Learn to Ski Family Holidays

Whether you’re completely new to skiing, or need some parent-to-parent advice on the best ski schools for your kids, we’ll help you find the right ski holiday for your family.

Between our team, we’ve had decades of experience in seeking out the best family skiing holidays. Five of us (and counting!) are parents who regularly take our children skiing, and we all remember what it was like to take our first turns.

From extensive experience, we’ve selected five resorts that are the best for learning to ski as a family. We’ve also created a complete Learn to Ski package that makes everything from booking your holiday to arriving in resort far easier and more enjoyable.

For more advice on family ski holidays in Europe and North America, please don’t hesitate to contact our team on 01273 224060.

Our Learn to Ski packages are based in Norway, for inspiration further afield please see our Family Ski Holidays page.

Norway - five hand-picked resorts

Renowned for their dedicated kids’ slopes, high-quality child-care and kids ski free packages, Norway has some of the world’s best conditions for families and beginners.

Each resort caters specifically for beginners and families, and all benefit from short flight times, easy transfers and slope-side accommodation.

Beitostølen - a family favourite

  • Family-run resort
  • Exceptionally good service
  • Superb activities programme

It’s hard to imagine a more welcoming family resort than Beitostølen. The slopes are gentle and easy to navigate, plus there’s a great choice of non-ski activities, from swimming to rafting down the slopes. If the adults in your group can already ski, there’s also some off-piste fun to be had here.

Beitostølen Winter Scene © Beitostølen Resort / Aud Eva Bergo

Family accommodation - our pick

3* Bergo Cabins - Fully equipped, these self-contained, 3-7 bedroom cabins include a kitchen, log fire and sauna. Shops, restaurants, ski hire and après bars are all on the doorstep.

Flight time:2 hours
Transfer time:3 hours 30 mins
Distance to slopes:25m
Distance to ski school:50m

Geilo - ideal for young children

  • Award winning ski school and crèche
  • Gentle downhill terrain
  • Excellent non-ski activities

The train ride from the airport into Geilo is absolutely magical, and makes an easy and relaxing start to your family holiday. Once in resort, there’s an award-winning ski school, an excellent crèche and a huge range of non-ski activities to keep little ones entertained off the slopes.

Geilo - Kids Skiing © Emile Holba

Family accommodation - our pick

4*+ Vestlia Resort - This luxury hotel has a superb spa area for parents, a family swimming pool with slide and ten-pin bowling. It’s conveniently located at the base of the slopes, next to ski school and rental shop.

Flight time:2 hours
Transfer time:4 hours 30 mins
Distance to slopes:0m
Distance to ski school:50m

Gausta - fantastic for all ages

  • Green runs from almost every lift
  • Wide and uncrowded slopes
  • Snow-sure skiing through to May

Up-and-coming Gausta has gentle slopes, fantastic family facilities and plenty of activities to keep all ages entertained, from toddlers to teens. The ski school is brilliant with small group sizes to ensure progression throughout the week.

Gausta Ski School on Empty Slopes © Gausta

Family accommodation - our pick

4* Gaustablikk Fjellresort - Incredibly welcoming ski-in ski-out hotel with a range of rooms and suites to suit all sizes of family. Lots to keep the kids entertained including a pool, playroom, shuffleboard and table tennis.

Flight time:2 hours
Transfer time:3 hours 15 mins
Distance to slopes:100m
Distance to ski school:100m

Myrkdalen - for relaxing family holidays

  • Flexible lift passes & lessons
  • Easy to reach with a short transfer
  • Exceptional snowfall record

Blissfully uncrowded, this lesser-known resort is perfect for your family ski holiday. Snow conditions are excellent in Myrkdalen, while the modern lifts and outstanding ski school mean that beginners can quickly gain confidence and start making their first turns. For a fun family excursion, you could include a day trip to the beautiful city of Bergen.

Myrkdalen Ski School © Sverre F Hjornevik

Family accommodation - our pick

4* Myrkdalen Hotel - This ski-in ski-out hotel sits right next to the ski school and rental shop. It’s perfect for a quiet family holiday that combines skiing with relaxation.

