Not your average family trip.
Few things cultivate more joy or create stronger memories than spending a day skiing or snowboarding with your kids. Snowbird is a home away from home for adventurous families with engaging terrain, focus-on-fun instruction and dining options sure to please even the pickiest eaters. While far from exhaustive, the following are a few ways The Bird will surely make every member of your fam smile.
Ski-In/Ski-Out Childcare
The bright and cheery, 2,500-square-foot Superior Childcare (for children 6 weeks to 12 years of age) is located inside The Cliff Lodge and features delicious, made-onsite meals, plenty of outdoor playtime and 2 large indoor play areas stocked with dress-up costumes, dinosaurs, a bounce house, arts & crafts and much more. The separate infant area offers a calmer space for young ones, equipped with a nap room and age-appropriate toys. Book in advance to secure your child’s spot in daycare and your day on the mountain.
Class Is In Session
Kids as young as 3 can learn to ski—with a focus on technique, safety and fun—through the Snowbird Mountain School. Programs include instruction for Chickadees (age 3-4), Kinderbirds (age 5-6) and Mountain Adventure (age 7-15). Snowbird also offers skiing and snowboarding lessons for children and adults with adaptive needs through Wasatch Adaptive Sports.
Equipment Rentals
Spend more time enjoying Snowbird with your family and less time getting organized—plus, enjoy a discount—when you book ski and snowboard rentals before arriving. Online pre-booking is available through Cliff Sports (conveniently inside The Cliff Lodge next to the ski locker room), Snowbird Sports (located within the Snowbird Center close to Chickadee Hill) and at Creekside Sports (upstairs at Gad Valley’s Creekside Lodge).
Kids Freeloader Pass
Every Adult, Senior or Military Summit Pass or Alta-Bird Pass comes with the option to add on a free, Kids Freeloader Pass, providing unlimited skiing and riding at Snowbird all season long to anyone 18 and under. Through this program, we hope to instill a love for the mountains across all generations now and for years to come.
Kid-Approved Good Eats
Almost every one of Snowbird’s 18 restaurants and eateries—both on the mountain and within the base area—offer kids’ menus or kid-friendly items. A few of the more crave-able things for younger palates include:
- Chicken fingers and fries at Mid-Gad Restaurant located in Gad Valley, off Lunch Run. Note: Mid-Gad Restaurant is the only on-mountain restaurant that serves french fries.
- Pizza with made-in-house crust and wings at Wildflower Restaurant (Iron Blosam Lodge).
- Made-to-order deli sandwiches from General Gritts (Snowbird Center Level 1).
- Hot cocoa to warm you up at The Summit after experiencing the Aerial Tram.
- Ice cream, giant Rice Krispie Treats and pizza by the slice can all be found at Baked & Brewed Café and Tram Car Pizza (Snowbird Center Level 2).
Off-Slope Things to Do
The fun doesn’t end when the lifts stop spinning. Keep your family entertained from first chair to bedtime with these family activities:
- Perusing the selection of books, stuffed animals and finger puppets within Center Sundries (Snowbird Center, Level 2).
- Hitting the pool. Snowbird’s 4 slopeside lodges are outfitted with heated outdoor pools (for lodging guests only).
- Testing their hand-eye coordination by playing on the vintage video games, foosball and pool table in The Cliff Lodge Game Room (Level L2).
- Riding the Tram to the top of Hidden Peak to see panoramic views of the Wasatch Mountains. Don’t worry—if they’re still honing their skills and aren’t quite ready to ski down yet, they can ride the Tram back down.
Educational Tours
One of the best ways to get oriented to Snowbird is by taking a complimentary Mountain Tour led by our Mountain Hosts. Our Mountain Hosts not only guide you and your family across the mountain but also share the history, ecology and geography of Little Cottonwood Canyon, adding to an already memorable experience. Tours are geared toward intermediate skiers or snowboarders and are offered daily at 10:30 am and 1:00 pm during the ski season.
Family-Friendly Parking
We know that getting from the car to the lifts with kids in tow can sometimes be the most challenging part of the day. Snowbird offers a mix of paid and free, first-come, first-served parking areas. A few of the more convenient options for families include:
- Valet parking at the Snowbird Center (Entry 2) and at The Cliff Lodge (Entry 4), which may be reserved in advance online or purchased on arrival.
- In-advance or day-of paid parking reservations near Creekside Lodge in the Lower Gad Valley Lot (Entry 1), which provides the easiest access to Baby Thunder's beginner terrain.
- Free roadside parking inside Entry 4 at the top of the Chickadee beginner lift (be cautious of traffic).
- Carpool parking (4 or more per vehicle) in Gad Valley (Entry 1), Pond Lot (Entry 2) and Superior Lot (Entry 4).
Still Have Questions?
We can’t wait for you to explore Snowbird. (Spoiler alert: We think you’re going to love it.) If you have questions, email us at info@snowbird.com or give us a call at 801.933.2222. We’ll do our best to make your first time at The Bird legendary.