Where to go for spring break: affordable spring break ideas for families

February 25, 2019 By

If you live in a cold climate like me, you’re probably ready for some fun in the sun. Or maybe you get plenty of blue sky, and want to experience snow one last time before summer. Either way, we have budget spring break ideas for you. Read on to learn where to go for spring break in the U.S….without breaking the bank.

Then, check out our often-overlooked spring break ideas, compiled with additional family travel experts!

For sun and sand:

Want a sun-kissed vacation, but can’t afford a trip to Hawaii or Mexico? Opt for the desert or Caribbean instead! Pack swim suits and sunscreen for the following family-friendly desert destinations:

1. Palm Springs, California: House rentals abound in the greater Palm Springs area, or resort stays include all the amenities you’d expect: multiple pools, golf courses, kids’ clubs, and fine dining. Just outside the city, hiking

and Jeep touring abounds. Where to stay? Our pick: Westin Mission Hills, where kids can take advantage of the SPG Kids Pass for free snacks and drinks and fun activities on-site.

2. Phoenix, Arizona: An easy flight from most airports along the west coast, Phoenix and nearby Scottsdale enjoy warm temperatures year-round and fun activities for kids like horseback riding and hiking. Lounge poolside all day, or hit the links while the kids enjoy their own children’s programming. Where to stay: try the JW

Las Brisas pool

 Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa to score big points with the kids as they hit the lazy river and Nickelodeon Activity Zone. In nearby Scottsdale, the Westin Kierland Resort is king.

3. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic: this Caribbean destination was slow to gain popularity with families, but now the word is out. Punta Cana all-inclusive resorts tend to be cheaper than their other Caribbean counterparts, and the beaches are every bit as nice (and the water every bit as warm). Where to raise your beach umbrella: Dreams Punta Cana, where kids love the water play structure, and adults love the luxury of never having to worry about where the next meal is coming from.

4. Laguna Beach, California: Nearby Disneyland Resort may be packed with families during spring break, but the Pacific seaside town of Laguna Beach is much quieter. March is still considered a shoulder season for coastal towns, so you can snag a good room rate in most cases. Hit the beach if the weather permits, but if you visit during typical spring fog or clouds, opt to go whale watching instead.

sierra at tahoe

Snow and mountains:

Need one more ski or snowboard fix before summer? The major ski resorts will be crowded (and demanding spring break rates) but smaller resorts will welcome your family with open arms. The following destinations are big enough to provide great ski schools and childcare, but small enough to be affordable.

1. Lake Tahoe, California: Think you can’t find affordable skiing in Tahoe? Think again! With so many resorts in a small area, competition is steep…which is a good thing for guests. A few extra miles from the lake, family-focused Sierra-at-Tahoe sits just past South Tahoe, an easy commute from San Francisco or Sacramento. Because Sierra-at-Tahoe does not offer on-site lodging, the crowds stay away, but you won’t suffer: cozy HomeAway vacation cabins are only a few miles away. The resort has one of the best layouts for families, with all runs ending in a common bowl for easy meet-ups.

2. Vermont: Vermont is home to both family-friendly champion Smuggler’s Notch and classy Stowe, plus offers plenty of outdoor fun in addition to skiing should the weather cooperate. We love Smuggs even during busy spring break, because this family resort is always offering great deals for parents. Stay, ski, and keep your kids in camp or lessons for one low price.

Coit Tower San Francisco Alcatraz Cruises

City escapes:

If you’re city touring, it doesn’t much matter what the weather is like, so head to less-than-ideal-in-spring urban areas to soak up culture instead of sun. Spring break is a great time to tour museums, aquariums, and historical sites when school field trips are at bay.

1. New York City: The Big Apple is exciting no matter what the season, and families can find great deals in March and April. Take in a Broadway show or spend your time in the best family-friendly museums. Not sure where to stay? Try Affinia 50, where families can enjoy some of the largest rooms in Manhattan, family gaming nights, and a relaxing guest lounge.

2. Chicago, Illinois: Check out Shedd Aquarium or the Lincoln Park Zoo, then bundle up and head to Millennium Park free of crowds. Take advantage of shoulder season discounts, and hit as many museums as you can. Stay at the Four Points by Sheraton where families get a big bang for their buck. It’s located right on the Magnificent Mile and includes all the amenities you’ll want after a busy day sightseeing.

