Are you looking for a ski resort that is within driving distance from New York City and the New York suburbs? Jiminy Peak is located in the Berkshires. It is an easy 3 hour drive from New York City and only 2.5 hours from Westchester County.
Jiminy Peak is my family’s go-to ski resort. We love going to Jiminy Peak because it is only 2.5 hours from our home in the New York suburbs. It is truly a family friendly ski resort.
I like Jiminy Peak because it is a ski resort that is great for beginners yet challenging enough for more advanced skiers. It is the largest ski resort in southern New England with plenty of on mountain ski in/ski out accommodation options and several on site restaurants.
Here is my guide to skiing at Jiminy Peak. I will give you my recommendations on where to stay, where to eat and what to do at Jiminy Peak.
Note: This article is not sponsored. I have been skiing at Jiminy Peak with my family for years and I’m sharing my experience and advice. Products and places featured in this article are independently selected.
Suburbs 101 participates in affiliate programs including Amazon Associates Program and may earn from qualifying purchases.
Jiminy Peak: A Family Friendly Ski Resort
Jiminy Peak Mountain Stats
What I like about Jiminy Peak is that it is a manageable ski resort. Jiminy Peak is not overwhelmingly big and it is not too small either. There are 45 trails in Jiminy Peak with 7 ski lifts and 2 surface lifts. The mountain elevation is 2380 feet with a vertical rise of 1150 feet.
The layout of the mountain is very easy to navigate even if you have kids skiing at different levels. Plus at the bottom of the mountain, there are many ski in/ski out accommodations and restaurants, making Jiminy Peak a complete ski resort that has everything you need in one place.
Plus, you will feel good skiing at Jiminy Peak because it is committed to conservation. When you drive up to Jiminy Peak, you will notice big wind turbines on the mountain. These wind turbines supply electricity to Jiminy Peak ski resort.
I find it amazing how the power generated from these turbines is running the chair lifts and snowmakers! In fact, Jiminy Peak is the first Mountain Resort in North America to install wind turbines to generate clean, natural energy.
Jiminy Peak is a Family Friendly Mountain
Jiminy Peak is a family-friendly mountain, perfect for my family of four. As a mother of two kids under 12 years old, I appreciate going to a ski resort that is manageable in size.
I like how there is a central base location where we all skiers pretty much end up at. JJ’s Lodge makes a great meeting spot because it is conveniently located in front of the Berkshire Express chairlift and you can stop in JJ’s Lodge for hot cocoa or a lunch break.
Jiminy Peak is Great for Beginners
Jiminy Peak is perfect for beginners and first-time skiers. We have been skiing at Jiminy Peak for many years. When they were little, my kids started at the Chipmunk (a tiny bunny hill) and progressed to Jiminy Cricket (the bigger bunny hill).
They learned to ride chairlifts on the Cricket chairlift. The speed of the Cricket chairlift is intentionally slow making it perfect for beginner skiers to practice getting on and off the chairlift.
The Cricket chairlift definitely gave my kids the confidence to ride on their own. Now my 8 and 11 year old independently ride the higher speed chairlifts up to the top of the mountain!
And the best part is once they reach the top of the mountain, there are several green trails that take you from the top of the mountain all the way down to the bottom of the mountain. It’s great for beginners to have nice and long runs!
Jiminy Peak Night Skiing
Jiminy Peak is open in the evening for night skiing. There are twilight ski lift tickets for the night skiers.
Night skiing at Jiminy Peak is a fun family activity. It’s usually never crowded and the slopes are well-lit.
Logistically, it is also very easy to go night skiing if you live in one of the ski in/ski out accommodations. My kids love to go back out to ski at night after dinner.
Terrain Parks at Jiminy Peak
The Jiminy Peak terrain parks are so much fun for both kids and adults. Jiminy Peak has 3 terrain parks with multiple sliding surfaces for intermediate and advanced skiers.
My kids love skiing and showing off their tricks at the terrain parks. There is one terrain park (Alex’s Park) that has its own surface lift so you can go back again and again. Even beginners can have fun at the terrain parks.
There is a terrain park right off 180 (green trail). And there is even sculpted snow on one side of the bunny hill (Jiminy Cricket), which is great fun for young skiers and snowboarders.
Jiminy Peak Lift Tickets
What I like about Jiminy Peak is that they offer a variety of ski lift ticket options. Jiminy Peak has 8 hour, 4 hour or twilight ski lift tickets.
There is also a lower mountain ticket option at Jiminy Peak which is great for beginners and light skiers.
