Top 20 Family Ski Resorts

Resort

Resort	State	Nearest Airport	Our Review	What We Love	But Remember…
Steamboat Springs	CO	Hayden - 30 mins	Read Review	Wonderful mountain, ski School is fantastic, the resort has less traffic, and there is lots of blue terrain Steamboat Springs is an authentic Western town, not just a resort, so skiing is only part of the vacation. Nearly 70% of terrain is blue and green.	Airport is small and a hike from town. The ride from the airport to Steamboat costs $33 per person one-way.
Big Sky	MT	Bozeman - 1 hour	Read Review	Excellent Ski School and after-hours "kids club". Massive ski terrain to choose from with lots of variety, coupled with crowd levels much lower than a typical Rockies resort. Family friendly atmosphere. Short drive from Yellowstone if you want to take a day off from skiing.	Being in the north, Big Sky can get bitterly cold during cold spells. If you absolutely hate being cold, avoid January trips.
Deer Valley	UT	Salt Lake City - 1 hour	Read Review	Ski only (no snowboards), excellent groomed terrain, great powder quality. Very exclusive and cozy feel – plenty of pampering, too. Resort limits number of daily skiers, so no crowds. SKI Mag's #1 resort last season.	Expensive. Can be a budget-buster and too upscale for some families. No snowboards.
Grand Targhee	ID	Jackson, WY - 90 mins	Read Review	Few crowds, great snowfall and powder quality, excellent instructor-to-student ratios in the schools, family-friendly activities. Daytrip to Jackson Hole is possible. Folksy resort that is very focused on skiing.	Remote, fewer restaurants, smaller and quieter resort. Not the place for crazy nightlife.
Snowmass (Aspen)	CO	Aspen - 15 mins	Read Review	Excellent kids programs, ski school start at toddler level, outstanding dining options. Lots of terrain to choose from when you combine all the resorts in immediate area. Airport is right next to resort, making it very convenient to fly in to.	Can be a pricey destination compared to other resorts, especially the Aspen side. Stay in the Snowmass area if you can.
Taos	NM	Albuquerque - 2 hours	Read Review	Legendary ski school, Teen Center, cultural activities in addition to skiing. Unique culture focused on skiing, and not a lot of day-trippers.	Remote. Only major resort in the area.
Solitude	UT	Salt Lake City - 40 mins	Read Review	Close proximity to a major airport, well-thought-out ski programs, other great resorts in close proximity for day-trips. Excellent late-season skiing.	Terrain favors moderates and beginners, although experts will find enough to keep them occupied.
Lutsen	MN	Duluth - 2 hours	Read Review	Best in the Midwest. Good variety of runs, several ski-in accommodations. Impressive views of Lake Superior from the slopes.	Remote, quieter resort. No ski-town nearby - all apres ski is right at the resort and is limited.
Vail	CO	Denver - 2 1/2 hours or Vail, 30 minutes	Read Review	Huge terrain. Unlimited amount of skiing for each skill level. Well established ski school and kids programs. Several other resorts nearby if Vail conditions or crowds are bad. SKI Mag's #2 overall resort last season.	Because it is a favorite of nearly everyone, Vail can become very crowded on weekends, during spring break, and Christmas.
Winter Park	CO	Denver - 2 hrs	Read Review	Plenty of green and blue terrain, a forgiving mountain with area for the experts. Kids programs are good and lodging choices are plenty. Many easy lifts. Closest major resort to Denver, with day-train service.	From Denver, you must drive through Berthoud Pass which can be difficult during snow conditions.
Northstar at Tahoe	NV	Reno - 30 mins	Read Review	Most forgiving and enjoyable of the Tahoe resorts; more and more amenities each year due to recent investments. Innovative school and family pricing options. Drivable from Bay area.	Tahoe gets a little heavier snow than the Rockies, but Northstar tends to get the best weather in the area.
Smugglers Notch	VT	Burlington, VT - 45 mins	Read Review	Very family focused. Easy access from Boston or NYC. Quaint feel. Great kids programs with experienced and polished instructors. Quiet.	Older and quieter resort. Don’t forget about nearby Stowe for additional nightlife.
Killington	VT	Boston – 3 hrs, Manchester -45 mins	Read Review	Great instructor-teacher ratio in kids programs. Lots of terrain (1,200+ acres) for an Eastern resort. Plenty of excellent dining or spa options for the non-skiers in the group.	Lodging and ski school can fill up fast; reservations are required. Book quite early for busy seasons.
Sun Valley	ID	Sun Valley - 15 mins	Read Review	Wild west setting. Town of Ketcham offers good lodging and dining and plenty of activities for non skiers. Crowds are contained. Over 1/3 of runs are greens.	If you can’t find a direct flight to Sun Valley, you may need to fly into Boise, a little over hours away.
The Canyons	UT	Salt Lake City – 40 mins	Read Review	Brilliantly laid out. Recent renovations provide great lodging options and amenities. Good mix of exclusive feel combined with accessibility to other resorts and downtown SLC. Often not as crowded as other area resorts during peak times.	Can be a little more expensive than some of the other Utah resorts. Shop around for deals on lift tickets and lodging.
Breckenridge	CO	Denver - 1 hour, 45 mins	Read Review	Relatively close to Denver and Denver airport. Great, authentic town feel. Good family atmosphere with many dining choices. Mountain has plenty of forgiving terrain for all skill levels.	Much of the terrain is considered too easy for some, but if all runs are open everyone should find great skiing.
Whitefish Mountain	MT	Glacier Park – 30 minutes	Read Review	One of the underrated US resorts. 3,000 acres of terrain, 70% intermediate or beginner, and no crowds. Nearby town of Whitefish adds to dining and lodging options.	Can be hard to get to – Glacier Park airport has regional service from major Western cities, but others would have to connect.
Okemo	VT	Hartford – 2 hours (Boston – 3 hours)	Read Review	Plenty of terrain accessible to beginners. Diverse lodging options. Lots of families take advantage of excellent family programming. Accessible from major Eastern cities.	For experts, terrain can be a little basic. For the typical skiing family, though, it will have everything you need.
Sugarloaf	ME	Boston - 4 hours	Read Review	True "village" feel. Everything you need is right at the resort. Movie nights, seasonal sleigh rides, plenty of easy terrain. Being away from major cities, crowds are usually not a factor.	Very remote. Fly to Boston then drive 4 hours, so it is best done for a longer vacation.
Keystone	CO	Denver – 2 hours	Read Review	Large mountain with plenty of skiing for all abilities. Backside gives experts some extra terrain. Only area resort with night skiing and tubing every evening.	Crowds can be a factor being so close to Denver, but getting past the front face of the mountain will help.