Flight time:2 hours
Transfer time:1 hour 45 mins
Distance to slopes:0m
Distance to ski school:50m

Norefjell - best for taking it easy

  • Everything you need is in the hotel
  • Ski school starts from right outside the door
  • All lessons at the same time

The main accommodation in resort, the Norefjell Ski and Spa, has everything you need without going far. Whether you need to tire out the kids on the climbing wall or relax in the spa, there’s plenty of choice here. Norefjell's slopes start right outside the hotel, with the nursery slopes closest so you can warm up to the rest of the terrain. The views are also spectacular, and once you have your ski legs, you can ski right from the top to the bottom on easy greens and blues.

Norefjell Ski School © Kalle Hagglund

Family accommodation - our pick

4*+ Norefjell Ski & Spa – the hotel offers a selection of rooms and suites plus plenty of apartments, all available on a half board basis. With a pool, spa, climbing wall and ice rink, there’s plenty of family-friendly after ski activities. Buy a spa treatment (16yrs+) and get free use of the facilities for the whole of your stay.

Flight time:2 hours
Transfer time:2 hours
Distance to slopes:0m
Distance to ski school:0m

Non-Ski Activities

All our Learn to Ski resorts also feature a wide range of non-ski activities. This gives you plenty of entertainment options for the evenings, and creates a back-up plan if anyone in your family needs a non-ski day. All activities can be booked in resort, so there’s no pressure to plan in advance.

Geilo Dogsledding

There is such a wide range of non-ski activities available that we can't list them all here, but here are some examples of what you can do in-resort:

  • Dog sledding
  • Horse sleigh rides
  • Bowling
  • Indoor surfing
  • Spa
  • Tobogganing
  • Snow shoeing
  • Snow biking
  • Snowmobiling
  • Ice fishing
  • Many more!

For more information about non-ski activities, speak to our Norway experts on 01273 224068.

Our tips for first-timers

We all remember what it’s like being a beginner, so we’ve pooled our expertise to give you our top tips for planning and enjoying your ski trip as a family.

Gear & packing guide

  • Borrow clothes from friends instead of buying everything brand new.
  • Ask for advice from ski shop assistants. Most ski shop staff tend to be very knowledgeable.
  • Only buy the essentials for your first trip. If you love it, you can buy more kit next time.
  • Choose goggles. They fit best with helmets and give you a wider range of vision. Keep the sunglasses for the breaks.
  • Pack thin layers for skiing rather than bulky jumpers. Merino wool is best, or there are some great synthetic options.
  • Buy impact shorts if you’re snowboarding. Trust us, they’ll be one of the best investments you make.

Hiring your ski equipment

  • Collect your skis the evening before. It’ll be one less thing to worry about on the morning of your first lesson.
  • Take advice from rental staff. They tend to know their stuff, and you can change your equipment if you have any issues.
  • Hire boots that fit correctly. It’s worth trying lots on, as they’ll directly affect your enjoyment of skiing. You shouldn't feel pain.

First day on the slopes

  • Wear sun cream, even if it’s cloudy. The snow reflects UV rays and you can get burnt very easily.
  • Layer up, as it’s likely to be colder at the top of the mountain. You can remove layers if you get too hot.
  • Wear a helmet - always.
  • Stretch before and after skiing, particularly your Achilles - this helps to stop cramping in your feet.
  • Refuel and rehydrate. You're using lots of energy, so drink water, take hot-chocolate stops, and fill your pockets with snacks.
  • Relax. Easier said than done but, if you can manage it, you’ll find the skiing far easier without clenched teeth!

Learn to Ski Offers

See our Learn to Ski offers for some excellent savings and superb package prices.

Giving you the best available prices, the offers below are based on our lowest cost departure dates. We can save you money on many other dates and properties but we can't show every single offer here - for more options, please call us on 01273 224 060 or request a quotation.

If no current offers are shown, speak to our team to arrange the best price for your holiday.

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