The season passes ranges from full season Passholders to Zephyr Pass (Sunday-Friday), Twilight Pass and College Passes.
Discount Jiminy Peak Lift Tickets
You can also get discounted Jiminy Peak Lift Tickets from Liftopia- Jiminy Peak (MA) Single Day Ticket from $43.99 (save 34%)
These discounted ski lift tickets have limited availability, but if you check back every so often, you may be able to score discounted Jiminy Peak ski lift tickets.
Jiminy Peak: Where to Stay
Jiminy Peak is centrally located in the Berkshires. Since the Berkshires is a popular tourist destination, you have a lot of lodging choices when you visit Jiminy Peak.
You can book ski in/ski out units at Jiminy Peak, condo style units and hotel rooms at nearby towns.
Jiminy Peak Ski In/Ski Out Accommodations
One of the reasons why I like skiing at Jiminy Peak is there are many ski in/ski out slopeside accommodations. On the mountain, you can stay at Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort or Wyndham Bentley Brook.
Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort
The Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort is located on the mountain where most of the units are ski in/ski out lodging. These units are condo type accommodations equipped with a full kitchen. They are not luxury accommodations.
Most of these units are individually owned and rented out by Jiminy Peak. So don’t expect consistency with the units, you may get a refurbished unit or a more run-down unit.
But rest assured, these units are clean and comfortable. And you can’t beat the ski in/ski out location.
If you plan to spend most of your time skiing, then the 1 bedroom units at the Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort are reasonably priced and sufficient for a family of four with the pull-out sofa and kitchen.
The 1 bedroom units are clean but small at 500 square feet (it may be a tad bit tight for a family of four if your kids are big).
Jiminy Peak: Country Inn is Ski in/Ski Out
The Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort 1 bedroom units are located in the Country Inn which is at one end of the mountain and truly ski in/ski out and very close to the Grand Slam Chairlifts. It’s convenient to stay at the Country Inn if you plan to go up to the top of the mountain to ski.
However, if you are a beginner skier and will be skiing down the bunny hill then the Country Inn location is not ideal. The Country Inn is located at the opposite end of the mountain which is a hike to the beginner’s magic carpet and Cricket chairlift.
Aside from the condo-style accommodations, guests at the Country Inn have access to the heated outdoor pool and hot tub, exercise room and ski lockers.
John Harvard’s restaurant is located inside the Country Inn making it convenient to grab lunch or dinner. It’s nice to be able to get dinner right in your hotel after a full day of skiing.
Overall, you can’t beat the convenience of staying right on the mountain with ski in/ski out access to the slopes.
Jiminy Peak: Wyndham Bentley Brook
The Wyndham Bentley Brook is another ski in/ski out accommodation in Jiminy Peak. It is located at the opposite end of The Country Inn, right next to the Cricket chairlifts which service the bunny hill.
In my opinion, the Wyndham is a better option for beginners since it’s next to the bunny hill.
Jiminy Peak: Wyndham Bentley Brook convenient ski in/ski out location
The Wyndham Bentley Brook is conveniently located next to the Jiminy Cricket bunny hill. It is the perfect location if you have beginner skiers in your group because you can literally ski right out to the Cricket chairlifts or the magic carpet.
Jiminy Peak: Wyndham Bentley Brook Condo Units with Kitchen
The units at the Wyndham Bentley Brook are condo type units with a full kitchen. These units are very spacious. There are 1 bedroom units at Wyndham Bentley Brook but we have only stayed at their 2 bedroom units.
The 2 bedroom units have 2 full baths, laundry in unit, a full kitchen and a ski locker. In fact, we have shared the 2 bedroom unit with another family and it did not feel cramped at all.
Jiminy Peak: Wyndham Bentley Brook Family Friendly Amenities
The Wyndham Bentley Brook is a family friendly resort with lots of apres ski amenities.
There are 2 pools at The Wyndham Bentley Brook, an indoor pool and a heated outdoor pool overlooking the slopes. The nice thing about their pools is that there is an opening connecting both indoor and outdoor pools. My kids love swimming back and forth from the indoor pool to the heated outdoor pool. There is also a large outdoor hot tub under a covered gazebo.
The Wyndham Bentley Brook also has a small Movie Theater, Arcade room and Arts and Crafts room. The hotel organizes activities for its guests such as Arts and Crafts, movie nights and family game nights/competitions.
We participated in an egg drop competition once and my kids had so much fun dropping their eggs from the second floor balcony!
