1. Mission Ridge, Washington
This locally-revered ski area near the town of Wenatchee has 2,000 acres of varied terrain to suit every member of the family. Your kids will love the terrain parks and friendly kids’ ski instructors. The on-site childcare center has a season pass that’ll cover your little ones (ages 3 months to six years) for three days a week throughout the entire ski season.
2. Mount Hood Meadows, Oregon
Located an hour and a half from Portland, Mt. Hood Meadows even has evening ski and snowboard lessons for kids aged four through 14 years old, perfect for those in school or kids who didn’t get enough action during the day. Plus, there’s an on-site daycare that offers crafts, snow play, and music.
3. Brundage Mountain, Idaho
This is one of those laid-back ski areas where all the locals know each other and powder lasts days after a storm. With great learn-to-ski packages, it’s a good first stop for families—they offer free access to their learner slopes every day of the winter. The mountain’s new Beartopia Family Fun Zone has its own kid-approved trail map and the drive-up daycare is easy for quick drop-offs on powder days.
4. Crested Butte, Colorado
In Crested Butte, you can stay in the charming downtown and ride a free shuttle to the slopes or stay at the base of the mountain for easy access with kids in tow. The mountain offers kids’ ski lessons aplenty, or children as young as two months to three years old can join the nursery at the base of the hill. The Trailhead Children’s Museum downtown, a few minutes from the mountain, has Lego benches, a puppet theater, and costume boxes.
5. Mammoth Mountain, California
Look out for the Mammoth Mountain mascot, a friendly, furry mammoth named Wooly who skis around the slopes and partakes in parades and spring pond skimming. Mammoth Mountain has an impressive kids’ learn-to-ski center, not one but two on-site daycares, terrain parks good enough for the pros, and a village gondola that’s fun and free to ride even for non-skiers.
6. Bolton Valley, Vermont
Family-owned Bolton Valley ski area, 45 minutes from Burlington, has year-round childcare for youngsters as little as 6 weeks old, plus, of course, ample offerings for kids’ ski school. For locals, they’ve got five-week-long, after-school ski lessons for elementary, middle, and high schoolers at affordable rates that come with lift tickets, rentals, and lessons.
7. Heavenly, California
Stay in South Lake Tahoe and you’ll have all 4,800 acres of Heavenly ski resort within reach, plus stunning views of Lake Tahoe. The kids will love skiing across the border from California to Nevada, plus the packed schedule of kid-friendly events and activities, like on-mountain tubing, village s’mores, and ice skating. The licensed daycare facility takes babies starting at 6 weeks old.
8. Loveland, Colorado
First, Loveland is the closest ski area to Denver, so you can be out of the car and onto the slopes quicker (a key ingredient for kiddos). Secondly, it’s one of the most affordable ski areas in the state—adult lift tickets here cost $79 (a fraction of the price of nearby resorts), kids aged 6-14 cost $34, and children under five ski and ride free. Plus there’s daycare for $80 a day or $20 an hour. With cozy warming huts scattered around the mountain, your kids won’t even mind the frosty breezes that blow off the Continental Divide.
9. Big Sky, Montana
Kids under six ski and ride free at Big Sky and for those just getting started, the mountain has a separate beginner’s area, where you can purchase a discounted lift ticket just for that zone. With winter ziplines, dog sledding, and sleigh rides, plus, of course, the 5,850 acres of skiing, there won’t be a dull moment. Lone Peak Playhouse has childcare for kids ages 6 months to 8 years old.
10. Snowbird, Utah
Don’t let the giant tram to the top of the steep mountain intimidate you. Snowbird has plenty of tamer, kid-friendly terrain, too. (And, yes, plenty of chutes and bowls to challenge the most experienced youngster.) Little kids will love skiing off the Chickadee chairlift at the base of the hill, followed by hot chocolate on the tramdeck and a swim in the pool or hot tub at the slopeside Cliff Lodge. They’ve got kids’ lessons and the Camp Snowbird daycare also offers evening babysitting at nearby hotels.