Boston Mills Ski Resort is one fine place to play when it's snowing in northeastern Ohio. Found approximately 30 miles south of Cleveland, this small resort offers the steepest run in the state, not to mention a few other black diamond runs to complement the easier blue and green trails. Just down the road from the Boston Mills Ski Resort is the Brandywine Ski Resort. For all intents and purposes, these resorts are essentially one, as is evidenced by the fact that a lift ticket purchased at Boston Mills allows for access to Brandywine as well.

Boston Mills Brandywine offers all of the amenities that you would expect to find at a mid-size, Midwestern ski area. On an average annual basis, the slopes at Brandywine and the Boston Mills Ski Resort get around four feet of snow. When needed, machines churn out manmade snow to coat the hillside slopes. There are seventeen trails between Boston Mills and Brandywine, and fifteen total lifts are in place to get visitors where they want to go. Almost 50 percent of the Boston Mills Brandywine trails are advanced runs, or black diamonds. The other 50 percent are equally divided between intermediate and beginner runs. The resort's 85 total skiable acres can satisfy a full day's worth of Ohio skiing or snowboarding, and if you don't want to quit when the sun starts to set, you can stick around for some night skiing.

At Boston Mills Brandywine, you will find a base lodge at each mountain. These base lodges house ski schools for those who want to book some skiing or snowboarding lessons, ticket windows, ski patrol offices, and food service operations. Ample parking is available near the main lodges, and if you're arriving without equipment, you can always rent some. There is a sports center at both resorts that can take care of your equipment needs. It is worth noting that storage lockers can be found at both the Boston Mills Ski Resort and nearby Brandywine. These lockers are affordable and can make great places to stash your shoes and any other valuables that you might be concerned about.

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Boston Mills Brandywine doesn't offer the longest runs in the world, but any and all skiers or snowboarders should find that there is enough in the way of variety to keep things interesting. A few mogul runs offer considerable challenges, and hitting one of the terrain parks is always an option if you want to work on some tricks. Over at Brandywine, one of the Midwest's best half pipes offers tricksters a prime place to display their talents, and if you want to take a break from skiing or snowboarding, you can see what the adjacent snow tubing area is all about. Separate tickets must be purchased if you want to enjoy the Polar Blast tubing area.

While a five minute car or free shuttle bus ride is all that is required to get from the Boston Mills Ski Resort to Brandywine, the two sister resorts are in different communities. Boston Mills calls the community of Peninsula home, while Brandywine is officially located in Sagamore Hills. In addition to being close to Cleveland, Boston Mills and Brandywine are also within easy reach of Akron, which means the slopes can get pretty crowded on the weekends. If you want to avoid the crowds, weekdays are best. Weekday hours at the Boston Mills Ski Resort are 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Brandywine opens at 3:30 p.m. on weekdays and closes at 9:30 p.m. On the weekends, Boston Mills extends the hours a little and Brandywine opens its slopes to visitors at 9 a.m. Special sessions such as the Midnight Madness events have unique operating hours, so you might consider the schedule when planning a visit.

If you don't live in the area, there are some good hotels near Boston Mills Brandywine. You won't find any onsite lodging at either resort, though hotels like the Comfort Inn Boston Heights provide easy enough access. This is among the most affordable hotels near Boston Mills Brandywine and it offers proximity to a variety of other wonderful area attractions. These attractions include the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and the Blossom Music Center. Clean and comfortable rooms that are equipped with cable TV, microwaves, mini fridges, coffee makers, hair dryers, and complimentary Internet access are among the standard in-room amenities at the Comfort Inn Boston Heights, and rooms with hot tubs are also available, as are more spacious suites. Facilities include an indoor pool and a fitness center, and it's worth noting that a deluxe continental breakfast buffet is included in the rates.

When looking for hotels near Boston Mills Brandywine, you might also consider the Clarion Inn and Conference Center in nearby Hudson. You can expect the in-room amenities at the Clarion Inn to rival those at the Comfort Inn, and if you're too tired to venture out to a restaurant after a day on the slopes, room service is available.

If you prefer having your own kitchen when it comes to the hotels near Boston Mills Brandywine, then the Staybridge Suites Stow are a good option. A variety of good mid-range hotels and more affordable motels are in the area, and you might also keep the Cleveland hotels or the Akron hotels in mind if you don't mind being about a 30-minute drive away.