Getting kids on skis as early as possible can be rewarding for a lifetime of skiing. But planning a ski trip —?especially with kids in tow —?isn’t as easy as just picking up and going.
Instead of just “following the snow,” you’ll want to pick a ski mountain that truly caters to kids — one that offers top-notch ski lessons, kid-friendly trails and many off-the-snow activities as well.
So if this is the year you’re ready to get your family on the mountain, here are some great family-friendly options for your next winter ski vacation.
Beaver Creek, Colorado
Built just a few years ago, families are still raving about the new Beaver Creek in McCoy Park which offers an additional 250 acres of terrain. This family-friendly zone offers a great learning area for kids, with 17 trails and two chair lifts. This is in addition to the many other kid-friendly ski areas at the resort, such as Haymeadow Park, which has its own gondola, and Red Buffalo Park. Your kids will also love finding the Candy Cabin and the Ice Cream Parlour, both located on the mountain.
And don’t forget the fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies after a day on the slopes —?a Beaver Creek signature. During 3pm cookie time, guests will be able to enjoy these delicacies at the bottom of Haymeadow and Centennial Express Lifts. Or, new this year, enjoy chocolate chip cookies and hot chocolate throughout the day at Red Buffalo Park’s Cookie Cabin.
After a long day of skiing, your family can also enjoy snowshoeing, tubing, dog sledding and even an open-air sleigh ride to dinner. In Beaver Creek Village,?which is within walking distance from the slopes,?there’s an outdoor ice skating rink with skate rentals and many restaurants.
Teens will thoroughly enjoy the new Hawk’s Nest Cabin — built to be one of the coolest underage clubs in Beaver Creek Village. Here, teenagers can experience craft non-alcoholic beverages, music, arcade games, a ski simulator, music and more.
Where to stay in Beaver Creek
Beaver Creek is filled with many hotel options, including many that will allow you to use your hotel points. The Park Hyatt Beaver Creek is as luxurious as they come. Starting at 35,000 World of Hyatt points per night (although most nights are 40,000 or 45,000 points per night),?which can easily be earned from the World of Hyatt Credit Card,?you can enjoy a free night. Best of all, you’re just a stone’s throw away from dropping your kids off at ski school.
Other options include the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch,?which is on the other side of the mountain and farther away from the village,?and the Sheraton Mountain Vista Villas. The Sheraton requires a shuttle, but all rooms are one- or two-bedroom villas, which will allow your family to spread out in comfort. Rates tend to start around 64,000 points a night at the Sheraton (and significantly more at the Ritz), or you may be able to use the annual free night certificate that comes with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant? American Express? Card.
Copper Mountain, Colorado
If you’re looking for a more low-key ski experience than what you might find at Beaver Creek and Vail, Copper Mountain is perfect for the entire family —?especially since its pricing is much more favorable. The resort has also added two more beginner trails this season on the west side of the mountain, increasing Copper’s overall skiable acreage to 2,538 acres.
If you’re looking to take a break from the outdoors, you can also experience the Woodward Copper Barn, which offers enough adventure to keep kids occupied for the entire day, including skate, scooter and BMX zones, trampolines, a full-size skate bowl and much more.
Where to stay at Copper Mountain
The relatively new hotel, Element 29,?has been re-branded to the Cambria Hotel Copper Mountain. Located right at the base of the Center Village, it’s actually one of your only hotel options in the area and offers an on-site restaurant and bar, hot tubs and fire pits. And now that it’s part of the Choice Privileges loyalty program, you can use your points for a free night stay.
Keystone Resort, Colorado
There’s no sugarcoating it:?Skiing can be expensive.?But Keystone makes the skiing experience much more affordable for families with its kids ski free program. With all eligible stays of two nights or more, kids 12 and younger ski for free each night booked, plus an additional day of skiing.
But an affordable ski trip isn’t the only reason to visit Keystone. With the addition of a new high-speed 6-passenger life, called the Bergman Express, skiers can access more than 550 acres of new diverse terrain. Now with over 3,500 acres of multiple terrain options, a snow fort, night skiing, dog sledding, sleigh rides, snow tubing and ice skating, there’s plenty to keep an entire family busy both on and off the mountain.
Plus, parents will also love the free front-row family parking and red wagons to help tow skis, boards or even tired kiddos to and from the slopes.
