If you are thinking about taking a family ski vacation, we have outlined some of the Best Ski Resorts for Kids and families. Although we have been to many in North America, we wanted to seek out more of the best family ski resorts around the world from those who have been there.
So whether you are in North America, Europe or even South America we have found some fellow bloggers who can share some of their insight and knowledge about some great family friendly ski resorts.
A list of the best ski resorts in the world which are great for families to enjoy!
What You'll Find in This Post
Best Ski Resorts in North America
Here are some of the Best Ski Resorts in USA for families:
Park City Mountain Resort, Utah, USA
Megan from Peter Pan Traveler
Park City Mountain Resort is one of the best ski resorts for families because there is something for everyone there. It is the largest ski resort in the United States, which means there is something for all levels of skiers there and one of the best places to ski in the USA.
From black run extreme bowls to beginners runs, downhill racing to parks and half pipes, no matter what you enjoy doing on the mountain you will find the best of it in Park City.
Park City, Utah, is full of great restaurants, stores and tons of fun activities for families to do off the mountain that is all a short walking distance from the resort. Everything is walking distance which makes it great for families.
I love staying at the bottom on the main street at Park Station. It is a great apartment complex that is conveniently located right next to the town lift. You are in the center of town, but just minutes from the lifts. It is perfect for any family that doesn’t want to deal with renting a car and driving in the snow, because you will not need it.
Booking.comBeaver Creek, Colorado, USA
Meredith from The Longest Weekend
If you’re looking for the best ski resorts in Colorado for families, consider Beaver Creek, Colorado. Located in the heart of the Vail Valley just two hours west of Denver, Beaver Creek is a haven for both newbie and seasoned skiers alike.
If you’re looking for a place to teach your kids to ski, it doesn’t get much better than Beaver Creek thanks to the mountain’s many wide open green and blue runs. Also, unlike many ski resorts where beginners are confined to a lower bunny hill, Beaver Creek’s numerous upper greens provide an amazing ski terrain from the top of the mountain to the bottom.
Another reason Beaver Creek is always a hit with the kids – every afternoon, chefs in white ski suits serve warm chocolate chip cookies at the foot of the slopes.
Both on and off the slopes, there are so many great things to do in Beaver Creek for families. Explore the Dickens-worthy Beaver Creek Village, which is complete with a cozy fire pit and even an ice skating rink. Take a ride in a snowcat up to dinner at Allie’s Cabin, then cap off your trip watching the firework show over the slopes.
For the best family lodging in Beaver Creek, check out the suite-style lodging at the Sheraton in Avon or rent a condo for the family via VRBO.
Beech Mountain Resort, North Carolina, USA
Allie from WOC Travel
Whether you are vacationing or living in the Southern United States as winter gets into full swing you might be planning a family trip to a ski resort.
Many of the most popular United States ski resorts are in the Midwest and the Western United States, but North Carolina has some great driving distance resorts to offer. I spent a long weekend at Beech Mountain Resort, a ski resort located in the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains, and it is a great place to spend a long weekend with your family.
Beech Mountain Resort is great for families because it has slopes for varying skill levels as well as other activities for those not interested in skiing and snowboarding. Beech Mountain has a sledding/tubing hill on the property, and there is a snow tubing park, Hawks Nest a short drive (~30 minutes) from the resort that also has zip lines.
For the adult or of age members of your family there is a brewing company at the resort with more than 15 craft beers on tap from Beech Mountain Brewing company and neighbouring craft breweries. Lastly, if you want a change of scenery, Sugar Mountain Resort is another ski resort less than 10 miles away and an easy 20-minute drive.
Mammoth, California, USA
Jenny from Campsite Vibes
Mammoth in California is a great resort for the whole family. They offer children classes so your kiddos are taken care of on the mountain while learning to snowboard or ski.
During the winter months, Mammoth Mountain Resort has events and concerts for the whole family. Woolly Mammoth (Mammoth’s mascot) skis around the easier runs and kids can take photos with Woolly, like Mickey Mouse at Disneyland!
In the Village, you can choose a variety of restaurants like Campo, Sushi Rei, Pita Pit, and Gomez. For dessert, you can stop by the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factories for freshly made caramel apples and ice cream from Hugs Ice Cream. You can also take your kids to Woolly’s Tube Park and Snow Play for tubbing and sledding.
There’s also so much snow everywhere during the winter months, you can have a snowball fight and make a snowman pretty much anywhere.
Here are some of the Best Ski Resorts in Canada for families:
Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
Christina from Travel 2 Next
Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort in British Columbia, Canada is one of the best skiing resorts in the world. If you’re visiting on a family vacation, the kids will be delighted as you wander around Whistler Village at night. The village is lit up like a fairyland, with holiday lights and roving winter characters dressed up like enchanted creatures.
