Playing in the snow sounds simple enough, but booking a family ski trip can incur a snowdrift of costs, from lift tickets to rentals and other activities. Lake Tahoe’s Resort at Squaw Creek, which
Parents magazine recently named a Top 10 winter resort for families, streamlines your fees with its Kids Ski, Skate and Sled Free package.
Located at the base of Squaw Valley USA, site of the 1960 winter Olympics, the Resort at Squaw Creek is just minutes from California's North Lake Tahoe. The AAA Four-Diamond resort was recently named by Conde Nast Traveler as one of the 50 top ski resorts in the country, and it's not hard to see why: it has ski-in, ski-out access, an on-site cross-country ski center, an ice-skating rink and an acclaimed kids' program called Mountain Buddies. Starting this season, there will also be a mountaintop kids’ terrain park with a snow fort, kid-friendly jumps, bumps and whoopty-doos, as well as a scavenger hunt activity where you can learn about the mountain’s animals, history and natural habitat.
As for non-snow endeavors, there are also heated swimming pools and a spa. Rooms in the 405-room resort, all recently renovated, feature LCD-screen TVs, some fireplaces and kitchen (in the suites) and large picture windows with views of the mountains and ponderosa forests.
Prices for the packge start at $279 a night on weeknights, and $349 a night on weekends. The package includes, per night:- Deluxe guestroom accommodations
- Children's goodie bag on arrival (a $25 value, according to the hotel)
- One free children's in-room movie per stay (about a $15 value)
- Free ice skating and skate rentals at the resort ice rink (worth $12 x 2 kids = $24)
- Free sledding (worth $5 x 2 kids = $10)
- A free 12 and under child's lift ticket to Squaw Valley USA. Up to two children per room ($12/day x 2 kids = $24)
- Free hot chocolate and s'mores at the outdoor fire pits
Deal or no deal? A no-brainer. For the mid-January dates we checked, the Kids Free package was priced the same as the basic rate, so all the kids’ perks for a family of four—worth at least $100, including the welcome goodie bag—is pure windfall. And that's just assuming you do the activities one time only. Being able to take an hour to skate or sled each day of your visit adds up fast.
December 10. 2010 21:52
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December 29. 2010 01:26
Deal!
I wanted to take my husband to the snow for his birthday but we are attempting a budget so I was excited when I read your article. At least $100 worth of fun stuff to do with our daughter (the small stuff adds up to a lot of money)-I'm in!
Amber http://www.budgetkidtravel.com
Amber