Presidents' Day 2027: 4 PTO Days, 9 Days Away
Every November I start to have the same fantasy: fresh snow, a fire, a kid in a tiny snowsuit gliding down a bunny hill on her first try, and me with a hot drink, watching it all go perfectly.
Reality check: by the time it's February, I'm practically ready for summer. But a February trip is still one of my favorite ways to break up, and actually enjoy, winter. Presidents' Day 2027 sets you up for a full nine days away for only four days of PTO.
Here's the math, plus two trips we've actually taken with C: one easy, one big.
The PTO math
Presidents' Day 2027 is Monday, February 15. Two ways to use it:
The long weekend: Thursday, February 11 to Monday, February 15. 2 PTO days (Thursday and Friday), 5 days away.
The full week: Saturday, February 13 to Sunday, February 21. 4 PTO days (Tuesday to Friday), 9 days away.
If your kids' school has a February break that week, the full week costs you the same four days and nobody misses school. (Book soon: February is peak ski season, with mid-range hotels and good family rentals going first.)
Pick 1: Mont Tremblant, Quebec (the easy one)
Best for: the long weekend, first-time skiers, and anyone who wants Europe vibes without the jet lag.
We went over MLK weekend 2026 (Thursday to Monday) with C and our friends (a childless couple). It's such an easy trip for East Coasters: a short flight to Montreal and about an hour and a half north. But with the French menus, the snowy village and the poutine, it feels miles away.
What we loved:
Ice skating through the woods. A frozen trail winding through the trees, complete with twinkle lights: pure magic even if we barely knew how to skate. We skated at Le Grand Lodge Mont Tremblant.
Poutine, everywhere. The slope-side restaurants are walkable from the lifts, so lunch didn't mean a big production of boots and gear.
The Cabriolet (an open-air gondola in the village). The village is built on a hill, and this saves you from walking up and down it when someone's legs are done for the day. With a 5-year-old, that's every afternoon.
First ski tries without the ski school price tag. C didn't do lessons. She tried skiing with us in the inexpensive kids' area, which was exactly the right amount of skiing for a first trip.
What to know: it was SO cold. Pack real layers, hand warmers and a backup pair of mittens, and plan indoor breaks.
Where we stayed: an Airbnb. If you'd rather have a hotel with perks, ask me. I can check family-friendly options at the base.
Pick 2: Chamonix, France (the big one)
Best for: the full nine days, group trips, and parents who want one epic ski day of their own.
We went in March 2024 with friends: six adults and two little ones (a toddler and a 5-month-old). Chamonix sits about an hour and a half from Geneva, and you can do the whole trip without a car.
What we loved:
It cost less than skiing out West. Lift tickets, rentals and our chalet (sauna, hot tub, mountain views) were a steal compared with US mountain prices.
Lunch at the refuges. The mid-mountain huts are independently owned and serve everything from simple to elevated food at reasonable prices. Best poulet of my life, with a glacier view.
The Vallée Blanche. A guided off-piste run from the top of the Aiguille du Midi. Perhaps the coolest experience of my life, and very doable for a confident intermediate. Meanwhile, C was baking cookies with a wonderful babysitter.
Nightly cheese and dessert spreads. Macarons, patisserie, local wines.
An Annecy stop on the way in. Clear water, a charming old town, and a good reset after the flight.
What to know: a trip to Europe with babies scares people off, and our group shrank twice before we went. It was worth it. Overnight flights from the East Coast help: with luck the little ones sleep, and you land ready for a slow first day.
Make it your perfect trip
Not a ski family? In Tremblant, skate, snowshoe and eat. In Chamonix, ride the Aiguille du Midi on a clear morning, take the train to the Montenvers ice cave, or go dog sledding.
Want more adult time? Book a babysitter for one full day (or a few evenings) and plan your big ski day or a long dinner around it. We found an excellent nanny in Chamonix.
Only have the long weekend? Tremblant. Thursday to Monday was plenty for us.
Want sun instead of snow? Swap in a beach week. I love the St. Regis Kanai, outside Cancun (direct flights from the East Coast).
Bumps along the way
No trip is perfect, and these weren't. Tremblant was colder than any of us were ready for. In Chamonix, March snow was thin, and aperitivo hour with toddlers is still chasing toddlers. We'd do both again tomorrow.
Want help planning your February break? I can map out the dates, find family-friendly places to stay (with perks where I can get them), and handle the bookings.
