1. Crystal Mountain

Let me explain why Crystal Mountain ranks number 1 on my list of family friendly ski resorts. First off, Crystal Mountain is the perfect family destination for beginners and experienced skiers alike. I might be a little biased because this is where I first learned to ski at the young age of 28. Oh how I would love to be 28 again LOL! But, now that I have 3 boys and have watched them take lessons and ski various different resorts in Michigan, I believe Crystal to be #1. Heres why…Crystal Mountain is a full service resort offering on-site lodging, daycare, ski lessons, & ski school making it very attractive to families with young kids. They offer ski in/sk out units, standard hotel rooms, along with multi bedroom condo options. They also have pools, hot tubs, outdoor laser tag, XCountry skiing, snow showing, fat tire bikes, surrey rides and an amazing spa. This makes Crystal Mountain a great ski destination for you and your kids or a group of families and friends. We also like Crystal Mountain because it’s a doable day trip which saves on cost. Crystal Mountain is located in Thompsonville, MI which is only about a 2 hour drive from Grand Rapids, 45 minutes from Traverse City, and about 3.5 hours from the Detroit area.

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One of the main reasons I believe Crystal Mountain ranks so high on my list is because they have some of the nicest “Green Runs” aka “easy hills” out of all the resorts. Our youngest who is 2 years old just skied a “green” all by himself last weekend. This is important because when you’re just learning whether you’re a child or an adult, you want to feel comfortable and I believe having a variety of nice flat green runs to build confidence does just that. Also, I feel like they have the best Bunny Hill, which is called Totem park at Crystal Mountain. This is where your kids will take lessons, and start out at ski school. I believe its the best because they have two magic carpets. One is really small for your little kids like 2-6 year olds where they can practice and just get the feel for skiing. They can also learn how to stop or “Pizza” in ski lingo. Once they know how to stop they can move on to the longer magic carpet where they can learn how to turn and practice stopping on a little bit more of an incline. Once they master that, they’re off the chair lift to hit the those magical “Green Runs” I’ve been talking about. They also have a cute little play ground area in Totem Park if your kiddos just need a break.

All that being said, Crystal Mountain also offers a lot of nice Blue and Black runs as well so there is a little something for everyone. They have 2 terrain parks for skiing and snow boarding. They have a Nastar course for your speed demons like my middle son. Now I’m not going to lie, Crystal Mountain can occasionally get pretty backed up and run some long lines at the front of the mountain AND that’s your cue to head back to The Ridge and The North Face. This is my husband’s absolute favorite part of the mountain! It’s really peaceful and there typically aren’t lines for the lifts allowing you to get a lot of skiing in and less waiting in line.

Now, lets talk about FOOD! We all know how important food & snacks are on any family outing. This can be a deal breaker right? Since we are currently living in the middle of a Covid-19pandemic things are a little different than usual but I think Crystal Mountain has done a great job adjusting to the current situation. They have all their restaurants, cafeterias, pizza, & grab n’ go places open. They have even added a few outdoor stands where they sell essentials like hot chocolate, sodas, adult beverages, candy, chips etc. Crystal has also done a phenomenal job at adding additional outdoor seating as well to help make their guests comfortable.

Lets Re-Cap, I highly recommend booking Crystal Mountain for your next ski trip if you’re looking for great beginner hills, options for onsite lodging, or just a well groomed resort to spend the day shredding some pow! click on the link below if you’re interested in booking a trip or lift tickets at https://www.crystalmountain.com

2. Boyne Mountain Resort

So Boyne Mountain is honestly one of my favorite resorts to visit ALL year round. The only reason Boyne is #2 instead of #1 for me is because its a little bit further away, it doesn’t have as large of a bunny hill or as many “green runs” for beginners in opinion and it’s typically a little more expensive. However, Boyne Mountain hands down offers the most amenities and the best AMBIANCE out of any resort on the list.