Where to stay at Keystone Resort
Keystone offers many condos where you can walk directly to the lifts, with some even having a true ski-on/ski-off experience. But, if you’re looking to use hotel points to offset the cost of your stay, the Hyatt Place Keystone is a great value. With pricing as low as 12,000 World of Hyatt points per night, this is the perfect opportunity to use your free night certificate that comes with the World of Hyatt Credit Card —?even during peak pricing.
Steamboat Ski Resort, Colorado
Steamboat Ski Resort is known for its kids’ camps programs, where kids of all ages can have fun all day and parents can enjoy some relaxation. Steamboat will even help get your 2-year-old on skis (or board)?if that’s what you want.
With night skiing also offered during select days of the week, your kids can continue their love for skiing as the sun falls. Or, if you prefer, you can finish off the day by ice skating on the square’s new ice skating rink. For those looking to take a break from the mountain, you can embark on a completely different?activity by visiting one of the many natural hot springs nearby — the perfect way to warm yourself up before returning to the slopes.
But with Steamboat charging the most expensive daily list ticket, you’ll want to look into the IKON pass for your ski trip. You’ll also receive a free kid’s 5-day pass with a qualifying purchase of a 5-day adult pass.
Where to stay at Steamboat Ski Resort
The Sheraton Steamboat Resort Villas is right at the mountain and near all the activity. If you’re staying with kids, this is an ideal hotel option, as you can book a one- or two-bedroom villa?—?and you can even use your Marriott Bonvoy points for these larger rooms. Or for more last-minute availability, look at the Residence Inn Steamboat Springs —?another opportunity to use your Marriott points or potentially a 35,000 point certificate earned from the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card.
Park City Mountain Resort, Utah
For families flying in for their ski trip, Park City is as easy as it gets. After you deplane and grab your ski gear, you can be on the slopes in almost no time, as the mountain is located just around 30 minutes from the airport.
There are multiple ski school and childcare options right on the mountain. As one of the largest ski resorts in the United States, there’s also a variety of terrain for every skill level. With more than 330 trails, you can spend the entire day challenging yourself to new adventures.
Where to stay at Park City
Park City offers many accommodations, especially for those who are looking to use their hotel points. On the Canyons side of the resort, there’s the Hyatt Centric Park City, Waldorf Astoria Park City and Club Wyndham Park City. You then have Marriott’s MountainSide on the Park City side. These hotels are all within walking distance to the ski lifts, giving you easy access to the mountain.
Or, if you prefer to stay by Main Street?with its many restaurants and shops,?there’s Marriott’s Summit Watch, which is steps away from the town ski lift.
Okemo Mountain Resort, Vermont
Located in southern Vermont, Okemo Mountain Resort is a family favorite. The mountain offers 121 trails, 20 lifts and the highest snowmaking efficiency in all of Vermont. With a wide range of terrain, skiers ranging from beginners to experts will enjoy the mountain.
??On top of skiing, kids will have a field day between the mountain coaster, tubing hill and ice skating rink. There’s also the Spring House aquatics center?with a heated pool, hot tubs and a fitness center.
Where to stay at Okemo Mountain Resort
The Jackson Gore Inn is one of the most popular hotels on the mountain, which also has access to a fun pool complex —?a hit after a long day of skiing. Or, if you’d prefer to stay in a condo?and spread out,?you have many options, with a plethora of ski-on/ski-out locations.
You can book a condo through Vacasa?with your Wyndham Rewards points?at just 15,000 points per night per bedroom. As an added benefit, many of these condos have access to the Spring House complex or have their own pools and activities onsite
Smugglers’ Notch Resort, Vermont
Smugglers’ Notch Resort in northern Vermont is as family-friendly as it gets. With 300 inches of natural snow each winter — plus plenty of its own snow-making capability — and lessons starting as young as 3 years old, Smuggs makes it easy to get your kids on the snow from a young age.
The mountain offers 78 trails, eight lifts, multiple terrain parks (including a kid-friendly Riglet Park) and more than 1,000 acres of skiing.
