Northstar at Tahoe - A Family Destination!

As a family that loves to ski, convenience is key when selecting where we go each year. With three kids in tow, we understand how stressful it can be head up to the mountains for a ski trip with the family. That's why we loved our time at Northstar in Lake Tahoe! We stayed in a 2-bedroom mountain condo that was truly our "home away from home." It had a fully-equipped kitchen, spacious family room, and 2 levels so that our family could sprawl out after a full day of skiing. After skiing, we sometimes preferred to stay in, cook a simple dinner, and play board games by a cozy fire. So it's a great perk that Northstar offers young families these types of accommodations! Families may also choose to stay in hotel-style rooms, lofts, or luxury condos right in heart of the Village. Because the mountain condos are managed by Northstar, each day we took full advantage of Northstar's convenient shuttle service. We simply called the service whenever we needed a ride into the Village and by the time we walked outside, a shuttle was there waiting for us!
 
The Northstar Village offers an vast array of casual eateries, fine dining, and plenty of shopping! On our first night at Northstar, we had dinner at Tavern 6330' and my kids loved the pasta dishes there. We also ordered sushi to-go at Mikuni one night and the kids had a craving for pizza another night at Rubicon Pizza Company. The kids and I also got addicted to the Belgian waffles at the Euro Snacks stands scattered throughout the resort. Those warm, sweet, and yummy waffles were excellent mid-afternoon snacks on the mountain.


As far as mountain activities go, there is so much to do at Northstar. Here are just some of the highlights that we experienced while we were there:
 
Skiing - Our family loved the variety of ski runs at Northstar! We have all types of skiers in our family from beginner/intermediate (myself and my 2 younger ones) to advanced (hubby and my daughter). At times, we split up so that we could all ski at our own pace. But the mountain also offers some awesome terrain where we all could ski together as a family! Our favorite ski lift was the new Tahoe Zephyr Express that took all of us up the beautiful Zephyr Lodge. Northstar also offers a full service ski and snowboard school for kids. They offer everything from full-day group lessons to private and semi-private lessons.


Skating - We also went roller skating in the Village one evening after a day on the slopes. During winter time, Northstar's 9,000 square foot rink turns into an ice rink. The rink is located right in the heart of the Village so you can enjoy a Starbuck's coffee or make s'mores around the fire pits while the kids are skating.
 
Crafts - While my husband went skiing on his own one morning, the kids made handmade candles at The Villager Candle Shop in the Village. They chose their own colors, scents, and shapes. Making their own personalized crafts during our trip was definitely a highlight and they were special souvenirs for us to take home. In addition to candle making, kids can also paint pottery or make their own stuffed animals.


Tubing - We also had a blast tubing down Northstar's 200-yard tubing hill! We were transported by tow lift to the top of the hill for an easy experience. The kids loved going down the hill all together as a family in a daisy chain!
 
More than the skiing and activities, Northstar definitely caters to the needs of young families. I noticed the small touches like how the staff greeted us each morning at the gondola and asked if we needed assistance. They even handed out granola bars to our kids! I also appreciated how there were pull wagons available throughout the Village so that exhausted parents like us didn't have to carry our kids' ski gear and snowboards.
 
We hope to return to Northstar again! It's definitely a family-friendly destination that we will never forget!
 
Northstar California invited our family as guests to the resort as part of preparing this article.