The slopes of Whistler are very busy in December (the average snowfall is 170cm) and the resort has lots of activities on the slopes as well as a full Après ski calendar to suit all ages. Even if you’re not a family of skiers or snowboarders, Whistler still offers hours of fun. Kids learn quickly and the instructors at Whistler are excellent with kids.
Other fun things to do in Whistler for families are to ride the Peak2Peak Gondola, dog sledding, ice skating and tubing. Then there’s snowshoeing, skidoo tours (not suitable for young children) and sleigh rides. If you have a young family, do book a sleigh ride as it’s an activity the little ones will remember forever.
Our favourite place to stay in Whistler is at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler.
Booking.comLake Louise, Alberta, Canada
Thea – Zen Travellers
At about 2 hours from Calgary, and 45 minutes from Banff, Alberta, the Lake Louise Ski Resort is one of the most beautiful places in the world to spend a day with the family.
There is a large, separate learning area where people can take lessons, as well as a dedicated kid’s area that includes colourful cutouts of local animals, such as mountain goats and grizzly bears. Non-skiers can still enjoy the amazing Rocky Mountain views from the Lodge of the Ten Peaks at the base of there mountain where they will find many choices of restaurants as well as shopping. Gear can be rented on site and both group and private lessons are offered.
Since it is in a National Park, there is nowhere to stay directly at the resort but the nearby Lake Louise Inn is a great place to stay that is only 4km from the resort and features an indoor pool for if the kids get tired of skiing. Overall, Lake Louise is one of the best places to ski near Calgary for kids and adults alike.
Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada
Melissa – Montreal Travel Blog
The best known Eastern Canada’s ski resort Mont Tremblant is only an hour and a half from Montreal, and it’s a perfect spot for beginner and intermediate skiers but also for the families who like fun outdoor activities.
Mont Tremblant offers 96 ski slopes and a lot of family activities like tubing, sliding, ice skating, dog sledding, indoor aquapark and much more. The Pedestrian Village has animation programs, kid’s clubs and many hotels in the area accommodate kids that are 17 and for free when accompanied by an adult!
You can choose from many family lodgings in the region close to the village and ski slopes. One of the best family-friendly hotels to stay in is Le Grand Lodge Mont-Tremblant! This hotel has family rooms for 5+ people, the game room with a lot of activities, and an indoor pool. It comes with a special bonus: free hot chocolate and cookies, or marshmallows to roast by the bonfire at night.
Big White, British Columbia, Canada
Nicole from The Passport Kids
Nestled in the Okanagan Valley, Big White Ski Resort provides a great place for families to enjoy a ski vacation. It is located approximately 1 hour away from Kelowna so getting here is easy from the airport with shuttles that run regularly.
The ski hill has a wide range of green, blue and black runs which works great for any skiers’ ability. There is a ski school, daycare, magic carpets, and easy to learn slopes for the kids to enjoy. For anyone who is looking to do tricks, there is a great terrain park with rails, tabletops and jumps for all the kids to enjoy.
There is also so much more to do for a great family friendly snow vacation. At Big White, there is also an outdoor skating rink, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, tub park, sledding, dog-sledding and an ice wall to climb.
Every Saturday there is a kids carnival, night skiing, hot chocolate and fireworks in the village to enjoy the winter wonderland.
The best place to stay in the village at Big White. There are many choices to choose from it just depends on budget and whether you are looking for a condo or a hotel option. Many are ski in and ski out so you have the best option to get the first tracks on the hill.
Best Ski Resorts in Europe
Les Arcs, France
Roshni from The Wanderlust Within
Part of the Paradiski ski area, Les Arcs in the Auvergne Rhone Alps is the second largest ski resort in the world. It is accessible from Geneva and Lyon airport or via the Eurostar to Bourg St Maurice.
Les Arcs Resort is unique as it has five sites ranging from 1600-2000 meters all in one destination. In addition, Les Arcs has 262 runs, ensuring everyone from beginners to ski enthusiasts are pleased. Les Arcs is designed with children in mind, ski schools run throughout the week, and you can choose group or private lessons for affordable prices.
If you’re visiting for the Christmas period, there are snowman building contests, sled rides, reindeer visits, and night skiing for kids. Parents can even organize for Santa to visit your chalet or hotel!
If you visit during Spring, visit Mille 8, there is a freestyle area, outdoor kids play area, pistes just for children and even a swimming pool. For teenagers, there is a half-pipe and water slide that they can ski through.
Plus if you want to spend time together as a family you can’t miss the toboggan runs that are popular with both adults and children alike.
Saalbach Hinterglemm, Austria
Inna – Executive Thrillseeker
Saalbach-Hinterglemm is one of the best ski resorts in Austria and one of Austria’s largest sports regions also called the “Ski Circus”.