You will also get a ski locker during your stay at The Wyndham Bentley Brook. It’s so convenient to have the ski locker, you don’t need to lug your ski equipment up to your unit, simply store it in your ski locker. Plus I love that the ski locker rooms have a door that goes right out to the slopes, so you can literally ski in and ski out of the ski locker room.
One thing to know is that The Wyndham Bentley Brook is a timeshare condo resort. But don’t worry, you wouldn’t even know it was a timeshare resort. We have stayed there numerous times and never received a call or solicitation to listen to timeshare presentations.
Condo Style Accommodations Near Jiminy Peak
If you don’t want to stay right on the mountain, there are condo style accommodations near Jiminy Peak. We like to stay down the road at Vacation Village Berkshires if prices are high for ski in/ski out accommodations or if the ski in/ski out units are sold out.
Jiminy Peak: Vacation Village Berkshires
Located down the road from Jiminy Peak, Vacation Village Berkshires is a large resort with hundreds of condo style units built on top of a hill facing Jiminy Peak.
It is a resort with a lot of amenities such as indoor and outdoor pools, movie theater, basketball court, outdoor hot tub, playground, fire pit, barbeque grills and an indoor arcade room.
Even though it is a big resort, the units are located in small 3 story buildings so you are only sharing the floor with a few units and you don’t have to walk down a long hallway to get to your room.
Similar to the Wyndham Bentley Brook, Vacation Village has organized activities from family movie nights to arts and crafts activities for kids.
It is actually a timeshare resort that you can book through Hotels.com. Don’t worry though, they don’t bother you with timeshare presentations and talks.
Jiminy Peak: Vacation Village Berkshires Condo Units
Most of the rooms at Vacation Village Berkshires are 1 bedrooms units with a full kitchen and balcony. When you book your rooms, you will notice there are 1 bedroom units with partial kitchen and 1 bedroom units with full kitchen.
There is a significant size difference between their 1 bedroom units with full kitchen versus the 1 bedroom units with partial kitchen. The 1 bedroom units with the full kitchen is large and spacious at 800 square feet.
While the 1 bedroom with the partial kitchen is much smaller at 500 square feet. The partial kitchens are fully functioning kitchens complete with a full size fridge and cooktop. It is called partial kitchen because it does not have a dishwasher and oven.
Another confusing thing that they don’t explain well is their 2 bedroom units are actually two 1 bedroom units combined. That means you get 2 kitchens, 2 bathrooms, 2 living rooms and 2 bedrooms! My kids love it when we stay at the “2 bedroom unit” because they feel grown up with their own 1 bedroom condo unit!
Stay at Vacation Village for Amazing Views of Jiminy Peak
Being located on top of a mountain across from Jiminy Peak, you can get breathtaking mountain views from your Vacation Village condo units.
Before checking in to Vacation Village, you should call ahead to request for a unit that faces Jiminy Peak. It’s really nice to sit out on the balcony sipping a cup of coffee and enjoying the views of the slopes.
Hotel Accommodations near Jiminy Peak
Being centrally located in the Berkshires, there are many hotel accommodations in nearby towns. We have stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn Pittsfield. It’s great if you don’t plan to spend the entire time skiing at Jiminy Peak.
Hilton Garden Inn Pittsfield
The Hilton Garden Inn Pittsfield is a 26 minute drive to Jiminy Peak. The Hilton Garden Inn is near downtown Pittsfield, Lenox, Tanglewood and Hancock Shaker Village.
Staying at the Hilton Garden Inn Pittsfield is definitely more convenient in terms of being close to restaurants and shops. Plus you can expect Hilton quality lodging, that is consistent and comfortable.
The rooms don’t have kitchens so you will have to eat at the hotel restaurant or go out to nearby restaurants in Pittsfield.
We like the onsite hotel restaurant, Jae’s restaurant. Jae’s is a Korean restaurant that also serves regular American fare. Jae’s is not your typical Hilton Garden Inn restaurant, it’s a step up from what you would expect for Food and Beverage from most Hilton Garden Inns.
Where to Eat at Jiminy Peak
Breakfast at Jiminy Peak
Dining options are limited at Jiminy Peak. For breakfast, you can go to JJ’s Lodge or grab a breakfast sandwich from the Country Store.
Since there is a kitchen in our unit, we usually eat in. I cook and feed my kids a big breakfast of eggs, sausages and toasts so they will not get hungry on the slopes.
I’ve learned to bring grocery items from home because the closest grocery store is in Pittsfield which is 20 minutes away. Otherwise, if you want to pick up grocery items on the mountain, you can stop by Jiminy Peak’s Country Store but be prepared to pay high prices.
