5 top places to ski at Easter

With Easter falling early this year, the choice of where to go skiing is wider than usual as many resorts will still be enjoying good conditions.

Ski Safari picks its top places to take the family for a snow-sure Easter break:

Squaw Valley, Lake Tahoe, USA

A  modern, well-designed ski village and a great choice for families thanks to its convenience. With access to six other ski resorts around the lake, including Heavenly and Kirkwood, there’s plenty of varied skiing.

Squaw is one of the few resorts in North America where nearly all the accommodation is ski-in ski-out and the Village at Squaw is just a few steps from the slopes. Alternative activities include ice skating, snow tubing and mini snowmobiles.

Banff, Canada

With its long ski season running from November through to May, this resort tops the list for those looking for late season skiing.

The ski areas of Mt Norquay, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise are all covered by the Tri-area pass. Banff also ticks the boxes when it comes to offering family-friendly accommodation at family-friendly prices.

Whistler, Canada

Renowned for its varied terrain, reliable snow and good accommodation, Whistler also offers great tuition, including a five-day Kids Adventure Camp for three to 12 year olds. Daycare is available for smaller kids in Whislter Village, Blackcomb and Creekside.

On Whistler Mountain, the Family Zone designed for mums and dads skiing with their kids and for beginners. The Magic Castle and Tree Fort are fun adventure play lands for kids to explore and there’s a Tube Park, with seven lanes varying in difficulty from green to blue to black. Other activities include sleigh rides, tubing and snow mobiling. 

Laax, Switzerland

Its short transfer from Zurich and ski in, ski out quality accommodation makes this resort ideal for families with youngsters. There’s a cute kindergarten for little ones, which builds in lots of outdoor activities, and teenagers will love the indoor ski jump – which offers a soft landing so their parents can watch them practice without having a heart attack. Still, if the stress is too much, they can always head to the spa!

The skiing is expansive and while the on-slope dining is pricey, it’s also exceptional.

Geilo, Norway

As one of Norway’s oldest and most famous ski resorts, Geilo has great appeal for families looking for that overall winter experience, with unlimited activities and unintimidating and uncrowded slopes.

Superb ski tuition, excellent English-speaking instructors and first-rate childcare means children are well provided for and will progress well within a few days. Off the slopes there is a superb choice of winter activities that families will love, including husky dog-sledding, horse-drawn sleigh rides, high-rope courses and one of the longest toboggan runs in Norway.

Myrkdalen, Norway

You might never have heard of this tiny resort given that its first lift only opened in 2003, but blessed with an average seasonal snowfall of 5m, its snow-sure terrain ensures a long season from December through to May.

Beginner and gentle intermediate slopes make up most of the 28km of skiing, allowing confidence to build slowly. For more experienced skiing, there’s plenty of off-piste and back country to explore.