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41 reviews for Bay Area Ski Bus
Bay Area Ski Bus is still hands down the best option to get to the slopes!
The new season is almost here! The 8-pack for $675 sounds like an awesome deal--which is $85/bus+lift to any resort, on any day. Heavenly and Squaw are usually $119, so that's a savings of $34!
Feel free to use me as your referrer to take advantage of the $10 discount, natassia_san@yahoo.com. And use promo code "sotc" to get $6 off of every 1-day trip.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/5/2009
I highly recommend taking a skibus (NAC or BA Ski Bus) to tahoe. It's cost effective, less hassle… Read more »
I never even heard of this service until a girl friend mentioned how much she loves it and that there was a spot open for a rafting trip!
I thought "ski bus", therefore thought "bus", but for rafting we went up in a van. The driver apparently is just loosely associated with the company and drives the vehicle/packs snacks/acts as a leader in exchange for a free day of fun (sounds pretty awesome for me!). Unfortunately the van's battery was dead when we returned from rafting (oops) but it got fixed pretty quickly by a jump.
Overall, the people were great, and luckily got along with all of them (since it was only six of us, and we all shared the raft!). I don't know if I'll use them in the winter for skiing, but rafting during the summer was super fun.
Extremely impressed! I went on 2 Tahoe trips in the Spring and then on the rafting trip last weekend. Very well organized and convenient for people living in the city without a car.
They pick you up, you sleep, they feed you, you play, you sleep, you're home - perfect!
Also, the other people that I've met on the trips have been a lot of fun. I definitely suggest it for groups, couples and solo travelers - very easy to meet great people.
I just wish they had more trips!
Thanks!!
Thanks to Betty N, I have discovered the true meaning of a MAGIC BUS.
Can I get some HELL YEAH's?
Hell Yeah to competitive pricing.
Hell Yeah to ME NOT driving on windy roads along side crazy people.
Hell Yeah to sleep time in the morning and relax time in the evening.
Hell Yeah to sunblock, snack time, movies, and friendly staff.
We watched Iron Man & Batman. Hey, it beats listening to fools chattering or farting near my seat.
Hell Yeah to strip mall dinner break complete with options like McDonald's, Togo's, Taco Bell, Safeway and KFC.
Hell Yeah for plenty of storage space below bus and above my seat. Next time, I'll pack more of my snacks!
Hell Nah to a sugar coma inducing, carb filled, high caloric breakfast.
Hell Nah to people who don't understand concept of common courtesy: COVER YOUR MOUTH WHEN YOU COUGH AND BRING TISSUE, JERKS!
and
WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR WET GEAR OFF, LOOK BEHIND YOU...YOU FOOL!
Hell Nah to not having more water available. I was super parched.
Hell Nah to leaky bus due to excessive rain. Seriously, fix the roof.
Hell Nah to the stench that crept up on me like raw garbage.
Hell Nah to limited feet space, and if you are tall, I feel sorry for you.
At around 345PM, when my legs were bumping, my shoulders were aching, and my head was hurting...there was nothing like seeing that glorious bus. It was like seeing a pool of water in hot palm springs. Last thing I wanted to do was drive, and I truly appreciated my comfy seat waiting for me.
Props to bus 2502 with Mel driving. Thanks for getting me home safe with that yucky storm. I know I wouldn't drive. So far so good, and yes I am going back for more! Yes, I was the girl with hopefully one of the NICE TIPS. Dude. Don't be a cheap ass.
I took my first Bay Area Ski Bus Trip to Sierra on Valentine's Day this year, and I fell in love.
Upon our 4am pickup in San Francisco, Boyfriend and I were met by a friendly driver and even friendlier bus attendant, who told us to sit back, take a nap, and relax. We did so- for about 2 hours- and woke up in the middle of a blizzard in Tahoe. The bus driver pulled the bus over and put the snow chains on, while the attendants handed out muffins, bagels, yogurt, and juice. Another 20 minutes later, we pulled up to Sierra and the bus attendants gave us some lift tickets and Red Bulls and sent us on our way for the day- much like the way my mom gave me a pat on the head and dropped me off at school with a bag lunch.
Seven hours later, worn down by an amazing day of boarding, Boyfriend and I headed back to the bus to be greeted by an "apres ski party", complete with hot chocolate, warm apple cider, a fresh fruit platter, cookie platter, and wine (!). Nothing like getting smashed at the end of a long day of boarding.
After pouring us some more wine on the bus, the bus attendant popped in a movie (we had our choice of 5- lucky for me, our bus made a great decision and opted for "Better off Dead" and "Juno").
The bottom line: Lift ticket, bus transportation, rentals, all for $130.
The bottom bottom line: That's a freaking AWESOME deal. Never again will I brave the Tahoe highways and try to put my own snow chains on. Bay Area Ski Bus 'fo life.
Am I the only one who thinks that HSR is a great idea, only it's going to the wrong place? I mean, who wants to go to LA? I need HSR to *Tahoe*.