3. San Francisco, California: Yes, it may still be brisk by the bay, but hotel room rates will be low, Alcatraz tours will be uncrowded, and you probably won’t have to wait for a cable car. Check out nearby Muir Woods in Marin County, beautiful in all seasons, and take a drive along Highway 1 to see the California coastline. Stay at Omni San Francisco to be located right on the cable car line and mere blocks from colorful Chinatown.

Winter vacation home rental process made easy

January 2, 2015 By
Ever rented a vacation home for a family holiday? Worried it might be a complicated process? Not sure how to go about it? Pit Stops for Kids can help! This post was originally published in 2010, when we rented our first winter vacation home in Lake Tahoe through HomeAway. In the years since, we’ve rented homes several times, including two more Tahoe homes (once through Northstar California, and once more through HomeAway). Most recently, we rented a beautiful West Tahoe home for Christmas week, which was big enough to house our whole extended family. In March, we’ll be renting from HomeAway again on the island of Kauai.
vacation home rental

There are other great vacation rental sites (we also use VacationRoost), but because the bulk of our knowledge is in renting from HomeAway, we’ll focus on this company for the purpose of this post. There are many reasons why a vacation rental might be the right choice of accommodation for a winter stay, including space to spread out (and bring all that winter gear), washers and dryers, perhaps a hot tub, and the ability to cook in-house.

HomeAway makes it easy to find the right vacation rental for you and your family. Starting at their homepage, just click on ‘Find a Rental’. Enter where you’d like to go and when, and browse the available rentals. You can sort the selection by price, bedrooms, or even number of reviews. I like that the weekly and daily rental prices are listed right on the main page, so I can quickly get a feel for what homes in my desired location will cost. When you click on ‘details’, you get a map, tons of photos, and a list of amenities.

Once you’ve selected your desired rental, contact the owner. This, too, is easy: the rental owner’s contact information is listed right on the main page of each rental property description. I really like that with most rentals on HomeAway, customers work directly with the owners, the people who know the rental and surrounding area personally. Keep in mind that since all owners are different, the HomeAway process may feel different each time you rent. During our first Tahoe rental experience, after making contact, I got a confirmation from HomeAway immediately, telling me exactly what to expect. In my case, the owner of my first rental (this beautiful home in the Twin Bridges community of South Tahoe), emailed me a rental agreement within hours, along with a friendly greeting filled with such enthusiasm for her property, I wanted to pack up and go right then and there! During my second Tahoe rental experience, the owner preferred to call me and set up the rental agreement via phone. In this case, I worked with HomeAway less (though still had their support).

homeaway-vacation-rental

Pay your deposit (if applicable), sign your rental agreement, and count the days until your vacation, secure in the knowledge that HomeAway has your back. I was glad to see that even after I’d taken care of business with my property owner, the support for HomeAway continued. I was offered rental insurance, additional deals and incentives for future stays, and assurance that any additional help I needed was only a phone call away. Note: in most cases, a deposit will both hold your reservation and be applied to the total cost of your rental. In the case of our second rental experience, our owner preferred to keep the two separate. We paid our deposit, then paid our total cost for the rental, then got the deposit back in the form of a check. Be sure to ask owners which way they like to conduct business so you know what to expect.

Expect a warm welcome. Both times we rented a winter home through HomeAway, we hadn’t even arrived at our vacation rental yet, and I already knew the home fires would be burning brightly (so to speak). Both property owners went above and beyond, sending me a full inventory of items and supplies available to me in the home during my stay, just so I wouldn’t need to wonder whether to pack a snow shovel or a set of sheets. They also sent information on the local scene, grocery stores they recommend personally, and local service numbers should I need them.

homeaway rental

 

Ask questions about the possibility of power outages, local snowplow schedules, and alternative heat sources: This is crucial when renting in winter! During our 2010 winter vacation rental experience, we enjoyed an epic snowstorm. The power went out several times, but our home had a back up generator, which we knew how to use. Our owner had included full instructions. In our second rental home this past Christmas, we had ample parking space away from snow plow routes, but during our first rental experience, we had to move cars on snow plow days. Ask for this information so it doesn’t blindside you! Find out whether you’ll need fire wood, and know where candles and matches are kept in the home just in case.

And if you’re not sure what you’re looking for? If you’re undecided as to the sort of vacation you want, or if you’d like HomeAway to keep an eye out for the perfect rental for you and your family, fill out their Ultimate Travel Picks form to be sent alerts and info on rental availability tailored to you.

Pit Stops for Kids partnered with HomeAway for some, but not all, vacation rental reviews. All opinions are our own.

Read more about vacation home rental in our Home (Away) for the Holidays series. 