First lets talk skiing. They have a couple of really nice long greens runs for beginners and they definitely have the best terrain park in my opinion which my boys love. If your family has more intermediate to advanced skiers or boarders, you will love Boyne Mountain! Even if the main lifts get busy during the peak hours of the day you can always head to the back of the mountain and explore FOREVER! There are so many cool hills back in the trees you start to wonder if the resort ever ends.

I love that Boyne Mountain always has music pumping at the bottom of the hill and its just a super fun party atmosphere. Apres All Day!!! Tons of food options: cafe style options, food trucks, pizza & even upscale gastro pub fare. Adult beverage options at the TOP and the Bottom of the mountain. Thats a WIN in my book!! And if you need to bribe your kids they have their very own Candy Store along with a Kilwins. They also have an amazing Boyne Country Sports store with all of your winter gear needs if you forget something or break something or maybe you’re just looking for an upgrade. Last year my nephews snowboard broke and the Burton Store on property fixed for FREE. I was pretty impressed!

Boyne has all the same amenities as Crystal Mountain and more. They have on-site lodging, pools, waterpark, arcade, spa, ski lessons, ski school, tubing, horse back riding, XCountry skiing, zip lining & AMAZING shopping and dining. What’s really attractive about Boyne Mountain is that even if you have bad weather or you’re tired out from skiing there are so many other indoor and outdoor adventures to keep you and your family busy. Hands down they have the best waterpark in the state of Michigan. It’s so fun! I could spend the afternoon there with out my kids.

So let’s recap Boyne Mountain…Amazing resort for skiers of all levels. If you’re a little high maintenance like me and tend to like the finer things in life than Boyne Mountain is definitely the place for you! LOL!! Tons of amenities, especially in the activities arena. If your family is all about adventure and trying new things you can feel confident that Boyne has you covered. Click on the link below if you want to check out everything Boyne has to offer and book your next unforgettable family getaway. https://www.boynemountain.com

3. A Tie between Caberfae & Shanty Creek

So…..let me explain why #3 is a tie for me. I believe both Caberfae and Shanty Creek are great options for a more cost effective family ski getaway. They both offer ski lessons and a bunny hill for beginners however their “green runs” are a little more like “blue runs” so in my opinion it’s a little more difficult for beginners to conquer these resorts and build confidence.

That being said, both Caberfae and Shanty Creek offer on-site lodging with pools and hot tubs which are fun the kids. Caberfae is a nice cost effective option if you live in lower Michigan seeing it is located in Cadillac and makes for an easy day trip as well. Under normal circumstances they have a large “Picnic Style” area where you can bring your crock pots, snacks & sack lunches. This is a great option if you need to save a few extra $$$$. They also have a cafeteria and a restaurant attached to the hotel if you want to grab a cocktail or a meal. Caberfae also offers an extensive XCountry ski trail if you’re looking to burn some extra calories! Shanty Creek is very popular with a lot folks who live near Traverse City or have Cottages up in the Torch Lake/Bellaire area. Shanty Creek is definitely more budget friendly than a Crystal or Boyne but still offers some great skiing especially if you’re looking to rent a cottage on Airbnb https://www.airbnb.com/ or VRBO https://www.vrbo.com/. Shanty Creek allows you to set up a fun base camp where you can have friends and family meet for lunch or cocktails and gather around the fire pit. They also have a restaurant attached to the hotel where you can grab a bite to eat & show off your Apres Ski apparel. Shanty Creek also offers a tubing hill and a top golf swing suite if you’re looking for some fun off the slopes.

Lets Recap…Caberfae and Shanty Creek are great family friendly options if you’re primarily focused on skiing and skiing only. They don’t have all the “Extra Amenities” like some of the other resorts but they still offer great hills at a great price while providing all the essentials. I would highly recommend checking these resorts out for yourself. Book your lift tickets today at https://caberfaepeaks.com/ & https://www.shantycreek.com/.