Planning your first family ski trip can feel overwhelming — gear, lessons, lift tickets, cold weather, and kids who may or may not love it. After our first ski trip to Mount Snow, I realized there are a few things that make the experience dramatically easier for families.
First Family Ski Trip Tips
If a friend texted me saying, “We’re thinking about going on our first family ski trip—help!” these are exactly the things I’d tell them.
1. Stay Slopeside If You Can
For first-time ski families, staying slopeside makes a huge difference. For example, at Grand Summit Resort at Mount Snow, you’re steps from the lifts, ski school, rentals, and food. There’s no loading kids into the car in bulky boots or forgotten helmets in the trunk (less chance for a meltdown).
When kids get cold or tired (and they will), being able to ski straight back to your hotel instead of trekking across a parking lot is priceless. Being able to pop back to the room for lunch, to warm your hands, or to take a quick reset is a game-changer. Ski days are exciting but exhausting, especially for grown-ups who are still learning (and wrangling kids).
2. Book Ski School Early (and Trust the Pros)
Mount Snow’s ski school is fantastic, and for beginners, it’s worth every penny. Even if you’re a confident skier, kids often learn better from instructors who aren’t mom or dad. That goes for most sports, right?
Pro Tips for Ski School:
- Book lessons in advance, especially for weekends and school vacation weeks.
- Morning lessons are ideal so kids can practice what they learned afterward.
- Arrive EARLY – like an hour – to the rental shop and lesson check-in.
- Label your gear. Everything looks the same in ski school pick-up areas.
3. The Epic Pass Is a No-Brainer for Families
If you think you might ski more than once in a season, the Epic Pass can make skiing much more affordable for families. Four weekend lift tickets can cost the same as a local epic pass which gains you ski lift access for 50+ resorts.
Even if this is your first ski season, having the Epic Pass takes pressure off each day—you don’t feel like every run has to “count” because of expensive day tickets. That flexibility matters when kids need breaks, snacks, or an early afternoon hot chocolate. All Epic Passes include Epic Mountain Rewards: 20% off food, lodging, equipment rentals, group lessons, Epic Mountain Express, and even heli-sking!
Next Season’s Epic Passes are on Sale at the Lowest Price of the Year!! Lock in your 2026/27 Pass Now! BONUS: NEW PRICING for Young Adults & Teens: Save 20% on Epic & Epic Local Pass!
Epic Pass and Epic Local Pass provide season-long access to dozens of world-class resorts and regional favorites, including Vail Mountain, Whistler Blackcomb, Park City Mountain, Breckenridge, Heavenly, Northstar, Stowe, Mount Snow, Okemo, Hunter and more.
4. Rent Gear On-Site (Yes, It’s Easier)
For beginners, renting equipment at the mountain is the easiest option. Kids grow fast, so buying gear for a first season often doesn’t make sense. At Mount Snow, there are many rental options – each is streamlined to make your experience fast and simple.
What I’d tell a friend renting ski gear for the first time:
- Reserve rentals ahead of time (and pick up the night before if you can).
- Dress kids in base layers before arriving — rental shops can get warm and crowded.
- Allow the pros to help you with your boots – they are NOT easy to put on for the first time.
- If something doesn’t feel right, tell the pros and change your gear!
You can always rent gear long-term or purchase used gear in future seasons once everyone knows they love skiing. If you have an Epic Pass for the resort where there are rentals – you’ll get 20% off your gear!
5. What to Wear on Your First Family Ski Trip
New skiers spend more time stopped than moving, so staying warm matters. During my weekend of ski lessons I did a lot of standing around with my instructor (listening and watching!).
Initially I had a difficult time choosing what to buy for skiing because there are so many options and opinions about the best gear. I also wanted to pick a coat that was not just stylish, but timeless. After a few weekends skiing, I realized COMFORT and WARMTH is what matters most.
Here’s what we learned first-time skiers actually need:
- Waterproof snow pants and jacket (my daughters LOVE these ski suits)
- Thermal or wool base layers
- Ski Gloves or Mittens with Wrist Wrap
- Neck gaiters instead of scarves
- Ski Goggles instead of sunglasses – they reduce glare and protect your eyes from falling snow.
NOTE: Pack hand and toe warmers. You might not need them, but when you do—you really do. This is a list of everything I bought for my family’s first ski trip.
6. Start Small and Celebrate Everything
Most ski resorts have a great beginner terrain and there should never be a rush to “level up.” One successful run can feel like a huge win for a first-time skier. Celebrate the small stuff like:
- Riding the chairlift
- Making it down without falling
- That moment when they say “Can we go again?” is the best feeling.
End the day on a high note, even if it’s earlier than planned.
7. Pack Snacks (Ski Kids Are Always Hungry)
This is something every ski parent discovers: Skiing burns a lot of energy, especially for kids. Pack easy snacks in your jacket pockets — granola bars, gummies, or trail mix. Mount Snow has little containers of complimentary granola bars all around the resort! Sometimes a quick snack break can completely reset a tired kid (or grown-up).
8. Always Plan for Downtime
Ski trips are about more than skiing — they’re about family memories, snowy adventures, and hot chocolate breaks together. Bring games, let kids relax in the afternoon, and don’t overschedule every minute. Some of our favorite moments weren’t on the mountain at all – it was the time we spent together.
9. Don’t Try to Do Everything the First Trip
Your first family ski trip doesn’t have to be perfect. Maybe the kids only ski a few runs. Maybe you spend more time in the lodge than expected. That’s normal. The goal is simply to help everyone enjoy the mountain and want to come back next season.
Thank you Mount Snow and Epic Pass for allowing us to have our first family ski trip!
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