Looking for family skiing options? When winter hits the Northeast, lots of Philadelphia area families are itching to hit the slopes. Skiing is a great way to get outdoors with your family and embrace the winter weather in a fun, active way. Fortunately, the Philadelphia area has lots of great options within an hour or two, many with family-friendly offerings like lessons and ample beginner trails. Here are a few to consider when you’re ready to get your family out of the house and onto the trails. For a full list of ski destinations, click here.
NOTE: The pandemic has changed the way that many of the mountains are handling capacity, lift tickets and amenities. Many require advance reservations and have limited lodge access so be sure to check with each destination before you go.
Bear Creek Mountain Located within an hour of Philadelphia, Bear Creek offers a destination without the drive. The resort features 3 terrain parks with 23 slopes, 4 chairlifts and 2 carpet lifts. Bear Creek has over 86 skiable acres with 30% beginner trails, 40% intermediate trails and 30% expert trails. When you’re done on the slopes, there’s also a 116-room hotel with on-site spa and restaurants. Youth and adult ski and snowboarding lessons are offered for a variety of skill levels, and daycare is available for children 6 months to 10 years old. 100% of trails are lit for night skiing. Check Web Site for Pricing and Hours of Operations.
Camelback Mountain With 15 acres of new beginner terrain, Camelback Mountain is one of the top family friendly ski resorts in PA. The resort includes 39 trails and several dining options, including 3 ski in ski out restaurants. Camelback boasts the largest snow tubing park in the USA with 42 lightning fast lanes. And if you’re looking for more than a day trip, check out Camelback Lodge, complete with a spa, shopping and even an indoor waterpark. Lessons are available to children ages 4-12 and adults, and adaptive programs are available as well. 100% lit for night skiing as well as galactic snow tubing at night. Check Web Site for Pricing and Hours of Operations.
Jack Frost, Big Boulder Resort At Jack Frost and Big Boulder, you’ll find supreme family skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing within an hour of Philadelphia. Enjoy both Big Boulder and Jack Frost with the same lift ticket to get even more out of your trip. Jack Frost has 20 trails (4 easier, 6 more difficult and 8 expert) and 12 lifts, while Big Boulder has 15 trails (4 easier, 3 more difficult and 3 expert) and devotes nearly 70% of its overall terrain to park features. Both offer ski and snowboarding lessons for children ages 3-9 as well as adults, and Jack Frost provides an adaptive program as well. Check Web Site for Pricing and Hours of Operations.
Spring Mountain Experience family skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, rock climbing, geocaching and thrilling zipline canopy tours all in one location, at Spring Mountain Adventures! Spring Mountain features 8 trails, 2 snow tubing runs, children 4 lifts and a terrain park. Private and group lessons are available for adults and ages 3 and older, and beginners can try their new express learn to ski lessons for adults and children age 6 and up. Located just minutes from the Lansdale Exit (#31) of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Spring Mountain Adventures is within an hour drive of Philadelphia, and much less for many suburbs. Check Web Site for Pricing and Hours of Operations.
Originally posted on 1/20/20, updated 1/4/21.