South Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts For Kids

On a recent weekend in early March, Chris and Heather Himmelmann were providing their 5-year-old daughter Grace a ski lesson and some snow play time. Granlibakken has become a winter destination for the Himmelmanns, who have driven from their home in Rancho Murrieta for a third-straight winter vacation.

More serious skiers and riders use Granlibakken for a convenient lodging location they can book for a bargain price. For $138 on the weekend ($114 weekdays), an individual receives a room, generous buffet breakfast, and a lift ticket to one of seven nearby ski resorts (Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, Homewood, Mt. Rose, Northstar-at-Tahoe, Sugar Bowl, Sierra-at-Tahoe).

In 1928, when a mere 12 families called Tahoe City their year-round home, making a trek into Granlibakken was a regular occurrence for local children, who were overjoyed that their school shut down in December and didn't reopen until sometime in March.

Lake Tahoe provides virtually unlimited shopping, gaming, hiking, biking, along with Truckee river and lake activities. There are hundreds of miles of bike trails in the Lake Tahoe basin. The Tahoe Rim Trail is a 90-mile hiking and equestrian trail that follows the ridge tops of the Lake Tahoe Basin. The trail traverses six counties and two states and includes a portion of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. This trail is on the adventurous side with elevations ranging from 6,300 to 9,400 feet and an typical grade of ten%. Shorter and less demanding trails are accessible all through the region. For golfers, many courses are offered for all skill levels and budgets.