In the meantime, the Bay Area Ski Bus will have to do. How does it compare to driving? There's a lot of pros and a lot of cons, so let's get right to them:
CONS:
- Have to get up at an ungodly hour. Unless you're good at sleeping on the bus (hint: BRING A PILLOW), you might find that you're too sleep-deprived to really ski your best.
- The San Francisco pick-up/drop-off point is, rather inexplicably, at 16th & De Haro, which is not exactly a Taxi/P-Trans hot spot, nor does it have any secure long-term parking. The East Bay BART station pick-ups make a lot more sense.
- They "pride themselves" on leaving and returning on-time, yet on my trip the bus driver *forgot* San Francisco and showed up 30 minutes late, plus we wound up waiting for a late skier on the first day, despite their claim that they don't wait for late skiers. So a little streamlining is needed.
- Needs to become more popular to the point where:
a) There could be a Friday night bus.
b) There could be a SF-only bus (no East Bay stops)
c) They wouldn't have to cancel the 3-day President's Day weekend trip for lack of sign-ups.
PROS:
- NEVER DEAL WITH CHAINS AGAIN. This is a big one for me.
- Choice of day trips or weekend trips (I prefer the latter to get the most out of the drive, but a lot of people swear by the former).
- Read and relax on the way back instead of driving. Heck, bring a flask and spike the cocoa for all they care.
- Lift tickets and (for overnighters) hotel rooms are included in the package, saving you time and money.
- Get to socialize with fellow skiers.
- Smug satisfaction of being low-carbon. Also, no wear and tear on your car.
Conclusion:
Let's be clear, Ski Bus is a great idea, especially for those lacking a dedicated ski cabin or 4-wheel drive SUV. I really think there's a lot of latent demand out there that simply hasn't heard of the bus, and that demand could really drive economies of scale which would smooth out the remaining kinks.
In other words, you owe it to me to try out the ski bus:)
Theses guys are great and more people should look into getting on these bus trips. I take 4-5 trips to Tahoe each year, and goddamn it, it gets expensive. Basically, you get up at about the time most bartenders are getting off work, drag your sorry sleepy ass to Potrero Hill, get on a bus and pass out. You wake up at 7:30 so they can give you breakfast before you arrive at the resort around 8:30. You ski or ride your ass off, come back to the bus around 4, drink free beer and/or wine, eat some food and hop back on the bus where you get to watch a couple of movies, continue drinking beer, or just pass out again.
So, all of this is $105. That's it. No strings attached and they go to 5 or 6 different resorts. It really is a great program, especially for people who don't own cars or own cars that are unreliable or not snow-worthy.
Great for someone who wants to get up and ski hard for a day and not spend much money. The only downside is that it can be a very long day.
$130/person is a fair price for bus+lift ticket+ski/snowboard rental. It's crazy that you can go to a faraway land, spend hours zooming around on pristine powder, and come back in one day! In that time, normally I would have managed to throw together one meal, watch TV, and maybe some laundry.
Besides, what's more romantic than celebrating Valentine's Day by waking up at 3:30 am? And you get to ride home together in your sweaty, smelly clothes and socks. But shiny-faced and happy. Yay!
Room for improvement: Be on time, bus. It's 4 in the goddamn morning and you're late. You're lucky I'm too grouchy in the morning to sock you in the face.
Lets get this straight - I don't like crowds, unless it's a concert, and I hate bus tours. The last time I was on a bus tour... age 23, an 18 to 34yo's tour around Europe... I did many regrettable things (and, ahem, boys), drank many forgettable nights away and didn't even remember being in Munich (until some reminded me that I was actually there for 3 days).
So lo and behold when the bf suggested we catch the bus to the snow... I was resisting hard. But the price is unbeatable - for those of us city dwellers without wheels and friends with ski leases*... the price tag of $100'ish all inclusive is AMAZING. A day ticket to Heavenly retails $83 alone.
This season we went on the bus 4 times (and a few more weekends with friends with wheels)... you start to see the regulars who are quite the character. The Ski Bus Hosts are fun people - some are better at the whole hospitality thing than others (e.g. remember to collect trash twice after breakfast), but overall they're courteous and runs the bus to a tight schedule (essential so everyone gets home on time).
The wine after skiing is quite a treat, though remember they only serve it if you're on an ADULT bus (not the family bus)... and that the regulars have been known to set up the after ski table for the hosts (so they get first dibs on the snacks/ vino!)
All that being said, we will absolutely recommend Bay Area Ski bus for a bit of a snow fix!
*at the right side of the lake. I thank the M's and Scott for their generosity in hosting us throughout this season
This is a great option for those who don't want to or can't drive to Tahoe. I was particularly surprised and impressed by their generous selection of food and drinks (all included). Very nice touch.