A trip to Smugglers’ Notch will also give you that true vacation feel. After a day of skiing —?or even if you are looking to mix in some non-skiing days —?there are a plethora of activities for all families during the day and at night. From snowshoeing and tubing to swimming and ice skating, your kids will never want to leave. Add that to the FunZone 2.0 Family Fun Complex where you have access to life-size inflatables, laser tag, arcade games and a climbing wall, there is fun for kids —?and adults —?of all ages. And?if your kids are still rearing to go as the sun goes down, the resort offers many nightly activities, such as family gaga ball, bingo, bonfires, s’mores and even glow tubing.
Where to stay at Smugglers’ Notch Resort
When planning a vacation to Smugglers’ Notch, one of the best options is to stay at one of its many on-site condominiums. There are complexes spread throughout the resort, ranging from studios all the way to five bedrooms,?depending on your family’s needs. There’s also an on-demand shuttle that can take you from your condo to the ski lifts and any of the other resort amenities.
Or you can use your Wyndham points to stay at the Club Wyndham Smugglers’ Notch at 15,000 points per night per bedroom, but availability is extremely limited —?especially during peak dates.
Stowe Mountain Resort, Vermont
Stowe Mountain Resort — also known as the Vail of the East Coast —?is a family favorite. Made up of two different mountain areas, Spruce Peak is perfectly situated for kids. Those just learning to ski will love the enclosed bubble on the magic carpet ride or the wide —?but not too long —?runs on the Sunny Peak Triple. And as kids start to become more comfortable on the snow, they can hop the gondola to enjoy more challenging trails on the Mount Mansfield side.
After a day of skiing, the Spruce Peak Base area offers an outdoor ice skating rink, après-skiing, a candy store and even an indoor climbing wall.
The town of Stowe also has a lot to offer, with many restaurants, breweries and outdoor activities. There’s everything from snowshoeing to horse and carriage rides, and then, of course, the Ben & Jerry’s factory tours.
Where to stay at Stowe Mountain Resort
If you’re looking to stay right at the mountain, there’s just one hotel option:?the Lodge at Spruce Peak, which is part of the Hyatt portfolio. With pricing quite high, this is a great opportunity to use your World of Hyatt points. Families will love being able to roll out of bed and be right onto the mountain. And after a long day, the heated pool and hot tubs are fan favorites.
But closer to the town, you’ll find many more places to stay. Topnotch Resort and The Trapp Family Lodge are both family favorites, or if you’d like to spread out, an Airbnb rental is very common.
Jay Peak Resort, Vermont
Although Jay Peak is about as far north as you can get, it’s worth the drive for families. With an indoor water park, which includes a lazy river, waterslide, surf simulator, hot tubs and much more, your kids will love a trip to the mountains. To add to the excitement, there’s also an indoor ice skating rink, fat-tire biking, arcades, a climbing gym and a theatre.
Due to its location, the mountain sees fewer crowds than other East Coast mountains, which is ideal when skiing with kids. Ticket prices are also more moderately priced and there are also many ski and stay packages, which include accommodations, lift tickets and even access to the Jay Peak Pump House water park.
Jay Peak also offers childcare for kids as young as 6 weeks old. This can allow you to get a few turns on the mountain without the kids.
Where to stay at Jay Peak Resort
Jay Peak offers many hotel and condo options right at the mountain. You can opt for a hotel room, single-family home, condo or townhouse, all of which offer multi-bedroom options. You can also pick a location that works best for your family, whether it’s ski-in/ski-out, near the golf course or right at the water park. And if you’re looking to use points, book a condo through Vacasa with your Capital One or Citi ThankYou points.
Whiteface Mountain, New York
Being a host to the Winter Olympics twice, Lake Placid has an abundant amount of outdoor activities for kids. With the largest vertical drop east of the Rockies at 3,430 feet, this means your family can spend more time on the mountain and less time on the lifts. Although Whiteface is a challenging mountain, for those just starting out, there’s the dedicated Bear Den Learning Center.
Throughout your stay, your family can also explore many of the thrill-seeking activities and Olympic sites. There’s the Cliffside Coaster, which is the longest mountain coaster in the US, or if you want to truly feel like an Olympian, bobsledding is a big adrenaline rush. Nearby there’s also dogsledding, a toboggan chute and even the opportunity to watch experts mastering their ski jumping skills.
Where to stay at Whiteface Mountain
If you have the budget, the Whiteface Lodge and Resort is the ideal lodging option for families. Within the resort itself, you have access to a movie theater, bowling alley, indoor/outdoor heated pool, ice skating rink, snowshoeing, game room, ice cream parlor, s’more making and three different restaurant options. That’s all in addition to the daily resort activities.