Skiing with a Tween at Sierra-at-Tahoe

December 29, 2014 By

This post was originally published as part of our Home (Away) for the Holidays series.

It’s easy to find kid-friendly skiing in Tahoe, but what about those hard to please tweens and teens? I spent an extra day at Sierra-at-Tahoe last week with Nate, during which we noted what worked for his age group (middle school) and ability level (advanced).

Terrain parks are located all over the mountain.

Sierra at Tahoe is not too big, and not too small…it’s just right! Because of its manageable size and centralized layout, it’s easy for older kids and teens to split off with friends or siblings and meet back up with parents. All runs end in a major lift, lodge, or restaurant, a design element that would give me the confidence to let him explore a bit without an adult.

huckleberry-gates

It’s challenging. I love that Sierra intermixes beginning runs with intermediate and advanced; it allows all members of a family to ride the lift and spend the majority of their day together. But the best part of this feature is the way terrain parks, trails, and tree skiing branch off from easy and intermediate runs. I don’t know how it is in your family, but my older kids love these features, and it’s nice that they’re so accessible. Each terrain park at Sierra is clearly marked as containing Small, Medium, or Large elements, and each place we cut off a run to powder ski through trees fed easily into a trail or run below. Nate and I especially loved exploring the Huckleberry Gates section of the mountain, a truly challenging series of back-country chutes that felt like an entirely different experience every time! This area is not open all day, so be sure to check signage or ask lift operators for updates.

Sierra at Tahoe powder skiing

It knows how to feed your tween. Ski resort food is expensive, and tweens and teens can eat their weight of it after hitting the slopes all morning. I loved that Sierra at Tahoe offers affordable options. We ate at the 360 Degree Smokehouse BBQ at the Grandview Lodge, which was great for several reasons. First off, due to its location at the top of the mountain, it was easy to access and uncrowded. Secondly, the food was fantastic, and generously portioned (my two younger kids could have easily shared an entree). Better yet, if you’re feeding the entire family, their Family Meal Deal is truly a deal for $45. Families pick three types of BBQ meat entrees, then get four huge sides and four drinks. (We ate at the tasty Aspen Cafe in the Main Lodge during our first ski day, and paid over $50 to feed the same amount of people.) Best of all, this top of the mountain lodge offers complimentary boot warming while you eat. Just hand the attendants your boots on the way in, grab a pair of cozy slippers to wear in the restaurant, and trade them back in when you’re ready to head back outside. Great, right? Yeah, we could hardly believe it, either!

Grab a pair of slippers…they have your size!

It’s clear to us why we kept hearing the same thing from Sierra guests while riding up the chair lifts and hanging out in the lodges…that Sierra at Tahoe truly is a local favorite: it has just enough of everything–at a decent price–to keep everyone in your group happy, including those notoriously hard to please teens. What’s more, during our time enjoying their slopes, we never came across a Sierra employee who wasn’t cheerful, helpful, and willing to go out of his or her way to make sure we were having a good time. I can see why locals and traveling guests alike feel they’re getting a lot of value for their vacation dollar here. And best of all, when paired with one of the HomeAway vacation properties right at the base of the mountain, you can forget the commute: you’re only five minutes away from Sierra at Tahoe!

As stated previously, Sierra at Tahoe generously hosted us during this portion of our Tahoe Holiday. This compensation came with no expectation of a positive review. Read all our articles in our Home (Away) for the Holidays series!

Best Ski Towns: South Lake Tahoe, CA

March 2, 2011 By

Spring is a wonderful time of year to spend in South Lake Tahoe! Skiing and other snowsports are still on offer, and sunny skies and warmer temps make hiking and lake days possible, too.

Note: As travel today remains uncertain, please keep your safety and the safety of others in mind at all times. If you are comfortable with traveling, please travel responsibly and within regulation as any travel is at your own risk.

If you do decide to travel at this time, here are our recommendations:

  • Wear a face mask. 
  • Bring hand sanitizer and wash your hands on a regular basis.
  • Check official websites before your trip for the latest updates on policies, closures and status of local businesses.
  • Book a hotel with free cancellation in case you need to change your plans at the last minute.

During a time when many vacations are not possible, outdoor activities in road trip-accessible locations offer the ability to safely social distance. Hotels.com asked me to share my favorite activities and tips for exploring South Lake Tahoe, so start here as you plan a safe and responsible vacation.