Breakfast:
Bagel with cream cheese OR Muffin
Yogurt, various flavors
Apple juice, Orange juice, OR Punch
Bottled Water
Red Bulls
Seconds available
After Party:
Cookies, Chips
Fruit
Hot Cocoa
Soda
Wine! (Adult bus)
Seconds available
High Life.
3 stars.
This is my third ski bus trip.
I am tired, miserable, and irritated by Ski Bus. I know they try and some of MY issues are not necessarily related to their business, just my last experience.
CONS:
- 4:00AM at the Sunnyvale location
- Cramped space, yes worse than United Airlines' regular Economy
- Rude, inconsiderate people who chat loudly and recline their seat all the way into your lap during entire trip, etc.
- Hygiene is optional (imagine being inside an elevator with stinky people for 4+ hours)
- Breakfast is high sugar and high carb, not much protein (I know, I am a healthy picky bitch)
- You watch bad movies that other idiots on the bus choose
PROS:
- You might get lucky with a bus full of cool and considerate people
- 3:30PM break that includes wine
- You don't drive
- You might be able to sleep
- You watch movies that you, the genius, choose
My last trip was on a holiday weekend and therefore it was not a pleasant experience. I experienced all the CONS, including being home at 11:30PM instead of the scheduled 9:30PM because of traffic. Imagine being stuck with chatty idiots and 2 inches of cubic space on a bus for 6+ hours.
However, it's a 50/50 shot if you book your next trip with Bay Area Ski Bus. You might score or you might lose.
My recommendation: If you have 5 or more friends, skip the bus, and chip in for gas and drive. Don't forget the booze and the tailgating food for lunch. It's a better pay-off in the end.
P.S. If you do the bus, bring a few dollars and tip the driver at the end of the trip.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/9/2008
We returned from a good day of snowboarding at Sierra using Bay Area Ski Bus.
The package was $89 for… Read more »
This was awesome, even though we watched Speed Racer on the way home. It's a bus that takes you to Tahoe for about $30 more than a lift ticket. Make sure you show up on time, because they are HARDCORE prompt about leaving in the morning.
You get a bagel and some yogurt on the way there and some Red Bull if you want it. Then they hand out your lift tickets so you don't have to stand in line. After skiing, you get some bad wine and BAR MIX! and maybe a t-shirt if you're lucky.
Seriously, what? You're going to get up at 5:30 to drive to Tahoe and then they driver is going to passive-aggressively hate everyone else in the car because they got to sleep, and then someone is going to be like "Blerg my thighs hurt why do I have to drive home?" NO. Take the ski bus. The only thing you will complain about is Speed Racer.
Oops, thought I'd already written a review of these guys.
I first have to say I'm a fan. I've referred anyone I talk to that skis/boards to use this service.
It is reasonably priced, you don't have to deal with the hassle of driving and the package includes lift ticket and can get you deal on rentals too if needed.
They provide basic breakfast on way up (bagel, yogurt, juice) and show videos on the return trip plus have some snacks post-day on the slopes and TJ's two buck.
Refer a friend get extra $ off for you and them.
I didn't have a reliable vehicle to taking me up to the snow, so my wife and I stumbled across the http://SnowBomb.com webiste to look for an alternative. This website connected us to Bay Area Ski Bus. Let me tell you what I like about it.
-reasonable price for transportation to/from the slopes and a lift ticket
-I'm on a bus where I can sleep while someone is driving me to Tahoe
-I get breakfast (bagel, cream cheese, muffin, yougurt, juice, water, red bull or FRS)
-I arrive at the resort around 8:30am-9:00am and get a good head start on boarding
-I can lock up my stuff in the bus that I don't need to take with me to the snow
-After an awesome day of snowboarding, I can come back to the bus around 3:30pm and enjoy snack and drinks such as red wine, white wine, beer, cocoa, water
-I can either sleep on the bus on returning back home or watch a movie on the bus
-I get back home at a decent time (8:30-9:00pm)
Always had a good experience with them. Will always use them for those 1 day trips.
I had a great experience with BA Ski Bus, it's worth the price for:
1. Being able to sleep through the travel time, making a day trip to Tahoe viable.
2. A decent breakfast- bagel, yogurt, juice box!, and all the red bull you could want.
3. Timeliness- forces you to get up at an hour that I didn't even know existed- but you get to the slopes at a good time. Leaving at 4:30p, when you're totally ready to be done anyway, with snacks and a little vino. Home by 10pm.
4. Bus was clean and the people running the show were cool and low-key, not tour-guidey.
Only drawback is that the seats aren't the most comfortable, so "sleeping" on the way up, is a relative term- but it's a typical charter bus.
Used service in Feb 2008. (Sierra at Tahoe) Bus was uncomfortable. It was nice that a stop was made going up and coming back. Did not get back to San Jose until close to midnight because 2 persons did not make it back to the bus until 5:00 or so. The persons had their own equipment. So, it was not as if they were delayed due to rental returns. It was nice that the baski bus waited for these two inconsiderate persons, but---really unfair to the rest of the persons who made it back to the bus in plenty of time. Do think that bay area ski bus should adhere to their own rule regarding this.