Saalbach is a small alpine village that turns into one huge get-together spot in the evening. Hinterglemm is somewhat calmer than bustling Saalbach so some families prefer to stay there. Together they are surrounded by numerous trails of various complexity. The amount of descents allows a skier to ride around the whole day without using the same lift twice.
There is an incredible abundance of ski slopes for every taste: steep and almost flat, narrow and wide, sunny on the southern side and shady on the northern. Most importantly there are plenty of slopes for beginners so it can be a perfect learning ground for the little ones. Also, there are ski schools and ski kindergartens with qualified instructors.
I’m sure you and your family will love the fact that you don’t have to spend much time in queues at the lifts. Just sit back until the largest 100-seater cable car in Austria will deliver you to the top of Schattberg Ost (2020m).
Overall, Saalbach-Hinterglemm is a perfect match for families, skiers of all levels, snowboarders, those who like mountain restaurants, apres-ski, and cross-country skiing.
Grachen, Switzerland
Arzo from Arzo Travels
If you are looking for the best family ski resort in Switzerland, then Grächen (or Grachen) is the place for you.
Yes, Grächen quite unknown to most people especially because it competes to resorts like Zermatt, St. Moritz or Grindelwald. However, Grächen is the perfect family ski resort in Europe. So, whether you have younger kids (up to twelve years, I would say) or are a senior who prefers a more relaxed place to do winter sports, Grächen is great and so it does not surprise, it was actually voted the best ski destination in Europe.
As a ski destination, you can ski and snowboard but also do other activities like winter snowshoeing or visit some acres-ski bars. What is quite unique is the number of activities for children, whether you enjoy PistenBully rides, or sit down in one of the fairy-tale gondolas, or do easy activities in winter family park (including watching short movies in igloos), there are tons of things to do!
Also, if you want to see some more famous ski resorts, Zermatt is just a quick train ride away. So, surely, Grächen is a ski resort perfect for most families.
Booking.comBieszczady Mountains, Poland
Karolina from The Lazy Travel Blog
Bieszczady Mountain in Poland provides the best carefree ski holidays for families travelling with kids. Arlamow Resort has beautiful views offered from its location in the heart of the Bieszczady wilderness, Arlamow Hotel is equipped with the best facilities that will ensure that your whole family is taken care of.
While getting pampered in the resort’s in-house spa, you will not need to worry about your children as they will be in good hands at the Kids’ Club. Here, they are given loads of educational and entertaining activities that will keep them occupied for hours. There is no need to hurry out of the treatment room after a massage. Here, you can have the time to have a steam bath or soak in the Jacuzzi, knowing that your kids are fine.
Arlamow Hotel also provides skiing lessons with a really good team of instructors who will make sure that you and your family are skiing in no time. With gentle beginner slopes for first-time skiers and steeper slopes for more experienced skiers, the region of Arlamow is the perfect place for a family skiing trip.
Best Ski Resorts in South America
Bariloche, Argentina
Erin from Sol Salute
Skiing may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Argentina, but with Patagonia and the Andes in the south, it’s truly an epic winter destination.
Being in the southern hemisphere means that ski season is from July-September. It’s best to avoid visiting during Argentina’s school winter holidays. Bariloche is overwhelmed with tourists during those weeks. Plan for the last half of August or the beginning of September for the best experience.
The resort town of Bariloche in winter is the best ski and snow destination in Argentina. The name of this city’s ski resort is Cerro Catedral. This ski village features 75 miles of ski runs for all levels. Families can ski or snowboard together or the parents can leave their children with instructors while they conquer the more challenging trails alone.
The best experience is to stay at one of the hotels in Cerro Catedral. My favourite is Hosteria Sudbruk. Nothing beats waking up steps away from the mountain. However, hotels can be more budget-friendly in downtown Bariloche, which is reachable by a 15-20 bus ride from Cerro Catedral.
Aside from skiing, visit all of Bariloche’s famous chocolate shops. Don’t leave without trying the hot chocolate at Rapa Nui.
Booking.comHopefully, you have found some inspiration in some of these places to find the best ski resorts for families for determining your next ski holiday. There are so many great places to go skiing and snowboarding in the world, the best part is finding somewhere new to adventure to and explore a new region.
Ski vacations can be so much fun to do as a family and as the kids grow up a tradition for your family to keep together. A way to stay active, enjoy the outdoors and embrace the entire ambiance of ski life.
Thank you to all who contributed to creating this amazing list of the top places to take kids skiing from around the world. We now have a few more spots that we need to add to our ski trip planning for next season!
Looking for more Ski Vacation Ideas:
Is there anywhere that you have gone skiing with toddlers, teenagers or tweens?
Any multi-generational ski resorts that you love and want to share?
Inna Nedostupenko says
Great list of ski resorts, I even picked my next winter destination!
The Passport Kids says
Perfect, I’m glad it was helpful! After seeing a few of these recommendations, I foresee some international ski trips in the future too :) Have fun at the slopes!