by Jennifer Eblin

Created on: September 29, 2007

When it comes to finding a great ski resort for a young family traveling to Lake Tahoe, the key is finding a friendly place with lots of amenities.

Diamond Peak is a great place in Tahoe for families. Despite its size, there are tons of opportunities for the whole family, and caters to all skill levels. Diamond Peak offers snowboarding and skiing lessons, starting each day at 10 am and 2 pm; each package includes an almost two hour long group lesson, rental equipment, and an all day lift ticket. For children an all day supervised ski class which includes lunch is just $99 per child. They also offer snowboarding lessons using Burton Snowboards.

Diamond Peak also offers deal for beginners who will only stay on certain parts of the mountain. Life tickets for beginners care $74 for adults (considered 13 years and up), and $81 for kids 7-12. For private lessons, you need to make reservations but group lessons only require reservation the morning of the class. They also offer an "interchangeable parent pass" so parents can share the pass, while handling childcare duties.

Or try the Club Tahoe Incline Village, which sleeps six and includes a full kitchen, washer, and dryer in each room. The lodge has a fireplace, sauna, spa, arcade, bar, and racquetball court plus they offer discounted lift tickets. Prices range from $145-250 per night. A less expensive alternative is Ferrari's Crown Resort, with lakefront rooms starting at $65 pr person. Rooms include hot tubs, free highspeed internet, and discounted lift tickets. They also have some ski and stay packages available.

Young families traveling to the Tahoe area might be interested in Northstar at Tahoe. This resort is in the midst of major renovations to be completed in 2009, but it is currently still open. The lodge offers a bungee trampoline, a rock climbing wall, and a Recreation Center with a game room, fitness center, heated pool, and outdoor spa.

During the winter season, Northstar really shines with its family friendly activities. With an annual snowfall of 350 inches, and an elevation of 8,610 feet the resort is perfect for families with different skill levels. Beginners can stick to the trails on Mt. Pluto while more advanced skiers in the family will love the steep hills and challenging trails on Schaffer's Camp and The Backside. The resort also offers a Lear to Ride program and Free Ride Sessions to improve skiing skills, or just learn the basics.

For young families traveling to the Tahoe area, the best ski resorts to check out are Diamond Peak and Northstar.

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