Top 7 Ski Resorts for Large Groups and Family Ski Trips

1. Park City Mountain, Utah

Best for: Families; groups who want to pair skiing with fine dining and experiences

If you want every single ski trip bell and whistle imaginable, consider Park City, Utah. The sprawling ski area covers over 7,300 skiable acres, serving a wide range of clientele. Got some beginners in the group? You’d be hard-pressed to find a better resort with gentle, rolling, groomed trails.

Thanks to the mountain's massive number of lifts and runs, every day on a ski trip will mark the opportunity to try something new. Jupiter Peak and Ninety-Nine 90 have some runs that’ll satisfy the advanced crowd, and freestylers will gravitate towards the park lanes near the Park City Mountain Village base.

Off the hill, Park City goes big, too. The historic town of Park City is crammed with things to do. The upscale Riverhorse on Main might supply the fanciest meal you’ll ever have on a ski trip, while a bevy of bars provides mixed drinks and brews, making it easier to unwind after a day on the slopes. One pseudo-secretive watering hole in a western wear store will take some sniffing around to find, but this speakeasy is worth searching for. Families should stop by one of the companies that provide sleigh rides throughout the Park City area, like Park City Sleigh Rides or Rocky Mountain Outfitters.

2. Silverton Mountain, Colorado

Best for: Hardcore ski groups, heli-skiing enthusiasts

Silverton Mountain, Colorado, flips the ski resort model on its head. The mountain has one lift that only services advanced terrain, and for a significant portion of the season, Silverton can only be accessed with a guide. During this period, groups head up the lift with a guide, hiking or skinning further to find untouched powder stashes across Silverton’s massive acreage. Private guided groups can be reserved for extra if you want to keep the crew together. When spring arrives, Silverton operates like a normal mountain with day tickets available, but avalanche gear is required.

Silverton is also home to a heliskiing outfit. These helicopters can be rented privately for a significant chunk of change, or you can grab an affordably priced (relatively speaking, of course) single helicopter trip at Silverton à la carte style. While beginners would obviously be better served elsewhere, this mountain provides expert ski groups with a unique, one-of-a-kind experience.

3. Breckenridge Resort, Colorado

Best for: Families; groups with skiers who have different skill levels

Breckenridge Resort, Colorado, occupies a niche similar to Park City. It’s big, covering five peaks that range from easy greens to high-altitude steeps. This way, members of your group can pick and choose. If groomer skiing is your game, you can stick to the lower or mid-mountain. Prefer to ski something more challenging? Hop on the Imperial Superchair, which soars to nearly 13,000 feet. When you imagine the idealized version of a destination ski resort, Breckenridge might come to mind.

Once the ski day is done, families and groups can visit Breckenridge’s historic Main Street. Here, over 200 buildings from the mining era still stand, preserving the town’s Victorian Era charm. They house coffee shops, bars, stores, and restaurants—all perfect evening or afternoon diversions during a ski trip. There’s even a wooden troll named Isak Heartstone near town.

4. Mammoth Mountain, California

Best for: Spring visits; skiers who also enjoy non-skiing winter activities; terrain park enthusiasts

Mammoth Mountain, California, is a Golden State standout. This 3,500-acre mountain sees 300 days of sunshine each year, making it a solid choice for those who need a little extra vitamin D in their lives. The resort’s much more than an enormous solar array, though. Mammoth Mountain has a reputation for killer late-season skiing—in 2023, it kept the lifts spinning until August.

Slopes that tower above treeline will satiate the rippers in your crew, as will Mammoth’s famous Unbound terrain parks program. These jumps and jibs are designed with progression in mind, so you don’t worry about going X Games mode—at Mammoth, park skiing is for everyone. The accompanying town of Mammoth Lakes offers additional wintertime activities, like ice skating, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling.

5. June Mountain, California

Best for: Families with young kids

At June Mountain, California, kids 12 and under ski free all season long. Gentle, beginner-friendly terrain makes June Mountain’s family proposition even stronger. The inviting nearby town of June Lake has several eateries and watering holes. Visit the T-Bar Social Club to sip some brews or down some New York slices at June Pie. June Mountain’s proximity to Mammoth Mountain allows for two-for-one ski trips, too—the two resorts are about a 30-minute drive apart, allowing for a divide-and-conquer approach depending on the interests of your group.

Another perk for the more advanced crowd: Sierra Mountain Guides offer guided trips into the backcountry surrounding June Mountain. With a knowledgeable guide, skiers can check out zones like San Joaquin Ridge, the Negatives, and Fern Creek. Sierra Mountain Guides can provide backcountry rescue equipment (transceiver, shovel, and probe). June Mountain’s lifts simplify the backcountry access.

6. Winter Park Resort, Colorado

Best for: Groups looking for a variety of mountain experiences

Outside Denver, Colorado, stands Winter Park Resort, spanning 3,081 total skiable acres. With its Ski & Ride Guide program, the resort aims to make exploring this piste easier by pairing skiers up with an experienced guide who can help them find whatever terrain they’re looking for, be it groomed trails or hidden glades. You don’t need to shell out for a guide, though—part of the fun of a place like Winter Park is getting a little lost and stumbling upon your new favorite zone with your friends. In total, there are 23 lifts to choose from.

Additional experiences beyond the usual make Winter Park shine. You can hop on a Sno-Go bike for a different kind of guided trip or hit the Lodge at Sunspot for Mountaintop Après after skiing. Winter Park even lets skiers ride after dark during guided headlamp trips.

Ice skating, snowmobiling, and tubing are available, too—there’s almost too much to choose from. Finally, no trip to Winter Park would be complete without hitching a ride on the Winter Park Express. This unique passenger rail transports skiers from Denver’s Union Station to the slopes, providing a comfy alternative to I-70 traffic.

7. Stowe Mountain Resort, Vermont

Best for: Families; mountain town experiences

Stowe Mountain Resort, Vermont, holds it down out East. This four-season resort shines in the winter with a bustling base village and a welcoming nearby town. On the slopes, Stowe boasts more mile-long lifts than other ski resorts on the East Coast, plenty of glades, and an active terrain park program. Free ice skating is available in the Spruce Peak Village—you just need to bring or rent your own skates.

If lounging around while everyone else in the group gets after it, give the Spa at Spruce Peak a gander. Stowe—the town, not the ski resort—is home to numerous hotels, restaurants, and bars. In a Travel + Leisure article, it was named one of the ten best towns in Vermont. Fat biking, craft beer sipping, and, of course, ice fishing are just a few ways you can enjoy Stowe in the winter.

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