Top 15 ski resorts for families: great destinations to travel to
When going on vacation with the whole family, the most difficult thing is to find a destination that would satisfy the tastes and interests of people of different ages and skills. A selection of the best family ski resorts will help you cope with this task. Such complexes offer a large number of entertainment activities aimed at both adults and children, as well as taking into account the level of skills – from beginners to experienced athletes. That's why they combine a variety of activities in one place and offer many types of terrain, such as difficult mountainous terrain and small gentle slopes.
For example, Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort in Canada offers a "family certified area" where children can explore the magical forest while adults conquer more difficult slopes. Steamboat in Colorado boasts hot natural springs and water slides to diversify winter adventures. To find out more about the top 15 ski resorts, we recommend you read the following selection.
Bretton Woods
Bretton Woods, located in New Hampshire, offers 464 acres of terrain, so kids and adults alike can find plenty of fun for every taste. The resort has 63 different trails and 10 lifts, including the new eight-seat Bretton Woods Skyway passenger gondola, which makes going up the mountain almost as fun and exciting as going down.
In addition to snowboarding and skiing, as well as lessons, a snow tubing trail is available. Guests over the age of 12 can have fun on nine zip lines, as well as conquer two Canopy Tour elevated bridges. The resort, located in the heart of the White Mountains, offers a large number of family-friendly activities throughout the year.
Smugglers Notch Resort
This family-friendly ski resort is located in Vermont and welcomes guests of all ages. For adults vacationing at Smugglers' Notch Resort, there is a wide variety of terrain to explore, including 78 trails that run through three mountains. After an active day spent snowboarding or skiing, the best solution is a traditional hot chocolate drunk around the evening fire.
Another special feature of the resort is "glowtubing" (night sledding illuminated by LED lighting), which is organized on Tuesdays. In addition, you can watch fireworks every Thursday night.
Smugglers' Notch Resort has a kids' club and childcare is available for younger guests, so adults can spend time alone and enjoy the leisure options designed specifically for them.
Park City Mountain Resort
The sheer number of trails at this amazing resort located in Park City, Utah makes it a popular destination for family vacations in the United States. Park City Mountain Resort boasts 7300 acres of terrain and more than 330 trails, so everyone, regardless of age and skill, will find the perfect option for themselves.
The resort is home to High Meadow Park, a training area with groomed trails where beginners can improve and hone their skills while learning to ski or snowboard. After a day on the slopes, you can take a nearly half-hour snowmobile ride to the unique restaurant The Viking Yurt. Located at an elevation of 8,700 feet, this Scandinavian establishment offers a gourmet menu, so guests have the opportunity to enjoy a delicious meal while taking in the fantastic views of the surrounding mountains and Park City.
Steamboat Ski Resort
When it comes to planning a family ski vacation, it can be a challenge to go over budget, but Steamboat Ski Resort in Colorado will help you solve this problem. In particular, children under the age of 12 can ski for free if the person accompanying them purchases a lift ticket for five or more days.
The resort offers almost 3000 acres of diverse terrain. It has an excellent snow sports school offering lessons for children and inexperienced adults on the slopes. After an active and adventurous day, a visit to the Old Town Hot Springs, which even includes two 230-foot-long water slides, is the best solution for the whole family.
A special feature of the resort is the presence of areas reserved exclusively for beginners and children. If you can, we recommend planning your vacation to coincide with the annual Winter Carnival, which includes skijoring (skiing with dogs), a parade of bands, and amazing nightly shows.
Whiteface Mountain
Whiteface Mountain offers 94 trails on Lake Placid Mountain, as well as an Olympic-inspired heritage, as it was the site of the 1980 Winter Olympics, so there are plenty of adventures available to guests spread across four different locations. For example, you can race down the bobsleigh track on Van Hovenberg Mountain or take in the extraordinary views from the eight-person Skyride gondola lift.
After a day of exploring the slopes, parents can head to the Bear Den Lodge to enjoy warming cocktails and a bird's eye view of their children learning to snowboard and ski with friendly instructors.
Keystone Resort
The list of the top 15 family ski resorts includes Keystone Resort, where adults have the opportunity to test their skills on more than 3,000 acres and 130 trails, most of which are designed for experienced and intermediate skiers. Despite the challenging terrain at this Colorado destination, lessons for children are available, as well as alternative leisure options for the youngest visitors. Guests of Keystone Resort who want to have fun other than skiing can spend time on the tubing and sledding trails, ice rink, or exploring the world's largest snow fort, located on one of the resort's three main peaks.
Camelback Resort
One of the most popular ski resorts for families is Camelback Resort. Located in the Poconos, this complex is smaller than some of its neighbors, but its compact size makes it a great option for a vacation with children, especially when you have to juggle between different skill levels and preferences.
Camelback Resort offers 39 ski runs and 42 snow tubing lanes for young and old fans of one of their favorite winter sports. When you're not hitting the slopes skiing or tubing, head to the huge Aquatopia indoor water park, which features a wave pool, 13 water slides, a surf simulator, a great water bar, and more.
