You see it all too often. As a couple, you two traveled everywhere. In the winter, there was at least one trip to your favorite ski hill. What was it? Aspen? Snowbird? Breckenridge? Then there were three; and the thought of hauling a screaming baby and ski gear through airport terminals, car rentals, and ski lodges held no appeal. Not to mention the added expense. You stayed home through the winter months and waited for the thaw.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Family friendly ski resorts are everywhere and for every ripping skier that might tell you a hill is no place for a kid, there are hundreds of marketing departments that will tell you otherwise. If you both love skiing or, more appropriately, ski vacations, your kids will too. Putting your kids on skis early opens them up to a world of adventure, laughter, fun, and scenery they could never recreate with other sports. Wouldn't you want to be the reason for their coolest memories and active lifestyle when they're older? Kids who learn winter sports are also more likely to develop confidence to last a lifetime.
Where Do You Start - Best Family Friendly Resorts
The key to finding the best resorts for families is to steer clear of the hard-core, double-black diamond, remote or luxury hotel intensive areas. Look for places that are easy to get to, that are filled with activities both on the hill and off; ones with large children's ski schools for smaller kid to instructor ratios, with free lift tickets and lodging for kids under 12, family packages and Kids' Night Out evenings where you can drop off your child and have a night on the town to yourselves.
Those gargantuan resorts that claim to be the largest 'wherever' are overwhelming to families who want to keep track of their kids. You just don't need that much or that difficult of terrain. Yet a small resort with a bunny slope right next to that steep blue groomer won't solve their dilemma either. The best family resorts are the ones developed to keep everyone safe; where beginners and experts rarely cross paths. For families with young kids, you'll want beginner-friendly designated sections, places with “Magic Carpets,” those slow-moving conveyor belts that carry beginners up an easy slope.
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