Took the Bay Area Ski Bus this past Saturday to Tahoe. Was suppose to go to Heavenly but it was closed due to high winds so we were re-routed to Northstar. No complain there.
Got picked up at Sunnyvale (Sports Basement) at 4am. Slept on the way up to Tahoe. Got to Northstar around 9am. Snowboard or at least attempted to for several hours. Rested around 2:30pm since I was bruised and tired. Had lunch and then sat around the fire. Went back to the bus around 4pm but the bus did not leave till 4:40pm which caused us to arrive back to the city almost an hour late. We were suppose to be back in Sunnyvale at 10pm but did not arrive till 11pm.
They serve you breakfast on the bus (muffin, bagel, juice, water, rockstar, etc). We got about 8 rockstars that day. Before you leave Tahoe, they also have snacks (coffee, hot coco, pretzels, etc) but I did not get any. They stop at some plaza for dinner for 30-minutes.. Choices were KFC, some thai place, some hawaiian place, McDonalds, ... several more others..
Uncomfortable seats (hard to sleep in unless you're the type of person that can sleep anywhere) but no complain. Better than driving for a two-person trip.
Bay Area Ski Bus is a great service! For a ridiculously reasonable price, they pick you up at an ungodly hour, you sleep on the bus on a drive to the designated ski resort of the weekend or day, they wake you up to serve you breakfast (bagels, muffins, juice, etc), and voila, you're ready to ski/snowboard all day long without having to spend the night, deal with snow chains, traffic, etc. At the end of the day you meet back at the bus where there's beverages and snacks, hop back on the bus, they pop in a couple of movies and soon, you're back in the bay area! It really is a great deal and saves you so much hassle that normally comes with a trip to the snow.
A couple of things that didn't give this 5 stars for me... they mention how there's space to spread out, buses aren't always full, etc... this was never the case when we went. It was packed to the brim with people, some who took this opportunity to get completely wasted and irritate passengers around them. One passenger was so bad, and clearly drunk that they couldn't let him drive home after, however we ended up giving him a ride home because none of the staff wanted to deal with him. It was pretty ridiculous and they really needed to take responsibility for that situation and they didn't. Maybe we're just suckers that didn't want someone to get hit by a drunk driver but the chaperon needed to step it up and force him to take a cab. Another downer was difficulty in figuring out which bus was which. Early in the morning when there's 3 or 4 buses coming to a pickup spot, it was complete chaos trying to figure out which one to go on.... is this the teen bus, is this the adult bus going to Sierra, no it's the bus going to Squaw, etc. They may have figured out that issue this year, but last year it was a hassle.
Overall, after the multiple trips we did last year, those cons weren't bad enough that we wouldn't do it again. It is still a great value and convenience and we're looking forward to it the next snow season.
This is the best damn ski option in my opinion. No more driving to Tahoe for me!
For $105 you get:
*A ride to and from various ski resorts
*Breakfast
*Lift Ticket
*Afternoon snacks and refreshments including beer and wine
*Friendly and dedicated trip hosts
This alone is a bargain. Lift tickets run around $85, so for $20 you get just that much more- that's less than gas if you drive.
You can sleep on the way up and have your breakfast to wake you up which includes bagels and cream cheese, muffins, yogurt, power bars, and juice. Once at the resort, you quickly receive your lift ticket and an optional mountain map, and are let lose to go have fun- no long waits in lift ticket lines! You meet at the end of the day back at the bus, where the snacks and refreshments are served. On the ride home you can watch a movie or sleep. They make a pit stop for dinner at a location which offers a plethora of dining choices that will suit any dietary needs.
Tips:
*Bring a pillow so you can rest. I bring a lumbar pillow because I don't find the charter bus seats too comfortable.
*Find someone to refer you, and you'll get $10 off your first trip, and they'll receive the same credit.
Other Useful Info:
*They have weekend and week long trips anywhere form Tahoe to France.
*There are family, teen and adult buses. Go for the adult bus.
*If you book 5 days or sooner before the trip, there's an additional $10 fee.
*You can buy packages to make the trip even cheaper.
*Have a season pass? No problem. There is a bus only option, and also bus only packages available making your ride/meal/etc as low as $49 a trip.
*They offer ski/snowboard rentals for an approximate additional $35.
The first trip I went on had me sold- and I continued to go every weekend until I stupidly tore a ligament, and have had to put the slopes on hold. However the trip is so easy and convenient, that I'm still considering taking the ski bus just to chill at the lodge and longingly gaze out the window.
I am positive that I was on a particularly bad skibus trip. I am certain that most people have a better experience than I did but the one trip that I went on convinced me that I would never, ever go on another. Be forewarned that if something goes awry, these people are totally incapable of dealing with it. Forbid an actual accident should happen.