Having grown up in the Tahoe area, I am no stranger to the Sierra snow, sunny weather, and beautiful scenery that makes this family ski haven an obvious choice as a ‘Best Ski Town’. Split by the California/Nevada border, families are presented with the best of two worlds in South Tahoe: on the Nevada side, bustling businesses, resorts, and casinos. On the California side, a quiet ski village. We recently returned for a week of fun, powder, relaxation, and more powder; the following is a round-up of what makes Tahoe the perfect town for traveling families.

Where to ski: With so many world-class ski resorts dotting the shore of Lake Tahoe, you really can’t go wrong finding slopes that won’t disappoint. If you want to enjoy your family ski vacation without breaking the bank, however, we recommend Sierra-at-Tahoe. Located on the South shore of the lake near Twin Bridges, Sierra-at-Tahoe is truly committed to a family ski experience. You’ll find runs expertly groomed with families in mind, dedicated ski school instructors, extreme attention to the details of resort layout, and prices that make other Tahoe area resorts’ fees seem laughable. We’re expert skiers, and found Sierra’s slopes to be challenging beyond expectation, and yet families with beginners are catered to as well. We don’t know how they do it, but they do!

Where to stay:  It’s hard to go wrong! If you want to stay on the Nevada side, you can opt to be at the heart of the action at the base of Heavenly ski resort, or away from the crowds closer to Sierra-at-Tahoe. There are many lakefront hotel options in South Lake Tahoe as well. Look for suites or condos run by hotels and resorts, which will allow you to have more space and the use of a kitchen.

Where to eat: Hands down, the best food we ate in South Lake Tahoe was at Freshies (3330 Lake Tahoe Blvd). This ‘hole in the wall’ location inside a small strip mall serves up excellent Hawaiian specialties, great microbrews, and kid favorites like rice and noodle bowls in a fun setting. Be sure to arrive early to beat the crowds; word is getting out about this restaurant!

south-tahoe

What to do when not skiing: South Tahoe is full of options for non-skiers, so what you choose will depend on the ages of your kids, how much time you have, and their sense of adventure! We loved sledding at Adventure Mountain (Hwy 50), a tubing mecca just outside of town. If you’re up for a longer outing, consider a snowmobiling cruise with Zephyr Cove Resort, located in town. South Tahoe on the Nevada side also provides plenty of distraction in the form of evening shows, buffets, gambling, and movie theaters.

How to get here: From Reno, Nevada, take Highway 395 to Highway 50 into town. From Sacramento, take I-5 to Highway 50.

Read more Best Ski Town picks!

Disclaimer: This post has been written in partnership with hotels.com. All opinions remain my own.

Home (Away) for the Holidays: Adventure Mountain

January 6, 2011 By

Toby’s all smiles at Adventure Mountain!

If you have thrill-seeking kids when it comes to sledding, you’ll want to stop at Adventure Mountain near Echo Summit on Highway 50 for great family-friendly snow play in South Tahoe. Much more than just your neighborhood sledding hill, Adventure Mountain features multiple downhill runs divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced sections, walking paths up to the top, and, at least when we visited, plenty of powder above the runs to blaze your own trail down from higher up.

The snow at the base of the runs has been groomed into high berms to ease you to a stop (although with enough speed, it’s possible to go all the way up and over!) and there’s plenty of space to just play in the snow (we made a killer fort). There’s a snack shack with hot drinks, candy, and hot dogs for sale (as well as gloves, hats, and helmets if you’ve forgotten them). You can also rent sleds here. Bathrooms are available near the parking lot. We liked that there were plenty of picnic tables for use, and noticed that most people brought their own lunch. Snowshoe and cross-country ski trails start at the end of the sledding area (but you’ll need to bring your own equipment…rentals were not available on-site).

The tracks are steep and fast!

Extra Tip: Most ski resorts also offer a sledding/tubing area, usually for a higher cost than Adventure Mountain. During our Tahoe review week, we were fortunate to try one: Blizzard Mountain at Sierra at Tahoe. Due to the convenient location and moderate terrain, we recommend Blizzard Mountain for very young children, and Adventure Mountain for older kids.

Date last visited: December 23, 2010

Distance from the interstate: Right off Hwy 50.

Admission: $15 per car. Quite the deal for local snow parks!

Hours of operation: Open weekdays from 10 am to 4:30 pm, and weekends from 9 am to 5 pm, weather permitting.

Directions: From South Tahoe, take Hwy 50 west toward Echo Summit approximately 8 miles.

Check out Adventure Mountain on the Pit Stops for Kids’ Kid Cam:

We visited Adventure Mountain at our own expense. Read all our articles in our Home (Away) for the Holidays series!

