Dreaming of taking your family on a ski vacation without completely stressing yourself out?
Family ski vacations are becoming increasingly popular every year. Domestic ski areas saw 61.5 million skier visits during the 2024-25 season. To put that into perspective, that’s the second-highest total since records began.
However…
Planning a family ski vacation requires a little something extra. Between oversized luggage tips to fit all that bulky ski gear inside your luggage, finding the best family-friendly resort and booking travel – there’s a lot you need to take into consideration.
Plus figuring out how to transport all that equipment to the mountain without paying outrageous baggage fees or returning with broken skis.
Luckily, just like everything with ski vacations, if you do your research beforehand it’ll all go smoothly. Below you’ll find everything you need to plan a stress-free family ski vacation.
You’ll learn:
- Why Booking Ahead Pays Off
- Oversized Luggage Tips For Ski Gear
- How to Choose a Family Friendly Ski Resort
- Setting a Budget for a Family Ski Trip
Why Booking Ahead Pays Off
Here’s the thing…
If there’s one thing you don’t want to book last minute, it’s a family ski vacation. Flight, lodging and lift ticket prices increase exponentially when you book them close to your travel date.
Families that plan far in advance will always save more money.
This rule goes double for ski equipment. If you don’t know how to travel with skis and snowboards ahead of time, you’ll likely be hit with oversized luggage fees at the airport and return home with damaged gear. Most airlines charge $30-$50 for each checked ski bag. However, oversized baggage fees can range anywhere from $150-$200 if you don’t follow packing guidelines.
Plus you can usually score bigger discounts on lodging when you book well in advance. Ski town hotels will book up quickly during peak season, leaving you with pricey rooms far away from your resort if you wait too long to reserve your trip.
The moral of the story: The sooner you book your trip, the more money you’ll have in your pocket.
Oversized Luggage Tips For Ski Gear
If there’s one part of planning a ski vacation that trips most people up, it’s transporting ski gear to the mountain.
Follow these oversized luggage tips and you’ll be all set:
- Weigh your bags at home. Airlines typically allow ski bags up to 50 pounds. If you go over the weight limit, you’ll be charged overweight baggage fees in addition to your normal checked bag fee.
- Invest in a padded ski bag. Keeping your skis, boots, and poles together in a padded ski bag will ensure they don’t take on any damage during transit. Most airlines count a ski bag (with skis, boots, and poles included) as one checked item.
- Pack wisely. Roll up your base layers, gloves, goggles, and other small equipment into your ski bag to save space in your regular luggage. Just be sure the weight of your ski bag doesn’t exceed the weight limit.
- Know your airline’s policies. Each airline has different rules when it comes to transporting ski gear. Some offer free oversized baggage fees when it comes to ski bags. Do your research beforehand so you don’t get hit with unexpected charges at the airport.
Here’s a secret a lot of families don’t know…
Boot bags usually count as part of your ski equipment. A ski bag and boot bag combo can be checked as one item on most airlines. When traveling with multiple kids (or a partner), that adds up to serious savings.
If you want to avoid dealing with airline luggage altogether, many ski resorts offer ski gear shipping services. Companies will pickup your ski equipment from your front door and drop it off at your lodging for a small fee.
How to Choose a Family Friendly Ski Resort
Just because you have kids doesn’t mean you should only stick to skiing with them at beginner resorts.
But before you head to Angel Fire or Breckenridge, there are some key things to look for when choosing a family-friendly ski resort:
- Ski school quality. A good ski school can make or break your ski trip if you’ve got young children. Look for resorts with small class sizes and certified instructors with experience teaching kids.
- On mountain amenities. Warming huts, family-friendly restaurants, and ski rental shops on-site are huge time savers.
- Easy terrain. Look for resorts with plenty of green and blue runs so the entire family can ski together.
- Proximity to lodging. Stay somewhere you can ski right out of. If that’s not in the budget, look for resorts with free ski shuttles.
If you want your trip to be one everyone will remember – focus on finding a resort with fun, family-friendly activities beyond just skiing.
Resorts are making big investments in family programming. Everything from pool parties to movie nights and fire pits are being used to attract family travelers.
Not all resorts offer ski vacation packages, but family-oriented ones usually do. Resorts trying to attract families to book often have deals that package together lift passes, ski lessons and lodging.
Setting a Budget For Your Family Ski Trip
Here’s a hard truth…
Ski trips are expensive. A family of four can easily spend over $1,000 for just one day skiing at a popular resort once you factor in lift tickets, rentals, food and hotel.
But it doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. Just follow these tips:
- Buy season passes in advance. Epic Pass and Ikon Pass holders have access to over 50 mountains across the country. Buying one of these passes before the ski season begins will save you major dollars compared to buying lift tickets at the resort.
- Rent your gear in town. Every resort has at least one ski rental shop located off mountain (but close to resort). These shops typically rent gear at a cheaper cost than their on-mountain counterparts.
- Pack lunch. Restaurants at resorts are notoriously expensive. If you pack lunches for your family each day, you could save hundreds over the course of your vacation.
- Travel midweek. Not only are flights and lodging cheaper during the week, but many resorts offer discounts on lift tickets during midweek days. Try to avoid school holidays and peak weekends if you can.
- Consider travelling during the shoulder season. Ski resorts offer the best deals and the least amount of crowds during the beginning and end of ski season. December and March are popular months to visit if you just want to get away for a long weekend.
The families that ski every year aren’t always richer than everyone else. They just plan ahead of time. A family ski vacation can be an annual tradition with proper budgeting and knowledge on how to manage oversized ski luggage.
Wrapping Up
Family ski vacations should be fun. And planning them doesn’t have to be stressful.
Book your trip ahead of time to ensure you get the best deals. Follow the oversized luggage tips above so you don’t pay excess baggage fees. Find a family-friendly resort that fits your needs. And budget ahead so you can enjoy your trip.
Hit the slopes! Now all you have to stress about is who’s taking the first chair.
