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Skiing in Maine and Vermont

If you rely on the standard lists that appear in travel magazines this time of year for best places to ski, you might assume that the West has won the battle for destination skiing. Some best-of lists ignore the East entirely; others grudgingly give a spot to one or two places in New England on a list of 10 or 20 ski resorts nationwide.

Here's an unscientific list of what some ski areas around Maine and Vermont are known for, from expert terrain in Vermont, to a place in Maine where you can get a view of the ocean while you ski. The list does not pretend to be definitive, but draws on reputation, recommendations, personal experiences and other sources.

VERMONT

Family travel five: Getaways cater to the kids

Kids rule! More resorts and destinations are going out of their way to offer children and their parents adventures and unforgettable experiences. Here's a sampling:

1. Atlantis Resort, Paradise Island, Bahamas.

This large seaside resort is a wonderland for kids of all ages. Begin the day swimming with dolphins or interacting with sea lions at Dolphin Cay. Later, slip and slide through the water park, float through the mile-long series of canals, rapids and tunnels aboard an inner tube, or lounge at the beach or one of 11 pools. Don't miss the newly opened Atlantis Kids Adventure Center. Make time for a culinary adventure, making pottery or creating your own Atlantis pal. Ask about the Kids Stay and Play Free promotion and the Lego Fantasy Camps planned for this summer.

Utah: Happy (ski) trails to you

For Dillon Cook, sitting across from us in the gondola, The Canyons was a whole new world peopled with kids who came from everywhere just to be in ski class with him.

''I liked the Tunnel of Fun,'' said the 9-year-old from Houston, describing the bumpy trail through the trees where the instructors take their classes to cut loose. ``We had five boys and one girl. . . . The girl was Ally, and she was better than any of the boys.''

Sherri Williams from Atlanta, on the last day of her vacation, noticed The Canyons' people-friendly design, a terraced layout that separates cars on the lower level from the Resort Village at midlevel, a pedestrian zone with the ticket office, rental shops, restaurants and the Grand Summit Hotel.

North Carolina's mountain of winter wonders

Situated near three ski resorts, it's no wonder this western North Carolina town is a popular winter destination.

The elevation (3,333 feet) and average snowfall (41 inches) can't compete with well-known locales out West, but what this college town lacks in magnitude it compensates for with Southern mountain charm.

Nestled in a valley in the High Country, Boone is home to Appalachian State University, a funky student-influenced culture and a year-round adventure hub.

Sun Valley, Idaho: History, celebrities and skiing

It seems everyone who spends time around Sun Valley has stories to tell of celebrity encounters.

They stood in line at the bookstore last week behind Bruce Springsteen, or at Tully's Coffee the other day with Arnold Schwarzenegger. They performed in community theater with Bruce Willis in neighboring Hailey or introduced themselves to Larry David at Dollar Mountain, one of the two ski areas that make up the fabled 74-year-old resort.

``You see movie stars and it just doesn't mean much after a while,'' said Bill Smith, a longtime Hailey resident. ``They just come and go, and most of them are very nice.''