Home (Away) for the Holidays: Five things to do from our front door

December 31, 2010 By

Taking in the view from our backyard

As you know, we loved our HomeAway vacation rental in South Tahoe. Not only is this house idyllic, comfortable, and convenient, but it sits right in the midst of Eldorado National Forest, providing acres of wilderness to explore right from the front door.

It’s not in a neighborhood of multi-million dollar mansions lining Lake Tahoe, for which we couldn’t have been happier. Instead, it’s located just minutes from Echo Summit, fifteen mountain road miles from the city. Most of the neighboring homes consist of summer cabins closed up for the season, the snowy roads free of traffic and completely peaceful. In all directions, we could find pristine snow and beautiful pine woods. We certainly weren’t lacking for entertainment, however!

Five things to do five minutes or less from our vacation home’s front door:

1. Build a snow fort! Kids become quite industrious when faced with 3-4 feet of Sierra powder to play in! This one took over an hour to build, but not once did anyone complain of boredom, cold, hunger, or any of the other usual maladies parents dread. Best of all, it stayed up for days!

Toby sets out from our back door!

2. Go snowshoeing! When you stay in a house abutting the wilderness, there’s no long drive, no hassle, and no extra planning: we literally put on our snowshoes at the bottom of our porch and set off into the backyard. Right down the road, we found a mountain meadow of pristine snow, which the kids immediately filled with snow angels. Visitors can rent snowshoes from a local outfitter, or from nearby Sierra-at-Tahoe (for use on their three miles of groomed snowshoe trails).

3. Ski for the day! We timed it: Sierra at Tahoe ski resort is four minutes away by car (probably one minute as the crow flies!). We have so much to say about this truly family-friendly ski resort that it deserves its own article; with the perfect combination of easy to difficult terrain, the affordable prices, and the added touches for kids, this is the perfect ski resort to have in your ‘backyard’.

4. Sled or tube! Sierra at Tahoe features a great tubing hill for young children (and it’s located on the other side of the resort from the busy ski center), and three miles from our vacation home is Adventure Mountain, a groomed sledding and snow playground right on Hwy 50. We also grabbed our sleds and played just feet from the house on the powdery slopes above the meadow!

5. Warm up by the fireside! Grab some hot cocoa, curl up by the beautiful fireplace, and play a board game together as a family (bring your own or borrow one from the selection already here). Or let everyone relax by watching a movie. With TVs and high speed internet (I was glad to be able to work seamlessly while on vacation), ‘down time’ is easy. If you want a treat, try what we call a ‘Mountain Snow Cone’: grab a cup of fresh snow, add maple syrup and a dash of milk, stir, and enjoy!

A note on dining: One of our favorite things about renting a vacation home from HomeAway is the ability to cook and dine at home instead of eat out. We just find it more restful (and affordable) with three kids who are always tired out by the day’s activities. During our stay, we only visited one restaurant (besides the dining venues at Sierra at Tahoe ski resort), and it was excellent. It’s called Freshies, and it’s a local Hawaiian fusion favorite. Don’t let the tucked away strip mall location deter you! (3330 Lake Tahoe Blvd.) If you do decide to eat out regularly, South Tahoe has just about any cuisine you could ask for (approximately 15-20 minutes from the house).

For summer vacationers, note that the trailhead for the Desolation Wilderness area is steps from our vacation home’s door, as well!

If you’re interested in the experience we had, the home we rented can be found here at HomeAway. As stated previously, HomeAway generously hosted us during this portion of our Tahoe Holiday. This compensation came with no expectation of a positive review. Read all our articles in our Home (Away) for the Holidays series!

Related articles

Home (Away) for the Holidays: Sierra at Tahoe’s Blizzard Mountain

December 27, 2010 By

Sierra at Tahoe is a wonderful place for families to ski or ride, but sometimes, you just want to take it easy with a day of snow play. Or maybe you have young children who aren’t up for a day on the slopes quite yet. Either way, if your idea of a fun family winter activity is a day in the snow, Sierra’s Blizzard Mountain might be just the thing!

Located conveniently away from the hustle and bustle of the main ski lodge and parking area, families will find Blizzard Mountain in Sierra’s E Lot. With parking directly in front, there’s no trudging through the ice or snow (and kids getting cold before they even get there). At the ticket booth, you’ll find helmet rentals (if desired) in addition to tubing tickets (good for a two hour window). Snow toys such a brick makers and snowball shapers are available free to use, and several play cabins provide shelter from snowfalls (or enemy snowball fire).

