Photo courtesy of YMCA of the Rockies
By Maryann Hammers
From skiing the Rockies to ice climbing in New Hampshire and Christmas festivals to California surf and sand, everyone has their own idea of what makes a perfect winter holiday. But they all have something in common: military discounts.
Coronado Island, Calif.
For those who prefer sun and sand to snow and skiing, the iconic Hotel del Coronado (which was showcased in “Some Like it Hot”) recently launched a special military rate, valid through Dec. 21. Active duty servicemembers and veterans can book a resort-view room starting at $169 or partial ocean-view room for $229. Use code BRAVE to get the discount. Call (800) 468-3533.
Snow Mountain Ranch, Colorado Rockies
With the YMCA of the Rockies’ Military Getaway Package at Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, Colo., military families can stay for two nights in any lodge room (up to four people per room), with meals included. Snow Mountain Ranch offers a huge selection of winter activities, including dogsledding, Nordic skiing, fat bikes, tubing and sledding, ice skating, an indoor climbing wall, and roller-skating for no or low cost to overnight guests. You must be serving on active duty or in the reserves (show military ID at check-in). Call (888) 613-9622 to reserve.
Christmas Fest, New Orleans
NOLA ChristmasFest , the Gulf Coast’s largest indoor holiday event, includes 325,000 square feet with thousands of lights, dozens of Christmas trees, ice-skating rinks, ice slides, holiday characters, rides, and arts and crafts. Other attractions include a gingerbread house exhibit, the Kringle carousel, the winter whirl, a snowball fight area, and a snowy summit climbing wall — even a step-inside snow globe for selfies. Military members with ID get half-off admission on Fridays. (Regular admission is $20, but military members get a discounted entry of $10 at the door.) Held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, the event takes place Dec. 20-31, including special hours on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and until 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.
National Harbor, Md.
Gaylord National Resort (just 15 minutes outside of Washington, D.C.) really goes all out for holiday season, with more than 2 million lights, indoor snowfalls, and a Christmas village complete with Santa, Mrs. Claus, gingerbread decorating, and ice-skating. The signature attraction, ICE!, is an ice-sculpture wonderland carved from more than 2 million pounds of colorful ice, including two-story-tall ice slides. The resort offers year-round military discounts, and during the holiday season, military members get 20 percent off admission to ICE!, special room rates starting at $139, and discounted spa services. Click herefor more information on military discounts and packages, or call (301) 965-4000.
Ice Climbing, New Hampshire
A veteran-led, Colorado-based, nonprofit organization, Veterans Expeditions offers outdoor expeditions for veterans. The next trip is an ice-climbing trip in New Hampshire, Feb. 8-10. The trip includes one day of guided climbing, meals, two nights of lodging, and demo climbing gear (also available for purchase). Cost, including lodging, is $150. You’ll also need to first provide military service documentation by uploading a scanned copy of your DD Form 214, VA ID, or driver’s license with veteran’s designation. Find more information here, or call Nick Watson at (303) 803-0068.
Deals available as of Dec. 3, 2018, and may be subject to change.