Tips for planning a family Ski Break

For some winter sunshine is their destination of choice but for others taking a week or two off during the winter to head to the mountains and hit the slopes is an essential part of the year and something I was lucky enough to do before having kids and with my family which has made me think how easy is it to go skiing with a family? Well it turns out very easy, if you do plenty of planning and choose a suitable destination and accommodation. Ski holidays are enjoyable for people of all ages and are a great way to spend quality time with family and friends and is one of my best childhood memories.

Here are some of our top tips to make you family ski trip go swimmingly.

Best Resorts

As with any family trip choosing the right resort for your family ski trip is crucial. All ski resorts are unique in their own right and with so much choice it can be difficult to know which ones to go for. For families you want to ensure that the resort has good nursery slope area not only for the kids but also for adults who have never skied before.

Access to local ski schools is very important so that your little ones can develop and improve their skiing and snowboarding technique. Resorts like Meribel in France are ideal for families with their newly refurbished beginners area and superb English speaking ski schools. Meribel’s central location in the Three Valleys means that the adults can go out and explore over 600km of runs while the kids are at lessons.

When deciding on a resort, it is also important to look for somewhere with plenty of off-the-slopes activities to keep the whole family occupied in the evenings or on bad weather days. Over the past decade a number of ski resorts have realised the importance of investing in their infrastructure and have worked hard to create resorts with great skiing areas as well as state of the art facilities.

Where to Stay

There are plenty of accommodation options to choose from in ski resorts from apartments to luxury hotels and chalets. For groups of families travelling together, chalets are a great option and give you plenty of space. If you really want to relax and enjoy your holiday catered chalets are a great option, allowing you to spend more time with the family. Ensuring you have adequate child care when you are away is important. There are a number of tour operators which have free child care incorporated into their holidays. Mark Warner is known for the high quality of childcare available in their hotels with British trained nannies and kids clubs in a number of their ski hotels. You can take a look at their ski holidays here https://www.markwarner.co.uk/ski-holidays.

Ski Gear

When it comes to skiing, you can’t cut corners with the gear. You need to get warm, water resistant jackets and salopettes as well as thermals to ensure your little ones won’t get cold on the mountain. Accessories are important as well with gloves, hats, goggles, sunglasses and buffs all necessary. If you have a large family Ski clothes can be expensive, especially if you have to buy them every year for growing kids. If it is your families first time on a ski holiday and you are unsure whether you will go again buying second hand ski clothes is definitely advisable. Scout out the best deals too. If you have a ski holiday booked for the next year, stock up on ski clothes at the end of winter sales the year before. Discount shops like TK Maxx are also great for getting high quality ski clothes for less.

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