There were a few kids (young teens) on the bus who decided it would be really fun to spend the ride time abusing and mocking the other people on the bus - the type of kid who has probably never had adequate parental supervision. Just stupid kids but they got way out of hand. Calling adult women "ugly bitch" and berating anybody who objected to their behavior. Sleep (as advertised) on the way up to the mountains was completely out of the question and most people spent the whole trip in a very tense state.
When we go to the resort, I talked to one of the two guys in charge (driver and ?) and suggested they call the parents of the scum to come get them so we wouldn't have to endure them on the ride home. They did nothing and we had an equally long, unpleasant ride home.
Again, I am sure that almost every trip is great but if there is any problem, these people are not capable of dealing with it.
I can't believe that I was a BA Ski Bus virgin until last weekend. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE???????!!!!! I never realized how HASSLE-FREE a day trip to one of my favorite snowy wonderlands could be. I've experienced first hand with some friends what a pain installing snow chains/cables on auto tires can be in wintry conditions, especially, if those chains BREAK while on the road. The ski bus eliminates ALL of those concerns.
The bus picks up and drops off at various locations in the Bay Area (SF, Peninsula, S.Bay and E.Bay) depending upon demand. They use large touring buses, which make bringing your ski/snow boarding equipment quite easy.
On the way up, you can sleep, eat, watch movies, read and/or listen to your ipod, while someone else worries about traffic and weather conditions. HOW COOL IS THAT??? Plus, they provide pkgs to meet your individual or group needs with lift tickets, equipment rentals or just bus rides. The drivers try to get guests to the resorts close to or prior to opening time and they do a great job!!! Plus, they try to allow you to maximize your time on the slopes by requiring folks to be back on the bus near or after the lifts/gondolas close. The one-day trips go to several Lake Tahoe resorts including, but not limited to: Squaw, Northstar and Kirkwood. In the event that one resort is closed, the bus and crew will work with the neighboring resorts to figure out a back-up and will take care of all of the arrangements (happened on my trip, our initial intent was to go to Squaw, but we ended up in Northstar). In addition, if the back-up resort is cheaper, they will issue food vouchers and provide refunds. The people working with the company are extremely chill and pleasant. OOOH...and there are snacks (breakfast and apres ski) with hot and sometimes you can even snag other more fun "adult" bevvies.
I really enjoyed my experience (outside of having to ride home in wet gear) b/c I slept on the way up and back, I drank some beer, I didn't have to worry about the road and I got to eat like a big fat pig!!!
The one thing that was not so enjoyable was the 4AM pick up, which necessitated a 3:00 AM wake-up time. YIKES, that is hella early!
Yes, you have to wake up at the crack of a$$ to catch the Ski Bus. But once you do, it's snoozeville all the way to the slopes, baby!
We caught the bus at the Rockridge BART station at 5am, stowed our boards under the bus, then sat down and immediately went back to sleep. A couple of hours later we awoke and promptly scarfed down bagels, juice and yogurt provided by the friendly, attentive operators.
As we approached our destination, one of the operators announced that the current weather reported high winds at our destination, Alpine resort. It was suggested that we all take a vote to determine if we should continue to our initial destination (which would probably mean a sucky day for all) or go to Northstar, which reported stable conditions. You gotta love the democratic process! Majority ruled -- we headed for Northstar and it was a great day.
In the afternoon, we skipped the Ski Bus apres ski beer bash to spend more time on the slopes. On the ride back to Oakland we watched a movie and napped some more.
Gas prices as they are, it makes sense for a solo or a couple of snow boarders to take the Ski Bus to the Tahoe resorts. Purchase the ride/lift ticket package or the ride/lift ticket/rental package for beginners. Leave the driving to the professionals and rest up for the slopes.
This is unbelievable. Day trips to may Tahoe destinations.
You book your trip on line, you can bundle with lift ticket, rental, and/or lesson, and thats it! Then you just show up (ok.. at 4:15am) at a pickup location and sleep all the way to Tahoe! They have snacks on the bus for you, drop you off around 8:30 and pick you up at 4:30 - you have a whole day out there.
the price is so reasonable. Seems that if you are 1 or 2 people, you can't really do a day trip to Tahoe much cheaper than Bay Area ski bus. Huge storage space under the bus if you have your own gear.
-1 star because I wanted to nap on the way home too and instead there was a really loud movie.. but I guess I was the only one wanting a nap.