Blizzard Mountain recently moved location at Sierra, which meant that not everything was up and running at the time of our visit, such as the rope tow to spare kids from the uphill climb to the top of the tubing runs (the walk was no big deal) and the fire pit (operating when weather permits). There were picnic tables to use, however, and plenty of the white stuff!

The area is fully staffed, and the tubing runs (of which there are two) are fairly mild, making Blizzard Mountain perfect for families with young kids. Toby and his cousin, visiting for the day, especially loved sledding together in the double tube! (For older kids, we recommend nearby Adventure Mountain two miles further on Hwy 50). Sierra’s snowshoe trail also connects at Blizzard Mountain, providing more for families to do in the snow. (Snowshoes can be rented at the main lodge.)

Note: Blizzard Mountain opens weather permitting. Call Guest Services at 530.659.7453 ext. 0 before arrival to ensure hours of operation.

Date last visited: December 22, 2010

Distance from the interstate: Right off Hwy 50.

Ticket prices: $20 per person for two hours. For non-tubing visitors, snow play access is $10 per person.

Directions: From South Lake Tahoe, take Hwy 50 up Echo Summit to Sierra at Tahoe.

Get a sneak peak of Blizzard Mountain with the Pit Stops for Kids’ Kid Cam:

As I disclose with all compensated reviews, Sierra at Tahoe generously hosted us for this portion of our Tahoe Holiday review series. While we greatly appreciate their hospitality, this compensation came with no expectation of a positive review. Read all our articles in our Home (Away) for the Holidays series!

Home (Away) for the Holidays: Sierra at Tahoe ski resort

December 24, 2010 By

We’re a family who loves to ski. We’ve visited many ski resorts, including a large sampling of what the Lake Tahoe area has to offer. During our Home (Away) for the Holidays vacation week, our rental home is right at the base of Sierra at Tahoe resort, so we checked it out. In a word:

Wow.

family ski resort

We don’t say that lightly, but Sierra at Tahoe has so much going for it, we were floored. It is, without a doubt, the most family-friendly mid-sized ski resort we’ve ever visited. What makes it so great?

It’s in the details. Sierra at Tahoe is like the host or hostess who thinks of everything to make your stay convenient and enjoyable. If you ski with young kids, you know how the experience can either be great…or terrible. And it can turn in an instant. Long treks from the car to the lodge, long lift lines, difficult terrain, expensive tickets…it can all add up to a miserable time. We know; we’ve been there. But Sierra makes the extra effort to ensure families have an easy time of it. How?

Preferred family parking and drop-off lines. For a small fee, you can enjoy parking right up front…not a lot to pay when you’re lugging not only your own ski gear but likely your toddler’s. And if that’s not in the budget, just use their drop-off zone. Let the kids and one adult unload with all the gear, go park, and meet back up!

Groomed trails and powder...the perfect combination!

Affordable ticket prices. Skiing is an expensive sport, and Sierra is cognisant of this fact. Ticket prices here are lower than the Tahoe average, and deals abound. If you plan to ski more than one day, consider buying their 3 Pak, which saves you over $20 a day for adults and $5 a day for kids. And there are no blackout dates. They’ve also bundled lift tickets with ski or board rentals and lessons for those families who need them with their $35 Learn to Ski or Ride packages.

Extra ticket options perfect for families: Sierra at Tahoe is the only resort we’ve visited to offer Parent Predicament tickets and Fast Pass tickets. How do they work? Parent Predicament: if two parents are visiting with a non-skiing child or baby, this ticket allows you to buy just one ticket to share instead of two (to waste). Just ask for it at the ticket booth, and you’ll be able to ‘tag team’ ski all day long! Fast Pass: Part of Sierra’s Vertical Plus program, families can add Fast Pass privileges to any ticket for $20. We used this feature, and let me tell you, on a busy holiday day or weekend, it’s worth its weight in gold. Instead of waiting in the regular lift lines, we accessed the Vertical Plus line (marked with a yellow banner), and didn’t wait more than one minute all day long. We more than made up for the price of the upgrade in increased ski time! Insider Tip: If you pair this upgrade with a 3 Pak, which saves you $20/day, you essentially come out even!

Professional children’s programs and features. When it came time to hire a children’s ski school staff, Sierra went looking for childcare professionals, not babysitters. Their children’s programs are run by experienced early childhood learning instructors, with an emphasis on both skiing and riding fun and education. We loved that there are several ski school areas across the mountain so that children (and adults) can learn with peers in their own age group. And if your kids aren’t taking lessons, there’s still great features on the mountain for them. Look for Sierra’s Adventure Zones, designated on the trail map by a paw print. Our kids had fun trying to spot the mine shaft, bear cave, and more…all located in various spots on the mountain.

