all the excuse I needed to head inside to try out the new ramen restaurant. (Fret not, after my meal I hit Standish and regained my confidence.)
New Food Options at Sunshine Village
There’s two new food and beverage options in the Village this year. Both the Coco Lab and Nikko Ramen are located inside Centennial Lodge.
Inspired by Japanese après culture, Nikko Ramen offers four hearty bowls of noodles. You can go vegetarian, traditional with pork belly or chicken and there’s also a brothless option with ground bison.
At The Coco Lab, you’ve got a bunch of options for sinfully rich hot chocolate. Coco Lab creations include salted caramel, chai, hazelnut and shots of espresso and liquor. (There’s more options than that, but I’ll be doing a deep dive into all things Coco at Sunshine Village, so stay tuned for that.)
Note: if you’re a seasons pass holder, definitely show it because you’ll get 20% off all food and nonalcoholic beverages on mountain.
What to Do Besides Skiing?
For those who’d like to enjoy the slopes, but without a board or skis strapped to their legs, you’ve got options. Guided snowshoeing tours of Sunshine Village are back. White Mountain Adventures takes snowshoers of all levels through the winter wonderland that is Sunshine Meadows.
I’ve done this exact tour before and I loved it! You don’t need any prior snowshoeing experience. If you can walk, you can snowshoe. Included in the tour is your gondola and chairlift ticket. You can even get transportation to-and-from the town of Banff. Your snowshoes, trekking poles, hot chocolate and snacks, plus the services of a professional hiking guide are also included.
Tours are available daily from November to April and you can book that experience here. Here’s a look at my experience doing it.
Holiday Gift Ideas
Please tell me I’m not the only one who hasn’t finished their holiday shopping? Here’s a few easy ideas that are only a click away.
One thing I like to put into my husband and daughter’s stocking is a Sunshine Super Card. With the card your 1st, 4th and 7th visits are free, plus you get additional savings on your other visits. What a lot people don’t realize is the with the Sunshine Super Card, you also enjoy additional discounts to the tune of 10% off retail, food and beverage, the ski school, rental packages and tuning.
But you have to act fast! The 2023/24 Sunshine Super Card is only for sale at the bargain price of $99 + GST until December 25th. After that, prices go up.
You can purchase the Sunshine Super Card at Safeway, Sobeys and Sport Chek locations throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. You can also purchase the Sunshine Super Card at your local AMA, the Adventure Hub in Banff, plus local ski and snowboard shops.
Or, go straight to the source and snag your card at Sunshine Village Guest Services or the Calgary Snow Central office located at1037 11th Ave SW.
If you’d like to instil a love of winter and skiing/snowboarding with your little ones, pick up the book Something So Perfect. It’s a very sweet book that taps into the joy of new parenthood. You can find the book at Indigo, Amazon and other retailers.
Have a Listen
If, like me, you’re a fan of the season and all things snow, you’ll want to check out For the Love of Winter, a new weekly podcast. Diving into topics that range from the mountains to winter sports to the people who are at their best in winter, it’s an easy listen for inspiring stories and tips on making the most of our frozen assets.
Giveaway
If you’d like to experience Sunshine Village with your family, I’ve partnered with Sunshine to giveaway:
- Lift tickets for a family of four
- An overnight at Sunshine Mountain Lodge
- Daycare if needed
- A copy of Something So Perfect written by Sunshine’s own Kendra Scurfield
To enter, hop over to my Instagram and click on the most recent post.
