Are you thinking of going on your first family ski vacation? Want to know how much a family ski vacation costs? Skiing is expensive, especially if you are taking the entire family. In fact, the cost to go skiing for the entire family is more expensive than a Disney vacation. The reason why skiing is so expensive compared to the typical family vacation is because there are the added expense of ski lift tickets, rental equipment and lessons. All these can add thousands of dollars to the total cost of your family vacation. Like any family vacations, there are ways to control the cost of your family ski vacation. If you stay at a luxury ski resort, your total cost will be 3 times more than if you stayed at more affordable ski resort. Use the family vacation calculator below to help you calculate the total cost of your family ski vacation.
How Much Does It Cost to Go Skiing?
Skiing is expensive but how expensive depends on where you are planning to go skiing. If you are taking a family vacation at a luxury ski resort like Vail or Beaver Creek, you are looking at over $15,000 for 5 days for a family of four (airfare not included). While if you are going to a more affordable ski resort like Mt. Snow or Hunter Mountain, then you are looking at over $5,000 for 5 days for a family of four (airfare not included).
How Much Is Lodging for a Family Ski Vacation?
Lodging expense is the most expensive component of your family ski vacation. If you stay at a luxury ski resort, then the overall cost of your family ski vacation will be high because not only is the lodging expensive but the meals at the resort and everything else will be at a higher price.
The location of your accommodation will also affect the overall cost of your family ski vacation. If you stay slopeside, at a ski in/ski out accommodation, then you will pay a higher price while if you stay a little further away at a hotel or condo outside the ski resort, you can expect to save on your family ski vacation.
For example, it costs $1500 per night to stay at a luxury slopeside one bedroom suite at the Ritz Carlton Beaver Creek while a stay at the Westin which is a shuttle ride away from the slopes is $1000 per night (1 bedroom suite). The calculator below also shows you less expensive slopeside accommodations at less expensive ski resorts.
For instance, staying slopeside at Spruce Peak at Stowe will cost $650 per night while a slopeside stay at the more affordable Hunter Mountain will cost $350 per night. While a stay within driving distance from Stowe at Trapp Family Lodge is $350 per night and a stay within driving distance from Hunter Mountain at a Residence Inn is $250 per night.
How Much are Lift Tickets for a Family of Four?
Lift tickets for a family of four will depend on where you go skiing. If you go to an upscale ski resort like Vail or Beaver Creek, then lift ticket prices are $190 per day for adults and $130 per day for kids.
While if you go to a smaller ski resort, lift ticket prices will be less. For example, lift tickets at Hunter Mountain is only $65 per day for adults and $50 per day for kids. There are ski resorts in New England that are not as expensive as those out west, the lift tickets at Stowe and Mt. Snow are $110 per day for adults and $80 per day for kids.
So for a family of four, if you are going to an upscale ski resort in the West, you are looking at paying $640 in lift tickets per day while at the more affordable ski resorts, the lift tickets are only $180 per day for a family of four! You can save up to 80% off lift tickets if you buy from discounted lift ticket sellers like Liftopia . Otherwise, if you know you will be skiing the entire season, you can save on lift tickets by buying season passes or Epic and Ikon passes.
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How Much are Ski Rentals for a Family of Four?
Ski rentals for a family of four is approximately $200 per day. Across the board, most ski resorts charge $50 per day for ski rentals for kids or adults. You can go up in rental price if you rent high performance skis. And you can save on ski rentals if you bring your own skis or rent skis for the entire season.
How Much are Lessons for a Family of Four?
Ski lesson prices for a family of four will vary depending on the type of lessons you sign up for. Private lessons will be more expensive than group lessons. Half day ski school and full day ski school will also be expensive and will add few hundred dollars or a few thousand dollars to the cost of your family ski vacation.
Cost of Ski School for Family Ski Vacation
At the more affordable ski resorts like Hunter Mountain or Mt. Snow, half day ski school is $100 per child and full day ski school is $200 per child. While at a more expensive ski resort like Vail and Beaver Creek, ski school prices almost double with half day ski school is $200 per child and full day ski school is $290 per child.
So for 2 kids, at the more affordable ski resorts, full day ski school is $400 per day while at luxury ski resorts, full day ski school will add $580 per day to the cost of your family ski vacation.
Cost of Lessons for Family Ski Vacation
Ski lesson prices vary. In general private lessons are $155 per hour and group lessons are $79 per session.
Food and Beverage Expense for Family Ski Vacation
Food and beverage expense will depend on your family’s eating habits while on vacation. If you eat out every meal and you are staying at a luxury ski resort, then food and beverage expense for a family of four will be $260 per day.
While if you are staying at a mid-priced ski resort like Jiminy Peak and you eat out every meal then food and beverage expense for a family of four will be $164 per day.
For budget travelers, you can cook some meals bringing the food and beverage expense for a family of four at $100 per day. The food and beverage expense here does not include alcoholic beverages, you will have to add that into your total family ski vacation budget.
How Much Does It Cost to Go on a Family Ski Vacation?
The cost for a family of four to go on a ski vacation ranges from $4000 for 5 nights to over $15,000 for 5 nights. See below for different ski vacation scenarios from budget to luxury. Use the Ski Vacation Calculator Below to price out your family ski vacation.
How Much Does It Cost to Go on a Budget Family Ski Vacation?
The most affordable family ski vacation for a family of four costs $4000 for 5 nights. This is assuming you are staying at an off-site hotel located a few miles away from the ski resort where the room rate is $250 per night. Lift tickets are affordable at the ski resort you are staying at with adult lift tickets at $65 per day and $50 per day for kids. Plus, you have not signed your kids up for ski school or lessons because you plan to ski with your kids during your stay. You will spend $100 per day on food because you plan to cook some meals and will eat out occasionally.
How Much Does it Cost to Go on a Mid-Priced Family Ski Vacation?
A mid-priced family ski vacation for a family of four costs $7,734 for 5 nights. This is assuming you are staying slopeside at a ski resort where the room rate is $650 per night. Lift tickets are $110 per day for adults and $80 per day for kids. You signed your kids up for ski school but only for 3 half days and you plan to ski with your kids the rest of your stay. You will spend $164 per day on food since plan to eat out every meal but you are not going to high end restaurants.
How Much Does It Cost to Go on a Luxury Family Ski Vacation?
A luxury family ski vacation for a family of four costs $16,670 for 5 nights. This is assuming you are staying slopeside at a luxury ski resort where the room rate is $1,500 per night. The lift tickets at the luxury ski resorts are $190 per day for adults and $130 per day for kids. You signed your kids up for full day ski school everyday and you are taking 2 hours of private lessons to brush up on skiing. You will spend $260 per day on food since you plan to eat out every meal at the luxury ski resort.
Use the Ski Vacation Cost Calculator below to calculate how much it will cost for your family of 4 to go on your family ski vacation.
