Skiing near DC with kids has never been so easy! Winter isn’t my favorite season, but years ago, I read an article that changed my perspective on how to ski with my children. As a result of these tips, I planned some activities to look forward to during the winter and we set off to discover the best skiing near DC with kids! At first, our little ones needed lessons to become skilled enough to do greens. Now, our older two boys need advanced lessons because the ski instructors take them on harder trails than we’re willing to do! We’ve covered the best ski resorts close to Washington DC for kids and share our experiences here.
Liberty Mountain Resort
Fairfield, PA
Liberty Mountain Resort in Pennsylvania is where my family went skiing near DC with kids for the first time. Located in Fairfield, this family-friendly East Coast ski resort is a great place to escape the city. They offer skiing and snowboarding for kids during the winter, as well as proximity to other outdoor attractions. I chose Liberty Mountain as a jumping-off point because it’s close to where I live. Not to mention, it’s one of the best ski resorts in Pennsylvania for families.
A lot of families also love how it’s nearby historic Gettysburg. When my family stayed, my oldest two were 6 and 4. While the older boys did a two-hour intro lesson, we hung out with our youngest, playing in the snow and watching the other skiers. They enjoyed their time on the bunny slope and it was a good intro to skiing near Washington DC!
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Massanutten Resort
Massanutten, VA
We loved skiing in Virginia! When the boys were 7 and 5, we spent a long weekend at Massanutten Resort, one of the best ski resorts in Virginia for families. This is definitely one of the best ski resorts near DC for kids. In fact, it features 6,000 acres of mountain fun! We picked Massanutten because it offers a ton of activities, including an indoor waterpark, mini-golf, and petting zoo.
Massanutten is also ideal for snow tubing near DC. My parents and my sister came with us to help watch our toddler daughter. We stayed in the Summit Townhomes and enjoyed it overall. The ski mountain is relatively small, however, it was fine for our beginner group. You’ll need a car to get around. My boys did well at the ski camp and learned a lot (including how to do lifts and green slopes!).
Seven Springs Mountain Resort
Somerset County, PA
My family stopped at Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Pennsylvania for another adventure on the slopes. Conveniently located off the Pennsylvania Turnpike, this kid-friendly East Coast ski resort is popular all year round for its abundance of activities. When we visited, we chose Seven Springs because the area had received snow and the conditions were good. My husband and I sent our boys to Seven Springs ski camp (we skied while they were in camp).
At the time, it was the biggest ski resort we had ever visited, featuring over 33 slopes and trails. The conditions were good and we enjoyed our day! After skiing, we stopped for hot chocolate and hit the road to head home. Certainly, Seven Springs Mountain Resort offers some of the best skiing and snowboarding near DC with kids!
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Nemacolin
Farmington, PA
My family also spent a long weekend at Nemacolin in Pennsylvania, one of the best ski resorts near DC for kids. Located in Farmington, this upscale ski resort is set on 2,000 wooded acres in the Laurel Highlands. It’s a great destination for skiing near DC with kids! Additionally, Nemacolin is perfect for snow tubing near DC. Traveling with extended family, we selected a place with a variety of other activities for non-skiers. Here, we stayed in The Washington Townhome, but you can also find standard hotel options at Nemacolin too.
Nemacolin has a small skiing mountain, but it was fine for our beginner group. Aside from skiing, we also visited the indoor pool, snow tubing, and multiple on-site restaurants. My kids loved the Wildlife Adventures! Certainly, this is one of the best Pennsylvania ski resorts for families!
RELATED ARTICLE: Best Places to Ski in Pennsylvania With Kids
Camelback Resort
Tannersville, PA
My family chose Camelback Resort, one of the best Pennsylvania ski resorts for families, because they have an indoor waterpark, so we could do some fun activities with our daughter too (admission is included with your stay). All of my kids loved the indoor water park, making it our new favorite option! Since Camelback was a larger mountain with more slopes, we skied for several hours each day.
