Planning a ski holiday can be tricky, but that shouldn’t restrict you and your loved ones from enrolling in a new adventure.
When going skiing, there is a little bit of everything for everyone, stunning views, hot beverages, warm clothes, and lots of adventure and excitement. In this post, 9 family bloggers have written about their favorite family-friendly ski vacation spots to help you decide where to go on your next adventure.
Kitzbühel Alps
The Kitzbühel Alps are known as a top skiing destination in winter. The skiing resort of the Kitzbühel Alps includes the jet-setter city of Kitzbühel and other villages and towns in the area, including the family-friendly town of St.Johann in Tirol, the exclusive Steinplatte in Waidring, the massive Ski Circus in Saalbach Hinterglemm and the vast Wilder Kaiser area. Together, that’s over 1700 miles (ca. 2,736 km) and over 900 lifts. A week in the Kitzbühel mountains with the SuperSkiCard gives one entry to the entire ski resort.
Families with children of all ages love this ski resort because there is something for everyone. Kids can learn to ski and join groups of their age and experience, with an instructor speaking their language, or private classes can be easily organized too.
January and February are known to be the best months to spend time in the Kitzbühel alps with a 99% snow assurity. Locals run 4 and 5-star family-centered hotels with 3/4 board, which includes breakfast buffet, lunch snack, afternoon buffet and 5-course dinner meals. A week in this ski resort is not just a vacation but also a fun cultural experience for the whole family.
Need a Place to Stay in Kitzbühel Alps?
Mount Norquay
A ski holiday with children is the perfect thing to do in winter and Mount Norquay in Banff National Park, Canada is the perfect mountain for it. Mount Norquay is an excellent ski resort with great beginner terrain for those who are just starting out, as well as intermediate and advanced terrains if you are looking to push your skiing skills to the next level. They offer ski lessons for kids and adults. They have a great green beginner run with a beginner chair lift for those learning to ski and snowboard. They also have night skiing and tubing fun. The Norquay lodge restaurant has good family-friendly lunch options to refuel yourself after a morning of skiing fun.
Mount Norquay is only a 10 to 15 minutes drive or a shuttle ride from downtown Banff, making it ideal to stay in Banff and be on the slopes in no time. Moose Hotel and Suites is a great hotel to stay in Banff downtown and is within walking distance of all the shops and restaurants in Banff. The hotel has a great Italian restaurant onsite for dinners after your skiing activities.
Banff National Park is a winter wonderland and there are plenty of things to explore in winter. The Icefields Parkway scenic drive is one of the most scenic drives in the world and a must-see on your trip to Banff. There are several not to miss stops along Icefields Parkway that will take your breath away with its snow-covered mountain peaks and jaw-dropping scenery. Lake Louise is another very famous lake near Banff and it is frozen in winter, allowing visitors to have ice skating fun.
Need a Place to Stay in Mount Norquay?
Whistler Blackcomb
Whistler Blackcomb is located in Whistler, British Columbia and is a fantastic family-friendly ski destination. It offers two enormous mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb, each at 7300 feet, with 8,171 acres (3307 hectares) of skiable terrain. There are over 200 ski runs, and 36 lifts and gondolas.
Notwithstanding the epic ski opportunities for expert skiers, Whistler Blackcomb offers a lot of family friendly ski runs. In addition, ski lessons for children (and adults) are exceptional and fun. Whether you wish to spend the day on the mountain with your children or put them into a full or half-day lesson so that you and your partner can ski together, there are lots of choices to how you can spend your day on the mountain.
Beyond skiing, Whistler offers lots of family-friendly activities. There is free ice skating offered both indoors and out.
For thrill-seekers young and old, there is tubing at the Coca-Cola Tube Park. There are designated runs for smaller or more timid children as well as steeper crazier runs for others.
There are lots of accommodation options. In Whistler Village, consider the Pan Pacific Whistler Village Centre. This hotel is comfortable with an outdoor pool to open all year long. It is located in the center of the Whistler Village but tucked away so it is quiet.
Quick Tip: You can also book tours for the trip here:
Whistler-Blackcomb Mountains Tours and Tickets
Looking for a Place to Stay in Whistler Blackcomb?
