Ski Resort Advice for Family in N. California

My favorite place for younger skiiers is Heavenly Valley. A 3.5 year old isn't likely to be able to stay out for very long, and Heavenly was the only place that had a good indoor day care room for them to retreat to if the skiing became too much for them. The big downside with Heavenly is the cost though. They are pricy, but I will have to say that their lessons were fantastic, and my now 12 yo daughter loves skiing, can handle bad weather, all because of the prep work that went into her early ski lessons.

Also, my most important rule about skiing with a young child is that when they are done, you go in. Keeping a child out in weather they may not be happy with is the quickest way to get them to hate skiing.

I kind of think it depends on how much you want to spend. Northstar at Tahoe has a great kids program, but it's on the pricey side. Donner Ski Ranch is great for beginners, has condos right there you can rent, it is small and homey, and very inexpensive. Really it depends on your budget, personality and expectations.

Mt. Rose in North Tahoe has a great program for kids and easy slopes. Boulder/Heavenly in South Tahoe also has a good bunny slope. My sons started skiing at 4 and 3 (the three year old with a harness). Most places have ski school for ages four and up. Not sure on a rental home, we have a timeshare in both places.

Our boys and I learned to ski at Badger Pass. It was a great family resort. That was over 30 years ago and I know much has changed as far as accommodations are concerned. I have heard from friends it's still a great family resort. Search on-line for hotels or homes to rent.

I think that Diamond Peak is the best place for kids. You can rent a helmet there but just in case maybe bring your own. It also needs to be a skateboard helmet and not a bike helment. We have taken our son there the last three years and he manages to retain what he learned. The teachers there are great with the kids and you can drop him off and do some skiing yourself. Since its his first time they will have him right outside the school building and you can watch or do your own thing. The school is great for the kids. They have DVD's for them to watch while they wait indoors for their lesson. They will also provide lunch for them if you purchase a whole day lesson. Good luck and I hope this works for you.

As for resorts my kids learned to ski at Alpine Meadows and Bear Valley. But for a more economical resort Tahoe Donner up in Truckee is great we went there once and it is a good place to learn. It is a small resort and my kids out grew it fast, but they had been skiing for a few year when we went. Most resorts have condos or hotels in the area it all depends on how much you want to spend on the whole package (lessons, lift tickets and lodging) for where you go. As for how long kids are done on the slope pretty quick but you may be able to go 2 days in a row a day off then one last day. The more days in a row you go they may get better faster, but you have a 3.5 year old so for the next few years you may be sending him to lessons unless you or hubby are great skiers and can work with him. Mine were older when they started and one now snowboards insted of skiing. Hope I did not ramble to much :)

I always went to Dodge Ridge as a kid (i think it is the closest ski resort to Monterey) because we had a cabin in Pinecrest. It is one of the least expensive places to ski as well. It is not very large which is a plus in my book with small kids. I now have a 4 and 1.5 year old. I might go to Tahoe since there are more condos to rent and close to the ski resort. I had looked on craigslist in the past to find a Pinecrest rental and did not see anything. I like reading the info from Liz T. about Heavenly. I used go to Heavenly during my college years.

Oh, how fun!! I can't wait to take my daughter skiing for the first time. I can't speak from experience, but I've heard good things about the kids ski school at Diamond Peak. It's a smaller, less pricey resort with fantastic views of the lake. If you're planning to ski too, the runs are on the easier side, so if you're an expert you may be a bit disappointed in the lack of a challenge.

If you stay in Incline Village, it's not much more than a 5-minute drive to Diamond Peak. I would definitely recommend renting a condo or vacation home for your trip. You can find them advertised on Craigslist or vacation rental websites. Here are couple links:

http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/usa/california/lake-...
http://www.tahoeaccommodations.com/

Have a great trip!

I live near Pinecrest and Dodge Ridge. We see a lot of families come here for the skiing.... so I'm assuming it must be user friendly for toddlers.