Beaver Creek
What could be better for kids (not only in age, but also in heart) than the sweetest place Candy Cabin, located at 9840 feet with your favorite Jelly Bellys, M&Ms, Swedish Fish and other treats? Here you can get the sugar fix you need to get you through the rest of your day of adventure and fun.
Beaver Creek offers not only a unique candy store but also 167 trails of varying difficulty. The main highlight of the resort is the longest mountain trail, Centennial, which is 2.75 miles long.
Northstar California Resort
One of the best family ski resorts is Northstar California Resort, located in North Lake Tahoe. Boasting over 3,100 acres of skiable terrain and 100 trails, there are plenty of activities and terrain to explore for every member of the family, regardless of age or skill.
After conquering the peaks and honing your skills, we recommend gathering the whole family or friends together to spend the evening at the après-ski rink. There is also a tubing track available for guests, which is very popular with children. The perfect end to the day is a delicious hot chocolate by the fire.
Northstar California Resort offers an impressive program of private lessons, during which a highly qualified instructor will not only teach you how to ski or snowboard but also help you overcome your fear of the slopes if you have one.
Big Sky Resort
When planning a winter vacation with children, accessibility is an important consideration. Big Sky Resort fully meets this criterion. In particular, there are direct flights to Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport from more than 20 cities. If you don't plan to rent a car, you can use the services of shuttle companies that deliver everyone 50 miles to Big Sky.
Once you get to the top, you'll find more than 4,000 vertical feet of skiing, modern chairlifts with heated seats, and weather protection (you can forget about cold hands!). If you want to take a break from the slopes, book a dog sledding trip or enjoy a snowy light show in the evening while strolling through the resort's Magic Forest.
Whistler Blackcomb
Whistler Blackcomb, located in Canada, is the perfect combination of a serious ski resort with plenty of fun for visitors of all ages, and especially for younger guests. The former Olympic venue offers more than 200 different trails spread over an area of more than 8,000 acres. In addition, Whistler Blackcomb boasts an extensive backcountry designed for experienced travelers. Prepared tourists will have the opportunity to go on a hike to the top accompanied by an expert guide, and then go down snowboarding or skiing on unprepared slopes. The complex also hosts the World Ski Festival and competitions, the winner of which receives the Wiestler Cup.
The resort has two children's play areas: one is located on Whistler Mountain with its tree fort, and the other is on Blackcomb Mountain with a large castle-style playground. So while the kids are having fun, adults can spend time on the slopes. After sunset (if you have the energy), take a stroll through the picturesque Whistler Pedestrian Village or go ice skating under the stars.
Aspen Snowmass
This resort consists of four mountains, including:
- Aspen Highlands;
- Snowmass;
- Aspen Mountain;
- Buttermilk.
Therefore, by buying a ticket for one lift to Aspen Snowmass, you get access to all the peaks at once. However, when traveling with the whole family, where everyone has a different skill level, you should focus your attention on Snowmass. This mountain offers more terrain options than its neighbors combined, and the routes range from easy and short greens to double black diamonds for expert-level skiers.
For younger guests, this great family ski resort offers a variety of daily Snowmass programs, so kids of all ages will find something to keep them entertained at the base of the mountain.
Telluride Ski Resort
Located in Telluride, Colorado, this resort is perfect for kids and parents who need to find some time for themselves and some adult-only fun. Telluride Ski Resort is characterized by mostly intermediate and advanced slopes, including the Revelation Bowl off-piste adventure. Nevertheless, the resort offers a lot of activities for children as well. In particular, you can book private or group lessons for children aged 4 to 14. So while the kids are having fun and honing their skills, parents have more time to themselves. Among the leisure options that will appeal to both children and adults are the following:
- snowmobile tours to a ghostly mining location;
- a gondola ride to the legendary downtown area where Butch Cassidy made his first bank robbery;
- snowboard training, etc.
All in all, one of the best ski resorts in Colorado offers more than 2,000 acres for athletes of all levels in an amazingly scenic location.
CMH Purcell Heli-Skiing
If you want to get a new experience and try heli-skiing with your family, we recommend choosing CMH Purcell Heli-Skiing, located in British Columbia, Canada. This winter vacation option is best suited for families with adult children and those who are planning to climb a helicopter for the first time instead of a ski lift and generally get to know extreme sports better.
Purcell Heli-Skiing is the only CMH destination that offers 1-3-day trips, as opposed to the usual four-day trips. In addition, it is the only opportunity for two small groups (up to eight guests each), so one of them can be arranged privately for your family only.
The unique resort offers nearly 500,000 acres of terrain in the majestic Purcell Mountains, where some of the world's best trails await travelers.
Deer Valley
Deer Valley, one of the top 15 family-friendly ski resorts, is located in Park City, just 40 minutes from Salt Lake City Airport. The complex entertains visitors of all ages, including the youngest guests, as well as childcare programs and a team of highly qualified instructors. While adults are exploring the legendary Deer Valley terrain, children under 12 can spend time playing games, playing sports, and creating art. The resort also has an Adventure Camp, with a variety of trails for walking accompanied by furry mascots.