I would give this place 5 stars because it get me to Tahoe in a jiffy. I have to take on star away because I bought my ticket to go to Northstar and ended up in Sierra. I still had a great time but they should at least tell you ahead of time that changes may happen due to weather. Not just tell you 2 hours into the trip that we are not going to the original location. Iam just glad I was'nt meeting anyone at northstar. Besides that the ski bus is awesome!!
i snowboard around 15 to 20 times every season, so i cannot afford to take the bay area ski bus / http://snowbomb.com bus every single time i hit the slopes. i own a subaru forester with a board rack and usually drive myself and my crew up to the slopes every weekend. it's my usual commute. however, this season, i finally checked out the local snowtrip buses; at least _two_ of them: the http://mylifefuel.com snocial bus and the http://snowbomb.com bus / bay area ski bus. yeah, it's actually co.branded. i really like http://snowbomb.com, so i call it the http://snowbomb.com bus. seriously, sometimes the weekly commute up to tahoe and back and become really tedious. when the weather and traffic are bad and when i'm tired; man, i _really_ appreciate having a snowtrip bus! sometimes, i'm riding back on the bus through rain and traffic, and i'm just _so_ thankful, while sitting back and watching a movie! ah...
when i first heard of the local snowtrip buses, i thought they would be full of punk kids. no, actually, they have separate buses for the teenagers. anyway, anyone who's "so cool" enough of a snowboarder to have the right to stir up trouble on a snowtrip bus already lives up in truckee! these buses feel professional, just like taking an aeroplane. it's great.
i enjoy that the http://snowbomb.com bus gives you breakfast and an apres snowboarding party... and movies. the guides are great. they made the right choice in hiring local snowsports enthusiasts, people who actually care about getting to the slopes. i hate when snowsports event promoters just hire random people who don't care about the sports or the community. to drop a name... skidazzle... they do that at least some of the time, and that's a downer. just so you know, the sf ski fest boards and brew is a much better early season / pre.season trade show / festival; much better.
anyway, yeah, i recommend the http://snowbomb.com / bay area ski bus... it's a pretty good deal compared to buying a full.priced ticket and finding a ride up to the slopes, but it's _not_ necessarily cheaper than buying discounted lift tickets (like on http://snowbomb.com) and carpooling. still, it's the way to go in comfort, you know? thus, i'll take it now and then but not every single weekend.
Here goes...
Woke up before 3am, my alarm was set for 2:55a, but I woke up sometime earlier.... awake but not really awake.... 3:15a second alarm goes off. Ok time to get out of bed and get ready finish packing. 3:40a, do I leave now or wait... 3:45a I leave for what was a under-5min drive to the pickup location; no cars out on the road makes this commute too fast. I should have slept in longer... 4:00am was what the registration said was pickup time, but the night before I checked their Home page and they had the schedule for this location at 4:30a. Not sure which to believe, although I knew I should have believed 4:30a, I decided to sit in a dark car like everyone else for :30min. One guy got out of his 5'er promptly at 4:00am and shivered for thirty-minutes before the bus arrived.
Promptly boarded and shut my eyes.
Woke up for the third stop and then once all the hoopla was over, closed my eyes again.
*yawn* 7ish, they awoken us to tell us Alpine Meadow has high winds, 45mph+. Vote for AM or Northstar, majority went with Northstar, some folks groaned about paying for AM.
Hosts passed out breakfast.... muffin OR bagel, peach or strawberry yogurt, OJ or apple juice or water.
Arrived at the resort, they explain where we parked, what shuttle to take, what time to be back, etc etc etc.
Got off bus, got my package ticket, onto another bus, shuttle.
... see Northstar review...
back to the bus at +4pm, bus departs 4:30p, they have an afterparty from +3p-4:30p; snacks, hot chocolate, booze, etc.
Bus starts departing .... vote for two movies, start watching movies.
~90minutes we're in Loomis, stop off at the Railey's complex for some food. Bus stops in front of BK, thats where I go, :30min stop, and we're back on the road again.
By the time we arrived back at the dropoff location, it was after 9p. Unload and head home.
Bus driver was terrific, except towards the end where he seemed like in a rush and nearly missed two stoplights. BASB Hosts were great too. Riders were cool too.
Man where do I start.
DO NOT pick Ride Lake Tahoe. See my review for that.
Ok. Now that that's out of the way, Bay Area Ski Bus is a [bit more expensive (oo bad typo before)], but has MUCH better service, is more reliable, and tries as much as possible to keep your mind off the fact that you are riding a cramped bus for 8 hours through the day. We were supposed to leave a 5am. Lucky we got there at 4:30 cause they pulled out at 4:37. I think our bus was full though. They checked us in and played movies with the volume down so those who wanted to sleep could. About a half hour before we got there they served bagels/muffins, yogurt, and water/juice. They even give you cream cheese. What service! The annoying couple in front of us did lean their seats back as far as they went and one of the guests who sat in front wouldn't shut up if his life depended on it, but whatever. Get a window seat so you can fall asleep without falling over through the mountain roads [more on this later].
We get there, unpack our boards and boot up and walk over to the resort [a park associate takes the rental people over]. It's all good boarding from there on [we went to kirkwood]. They opened the buses back up at 3:30 and wanted to head out by 4:30, so we got back to the bus around 4 and each bus had a table set out with cookies, red bull, beer/wine, and some other leftover snacks.
