How to find family ski resorts

For us, the key to finding great family ski resorts boils down to one thing, ease of access.


That’s not to say that there aren’t other important things to consider, such as suitable childcare, accommodation, ski runs and more. But unless all these are easily accessible, you’ll be making more work for yourself.


Why is ease of access so important?
You really don’t want to be trudging around in ski boots with your skis in one hand and a wriggling child in another and then have to catch a bus to your accommodation. A little time spent researching family ski resorts before you book your holiday will save you valuable skiing time when you arrive. Skiing is why you're there, after all!


Surely all ski resorts are the same?
Well, if you mean that they have a mountain or two and snow, then technically, yes. But, there are different styles of resort which may or may not appeal to you. If you're looking for a quiet, picturesque location, you may have thought about taking your holiday in an alpine ski village

Or perhaps you yearn for the pace of a large purpose-built resort where you can really clock up some serious skiing miles. There is plenty of choice out there so you're bound to be able to find something to suit everyone.


I just want to find somewhere good for the family
Some ski resorts sell themselves as ‘family friendly’. That they may be, but be sure that as well as welcoming families, they are actually easy for families to use.

World class ski areas may tempt you with their slogans about being the best, the biggest, or having the greatest vertical drop. Very tempting, but we’ve found that the most reliable way of gauging whether a ski area is really going to suit us is to rate all the facilities an ‘are they easy to access’ scale. Don’t forget to ask whether you can easily get to there from home, too.


How can I tell which is for me?
Once you’ve got a shortlist of family ski resorts which look like they are really set up with children in mind, you can look at other factors which will help you decide which is the resort for you.


The height or elevation of the ski area is something to consider. Low-lying resorts in some European countries have suffered thin snow cover at either end of the season during recent years. The general rule is the higher the resort, the higher the chance of more consistent snow conditions. An idea is to check out the snow report for your resort of choice. You can usually find these on resort websites, and there are often web-cams as well.


How can I be sure that the ski runs will suit our abilities?
Looking at trail maps, sometimes known as piste maps, can give you an excellent idea of the size of the resort and the variety of the terrain.


When you’ve done all this research, you might not end up in the skiing in the largest skiable area. But you’ll be sure to end up in the best family ski resorts for you. And that, after all, is what matters - a happy family makes for a happy ski holiday.

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