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It’s almost that time of year in the shops folks. The pumpkins, scary faces and spooky decorations will disappear and be replaced in a flash with tinsel, fairy lights and a lot of fake snow. And while many people will do their best to avoid the sight of fake snow or sound of Bublé, others will embrace it with glee.
Some families embrace it so much that they plan a ski trip over the winter months. While it seems like an expensive idea for a family holiday, ski trips can be surprisingly cheap if you know what to look out for. Families won’t be looking for a sleek five-star self-catering ski chalet but rather a resort that has amenities and makes it easy for everyone to go skiing.
It can feel like a minefield trying to compare all the different options out there, but it couldn’t be further from the truth when you know where to look. Here are some tips that can help any family find the ideal ski holiday.
Look for resorts with short transfers
You don’t want tired kids kicking up a fuss (and the back of seats) with a long flight and then an even longer bus ride up into the mountains. London Gatwick, Manchester and Edinburgh are the most popular airports for flying from the UK to ski resorts in France and Austria.
Double-check to see how long it will really take to get from A to B to C, so you don’t spend the first day of the trip having to constantly hear “are we there yet?”. Companies offering ski holidays like Mark Warner have exact flight times and transfers clearly on display, so you know the journey won’t descend in to continually checking your watch or trying to see the map on your phone is taking you.
Look for resorts with ski schools for all ages
I’d take a good punt and say most of us in the UK don’t know how to ski. Unlike taking the kids to the pool on holiday and teaching them to swim, you wouldn’t want to be teaching them how to glide down a hill when you don’t have a clue yourself.
It’s quite common for resorts to offer ski school that see kids go in one group and parents in another. You’ll all learn how to get the basics quickly (it’s surprisingly easy), with parents getting taught how to look after kids out on the slopes as well.
You’ll have to check if your resort has ski lessons included in the price or, as is quite common, lessons have to be purchased separately.
Look for snow sure resorts
This is really important. You’d think that every ski resort is just covered in snow all day long, but that isn’t the case. There are resorts where you aren’t guaranteed snow every day and can be met with slopes that are closed off due to being “not snowy enough”.
When booking somewhere, have a Google around and double check that they’re a snow sure resort. This means you’ll have the opportunity to ski every day and won’t have any days spoiled where you find yourself stuck indoors with nothing much to do.
Look for resorts with child care
Parents need some holiday time as well, so check to see if the resort you’re planning to stay in offers evening childcare. Many will have it in place so parents can pop out for dinner and give themselves some much needed alone time for a few hours. You’ll also find that some resorts will have dinner for children earlier in the evening to make things even easier for parents.
Look for resorts with full equipment hire
Never been shopping for ski boots? Before you have a mini heart attack over the price of boots which might only get used once, don’t think you need to buy everything and bring with it (how would you pack a ski helmet anyway?).
Ski resorts will have their own on site equipment hubs that stock more ski equipment than your local sports superstore. They’ll have everything to get the whole family suited and booted. The only thing you’ll need to get before going is a cheap ski suit, as the proper ones at a resort to buy can be quite dear.
And a little extra tip, pack a few pair of insoles in the case as they’ll make fitting into ski boots easier for everyone.
Want some travel inspiration closer to home?
I hope you found the tips in this short post helpful if you’re thinking a little trip to the slopes might be great for the family.
Don’t forget you can read all the posts on family days out across the UK right here.
Would you ever consider a family ski break?
xXx
**This is a collaborative post in which I received a fee to host.**
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