Besides the sheer wholesomeness of being outdoors, exercising, and not sitting in front of computer or tv screens, ski vacations have some special advantages for families.
1. Ski Vacations : fun for all-- including teens and tweens
As kids get older, parents often find it harder to pull the family together for fun that all ages enjoy. Skiing/snowboarding is exciting for everyone.
2. Programs for wee ones
Meanwhile, for the younger set, virtually every snow-sport mountain has programs for ages three and up, usually with a mix of indoor fun plus beginning ski instruction. Many resorts also have nurseries and child care.
3. Ski Vacations - family pricing
Most places offer some family pricing schemes; and quite a few let kids ski free up to a certain age (-sometimes as old as ten or twelve.)
4. It's easy!
With today's equipment, anyone --yes, even you-- can learn to ski. Most mountains offer many options for lessons: drop-in, private, week-long groups...
Older kids may prefer to learn snowboarding: harder for beginners, but all resorts offer lessons.
5. And if you're just not interested in all that...
You might be tempted by some of the more novel activities that snow resorts make an effort to offer these days. Tubing, tobogganing, snowbikes, snowscoots... Popular Smugglers Notch in Vermont even has an indoor Fun Zone under a giant bubble.
See also: money-saving tips for ski vacations.
*photo © Teresa Plowright
