Are you ready to take the family on your first ski vacation but not sure how to plan it? Or, you weren’t totally happy with the experience you had last winter. Here are some tips to stack the odds in favor of a trip your entire family will enjoy.
Start by choosing a family-friendly area, then check into the kids’ ski-school programs. Do you want to visit a resort for a week and put the children in a ski school they will enjoy? If so, choose a resort that has lots of play options. Smugglers Notch in Vermont, for example, developed specific programs for ages ranging from 3 year olds to teens that keep students entertained while learning to ski or snowboard. The resort even offers night school for boarding and jibbing. The ski school at Vail, Colo., has teachers who enjoy working with youngsters and take them to kid-friendly areas like Chaos Canyon. This ski school also offers private family lessons. (The instructor shows you how to continue helping your young children, too.)
Book early if you are going to ski country during a school holiday, to get first choice of lodging and ski packages, because other families will be planning trips. (Flight prices will escalate, too.) If your children are pre-school age, or you’re willing to take them out of school, consider going early or late ski season. Lodging costs less and some resorts have lower-priced lift tickets. Mid-January or around the February holiday weekend are other choices. Be aware that during the early season all of the slopes might not be covered with snow, and late in the season the snow may be disappearing.

Jon Resnick, Vail Resorts
Set a budget and stick to it. Besides the lodging, lift tickets and meals, do you want lessons and adventures off the slopes? Will you need a sitter for a parent’s night out? (Some resorts offer evening activities to keep children entertained while parents go out to dinner.)
Look at ski vacation packages then compare the ones that interest you. Some resorts, such as Keystone in Colorado, have Kids Ski Free packages. Other resorts offer packages that include ski school. If you don’t choose a package that includes lift tickets, check the resort’s website, because you may save big bucks buying lift passes before you go. Compare packages carefully, then add on expected extras to confirm the package you want still is the best deal.
Choose your lodging wisely, especially if the children are young and you are going to have to carry their equipment to the slopes. Slopeside or near slopeside lodging is expensive but has value when it’s an easy walk to the slopes. In large villages, there is usually free bus service and lodging near a bus stop is less expensive, so a good choice. Some properties provide a shuttle to and from the slopes. If looking at Airbnb properties pay attention to previous visitor comments to confirm the pictures and location are accurate. If the lodging property has a variety of units, call to discuss which unit would best fit the size of your family and the age of the children.
Save money staying in a condo and eating meals there. (Check local papers for restaurant deals.) If you’re going for a week, choose a condo with enough bedrooms, so there’s space to spread out. When choosing a hotel, check if there are kid’s programs, teen rooms or play rooms depending upon the age of your children.

Jon Resnick, Vail Resorts
Before leaving your hometown visit a local ski shop and outfit the children. Get helmets for everyone and a ski harness for young children so you can control their movements on the slopes. If flying, check with the resort’s central reservations office to find out where you arrange to rent equipment you can pick up (or have brought to your lodging).
Read This Next
#WhereverFamily
Insta FeedHotels
Apr 18, 2025Nemacolin Debuts Exclusive Luxury Stay Experience for Guests 16 Years and Older
Family travelers with older kids won’t want to miss this new luxury stay at Nemacolin. This luxury resort reintroduces Falling Rock, the architectural masterpiece inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water, as an exclusive stay for travelers 16 years and older.
Sponsored Content
Madrid: A Destination for All Ages
However one is traveling, what matters is having fun and creating unforgettable memories. Among many ways to travel, multigenerational trips — on which grandparents, parents and children get to spend quality time together — are gaining popularity. Setting out on this sort of adventure? Madrid has something to offer everyone!
Destinations
Apr 18, 2025Head to Garden in the Woods in Massachusetts for a Springtime Wonderland
Without going far, family travelers in Boston and surrounding towns can step into a serene woodland environment, where the forest floor is carpeted in wildflowers. Garden in the Woods, in Framingham, Massachusetts, is a botanical garden dedicated to native plants, showcasing them on 45 acres of open forest, ravines, ridges and wetlands.
Destinations / North America
Apr 18, 2025WonderWorks Myrtle Beach Celebrates Spring with Focus on Education, Entertainment
Family travelers know WonderWorks Myrtle Beach provides fun, educational opportunities year-round. But, this spring, the venue takes things to the next level by offering special events, ticket deals and group offerings — with something for everyone.
Destinations / North America
Apr 17, 2025Experience the Night Sky Like Never Before in Oregon’s Outback
I’ve looked up at the night sky almost every night of my life and have always been fascinated by the way the experience changes from day to day and place to place. But on recent family travel to Oregon, I got to experience it like never before in the Oregon Outback. I was staying at the lovely Brasada Ranch in Powell Butte (not far from Bend) and, as the day came to a close, my group boarded a van with Wanderlust Tours and began the journey into a region of the Oregon desert known as the Oregon Outback.
Destinations / North America
Apr 17, 2025Road Trips to Make Resurgence This Summer
This summer, take your family travel to the open road! According to Google Trends, no-passport vacations are the top trending vacation type in 2025 so far. In fact, a survey from Club Wyndham and Talker found twice as many participants would rather drive to a vacation than fly and 60 percent believe they have not seen enough cities or attractions in the United States.
ShareThis