Camelback Mountain Resort, Pennsylvania
If your kids are just starting out, a smaller resort might feel less overwhelming for your family — but a small mountain doesn’t mean less fun. Camelback Mountain Resort in the Poconos still offers 39 runs, with most lit up for night skiing.
After a day of skiing,?your family can visit the Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark, where you can feel like it’s summer year-round with 13 waterslides, seven pools and many play structures. Combine that with many other activities, such as snow tubing and arcades, and your kids will never want to leave.
And since Camelback was just added to the IKON pass, you can ski for even less.
Where to stay at Camelback Mountain Resort
Fortunately, there are many different hotels nearby, which allows for every budget. But, if you really want to make your stay special for your family, there are three hotels that scream family-friendly, thanks to their water park and activities offered. Camelback Resort is right at the mountain, offering ski-in/ski-out accommodations. It’s also home to the aforementioned Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark.
Or, less than 20 minutes away, you can stay at Kalahari Resort or Great Wolf Lodge, with both featuring their own indoor water park and many kids’ areas. The Parenthood Adventures has a great comparison of all three resorts so you can pick the one that works best for your family.
Mont Tremblant Resort, Quebec, Canada
Although you might be crossing the border, a visit to Mont Tremblant —?less than two hours from Montreal —?is easier than it seems for a family ski trip. Between the 102 trails with terrain for both beginners and experts?and the large pedestrian village,?this French-inspired mountain has everything a family could ask for.
For families looking to add many other outdoor activities to the mix, Mont Tremblant has you covered. Some family favorites include fat-tire biking, tubing, dog sledding, ice climbing, ice fishing, ice skating, sleigh rides, dune buggy tours, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and even outdoor paintball. But maybe one of the most unique activities is being able to spend the day with a woodsman.
And if you’re looking to warm up inside for the day?or after a day of skiing, there’s an endless amount of activities. Between the Brind’O Aquaclub water park, virtual reality arcade and laser tag, your family will never be bored.
Where to stay in Mont Tremblant Resort
There’s no shortage of lodging options when it comes to Mont Tremblant. You have everything from vacation home rentals and condos to plenty of hotels. And best of all, many accommodations are right at the mountain.
The Lodge de La Montage right in the Pedestrian Village offers multi-bedroom suites with full kitchens. There’s also the Le Westin Tremblant with a heated outdoor pool —?a great opportunity to use your Marriott Bonvoy points. The Fairmont Tremblant and Homewood Suites by Hilton Mont-Tremblant are two other properties within walking distance to the lifts as well.
Chamonix Valley, France
Situated at the foot of Mont Blanc and just an hour’s drive from Geneva, Chamonix Valley in the French Alps offers some of the best ski destinations in the world. And with five ski resorts —?Grands Montets, Le Houches, Le Tour/Balme, La Flégère and Le Brevent —?there are more than enough trails for every ski level. And while an international flight is needed, you’ll find lift tickets and ski school to be incredibly inexpensive. The Mont Blanc ski pass even includes some non-ski excursions as well.
While each resort offers something a little different, kids will also love the ski camp area at Les Houches, which offers on-mountain activities from zip-lining and snow tubing to teepees and more. Other family-friendly activities in Chamonix include dog sledding, ice skating and an alpine coaster.
Off the mountain, the town offers enough sightseeing activities to keep you and your family occupied for those non-ski days —?or for a family member coming along for the ride and not looking to strap on ski boots. One of the most fascinating sites is the Aiguille du Midi cable car, which offers breathtaking views of the French, Italian and Swiss Alps. Or take a ride on the Montenvers train to witness some amazing glaciers —?and, of course, a visit to the ice caves below the glaciers are a must-see.
Where to stay in Chamonix Valley, France
You’ll want to first decide if you want to stay right in the center of town where you’ll be closer to the action or in one of the villages near a resort ski lift. Fortunately, there are many buses and trains, so getting around is quite easy. But once you decide, you’ll find that there’s no shortage of hotels, chalets and apartments. For those looking for 5-star accommodations, you’ll love Le Cristal de Jade, Heliopic Hotel & Spa or Grand Hotel des Alpes.
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