Best Family Ski Resorts
Family Travel Magazine is pleased to present our first annual, editorial guide to the best family ski resorts the US. Here, you’ll find our top picks for ski areas and resorts throughout the US.
We based our choices on a variety of factors, including fun features for families, size of the resort, location, and availability of press materials. We’ve only skied two of these locations – Gore and Titus Mountains – but hope to change that over the course of this ski season.
If you are traveling on a family ski vacation, keep in mind that you may get discounted lift tickets if you purchase a hotel package. You should also be aware that it’s possible to rent ski clothing as well as ski equipment – so if you need to save money on your checked bags, that may be the way to do it. Just make sure you do all of the appropriate research before you leave.
Most, if not all of these resorts have special ski classes or ski programs for families. Some even offer daycares with lessons for very little ones. Be sure to call ahead to confirm all details, and remember that these family ski resorts are likely to be crowded on family vacation weeks.
Best Family Ski Resorts
Nevada Family Ski Resorts
Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort, Indian Springs, NV
Notable features: Lids on Kids, a national helmet and skier safety education campaign for children and parents unique to LVSSR, and the Snow Day program, a field trip-style program for school groups
Photo credit: Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort
New England Family Ski Resorts
Suicide Six, Woodstock, Vermont
Notable features: family-friendly terrain, two chair lifts and a J-bar serving 23 trails
Photo credit: Suicide Six
Bretton Woods, Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
Notable features: Seven different seasonal ski and snowboarding programs, great views.
Photo credit: Bretton Woods
Waterville Valley Ski Resort, Waterville Valley, NH
Notable features: New Kids Learning Park, Indoor ice arena. Photo credit: Waterville Valley
New York/Pennsylvania Family Ski Resorts
Shawnee Mountain, Delaware, PA
Notable features: Six children’s programs for skiing and snowboarding, snow tubing. Photo credit: Pocono Mountains
Snow Ridge in Turin, NY
Notable features: the heaviest snowfall in the east, seven lifts, 22 trails, cheap lift tickets. Photo credit: Snow Ridge, Turin NY
Gore Mountain, North Creek, NY
Notable features: Great ski school, kids’ learning area, see our review of Gore Mountain. Photo credit: Gore Mountain
Titus Mountain in Malone, NY
Notable features: Kids’ lessons, tubing, see our review of Titus Mountain. Photo credit: Franklin County Tourism
Michigan Family Ski Resorts
Shanty Creek Resorts in Bellaire, Mich
Notable features: children’s programs, snow-tubing hill, sleigh rides
Photo credit: Shanty Creek
Colorado Family Ski Resorts
Keystone Resort, Keystone, Colorado.
Notable features: All children 12 years of age and under ski and snowboard free every day, longest ski day in Colorado.
Photo credit: Keystone Resort
Durango Mountain Resort in Durango, Colorado
Notable features: short lift lines, ski school, family-friendly terrain
Photo credit: Durango Mountain Resort
Snowmass, Aspen, CO
Notable features: Treehouse Kids’ Adventure Center, one of the top ski schools for kids. Photo credit: Snowmass
Montana Family Ski Resorts
Big Sky Resort, Big Sky Montana
Notable features: short lift lines, kids’ camp, daycare (with optional ski lessons), sleigh rides. Photo credit: Chris Kamman
Moonlight Basin Resort, Big Sky, Montana
Notable features: Short lift lines, lodging options for the whole family
Photo credit: Moonlight Basin Resort
California Family Ski Resorts
Northstar Resort at Lake Tahoe
Notable features: Burton Snowboard Academy, Shaun White’s 22-Foot Superpipe, ice skating rink. Photo credit: Village at Northstar
Tahoe Donner, Truckee CA
Notable features: learn to ski program that accepts kids as young as 3. Photo credit: Tahoe Donner
Utah Family Ski Resorts
Alta Ski Area, Alta, UT
Notable Features: Teen Freeride camp, all day children’s programs
Photo credit: Alta Ski area
Midwest Family Ski Resorts
Perfect North Slopes, Lawrenceburg, IN – Notable features: great for families new to skiing, tubing runs, Chip Perfect of Perfect North has received global recognition for his snow making ability. Photo credit: Perfect North
Mountain Top, Grand Geneva, Lake Geneva, WI.
Notable features – great family program
Photo credit: Mountain Top
Pacific Northwest Family Ski Resorts
White Pass Ski Area, White Pass, WA.
Notable features: PeeWee Skee, Kids’ club
Photo credit: White Pass
Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort, Bend, Oregon
Notable features: great programs for vacationing families, terrain changes and the long trails
Photo credit: Mt. Bachelor
For more picks, check out Matt Villano’s article on Parenting.com.
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