Few family vacation experiences are more memorable than watching your kids learn to suit up and take their first ski or snowboard turns down the bunny hill. Of course, figuring out which hills and trails are just right for their skills can be the ultimate challenge – especially if you’re planning a ski getaway for the very first time.

If there are any beginners in your family (that goes for parents too!), it’s important choose a destination and resort that has all the required conveniences, and has slopes that are specially oriented so as to enable the newcomers to easily return back to the top. Your local travel professional is not only your best resource for finding the ski vacation that best fits your family’s needs, but can help you get the absolute very best value. As well, they can get you added amenities and packages that you normally wouldn’t be able to book on your own.

It All Comes Down to Planning

For the most memorable and downright fun ski vacation there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to planning. Know that choosing the right time of year will be one of the most important aspects of creating your wintry getaway. Nothing can be quite as frustrating as skiing the best powder of your life only to be funneled into an hour-long lift line. This is easily avoided by choosing off-peak seasons (seasons can vary throughout the world, so check with your travel professional). Typically, high season is during the holidays, most notably with Christmas, Presidents Day Weekend and spring break. If you can avoid these time periods you’ll save some serious cash and feel like you have the whole mountain to yourself.

Next, consider the advantages of booking a ski-in/ski-out resort where the hills, trails and lifts are located right outside your lodging. Such accommodations can be a bit pricey, but their convenience can be truly worth the extra cost. Also, if you’re new to skiing or snowboarding you’ll need to decide on either purchasing your own gear ahead of time or renting it at your resort or place of skiing. Newbies who only plan on skiing or snowboarding a few days each year will likely want to opt for renting gear. You’ll not only save some cash and frustration from checking-in the bulky gear at the airport if you plan to fly, but save yourself some serious dough should you decide that powder sports just aren’t in your families future (hey, at least you gave it a try!).

Skiing with your kids is one of the best experiences in life. However, if they are not quite up to par with your abilities (or perhaps you up to theirs), why not let the pros teach them how it's done by dropping them off at ski school. This way, you and your significant other can tear up the mountain while your kids are learning how to get the feel for it. After a half-day lesson, you and/or your kids will be ready to show the world how it’s done, well, almost.

Let's get started with a ski trip today!