Not every moment is memorable as a parent, is it? It’s the moments between the whining, complaining, and hunger though where you find the memories you know you’ll remember forever. These are the kind of memories we made during our recent family ski trip to Beaver Creek.
Skiing with kids is not easy. There’s all the stuff you have to carry, the cold weather, and the constant fueling of their little bodies – not to mention the drive to get there. And we definitely had some horrible moments on this trip, but the people at Beaver Creek do everything they can to make those magical moments happen. They make it worth getting out there as a family and having some adventures together!
Beaver Creek loves Families!
If you don’t think of Beaver Creek as one of the best places for families to ski together, you should! They are SO helpful. As we walked in from the shuttle, Ambassadors offered to carry ski gear for us on our walk in, and they were always keeping an eye out to make sure my daughter was getting on the lift easily. They even gave the kids granola bars when we picked up our lift tickets! Scattered throughout the ski area are all kinds of fun things just for families –special learning areas, dedicated family ski areas and even an ice cream parlor!
They really go out of their way to make each guest’s experience as good as it can be, and the little touches really add up!
And there’s nothing better than coming off the mountain at the end of the day, and getting handed fresh warm cookies at 3pm!
Our Visit
The last time I skied at Beaver Creek I was a teenager on a family trip. I remember it being a magical place, and one of the least busy places I’d ever skied. When I visited again recently with my own family, I was thrilled to find that it was still a magical place, and still not overcrowded!
We didn’t stay on-site during this visit, so our day started with parking in the Elk lot at the bottom of the mountain ($10 to park, free after 1pm) and took the shuttle up. We were dropped off just a short walk, and a few escalators, from the main lift and learner’s area.
We had to make a quick stop to rent equipment for my daughter, and it couldn’t have been easier. The staff there was so helpful and really wanted to make sure she was comfortable. Once she had made a decision, they let her know that if she was uncomfortable at any point during the day that she could come back and they’d work with her to make it better. (Which is exactly what she needed to hear – the reason we were renting is because the boots we bought her this year were driving her crazy!)
My son is just getting started, so he spent the morning with my husband at the new Haymeadow Park – and he did amazing, he came all the way down the learners hill on his own in his pizza! (See more about that below).
My daughter and I headed up the mountain to Red Buffalo Park, which we absolutely loved. Talk about great family skiing! (See more below about Red Buffalo Park).
We all wanted to meet up for lunch, so my husband and son rode the Centennial lift, which is half gondola and half chairlift to meet my daughter and I for lunch at the Spruce Saddle Lodge. It was so nice that my son could come up the mountain and have lunch with us without having to ski down, because he’s definitely not ready for that yet!
Once we were done skiing and back in the village, the kids cozied up by one of the many fires to warm up for a bit, and then we headed to the ice skating rink. We rented skates for both of them (and these cool things that went on my shoes, so I could walk on the ice with my son), and they had the best time. I love that is a good railing all around the rink, and both of them used that to get their balance. And for the parents watching their children make magical memories, there are lots of seating areas with firepits around the ice skating rink, complete with outdoor bar (with happy hour until 6pm!)
That evening Beaver Creek also had the Family FunFest in the village. The event was free and they had a bunch of games where kids could collect tokens and win prizes, a bounce house, and also a fun fossil show. It was really fun to spend a little more time in the village and soak up the atmosphere.
Red Buffalo Park
Looking for an amazing place to ski as a family with gorgeous views? Red Buffalo Park is the place! My daughter and I skied the entire day here and never got bored. There are a lot of little forest trails for kids that my daughter loved, and I loved just cruising down the easy hills. The lift is short and accesses a ton of family friendly terrain, so the roundtrips are pretty quick. (Check out the live video we did from the top of Red Buffalo Park!)
There’s even a bathroom that’s easy to access off the lift (which means no complaining about walking in their boots). The cookie cabin at the top of the lift is also a fun place to stop and refuel hungry tummies!
One of my favorite things about Red Buffalo Park is that it’s at the top of the mountain, which means no super-fast skiiers and snowboarders flying through to get to the base. That happens at a lot of ski resorts, and it drives me crazy, because if one of them hits my kids I will go ballistic. But I didn’t even have to worry about it at Beaver Creek, we had nice open runs with other families enjoying their day!
Haymeadow Park
My son is just getting started with skiing and needed to work on basic ski skills during this trip. He took some indoor lessons before our visit to Beaver Creek, but this was his first time on snow, so he and my husband headed over to the new learners area – Haymeadow Park.
He had the best time practicing his new skills in this area. Haymeadow Park isn’t just a typical beginner hill, they’ve created Smarte Terrain which uses man made and natural snow features to improve the learning experience. The concept is based on a natural progression using features that create an environment of exploration, learning, and fun.
By the time he was done for the day, he was skiing down the beginner’s hill on his own in his “pizza” wedge, it was amazing!
Ice Cream Parlor
A fun perk of Haymeadow Park is the Ice Cream Parlor at the top of the beginner’s gondola (which is free for all guests, unlike the others where you need a lift ticket). It’s a really fun place for everyone to take a break and warm up, plus refuel with a little sugar rush!
I can’t wait to head back to Beaver Creek to ski with my kids again soon, it was an amazing experience that I’m looking forward to repeating!
Tips:
- Be efficient in carrying all the stuff. We have ski/pole carriers so we have extra hands to carry kid stuff that they’re not willing to carry.
- We keep regular boots on until it’s necessary to put on ski boots. Those things will suck the life out of you walking, and with kids it’s even worse. I either throw their shoes/boots under a bench at the lodge, in a locker, or in my day-pack. You will not be sorry that you have their shoes with you!
- Kids 5 and under ski free at Beaver Creek, you just have to grab a little kid’s pass at the lift ticket counters.
Beaver Creek hosted us for this day of skiing in exchange for a review, but all the opinions are my own – and I’ll tell you, we LOVE Beaver Creek, even without free stuff!
