If you plan to travel to New York<.> this holiday season, and plan to mix outdoor fun and memorable Christmas moments, winter sports enthusiasts can uncover a world set apart in the Catskill Region. Just a few hours from the metropolitan New York, visitors to this area can enjoy all types of skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, snowtubing, ice-skating and snowmobiling, or just a leisurely walk in the woods along the shores of glorious lakes and streams, as well as benefit from a line of services and deals just in time for the holiday season.

The region`s winter sports destinations are places for great family fun of all levels of interest and experience. All of the resorts have beginner programs and advanced levels conducted by professional instructors. The Big Mountain Experience The thrill of rushing down a steep vertical is a sensation that downhill skiers cling to from the moment they take that first ride until the next season`s opportunity to repeat it. The Catskill Region, has several resorts where avid down-hillers grab that thrill and hold on to it, with or without the expense of an overnight stay.

Belleayre Mountain, Hunter Mountain, Ski Plattekill and Windham Mountain all provide an exhilarating vertical challenge for a day -- or a fun weekend -- that can be reached by both public transportation and car. Transportation Made Easy The Adirondack Trailways Ski Bus departs daily from Port Authority in New York City to Belleayre Mountain in Highmount. The price of the round-trip fare includes a lift ticket. There are also one- and two-night packages that include lodging and lift tickets. Traveling to Belleayre from Long Island, New Jersey and New York is made easy by several tour services, including Action Tours, Haus of Tours, Maximum Ski Tours, Schenk Tours, Ski Bee Ski Parties, Ski Time Tours and White Mountain Ski Vacations. Hunter Mountain has both bus and train service for day visitors or longer stays.

Adirondack Trailways stops at the base of Hunter Mountain with service from Port Authority. Amtrak from Penn Station runs the Saranac Ski Train to Hudson on Friday and Sunday. More Options to Think About Holiday Mountain, located just outside of Monticello, is only 90 miles from New York City. It is a place where great skiers begin to develop skills that they can use later for that vertical thrill. On hand is an expert staff to ensure that the beginner skier has the best experience possible.