All the buses loaded up and we were ready to leave - we were the first ones - or we were supposed to be. We were stuck. In mud. We were stuck for a good 45 minutes and all the other buses just left us =[. The driver tried really hard to get us out, even had the back half of the bus get out to try to get the bus out. Eventually he realized that when you're slipping on mud you probably want more weight on those tires so they will grip. We got out and were on our way. That obnoxious guy from earlier was knocked out on beer [we sat in the same seats] and just as I was falling asleep I hear a THUD. When I open my eyes people were helping him back up. He had fallen over on one of the turns and his HEAD met the arm rest across the aisle real good. He got up, didn't say a word and put his sunglasses back on and went right back to sleep. Kind of sad, kind of funny. We stopped for food for a half hour and continued back through the two stops [we were the last stop] and finally got back an hour late @10pm.
Considering that we left relatively close to when we were supposed to and actually got good slope time and got back in one piece, I'd consider that a success. Snowbomb's Bay Area Ski Bus goes to a LOT of places and if you want to try new places it's a great service. If you go by yourself or a couple friends that match your pace, it's perfect.
Just beware that you are going to be in a bus for 8 hours. My flights aren't even that long. geez. what I do for snowboarding.
Love the Ski Bus!
Did two trips in winter of '06-'07 and went with the 8-pack for '07-'08. When you get an 8-pack, you get a discount on trips ($80/trip - individual trips cost between $95-$120/trip). With the 8-pack, you can choose to go to as many different resorts on as many different dates as you like.
Bring your equipment or rent it when you get there. But the sleep on the way up, eat yogurt/bagels when you wake, hit the slopes for four to six hours, hit some carbs and wine/beer at the end of the day, and snooze or watch fun movies on the way home - love it! The coordination/organization of the Ski Bus folks gets better and better, but just know that it isn't always perfect!
Even if it takes six hours to get home in bad weather, you're not the one driving, so SIGN UP!
Dragging one's ass out of bed at 3-frickin-30 A.M. to get to a 4:00 A.M. bus pickup time is no easy task. However, those that can overlook a little bit of sleep deprivation are rewarded with an awesome day trip experience.
I can't remember how I heard about the Bay Area Ski Bus but I started going up with them in '06. You sign up on their web site and show up for the pickup time. That is about the most you have to do since they take care of your lift ticket, bus ride, breakfast, Red Bull, and a dinner stop. Oh, did I mention the wine and beer tasting that they usually do just before leaving the ski resorts?
While certainly not the cheapest method of going skiing/snowboarding, they remove all the hassles of you having to drive the 3-4 hours from the Bay Area to the ski resorts. No chains, no waiting. Oh, and since you usually end up there before 9:00 A.M. you're one of the first on the lists. Seriously it's great.
Note: the bus rides can get a little jarring so if you get motion sickness easily you probably want to take your Dramamine or skip this altogether. The breakfast in the morning is usually bagels+cheese, juice, and yogurt. (Although I've never had an issue, there is the possibility of nut allergy problems since all bagels are served from the same bag.)
Times used: 4+
Can't believe I didn't use this sooner! I used their services twice last season, and both were outstanding experiences!
Super convenient and reasonably priced service for day trips, without the hassle of having to drive yourself up and down the mountain. You get picked up at one of many local pick up locations, sleep all the way up to the slopes, get some complimentary breakfast, get dropped off at the front entrance (no long walks, hauling your crap on icy roads), grab your discounted lift ticket, ski like crazy all day, make your way to the bus and have some snacks, snooze all the way down the mountain or watch a movie, and you're home in no time! What more could you ask for? I am definitely using their services this season!
Wake up Bay Area Skiing Yelpers! The Bay Area Ski Bus is the ski bomb!
This is one of two ski buses I've taken up to Tahoe and by far is the best. Their site is easy to navigate through and book on. Their pick up locations are well chosen with easy parking. The staff is very friendly and helpful and they attract a really good crowd. The absolute best part of the Bay Area Ski Bus is the breakfast they serve on the bus, the free water and red bull and last but not least, the yummy snacks they have ready for you at the end of the day.
A few other differentiators for me from the other bus service I tried was that you don't have to wait long for your tickets once the bus arrives and also they stop for 30 minutes on the way home so everyone can grab a bite to eat.
If you're looking for an easy day trip up to Tahoe where you can sleep on the way up and sleep on the way home - no driving! - then this is the bus. Do it!
I had been so wanting to go skiing after 8 years of not having been on the slopes and when I did a little research and found that this bus existed, I was really excited. $150 bucks to Squaw Valley, includes, lift tickets, rentals, a continental breakfast en route, movies there and back and a snacks after skiing. We were to picked up promptly in SF at 4:50AM found & parking no problem. Iris and Lucinda took great care of us. The bus driver was smooth and efficient. Be prepared to snooze on the bus and if you use an iPod don't turn it up so loud that everyone around you can hear it. - Irritating as hell! - This bus runs like a Swiss watch, so be ON TIME. Don't forget to tip the driver, they totally deserve it.
