Taking your family to the mountains this winter? Whether your crew is full of avid skiers or contented snowman-makers, the California snow offers a variety of fun ways to spend a winter family vacation, 从诸如 天上的 和 太浩栅栏 (formerly Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows) near 太浩湖, down to 大熊山度假村 在南加州. “California ski resorts are so cognizant of families now that they do everything they can to make it as easy as possible for parents 和 kids,Mike Reitzell说, 协会主席 California Ski Industry Association. 和 while resorts offer plenty of lessons, 租赁方案, 还有“儿童免费滑雪”选项, be sure to include other kinds of family fun in the snow. These activities can help slowly introduce snow newbies to the mountain, provide an afternoon activity for kids who can’t ski all day, or just offer easy ways for the whole family to play together. From snowshoes to snowmobiling to sled competitions, here are some of the coolest kid-friendly activities at California ski resorts.
约塞米蒂国家公园的雪鞋徒步旅行
所有年龄的人都可以享受这个 国家公园雪鞋小径. Strap on a pair of high-tech snowshoes—rentals are available for modest all-day or half-day fees—和 start making big tracks up 和 down the marked trails of 獾滑雪道 独自一人. 或者，加入其中一个 导游 offered: On the Adventure Snowshoe Hike to Dewey Point with the Yosemite Mountaineering School & 指导服务, your guide will lead you through some of the most breathtaking scenery Yosemite has to offer, with views that include El Capitan, 半圆顶, 和克拉克山脉. For a wider range of options 和 group discounts, check out the snowshoeing tours offered by Yexplore.
在猛犸雪地摩托
Just in case there are some non-skiers in the family (or those who just don’t ski on the same runs), here’s a nice way to keep everyone in one pack: Experience the snowy backcountry on snowmobiles. Mammoth Snowmobile Adventures combines experienced guides with top-of-the-line equipment to help your family explore large meadows, 郁郁葱葱的松林, 具有历史意义的地标, acres of backcountry trails. Kids 16 years 和 older with a valid driver’s license 和 a parent present can steer their own snowmobile, while kids 5 和 older can ride with a parent. Snowmobile season begins mid-December; helmets are provided 和 additional clothing is available for rent if needed. Mammoth’s other big crowd-pleaser, meanwhile, is Woolly的探险峰会, with its night tubing, merry-go-round, plenty of room for old-fashioned snowman-building. Recharge with a meal or drink by the fireplace at Yodler Restaurant & 酒吧，只是其中之一 就餐选择 在山上.
Kids Ski for Free at 6月山
It’s the norm for resorts to offer lessons, but at 6月山 they take the get-kids-hooked-on-skiing strategy one step further: those 12 和 under can ski all 1,500 acres of this winter wonderl和 for free. 和 私人课程 are available to little ones as young as 3. 不足为奇的是, June is considered one of the most family-friendly slopes in the state, less crowded 和 more laid-back than some of the bigger resorts, but that doesn’t mean it’s all about kids: The upper mountains provide challenges for expert skiers, 太.
Ride the Largest SoCal Tubing Park at 山高
With up to 15 lanes, two moving carpets, custom tubes, 山高’s 雪人玩雪 is the largest park of its kind 在南加州, offers an easy day of fun in the snow (kids should be at least 36 inches tall). Ride solo, challenge family members to races, or make a chain. 空间有限, so grab your reservation early for one of the four different tubing sessions throughout the day, or buy an all-day pass for true tubing enthusiasts.
在州内溜冰
Few endeavors are as all-accepting as ice skating: On any given rink, you’ll find beginners wiping out in slow motion right next to graceful experts, gliding along in reverse figure 8s. 无论你的技术水平如何, 一切都很美好, festive outdoor rinks in ski towns 和 at ski resorts across California such as 天上的, 山高, 太浩湖, 庞大的湖泊, 约塞米蒂的咖喱村, Mt. 沙士达山 offer this alternative to hitting the slopes. No matter where you lace up your skates, be sure to indulge in that perfect après treat: a steaming mug of hot chocolate.
