Ski Holidays USA – Snowmass Family Paradise
Ski in, ski out
There are plenty of places to ski and ski in Snowmass, which is very useful for families with kids, so mom and dad don’t have to lug around kids and gear after a long day of skiing.
Ski school for children
Many accommodation options are located around the base town of Snowmass, where the new “Treehouse” children’s ski school can also be found, making it easy for families to drop off children at the ski school, close to their accommodation and then ski.
Privacy & Security
The apartments can be a good idea for families with children, since the children can go to bed and the parents can be in the living room like at home. Parents get some privacy without having to worry about the kids being in a separate hotel room.
Less rush in the mornings!
Also, it is often helpful to have a kitchen with a few simple items for breakfast and snacks, to feed the hungry little ones without having to go out looking for a restaurant and you can get them the things they like! Also, having breakfast at home generally makes it quicker and easier to get to ski school on time.
“Crestwood”, for example, is skiing in and out and down a few steps to the base area and the ski school. “Tamarack” is even closer across the road from the ski school and base area and a good affordable option for families.
If the kids can do some skiing already, there are great ski in, ski out options at the top of Snowmass Village, including “Top of the Village” which has washer / dryers in the condos, very useful for families and pool, hot tub, sauna and exercise room to keep everyone entertained. “Timberline” has a restaurant on site that offers affordable dining with other dining options within walking distance or of course you can cook in your apartment if you prefer. “Laurelwood” has studio suites, perfect for small budget-conscious families.
Children’s activities
Snowmass offers many activities for children in case they need some time off for skiing or even more entertainment: storytelling at the Snowmass Ice Age Discovery Center in the mall, “Sing-a-long & S’mores” next to the campfire with a cowboy strumming the guitar and a free interactive nature show “Winter Wild Things.”
Family memories
In addition to these kid-specific activities, there are also traditional winter wonderland activities to do with the whole family, such as snow tubing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, sledding, and dog sled rides, which provides many family photo opportunities.
Quiet
There is a selection of restaurants etc. in Snowmass, mainly in the town’s commercial center, so the accommodation generally doesn’t generate too much noise, perfect for those kids to go to sleep.
Ski for everyone
Snowmass is one of the 4 Great Mountains comprising the Aspen, Snowmass, Buttermilk and Aspen Highlands ski area. The largest of the 4 ski mountains, many people can spend their entire time skiing at Snowmass, although the ski pass covers all 4 areas.
Snowmass has a wide variety of slopes from the Rabbit Hills to Fanny Hill, ideal for beginners and children alike. For those in between in the family, there’s cruising blues at Elk Camp, Sams Knob, 2 Creeks, and Alpine Springs. The famous “Big burn” (which I skied last December) is 1 1/2 miles long and a mile wide and it certainly makes those thighs burn if you ski it from top to bottom. Black runs abound for advanced Sam’s knob skiers. For expert skiers who want double black diamond terrain, the Cirque is a great place to go on powder days and the Hanging Valley glades have steep ramps and headwalls.
Hassle-free transportation for people and ski equipment
If you want to venture further afield, there is a wonderful courtesy bus system that provides quick and easy service between the 4 mountains. You can even drop off your ski equipment on a mountain and have it delivered to another ski area ready for the next morning!
Buttermilk is a great mountain for beginners, while Aspen Highlands specializes in more advanced terrain. Aspen Mountain has a good level of intermediate skiing and the slopes run down to the world famous town of Aspen.
World famous Aspen on your doorstep
Aspen is only a 15 minute bus ride from Snowmass and it is definitely worth spending a day to see the fur coats, boutiques, galleries, cafes and restaurants that Aspen is famous for. There’s an ice rink and even a rugby field in downtown Aspen, perfect for the kids to let off steam. And of course, if Mom and Dad want a trendy night out in Aspen, babysitting services are available at Snowmass.