A bunch of us went to Kirkwood on the Bay Area Ski Bus a few weeks ago. And, Bay Area Ski Bus is great if you don't want to drive and don't mind other people along on the ride.
We left SF at 4 a.m. This meant I got up at 3:15 a.m.! We stopped at Oakland and Walnut Creek. I think we left Walnut Creek at 5 a.m. and FINALLY started our ride to snow country.
We were on the family bus because one individual in our group was under 18. Well, if possible, stay away from the family bus. I totally agree with the other yelpers. The trip REALLY depends on who is on the bus. We had a few annoying kids and teens on the bus...
There were lots of breakfast choices: juice, bagels, muffins, red bull, and yogurt.
We got up to Kirkwood around 9:30 but the tickets were not ready for us. I know the ski bus people were frantically trying to get the tickets as soon as possible. I think we finally got the tickets and were off to the slopes at 10 a.m.
After skiing, there was a "party" with hot chocolate and more snacks!!
The ride home was ok. The movies were on SOOO loud but I was too tired to care. We finally got home at 11 p.m. But that was when we had a problem.....DH's ski boots were missing!!
We were pretty upset. Long story short, someone from the Oakland drop-off took the ski boots by mistake! She was very apologetic. BUT, What I don't understand is how that happened since the storage bins were designated for the different stop offs.
TIP for next time: KEEP an eye on your stuff! BUT, I really don't know HOW we could have since the boots have to be stored in the bin on the side of the bus! And, if you are on the last drop off you don't know if your stuff is gone!
http://www.bayareaskib.../
Check it out! The Bay Area Ski Bus has an updated website. Get your ski and snowboarding on!! The snow is here!!!
There's a Facebook group too. Check out http://www.facebook.com and look for Bay Area Ski Bus.
We just got back from a fabulous day of snowboarding with all night to spare! The bus picked us up at the Pleasanton Bart Station at 5am, we were on the slopes by 8:30am and home by 8:30pm.
Bay Area Ski bus has great hosts and services. We had goodies the entire time from the continental breakfast, cookies and refreshment table when we got back to the bus in the afternoon, complete with hot cocoa and wine too!
It was great to sleep the entire way up and napping in and out while watching movies on the way home.
I'd say with gas prices these days, a ski bus is the way to go! Save your money and your energy too.
In a nutshell: room for improvement, but not bad and the thing that really matters, getting to Tahoe and back without having to drive, makes it worthwhile.
The bus ride itself was disappointing. This isn't one of those nice roomy buses; it is cramped. And I made the mistake of sitting near the back which meant whenever they passed out food/drinks I got only what was left at the bottom of the box that no one else wanted. There was also this incessant squeaking noise coming from some cabinet door near the bathroom for awhile but that was fixed promptly when someone finally complained to the organizers about it.
Still, I'm most likely going to go up with them again because what other choice do I have? I'd love to see some competition here. Not on price, since I think they are priced just fine, but some comfier seats and some better solution for the food/drinks. (Note: I just noticed another reviewer pointed towards http://NACSKI.com ...that looks great but they seem to only go on weekends. I prefer weekday trips)
Update: Sign up and use promotional code "powpow" and save $$$.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/9/2008
I've gone on nearly 20 trips with the Bay Area Ski Bus and I can tell you, without any doubt, that… Read more »
I took this bus to Northstar this past weekend and it was great! Better than NACSki, it's only a few bucks more I believe. The bus leaves promptly on time so for those who usually run late, the bus will not wait for you. They serve bagels, yogurt, red bull, etc in the morning on the way up. Our guide was pretty good, seemed to have thoroughly thought everything out. We got to the resort before it opened which was good. After a full day of skiing we met back at the bus and they had a table set out with wine, hot chocolate, apple cider, fruit and snacks waiting. We boarded the bus at 4:30. They make a dinner stop in a plaza with Burger King, Taco bell etc. They also showed good movies on the bus which makes the ride so much easier. The only drawback is that if you're in the penninsula area, San Carlos is generally the first and last pick-up/drop-off stop... This bus picks up earlier and drops off later than the NacSki bus.
I Love love love this bus!! The people are fun without being obnoxious - the staff is upbeat without being Love Boat cruise directors. I am not a morning person and I love that I can stumble onto the bus, sleep a few hours, wake up in gorgeous country and be served breakfast. Now, if Brian could get a portable coffee shop onboard, java queen would be giving him 6 stars! I'm just getting back into the sport and renting and lesson packages were so easy with them- and they were really cool about my upgrading to an intermediate package once I got to the resort. I can see why people get season passes- it can be hard to get away for the whole weekend for me at times- and this is a near perfect solution! Meet interesting people, ski with them and have a drink and movies on the way back. See you next season (although I hear they do summer rafting trips too.....hmmmm.....)
I was say the price for the ride and lift ticket is worth the trip. The only downfall is that if you're the last pickup, which is in pleasanton, then it sucks to sit right next to the bathroom. Very gross. Other than that, it's nice to have someone else drive, and you sleep.
