Not many things bring a family closer together than falling down a large, cold mountain in concert. There are resorts all over North America perfect for a family ski trip. If you’re looking fun vacation to somewhere other than the beach, consider spending a week at a ski resort.

So, which one do you choose? While you’ll ultimately be person responsible for making that decision, here are some things to consider before booking your ski trip.

 

The Slopes

Unless you’re raising a bunch of future Olympians, you’ll want a mountain with a little bit of everything. The mountain must provide expert terrain for people who can really ski and a good selection of middle and lower difficulty terrain for those who are just learning.

While Telluride in Colorado might be great for experienced skiers, Vail might be better for a family ski trip because of the wide variety of slopes you’ll find there.

 

The Cost

Ski resorts can be tricky in how they advertise their pricing. You’ll want to know how much everything is going to cost when it’s all tabulated in the end. You’ll need to pay for lift passes, ski rentals, ski school, and food on the mountain.

Make sure the mountain matches your budget. There aren’t any particularly cheap mountains in North America today, but you’ll end up paying less for a ski trip at Big Sky than Jackson Hole, for instance.

 

The Activities

You won’t be skiing the entire vacation. If you’re bringing the family, you’ll want a variety of activities to keep everyone busy. At Heavenly Mountain in Lake Tahoe you’ll find movie theaters, a mini golf course, and plenty of other things to keep the kids busy.

Also, make sure these options are within walking distance so you don’t have to load up the car every day to take the kids down those icy roads.

 

The Restaurants

Mountain resorts tend to be geared toward couples with money. As such, they often feature a collection of romantic options for people on honeymoons or anniversary trips.

You’ll want to make sure your resort instead features dining options the whole family can enjoy. A mountain like Snowbird, where the village offers a variety of family-based restaurants, might be a better place for a family ski trip than Stowe Mountain, where most restaurants are all about the glitz and glamour.

 

The Weather

While the adventurer in you might like the sound of skiing in whiteout conditions, this isn’t best for a family ski trip. Bad snow storms can be dangerous, causing families to get lost out on the mountain.

These weather conditions can also be a nightmare when you’re traveling. Few things are worse than being snowed in at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago on the way back from an otherwise fantastic family ski trip.

While all mountains will have some weather volatility and the chance of extreme snow, some are much worse than others. Isolated mountains like Alta outside of Salt Lake City provide perhaps the biggest possibility of these sorts of storms.

 

A ski trip with the family is great fun since it’s a chance to bond while also learning a fun new skill. Before booking your ski trip, consider the five aforementioned factors. Doing so will help you book a skip trip that suits your budget and schedule, as well as your family’s wants and needs.