Pinnacle Hotel Whistler Village
Summit Lodge Boutique Hotel Whistler
Heavenly Ski Resort
This family-friendly ski resort is famous for its sweeping views of beautiful Lake Tahoe from most of its runs. Heavenly Ski Resort covers over 4800 skiable acres, and you can ski in two states in one day without leaving the resort.
For the skiers and snowboarders in your family, Heavenly offers the highest elevations in the Tahoe Basin at over 10,000 feet and 3500 vertical feet, which is the most on the West Coast.
The resort is perfect for all ability levels as they have 97 runs with a nice balance of beginner, intermediate, and expert options. For the kids, Heavenly offers ski and snowboard lessons at their Bear Cave learning center, and they can do some sledding and tubing at Adventure Peak.
There is fun to be had off the slopes as Heavenly Village is right in the middle of all the action in South Lake Tahoe. There are plenty of options for entertainment, including ice skating, great restaurants, breweries, and a spa to relax your muscles after a day on the slopes.
The best option for accommodations is at the Zalanta Resort at Heavenly Village, which is right across the street from the Gondola, which whisks skiers up the mountain to the slopes.
A family trip to stay and ski at Heavenly will be so much fun that it might become an annual tradition.
Looking for a Place to Stay in Heavenly Ski Resort?
Tahoe Seasons Resort by Diamond Resorts
Landal Marina Lipno
Landal Marina Lipno is a resort in the town of Lipno nad Vltavou in Czechia. It’s in Southwest Bohemia, close to the border with Austria and Germany. The holiday rentals of the resort are in between the Lipno lake and the mountains. Our family loves coming here in the winter time, since the lake is then frozen over and the mountains are covered in a layer of snow.
On the mountain is Snowpark Lipno Lyžařský areál. It’s a small ski area, with 4 ski lifts and 13.5 kilometers of ski slope. 10.9 kilometers of those are for beginners and 2.1 kilometers are middle tracks with just 0.5 kilometers of heavy tracks. At Fox park Lipno kids can get ski lessons. Several restaurants are on the mountain and at the foot of the mountain.
There are several other fun things to do in Lipno nad Vltavou, one of the highlights for us is ice skating on the frozen lake. They set out a Parcours on the lake for several kilometers. Other fun things include the treetop walkway on the mountain and Slideland Bobova Draha Lipno. The latter is a bobsled.
Landal Marina Lipno is an ideal place to stay for families, you’ll have your own spacious apartment with a kitchen and bathroom. There’s a storage room in each apartment building for your ski equipment. The apartments are close to the lake and the ski area.
Looking for a Place to Stay in Landal Marina Lipno?
You can also read about: Baby Travel Essentials for Your Next Family Vacation
Banff Alberta
Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada is one of the world’s great family ski destinations. In fact, Banff is Alberta and Canada’s first and to this day most popular national park, for good reason. Banff features Canada’s most dramatic Rocky Mountain scenery, unbelievably beautiful lakes like Lake Louise, and the chance to spot iconic Canadian wildlife such as moose, black bears, and grizzly bears.
What makes Banff so suitable for a ski holiday with children? For starters, it only takes 1.5 hours to reach Banff from Calgary’s international airport. Second, you’ll have three major resorts to choose from, all within easy drive of Banff townsite, where most hotels and services are located. The three hills are Lake Louise Ski Resort, Sunshine Village, and Mount Norquay. Lake Louise is the largest and most famous, complete with all terrain parks for kids, tubing, and full range of runs.
Another reason Banff is great for families is that there are so many other family-friendly activities to add to your visit besides skiing. These can include easy walks to frozen waterfalls in Johnston Canyon, soaking on thermal hot springs at Upper Hot Springs, and ice skating on frozen Lake Louise, all experiences that my kids really loved. At the end of the day, dine beside a fireplace in a cozy restaurant, then bed down in one of Banff’s several hotels with outdoor hot tubs or heated pools – a truly memorable Canadian Rockies experience.
One important item you might forget to pack for your visit to Banff is sunscreen! Banff can be incredibly sunny, even in winter. It’s easy to forget when the weather’s cool in winter, but I’ve burned my face several times while skiing in Banff, especially from the sunlight reflecting off the snow.
Looking for a Place to Stay in Banff Alberta?
