Family Skiing in Eastern Canada
Mont Tremblant is a well-known ski resort in Quebec about 1-1/2 hours from Montreal, with a respectable vertical drop of 2116', and a village with shops and lodgings that include a Fairmont hotel with ski valet.
Mont-Sainte-Anne, meanwhile, is just a 1/2-hour from the charms of Quebec City -- think mini-trip to Europe. Stay in Quebec City and shuttle over, or stay at the mountain at ski-in, ski-out lodging. A great spot for family skiing.
And don't worry: you'll have no trouble speaking English even though Quebec is French-speaking.
Canadian Rockies
For much bigger mountains, head a few thousand miles west to Banff /Lake Louise, about 90 minutes from Calgary. Sunshine Village has three mountains, 3358 acres skiable terrain, vertical of 3574'. Lake Louise has 4200 skiable acres, major off-piste, and 3250' vertical. Smaller ski resort Norquay bills itself as "Banff's best family ski resort"; vert is 1650 feet.
British Columbia
Whistler-Blackcomb -- about 1-1/2 hours from Vancouver -- is often ranked as the top ski resort in the world, with a winning combo of terrain, village, and apres-ski. Mountain stats are huge: over 8000 acres, nearly a mile of vertical drop; and ski season lasts into June. Families will find kids programs, on-mountain Kids Adventure Zones, terrain garden, "Ride Tribe" for teens. Dog-friendly, too!
Okanagan BC
Why, then, why do so many Vancouver snowhounds head out of town in another direction? They're driving farther, to a different climate zone with "champagne powder", and four family-friendly ski resorts that are only "smaller" compared to Whistler. Sun Peaks, for example, has 3,678 acres on 3 mountains, and vert of 2891 feet.
It's also possible to stay right in Vancouver and get on the slopes. The city of Vancouver rarely sees snow in winter, but just a half-hour drive away in the scenic mountains are three local ski resorts. Cypress Mountain has the most runs, and super views over the city and sea. Grouse Mountain has a gondola that's a popular tourist attraction. Seymour Mountain's appeal is backcountry. Visitors can rent gear and clothing at all three mountains. (Check for updates, though.) Read more about Vancouver Skiing.
See more about Family Skiing in Canada.
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