A unique terrain. Sierra’s layout is unique in several respects. Firstly, the mountain is designed in a way that allows families to split up and meet back up easily. Lodges and restaurants are located for easy access, and runs feed into a central ‘bowl’, making it easy to ‘meet at the lodge’. The mountain’s groomers even go so far as to consider beginning skiers and riders when shaping the runs, ensuring less hiking, stopping, and frustration. More importantly to us, easy, intermediate, and advanced terrain are seamlessly intermixed, allowing family members with different ability levels to ski together. Toby (age 6) loved that he could ride the chair to the peak of the mountain with his brothers, and still find a fun, easy way down while they tackled moguls and powder.

sierra-at-tahoe

A great location. Because Sierra at Tahoe is located in Eldorado National Forest, skiers and riders are surrounded by wilderness…not condos and excess parking lots. The only area in Tahoe with an old-growth forest, the powder and tree skiing is awesome. Advanced skiers and riders will love Huckleberry Gates, a section on the far side of the mountain with back-country style access to trees, powder, cornices, and drop-offs. Experts can be highly challenged but still meet up with beginners in the lift line!

Plenty of on-mountain dining. We ate at The Pub and Aspen Cafe during our visit, both of which were delicious. We loved that nearly every on-site restaurant offers affordable kid meals, and that outside food is permitted. No one wants to spend all their vacation money on lunch!

More than just skiing: If you’re not sure whether downhill skiing is for you and your family (or if you just need a break from skiing on an off-day), Sierra also has a full tubing and snow play park and over three miles of snowshoe trails. Tubes are available on-site, and snowshoes can be rented in the ski and board rental center.

snowshoeing-with-kids

Date last visited: March 2016

Website: www.sierraattahoe.com

Distance from the Interstate: Two minutes from US Hwy 50. 15 miles from South Lake Tahoe, and 80 miles from I-5 near Sacramento, CA.

Directions: From South Lake Tahoe, just take Hwy 50 over Echo Summit to the Sierra at Tahoe entrance!

Check out the Pit Stops for Kids’ Kid Cam for a sneak peak of Sierra at Tahoe!

As I disclose with all compensated reviews, Sierra at Tahoe generously hosted us for this portion of our Tahoe Holiday review series. While we greatly appreciate their hospitality, this compensation came with no expectation of a positive review. Read all our articles in our Home (Away) for the Holidays series!


Related articles

Home (Away) for the Holidays: A Tahoe winter wonderland

December 22, 2010 By

This friendly welcome greeted us at the door of our HomeAway rental.

Only two days into our Tahoe Holiday vacation, and we’re convinced: if you’re looking for a winter family getaway in the South Lake Tahoe area, you can’t do better than to rent a HomeAway property such as this one we’re currently enjoying near Twin Bridges. (It’s easy to rent the perfect vacation home at HomeAway.com!) Nestled in the snow right at the base of Sierra at Tahoe ski resort, this cozy vacation cabin has all the comforts of home in a high Sierra setting.

We arrived for our holiday week vacation amid a December snowstorm. The snow was piled to the upper deck in true Tahoe fashion, but inside, every amenity we could ask for awaited us, including wireless wifi, a full washer and dryer, a complete kitchen including dishwasher, all cutlery, dishware, and pots and pans, two full bathrooms (one with a tub/shower, one with a shower), and sleeping arrangements for up to 10 people.

How the home normally looks in winter…

…and the winter wonderland that awaited us this week!

And best of all for those of us wanting to get away from it all without any additional worry: the home has a generator for when the power goes out (and it has!) and snow removal plans for when the roads fill with that wonderful white stuff (which they have), all thanks to our home’s competent and detail-oriented owner, who works hand -in-hand with HomeAway to ensure every guest’s needs are cared for; everything, from extra linens to tupperware to emergency supplies, were stocked and ready for our arrival.

Who wouldn’t want to spend the holidays curled up with a good book here?

Our property’s efficient and modern kitchen, complete with many cozy touches!

The kids quickly claimed the upstairs loft with three beds, a bathroom, and a folding-bed/couch, and we settled into one of the two downstairs bedrooms with King beds. While I started dinner our first night (one of the many benefits of renting a vacation home is the ability to eat in your own home), the kids got busy on a snow fort and my husband checked out the game on TV (of which there are two).

Toby gets cozy by the fire after a long day of car travel.