Whitefish Mountain Resort
One of the most family-friendly ski resorts in the US is Whitefish Mountain resort in Montana. Firstly, there is a dedicated Kids Center, that can act as a daycare for children over 6 weeks old or you can enroll the kids in ski/snowboard school to improve their skills. Pre-booking is recommended though as there is a low staff-child ratio so you don’t want to miss out on the limited spots.
On top of that, there are some amazing places to stay for families, including these unique and quirky treehouses in Montana. Some are even located right on the slopes so you can ski in/out, and are shaped like castles with turrets, which the kids will enjoy to no end! Make sure you bring mittens (with straps) for the kids, they are warmer than gloves and can be attached, so one doesn’t go missing!
Looking for a Place to Stay in Whitefish Mountain Resort?
Kandahar Lodge at Whitefish Mountain Resort
The Pine Lodge on Whitefish River, Ascend Hotel Collection
Sierra Nevada
If you are looking for a ski holiday with children in Europe, Sierra Nevada in the south of Spain is an excellent option. A 50-minute drive from Granada, this national park is the perfect day trip or a weekend getaway with children.
Sierra Nevada is known for being one of the best ski resorts in Spain, and it is here where you will find the highest point on Spain’s mainland, the Mulhacen Peak which is 3,482 meters above sea level.
It is a great place to visit with children because there are plenty of activities for them – from taking ski lessons to having fun at their activity park, Mirlo Blanco.
Mirlo Blanco is a dream place for children and parents who want to have fun in the snow without skiing. The park has a roller coaster, slides and sled area, and other fun attractions.
Driving to the Sierra Nevada is a bit tricky, so my advice is only to drive there if you are an experienced driver or feel confident driving on windy roads.
If you stay longer than a weekend in Sierra Nevada, it is worth visiting the Alpujarra villages like Lanjaron and Trevélez. They are beautiful hidden gems in Spain.
When visiting this beautiful ski resort, don’t forget to pack sun cream. It may feel cold, but the sun rays can be strong.
In conclusion, although Sierra Nevada is the ultimate winter holiday in the south of Spain, it is also a place you can visit at other times of the year since there are many scenic hiking trails to explore.
Looking for a Place to Stay in Sierra Nevada?
Nevis Range Mountain Resort
Nevis Range Mountain Resort is a fantastic place for a ski vacation in the Scottish Highlands. The mountain Gondola will take you to the 8th highest peak in Britain. Skiing from the top of the Aonach Mòr Mountain is a fun winter activity with many trails for advanced skiers.
If you are traveling with younger kids, there are also plenty of easier and shorter runs near the Gondola Station. Families will love the variety of attractions and the beautiful Scottish landscape. Just make sure to take with you a good backpacking camera such as GoPro to capture your wonderful family vacation. It is waterproof and considered one of the best skiing cameras on the market.
Looking for a Place to Stay in Nevis Range Mountain Resort
The Base Camp Hotel, Nevis Range
You might also want to read about:
The Best Family Friendly Things to Do in Bath
Affordable Family-Friendly Accommodations: Tips and Tricks
The Best Playa del Carmen All Inclusive Family Resorts
Travel Guide Planning
🚗 Where can I book bus or private transportation?
I strongly recommend using Omio. You can book almost all transport in the major tourist destinations through them online. They cover buses, shuttles, ferries, and private drivers.
🎫 Where can I buy tickets for museums, attractions, and tours?
I recommend either Viator or GetYour Guide. They have a lot of options!
👩⚕️ What is the best insurance to have while traveling?
I recommend using Heymondo for a great value policy. The app also offers you 24/7 Dr Chat.
✈️ Any flight recommendations?
Kiwi offers you affordable flights. You can book service for flight, train, and bus tickets.
📱What do you use for internet connection while traveling?
I’m a big fan of personal WiFi devices and they have saved my ass so many times when traveling. I personally use GlocalMe as I can either pop in a physical sim card or use their local carrier.
You can also opt to use Solis Wifi for their Wifi plan.
🛏️ What is the best platform to use for booking accommodation?
The 3 best platforms that I normally use are Booking.com, Hotels.com, and Expedia They offer great deals and multiple options. I always check all three to be sure of the best deals.
🛅 Do you have any luggage recommendations for traveling?
I do have a complete list of the best packing and luggage products that I recommend, you can check the list here. I’m currently traveling with this suitcase and this backpack.