Lunch at Jiminy Peak
Jiminy Peak is located far from downtown Pittsfield so you will need to drive at least 20 minutes to get to the restaurants downtown. If you want to stay close to Jiminy Peak during lunch, your food options are limited.
During the day, when we are skiing, we usually grab lunch at JJ’s Lodge. It’s cafeteria-style dining with deli options and hot meals. I like the chili at JJ’s Lodge, the kids usually order the chicken fingers and mac and cheese.
There is also a bar. My husband will order the blueberry beer there.
If you have more time, you can go to Christiansen’s Tavern for a sit-down lunch. Otherwise, if you want to grab and go, you can go to the Country Store for their to-go soups, meals and sandwiches.
Be prepared for the lunch time crowd during peak times. I suggest if you want to avoid the peak lunch time crowd at Jiminy Peak then do a light breakfast and early lunch.
Dinner at Jiminy Peak
After a day on the slopes, for dinner, we go to either Christiansen’s Tavern or John Harvard’s Restaurant. Both restaurants are located right in Jiminy Peak.
Christiansen’s Tavern is great for apres ski serving typical pub fare of burgers, salads, sandwiches, wings, and draft beer. I like the fish taco at Christiansen’s Tavern, my husband likes the wings and my kids like the chicken fingers.
Christiansen’s Tavern is centrally located on the mountain, so it can get busy, be prepared to wait to be seated.
John Harvard’s Restaurant is another restaurant at Jiminy Peak. It is a casual dining restaurant located in the Country Inn, serving similar pub fare as Christiansen’s Tavern but the ambiance is more toned down and not as loud as the pub atmosphere at Christiansen’s Tavern.
Where to Get Delivery at Jiminy Peak
After a long day on the slopes, we sometimes opt to eat in for dinner. We like to order delivery from Gino’s Pizza and Grill.
Gino’s is our go-to for delivery. It’s your traditional Pizzeria/red sauce Italian restaurant. We like the wings, eggplant parmigiana, gyro and chicken fingers. I like that Gino’s will deliver right to your door.
Coffee, Snacks and Hot Cocoa at Jiminy Peak
After an afternoon of skiing, we usually need a little snack and hot cocoa break. Powder Maker’s Donuts is a shack located at the outdoor patio at JJ’s Lodge. We usually get hot cocoa and cider donuts from there.
Otherwise, the cafeteria inside JJ’s Lodge is also a good option for snacks.
Jiminy Peak Children’s Programs
Jiminy Peak’s Ski School and Private Lessons
Jiminy Peak has a great children’s program. Jiminy Peak’s ski school is open to children ages 3- 14 years old. They have full day and half day sessions. They offer ski or snowboard lessons. Lunch is served at the full day sessions.
What I like about the ski school at Jiminy Peak is that it is nut-free. As a food allergy mom, I feel safer sending my son to a nut-free ski school.
Jiminy Peak also has good private lesson programs. During peak times like President’s Weekend, I don’t like sending my kids to Ski School and will usually sign my kids up for private lessons.
The instructors are amazing. My kids love taking private lessons. I also think the private lessons at Jiminy Peak are reasonably priced.
Jiminy Peak’s Learn to Ski and Ride
Aside from ski school, Jiminy Peak has a learn to ski and learn to ride program open to anyone ages 6 and up. The Learn to Ski and Learn to Snowboard programs at Jiminy Peak are great if you are looking to learn the basics or if you need a refresher.
It’s also a good value because rentals are included in the price. When my 11 year old daughter was interested in learning to snowboard, I signed her up for the Learn to Snowboard program at Jiminy Peak. It was easy, inexpensive and got her started on snowboarding.
One thing to know about the Learn to Ski/Ride programs at Jiminy Peak is that they group skiers by level and not by age. So during your lesson, you can be mixed with adults and kids. I think it’s okay with preteens/teens but if you have little kids, I suggest taking private lessons or enrolling your child in the ski school so they can take lessons with similar-aged kids.
Jiminy Peak Rentals
There is an onsite rental shop at Jiminy Peak. You can rent skis and snowboards at the rental shop. Jiminy Peak equipment rentals are priced by the day or multi-day.
If you plan to ski at Jiminy Peak for a few days, it is a good idea to do the multi-day rental. You will save time and money with the multi-day rental at Jiminy Peak. You don’t have to keep going back to pickup/drop off rental equipment and there is a discount on multi-day rentals.
