| Family vacations are a great way to bond over the | | | | Groups are a maximum size of 3 and the Tiny Tiger |
| winter holiday season, and most ski resorts say that | | | | pros are experts teaching kids. Participants will enjoy |
| they welcome families. However, not all ski resorts | | | | one hour of ski & play with their instructors in |
| are created equal when it comes to family ski | | | | the morning and another in the afternoon, as well as |
| vacations. With these tips comparing our picks for | | | | all the fun of the Tiny Tiger daycare. Kids Kampus |
| resorts in Quebec, Alberta, and British Columbia, you'll | | | | offers the same fun learning for children 6 to 12. |
| know just where to go, making this winter vacation | | | | Sunshine Village provides the only ski-in/ski-out lodging |
| the best one yet. | | | | in Banff National Park, as well as access skiing in |
| Mont Tremblant is an East Coast family favourite, 45 | | | | Mount Norquay and Lake Louise - giving parents of |
| minutes outside of Montreal. The charming village is | | | | fickle kids the opportunity to make every day's |
| pedestrian-only, making it a great and safe place for | | | | adventure a little different. The town of Banff is |
| families to wander. | | | | close-by and offers a greater variety of |
| Kids are welcome in the daycare from the age of | | | | family-friendly lodging, most hotels let kids 16 and |
| eighteen months, while the ski school offers a fun | | | | under stay free. |
| and educational day or week-long programs. Youth | | | | The stats: 107 runs over 3358 acres, with a rise of |
| (aged 5-12) and children (aged 3-4) can enjoy full day | | | | 3,514 feet and an annual snowfall of 396". |
| ski (youth can also snowboard) lessons including lunch | | | | Whistler-Blackcomb is the biggest and, some say, the |
| for around $100 or four full days of lessons, lunch, | | | | best. This beautiful mega-resort definitely goes above |
| and photos for $300 (please call for exact rates). | | | | and beyond when it comes to facilities for families. |
| There is also a ski or snowboard terrain park for | | | | Children as young as 3 months are welcome in the |
| older kids with 20 rails, 15 jumps, and a 15-foot high | | | | daycare (parents get pagers), while lessons can start |
| half-pipe. | | | | at age 3 (for skiing) or 6 (for snowboarding.) If kids |
| There are also a staggering number of family-friendly | | | | are apprehensive about skiing, Whistler's Family |
| activities off the slopes, like child-friendly | | | | Mountain Zone is a great place to start. This specially |
| snowmobiling and snow trains, skating, sleigh-riding, | | | | designated area has a slower pace better for families |
| and more. The La Source aquatic center is a | | | | who wish to stick together. Whistler has all the usual |
| family-friendly après ski with an indoor pool, | | | | ski schools - one day lessons run around $115 and |
| whirlpool, and "Tarzan" rope. | | | | five day lessons approximately $550 - and also |
| Tremblant hotels also impress with their | | | | features the popular alternative of a two or five-day |
| family-friendly rates - in almost all properties kids can | | | | Ride Tribe camp, where 12-to-18-year-olds can learn |
| stay in the room for free! Tremblant hotels also | | | | tricks and new terrain with a hip instructor and other |
| remain significantly cheaper than many other | | | | teenagers. They can then show off their new skills in |
| Canadian resorts, family-prices or not. Dining options | | | | one of the resort's five terrain parks. Children aged 6 |
| range from old-fashioned pizzerias to more 'adult' | | | | and under ski free. |
| properties, so all ages and palates are | | | | Non-skiing snowy fun can include exploring the kid's |
| well-accommodated. | | | | adventure park (there's one on each mountain!) |
| The stats: 94 trails over 625 acres, with a rise of | | | | where kids can put their skis aside and climb around a |
| 2871 feet and an annual snowfall of 150". | | | | castle or tree-house, or going tubing at a family snow |
| Sunshine Village wins points with young kids from the | | | | tubing park. |
| second they arrive at the resort. Cars are prohibited | | | | A popular accommodation choice for families in |
| in the village, so skiers travel up the mountain in a | | | | Whistler is the rental of ski-side condominiums, |
| six-passenger gondola. | | | | offering a little taste of home while away. Most |
| Once on the slopes its parents of young kids who | | | | resorts and hotels also allow kids under the age of 18 |
| are won over, as children 5 and under ski free. | | | | to stay in their parents' room for free. |
| Sunshine Village also offers a lesson guarantee - if | | | | With time off the slopes the village is especially |
| you're not satisfied with your child's lesson, receive | | | | exciting for older children and teenagers to explore, |
| another lesson for free! During Tiny Tigers daycare, | | | | with movie theatres, rock climbing walls, a youth |
| children, aged 19 months to 6 years, enjoy playtime | | | | center, and pool - all easily explored independently by |
| inside and out as well as lunch and snacks. If young | | | | foot. |
| children (aged 3-6) are eager to learn to ski, the Tiny | | | | The stats: 200 runs over 8,171 acres, with a rise of |
| Tigers Ski & Play program is the way to go. | | | | 5,280 feet and an annual snowfall of 360". |