The property’s location couldn’t be better: just yards from the entrance to Sierra-at-Tahoe, it’s also right down US-50 from a great snow park with sledding and snowshoeing, Echo Lake with hiking trails in the summer, and only 15 minutes from South Tahoe. We love that we’re only minutes from restaurants, ski resorts, and attractions, but feel completely and totally away from it all.

Outside our back door, fresh powder and woods are at the kids’ command, and down the quiet street, a lovely meadow beckons. We could easily spend our full week exploring and playing right at the property!

Nate pauses for a photo op while sculpting his fort!

Note: Obviously, this is snow country. If you rent a vacation home in this area, be prepared for winter driving, have emergency supplies on-hand, and if your stay coincides with a winter storm, plan to be flexible. Itineraries sometimes have to be adjusted, but that just means more time for hot cocoa! During our visit, snow removal has been slow-going at times, and the extra effort has to be made to shovel and de-ice, but with drifts as high as several feet, it’s to be expected!

Distance from the nearest interstate: Right off Hwy 50.

Weekly rates: $1000-$2500, depending on the season. Consider a spring or fall visit to explore Tahoe without the high price tag!

Dining options: Our home’s owner helpfully provided information on area grocery stores before our arrival, allowing us to shop en route to the house from the Sacramento area. We opted to buy most our groceries ahead of time and prepare meals, but South Tahoe has dozens of excellent restaurants to choose from.

Website: View this rental here.

Directions: From Sacramento, follow US Highway 50 past Echo Summit to Twin Bridges. (85 miles from I-5.)

As I disclose with all compensated reviews, HomeAway hosted us  for the majority of this review. While we greatly appreciate their hospitality, this compensation came with no expectation of a positive review. Read all our articles in our Home (Away) for the Holidays series!

Related articles

Home (Away) for the Holidays: Dreaming of a White Christmas

December 6, 2010 By

The winter fun awaits at our HomeAway rental!

As mentioned in past installments of our Home (Away) for the Holidays series, Pit Stops for Kids is excited to team up with #1 vacation home rental company HomeAway to learn just how easy and affordable the vacation rental process can be. To this end, we’ll be spending the week of Christmas enjoying a HomeAway rental near beautiful South Tahoe, CA. According to our rental’s homeowner, we’re in for a very white Christmas!

Family travelers can find HomeAway rentals in nearly every major city and holiday hot-spot the world over, which means you’ll never miss out on all the action your vacation destination provides (although you might miss out on the noise and crowds in a hotel…sorry about that). Within only a 30 minute drive of our Twin Bridges rental in Tahoe, we’re looking forward to trying the following:

Ski and snow play at Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort. Only four miles from our vacation home, Sierra-at-Tahoe is a family resort that puts its money where its mouth is…or rather your money where…oh, you get the idea: ticket prices are reasonable, allowing families to actually enjoy a day on the slopes together. Kid-friendly features abound, and their child programs include lessons the whole family can attend together. As a seasoned skiing family ourselves, we love their ‘Parent Predicament Ticket’, which allows two adults to share a pass if they’re ‘tag-teaming it’ with a little one.

Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing at Adventure Mountain. Just park and play in the snow! Adventure Mountain is comprised of 40 acres of trails located on Echo Summit on Highway 50, and we can’t wait to use it as a base for some impromptu snow play!

Sierra-at-Tahoe, practically in our rental’s backyard!

Ice skating at Heavenly Village. Nothing quite says ‘winter wonderland’ like ice skating outdoors under twinkling snowflake-shaped lights, so count us in! And when we’re ready to warm up, there’s plenty of boutique shops to browse and eateries to enjoy.

A bird’s-eye view of Emerald Bay. HeliTahoe, based in South Tahoe, offers families the chance to gain a new perspective on Lake Tahoe…from a Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter. We think this is a fantastic way to celebrate the breathtaking natural wonders of this area, and an experience families won’t soon forget. (At least, we won’t!)

World-class dining in South Tahoe. To be honest, we’re more interested in the term ‘quick and easy’ than ‘culinary masterpiece’ when we’re dining on vacation with kids (which is reason enough to appreciate the full kitchen in our rental), but Tahoe restaurants boast both. The South Shore is only minutes from our rental, and it’s not truly a vacation if I don’t get to skip doing dishes at least a few nights of the week!

Look for real-parent reviews on the above locations in the coming weeks, and catch up on past Home (Away) for the Holidays installments:

Home (Away) for the Holidays: Introducing an Alternative to Hotels
Home (Away) for the Holidays: The rental process made easy