Looking to hop over to Colorado for a family ski trip? With tons of family ski resort options, the Denver area is a great destination for skiing. Not to mention, Denver International Airport (DEN) is the largest airport in Colorado (23 airlines and about 215 nonstop destinations), making it an easy city to fly into. From kid-friendly Keystone to luxurious Beaver Creek, you'll find an abundance of ski resorts within a few hours of Denver. While these are not as close as Echo Mountain or Loveland Mountain, these are what we think of as the all-around best choices for families. Here are some of our favorite family ski resorts near Denver and the Denver airport!
Best Family Ski Resorts Near Denver
The best family ski resorts near Denver are within about two hours of the Denver International Airport and easily can be reached by car or shuttle when the roads are clear. If you are visiting Winter Park, you can even hop on the Amtrak Winter Park Express from Union Station! Most distances are based on traveling from the airport itself as opposed to the city of Denver, which is actually about 23 miles closer to the ski resorts. That’s good news if you will be coming from the city of Denver itself! When flying in, you can take a train from the airport to the Winter Park Express.
Keystone Ski Resort
Keystone is 99 miles and less than two hours away from the Denver Airport. This large resort (over 3,000 acres with 128 trails) is very family-friendly, with terrific terrain, excellent ski school programs, daycare and more. The resort is spread out over three peaks and five bowls. Check out our Kids Ski Free deals.
There are a variety of amenities such as shopping, Kidtopia events, the world’s largest snow fort, a tubing hill, a Nordic center, ice skating rinks and more. Keystone offers some of the best night skiing in Colorado and claims to offer the longest ski day in the state. Its award-winning A51 Terrain Park (with its own lift) is one of the best you’ll find, so if you have “park rats” in your family, Keystone is a must-stop. This resort opens as soon as it can — sometimes as early as October!
Breckenridge
Breckenridge is an excellent family ski resort set in a bustling historic mining town. It is located 104 miles, and under two hours, from Denver. You’ll discover plenty of terrain for every ski ability in your group, and it offers a ton of beginner and intermediate trails that are perfect for families. Breckenridge has the highest lift in North America, but with those bragging rights come potential issues with altitude sickness (here's how to prevent it), so take some caution to prepare your family for altitude at this high ski resort. Tubing, ice skating, snowmobiling, Nordic trails and a recreation center are nearby but not right at the resort.
There's a fairly new Peak 8 Base area with a Children's Ski and Snowboard School and childcare facilities. This resort usually opens earlier than many other Denver area resorts. In 2024, it opens Nov. 8. Breckenridge can have a long season during epic snowfall years — its skiers and snowboarders can ride into late spring and early summer!
Winter Park
This resort, about 90 miles from the airport and 80 miles from downtown, is the fourth-largest ski resort in Colorado and is known for its ample snow and monster moguls! Getting there couldn't be easier. It offers direct Amtrak service on select days to and from Denver during ski season, making it one of the easiest resorts to access! If you are flying into Denver, you can take the A-Line to Union Station and then catch the Winter Park Express the next morning.
Winter Park offers a variety of terrain for skiers, including more difficult terrain on Mary Jane, one of its three mountains, but there are also plenty of beginner runs. The resort offers ski lessons for kids ages 3 and up, as well as child care for infants and toddlers. The ski village is growing, and parents can find some nice restaurants, shops and ski-in, ski-out lodging. There are even more accommodations in the town of Winter Park, just a few miles from the resort. Winter Park is on the Ikon Pass. To save on lift tickets for next season, you'll want to purchase in the summer or fall. Make sure to log in to your Undercover Tourist account to see the savings and Ikon passes.
Vail
There is nothing like Vail. Located about 120 miles from Denver, this massive ski resort is the largest in the state, with over 5,289 acres to explore. There is a variety of terrain to keep everyone hoppy. Cruise down wide-open beginner and intermediate groomed terrain. Blow through the famous bowls of light powder. In addition to skiing and snowboarding, you’ll love the family fun available at Adventure Ridge. You can enjoy tubing, snowshoeing, kids snowmobiling, a Forest Flyer Mountain Coaster and ski biking. Vail has three villages with ice rinks, restaurants and top-notch service. It’s fancy but in a laid-back sort of way. Vail is set to open for the 2024-25 season on Nov. 15.
Beaver Creek
Beaver Creek is Vail’s sister resort. If you want a luxury ski resort with long runs, fast lifts, meticulous grooming and short lift lines, then Beaver Creek is worth the drive. It’s about 15 to 20 minutes past Vail. Beaver Creek has 1,800 skiable acres and 150 trails. Beaver Creek is not a budget-friendly resort, but it does come with perks like stellar service, free warm cookies at the end of your ski day, family programming, weekly fireworks and a posh ski village — complete with escalators, fire pits, an ice rink and a performing arts center. There are a lot of ski-in, ski-out accommodations and delicious restaurants from casual to fine dining. This year, Beaver Creek opens on Nov. 27, 2024.
Copper Mountain
If you want a manageable and affordable ski resort, Copper Mountain is a great year-round family resort. It's about 100 miles from the airport (and 75 miles from Denver). It's on the Ikon Pass. There is terrain for every level skier in your party. You can have off-the-mountain family fun tubing and on the Rocky Mountain Coaster. Plus it's easy to get to, located just off I-70, with no small mountain roads to worry about. Copper Mountain starts its 2024-25 season on Nov. 8.
Other Factors That Go into Choosing a Denver Ski Resort
You'll want to find the best family ski resorts near Denver for your crew. When comparing Denver ski resorts (besides distance from Denver), you might consider a few other factors in your decision, such as:
- When you want to ski. Some resorts have longer ski seasons than others.
- Crowds. Breckenridge and Vail draw larger crowds than some of the other resorts.
- Grooming. Vail and Beaver Creek are well-known for taking particularly good care of their snow.
- Price. Copper Mountain, Keystone and Breckenridge are more reasonably priced than Vail and Beaver Creek. That savings extends to lift tickets, lodging, parking and activities.
- Size of the mountain. Vail has the most skiable acres. If you want long runs, Vail, Breckenridge and Beaver Creek have the most vertical feet.
- Type of terrain. The good news is that both learning and experienced families will all be happy at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone or Winter Park.
- Transportation. Winter Park has Amtrak service on select days from Denver, meaning you do not have to get in a car!
- Family fun off of the mountain. Look into other family activities, such as tubing or family programming, and other winter activities such as dog sledding, snowmobiling or ice skating.
- Here are some ideas for family fun beyond the ski slopes. Find a resort that appeals to your sense of adventure.
If you want to compare the best family ski resorts near Denver with other resorts in Colorado, or even in Utah or California, check out this quick-glance Ski Resort Decision Matrix to help narrow down the best location for your family. While it may be hard to choose, know that you really can’t go wrong.
If you are like most parents, you like to save money on your family travel. Here are some tips for toadally easy ways to save when flying to Colorado. We've also pulled together some general tips to save on a Colorado ski trip.
Once you decide where to visit, it’s time to book your ski vacation. All of the best Denver family ski resorts are close enough that you can stay at one resort and hop (with a relatively short drive) to another during your stay. Find a rental car and bundle it with a hoppin’ deal on a ski hotel to maximize savings. You can purchase discount Epic Pass and Ikon Pass before the ski season kicks off with Undercover Tourist. Plus, you can save up to hundreds on lift tickets by buying them at the same time as your ski hotel!
Related: How to Pick the Best Tahoe Ski Resort for Your Family
Related: Month-by-Month Guide to Skiing in Colorado
Hoppy planning!
