Freshly piled snow, pine trees, and rolling hills as far as the eye can see: ski resorts are winter wonderlands that make prime destinations for your next family trip. But if this is your first time planning a skiing holiday, you might be overwhelmed by how much there is to book and pack. Here are five essential tips for planning a family ski trip to help you make your winter vacation the best it can be.
Pack for Cold Weather
As obvious as this tip is, it’s no less important. Skiing involves snow, and snow usually means chilly weather! Stay warm by ensuring every member of your family packs the following wearable gear:
- Thermal underwear
- Long-sleeved fleece or wool tops
- Ski socks
- Ski jacket
- Ski pants
- Gloves
- Neck gaiter
Seek Ski-Access Accommodations
You need a lot of gear for skiing, including helmets, goggles, skis, poles, and bindings. If your hotel is far from the slopes, you’ll need to lug all this equipment out of the hotel, pack it in your rental vehicle, drive it there, unpack it…then repeat these steps when you leave for the day. That’s a lot of heavy lifting! We recommend choosing a hotel with ski-in and ski-out access to minimize how far you need to carry your gear and make things easier on your arms and back.
Reserve Your Tickets Early
Another essential tip for planning a family ski trip is to book your tickets ASAP. Before 2020, you could purchase tickets at the ticket window by the slopes, but now ticket sales have overwhelmingly moved online. Moreover, some resorts will only sell a limited number of tickets per day, so it’s crucial to get yours well in advance!
Enroll in Ski School
Ski school teaches the basics of skiing to those new to the sport. While most lessons are kid-only, some schools offer adult courses as well. Ski schools typically cost $100-400 per day for a group lesson, and it usually takes about two to three days for students to get the essentials down pat. After that, your family will graduate, and you can hit the slopes skillfully and confidently.
Plan Your Transport
Even if you’re staying in a ski-in and ski-out access hotel, you’ll still want to book a rental car or van for your trip. After all, your family won’t want to spend all their time at the resort. They’ll want to get out and explore the rest of the wintry ski town. Your family can try other winter activities like ice skating or sledding, eat hot, hearty meals at local restaurants, or go shopping for quirky souvenirs to remind them of this fun and memorable trip.
Utah is a world-class skiing location, with countless resorts nestled among the snowy mountains. Rabbit Rentals offers affordable, high-quality van rentals in Utah if your family is planning a ski trip to this charming state and needs a reliable mode of transportation. Our rentals are fully sanitized, come with AM/FM radio, Bluetooth connectivity, and extra storage racks, and are easy to pick up and drop off thanks to our no-contact, self-service check-ins. Book your Utah passenger van rental today!