You can also rent ski helmets at the Jiminy Peak rental shop but for safety and hygiene, I recommend buying your own ski helmets. You can usually buy ski helmets at a discount from Backcountry.com.
Other Non-Ski Activities at Jiminy Peak
If you need a break from skiing or have non-skiers in your group, there are several non-ski activities at Jiminy Peak.
Mountain Coaster at Jiminy Peak
There is a Mountain Coaster at Jiminy Peak. Kids and adults will get a thrill riding down Jiminy Peak’s Mountain Coaster. The Mountain Coaster is 3600 feet of twisting and turning through the woods. You have to be 9 years old to ride alone and at least 3 years old to ride with an adult.
Snowshoeing at Jiminy Peak
You can also go snowshoeing if you need a break from the slopes. Jiminy Peak has snowshoe trails. You will get a great workout snowshoeing around the perimeter of the mountain. Snowshoe rentals are available if you don’t have your own snowshoes.
Summer at Jiminy Peak
The nice thing about Jiminy Peak is it is a four season resort. You can visit all year round. Summer is a great time to visit Jiminy Peak.
There is a Mountain Adventure Park at Jiminy Peak with thrill rides such as the Mountain Coaster, Alpine Super Slide, Giant Swing, Bungy Trampoline and an amazing ropes course right on the mountain. You can also go hiking at Jiminy Peak or take a scenic chairlift ride to the top of the mountain.
Jiminy Peak Cell Phone Service
The good news is there is cell phone service on Jiminy Peak! You can get Verizon and AT&T cell phone service on Jiminy Peak.
If you have T-Mobile, you will get spotty cell phone service. One way to get cell phone service on Jiminy Peak if you have T-Mobile is to use your hotel’s WiFi service to make WiFi calls and get data when you are near your hotel at the bottom of the mountain.
This only works if you are staying at one of the ski in/ski out hotel accommodations on Jiminy Peak- Wyndham Bentley Brook or Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort.
Just know that this is not a reliable solution because your hotel WiFi may be weak depending on where you are on the mountain. I suggest if you have T-Mobile, bring long range walkie-talkies so you can communicate with family members.
Pro Tip: How To Dress for Skiing
The secret to being comfortable on the slopes is to dress in layers. You start with the thermo base layer and leggings. Then you layer over a thin moisture-wicking turtleneck or mid-weight fleece (your choice depending on the temperature).
Then you top the layers off with a ski jacket, ski pants and ski gloves. You need to take care of your neck too with a neckwarmer. If it’s cold, you will want a balaclava instead of a neckwarmer.
Then for safety, you need to wear a ski helmet. I suggest buying your own ski helmet instead of renting (it’s more sanitary). You can usually buy discounted ski helmets from Backcountry.com. Do buy your kids ski helmets since the kids ski helmets are adjustable, it will last you a few seasons.
For your feet, don’t use regular socks, you will need ski socks because they are moisture wicking. I suggest keeping a few toe warmers and hand warmers handy for cold days. Below is a list of all our recommended ski gear for a comfortable day skiing at Jiminy Peak.
- Ski gloves
- Ski pants
- Ski jacket
- Thermo Base Layer
- Leggings
- Thin moisture-wicking turtleneck
- Mid-weight Fleece
- Ski socks
- Neckwarmer
- Balaclava
- Toe warmers and Hand warmers (for cold days)
- Ski Helmets (You can rent ski helmets but I recommend buying your own. You can usually buy discounted ski helmets from Backcountry.com)
You may also be interested in these Ski Related Articles:
- How Much Does it Cost to go on a Family Ski Vacation? Use our Ski Vacation Calculator to Find out!
- Check out our ski trip packing shortcuts: What to Pack for a Family Weekend Ski Trip: The Ultimate Packing Guide
- Are you thinking of skiing out West? Check out our article: Where are the Best Places to Ski in Colorado?
- Do you need a good laugh? Do you know we have a column that takes a lighter look at suburban life? Sam takes us through her love hate relationship with skiing. Seriously, Sam? Mountain Mama
- Want to know the best places to ski within driving distance from NYC? Top 5 Family Ski Destinations near NYC
- Are you thinking of skiing in Mont Tremblant? Here is everything you need to know to plan a family vacation to Mont Tremblant: Why I Love Mont Tremblant
- Check out our tips on How to Find the Perfect Ski Resort
- We also have a Ski Resort Finder with user-friendly search filters. For example: Looking for a Nut-Free Ski School for your 3 year old? Find it using our Ski Resort Finder!
Want More Suburbs 101?
Be sure to Follow Us on Instagram, Like Us on Facebook, Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter.