Best Ski Resort for Kids First Timer (Truckee, Alpine: hotel, casino)

[Symphony39]

We are planning a 3 weeks vacation in California this Dec starting from LA and drive up north to SF. We would like to spend a week in a Ski Resort and would like to know which is the best Ski Resort in California that's best for family and with a good kids learn to ski program and slopes.

[greatbasinguide]

All the resorts have good kids programs. A question you must answer for yourself is how good are you? If you are an intermediate then perhaps a smaller area would work. Although, the amount of intermediate terrain at the larger areas is vast.
If you want the best in the West, and you want to test your abilities, clearly it is Squaw Valley, Northstar, Sugar Bowl and Alpine Meadows are also great for beginner/ intermediates. If you want true resort experience Sugar Bowl is great it is somewhat isolated, you can stay in the old hotel and walk to the lifts.

Heavenly Valley is very large and very intermediate, but, South Shore does not have the ambience of Truckee and or Northshore.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Symphony39

We are planning a 3 weeks vacation in California this Dec starting from LA and drive up north to SF. We would like to spend a week in a Ski Resort and would like to know which is the best Ski Resort in California that's best for family and with a good kids learn to ski program and slopes.

Are you going to swing by Lake Tahoe or Mammoth/June?

Big Bear?

If you are spending a week and the adults are interested in skiing too, I would recommend the Lake Tahoe area. You can ski a different ski area every day. You can ski at Squaw Valley where the 1960 Olympics were held and ski in two states at Heavenly Valley. Personally I like Squaw and Kirkwood up there. Maybe coincidence or maybe the orientation but I found Heavenly snow to be a bit heavy. I'd bet Heavenly has an excellent kids program.

[sponger42]

I would go to Tahoe. Mammoth is great and pretty close (6 hours) to LA, but it's a one-way trip. The mountain passes beyond (leading to Tahoe) will probably be closed for the winter, so you'll need to drive several hours back south after skiing to get back to SF.

If you can, go midweek, rates are better and the slopes will be empty.

[greatbasinguide]

I would go to Tahoe. Mammoth is great and pretty close (6 hours) to LA, but it's a one-way trip. The mountain passes beyond (leading to Tahoe) will probably be closed for the winter, so you'll need to drive several hours back south after skiing to get back to SF.

Not to worry, the passes won't be closed, 395 is a well used highway, the only problem with Mammoth is that it is isolated, to get there from the rest of California means a trip south of the Sierra or across on 88, slow, 50 slow, or I80 a fourlane to Tahoe and Reno.

[humboldtrat]

Dodge Ridge on Hwy 108 near Long Barn Dodge Ridge.

[rkb0305]

Badger Pass in Yosemite is good for beginners but boring for anyone else. It is in Yosemite NP, which is beautiful in the winter (and any time of the year). If you want sight-seeing along with your skiing, you might like it.

[Cali BassMan]

My family learned to Ski at Sugar Bowl, they have a nice program for the kids, low number of kids per instrutor, a wide range of skiing options for adults as well from Bunny slopes to black diamonds... If you want to add some night life as well, go for Heavenly Valley and take the tram from the Casino's at Stateline....

[DMenscha]

Bear Valley up highway 4 in Alpine County. Excellent Kids program.
Bear Valley - Ski and Snowboard California's Central Sierra Nevada