As a result of how much everyone enjoyed Camelback the year before, we planned a long weekend trip back the next year. My kids were 9, 7, and 4. My boys did a mix of ski school with SnowClub Kids, ski lessons, and skiing with us. Our 4-year-old daughter did a one-hour ski lesson on two days as well. Finally, you can also book a room on-site, which makes this a great option for families who want to stick close.
RELATED ARTICLE: Top Outdoor Things To Do In DC In The Winter With Kids
Snowshoe Mountain Resort
Snowshoe, WV
As our kids grew older and became better skiers, we had a wider variety of ski options open to us, including places that don’t offer daycare. My family heard good things about reliable ski conditions at Snowshoe Mountain Resort in West Virginia. So when our kids were 10, 8, and 5, we checked it out for a long weekend. We stayed at Allegheny Springs, which is a ski-in/ski-out option. What a great location! Our 5-year-old daughter attended ski camp every day, as she is not quite ready to go down a longer green slope with me. My boys are still doing ski camp because the ski instructors are now taking them on more advanced slopes. Snowshoe is probably the largest East Coast mountain we have visited with the kids to date. No wonder it’s great for skiing near DC with kids!
During our visit to Snowshoe Mountain Resort with kids, we skied on both the main mountain and the Silver Creek area. We enjoyed both. My family especially liked how quiet the Silver Creek area was during the day. Besides skiing, our hotel also offered a lot of activities to do in our downtime, including some of the best snow tubing near DC. We also went snow tubing and visited the Split Rock indoor/outdoor pool, and the Round Top kid’s play area. Plus, we enjoyed getting waffles at the Waffle Cabin every day! After our trip, we bought season ski passes to Snowshoe and hope to create more family memories on the slopes!
Snowshoe, WV Vacation Rentals: cabin rentals & more | Vrbo
Whitetail Resort
Mercersburg, PA
A resort we have not been to, but close to the Washington DC area, is Whitetail Resort – just 90 minutes from the city. Whether your family is after steeper slopes or more low-key runs, Whitetail offers dozens of trails and a half-pipe to make memories among the snow. Skiers looking for instruction can find it with private or small-group lessons of up to 6 participants.
And for some apres-ski, the restaurants onsite offer places to fuel up (reservations are currently required for many eateries and open a day in advance). Or if you’re not hitting the mountain, a snow tubing hill lets winter-loving families join in on the fun! Certainly, this is one of the best places to go skiing and snowboarding near DC with kids.
RELATED ARTICLE: Best Sledding Hills In Washington DC For Families
Wisp Resort
McHenry, MD
Another family ski destination that would be new to us is Wisp Resort in Deep Creek, MD. Families can ski across 33 slopes and 11 miles of trails for cross-country and downhill skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing. Newbies and more seasoned snow enthusiasts alike can sign up for group lessons (ages 6 and up) or private lessons (ages 3 and up) settings, and rent gear at the resort. For private lessons especially, advanced sign-ups are recommended.
If families are looking for adventure off of skis and snowboards, there is snow tubing (children must be at least 4 years old and 42” to ride) and a mountain coaster (children must be a minimum age of 3 and 38” high to ride). With a location about three hours from DC, make it a multi-day trip and lodge in one of their family-friendly accommodations.
Happy Travels!
Successfully skiing and snowboarding near Washington DC with kids is all about strategic timing. On the East Coast, ski conditions can be challenging when planning a trip. However, most resorts make their own snow, so if you’re not too picky, it should be ok. When we visited Massanutten, we went on President’s Day weekend and workers there told me it was their most crowded weekend of the year. After that, I decided to work our long weekend ski trips around our school system’s teacher workday long weekends instead, to try to beat the crowds. We can’t wait to spend more time on the slopes at the best ski resorts near DC for kids!
Not only is skiing a great physical activity to help sharpen your skills, but it’s also fantastic for bonding as a family. No matter where you decide to spend your ski season with your kids, we know you’ll have an amazing time together!
*Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the attractions, accommodations, or things to do on this list may be closed. Please ensure availability before making your decision.
*This post may contain affiliate links that may earn us a small commission, at no additional cost to you. Affiliate links in no way inform the hotels, sights, products, or other recommendations included in our articles. All opinions and recommendations expressed here are that of the writer.
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