The Ultimate Guide to Skiing & Snow Tubing With Kids Within 3 Hours of Washington, D.C.

Posted Jan 13, 2019 Things to Do Family Travel DC/MD/VA

It's officially winter! Pack up the fam and the winter gear and head to the slopes to enjoy the fresh, crisp mountain air. Whether you enjoy skiing, snowboarding or snow tubing, we've got you covered with our ultimate guide to snow fun -- all within an easy 3-hour drive of the Washington, D.C. area!

Did you know Pennsylvania has a free ski and snowboard program for 4th and 5th graders? That's right! At participating resorts, your 4th or 5th grader can ski or ride for FREE (when accompanied by a paying adult). You must apply online HERE. Plan ahead to allow time for your passes to be mailed to you. All Pennsylvania resorts mentioned in this article are included in the program!

Liberty Mountain Resort, Fairfield, PA (1.5 hours)
Located in Fairfield, Pennsylvania just across the Maryland border, Liberty Mountain Resort offers 100 acres of skiing and snowboarding terrain, along with 15 snow tubing lanes. Liberty Mountain recently upgraded their snow-making abilities to provide consistent winter fun all season long. Three restaurants are available on the property near the slopes for either a quick bite or a full-service meal. Make it an overnight getaway by staying at the Liberty Mountain Resort, which offers 116 cozy guest rooms, plus an indoor saltwater pool to splash around when not on the slopes. Looking for more things to do in the area? The Resort is only 10 miles from historic Gettysburg!

Whitetail Resort, Mercersburg, PA (1.5 hours)
Located in the Bear Pond Mountains of Pennsylvania, Whitetail Resort offers skiing, snowboarding, and a separate snow tubing lodge and facility with 16 tubing lanes with magic carpet lift to the top. All riders must be 5 years old for the long runs, but there is a special Kiddie Hill for those ages 2 - 4. The Resort has several restaurants and cafes to choose from to feed the family, including a separate cafe inside the snow tubing lodge for your convenience. For an overnight stay, Whitetail does not have lodging on the property but they do have nine exclusive lodging partners within a short drive. 

AvalancheXpress at Heritage Hills Golf Resort, York, PA (2 hours)
Located in York, Pennsylvania near the north-south corridor of Interstate 83, AvalancheXpress is the mid-Atlantic's winter destination for family fun! Slide down 10 tubing lanes, glide around the outdoor ice rink, or warm up by the firepit and roast s'mores at this recreation facility. The tubing area has lights for night tubing and two powered rope-lines to tow tubers to the top. Stay overnight on property at the beautiful Heritage Hills Golf Resort for a fun-filled weekend getaway. Just 15 minutes away is the Turkey Hill Experience, a hands-on family attraction all about ICE CREAM! Check out these CertifiKID deals to make this winter getaway a little lighter on the wallet:

• Save up to 35% off UNLIMITED snow tubing or an overnight snow tubing getaway at AvalancheXpress.
• Save 34% on admission to the Turkey Hill Experience.

Snow Tubing at Heritage Hills Golf Resort AvalancheXpress, York PA

Roundtop Mountain Resort, Lewisberry, PA (2 hours)
Located in the Pennsylvania Capitol region, Roundtop Mountain Resort provides a family-friendly atmosphere for snowboarding, skiing and snow tubing. Roundtop offers ski and snowboard lessons for beginners, and also boasts the steepest terrain runs in the state for the advanced skier or rider. For ages 5 and up, the snow tubing area offers 15, 800-foot lanes with an 80-foot vertical drop. For guests ages 4 and under, there is a special Kiddie Tubing area with smaller tubes to accommodate the wee ones. Other adventurous activities open year-round include the Paintball Fields and the team building Ropes Course.

Massanutten Resort, Massanutten, VA (2 hours)
Located in Virginia's beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, Massanutten Resort is a premier all-season destination. In the winter, you can experience skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, and snow tubing. Two separate conveyor belts send snow tubers up the mountain where there are 16, 900-foot lanes to speed down. The brand new Northern Lights Tubing experience provides music and glow lighting to continue the family fun after dark. The Massanutten Resort also features an awesome indoor water park -- ranked the "#2 Indoor Water Park in America" by USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice 2018!, a great option for even more action-packed fun. 

Massanutten Resort, Massanutten, Virginia

Bryce Resort, Mt Jackson, VA (2 hours)
Located in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains, Bryce Resort provides a family-friendly, skiing and snowboarding destination with eight lift-accessed slopes and a learning area at the base with carpet lifts for beginners. Bryce also offers snow tubing on three, 800-foot lanes with a conveyor belt to conveniently take you back up the hill. Lessons are available for snowboarding and skiing at the resort's acclaimed Snowsports school. A restaurant on the property serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bryce doesn't own or operate lodging but there are nearby hotels for an overnight stay.

Snow Tubing at Bryce Resort, Mt. Jackson, Virginia

Wisp Ski Resort, McHenry, MD (3 hours)
Located in the Western Mountains of Maryland less than a half mile away from beautiful Deep Creek Lake is Wisp Ski Resort, a four-season recreation facility, offering ski-in and ski-out accommodations. Wisp sits on 172 acres of winter wonderland terrain, providing the options for snow enthusiasts of all levels. In addition to skiing and snowboarding, Wisp offers guests 12, 750-foot shoots for snow tubing, cross country skiing and snowshoeing, and even a Mountain Coaster, a cross between an alpine slide and roller coaster featuring a 1,300-foot uphill track that twists, turns, dips and rolls for over 3,500 feet downhill over 350 vertical feet! A large assortment of dining, shopping and lodging (with indoor heated pool and hot tub) are available. For a more unique getaway experience, check out this CertifiKID deal to save up to 34% off a stay in an adorable tiny cabin at Blue Moon Rising, located just a few miles down the road.

Timberline Four Seasons Resort, Davis, WV (3 hours)
Located in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia, Timberline Four Seasons Resort is a family owned and operated resort featuring 41 trails of varying levels for skiing and snowboarding, including the south's longest run which stretches two miles long, and two terrain parks. Kids' instructional lessons or day camps are available, so parents can ski the big slopes while the kids develop their snowsport skills. Snow tubing is not available at Timberline. There is a 20-room lodging facility, Timber's Inn, adjacent to the slopes with ski-in and ski-out access for guests wishing to stay overnight. The Family Jacuzzi Suite at Timber's Inn can accommodate up to eight people.

Canaan Valley Resort, Davis, WV (3 hours)
A West Virginia State Park, Canaan Valley Resort sits atop a high plateau in the Allegheny Mountains and offers a wide range of winter sports and recreation, including skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, snow tubing (boasting the longest tubing lanes in the mid-Atlantic at 1200-feet long!), cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Enjoy unbeatable views of the Allegheny Mountains and the Canaan Valley while gliding around their outdoor covered ice rink. The Resort also offers a wide variety of overnight accommodations, from traditional rooms and suites in the Lodge to two, three and four-bedroom family cabins and cottages. 

Canaan Valley Resort, Davis West Virginia

Wintergreen Ski Resort, Nellysford, VA (3 hours)
Situated in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Wintergreen Ski Resort spans 11,000 acres of adventurous winter fun, including skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, a terrain park with 40+ features and a dedicated lift to hone freestyle skills, and a snow play park for little ones. The Plunge, Virginia's largest tubing park, screams the tuber down the mountain at speeds of up to 30 mph. The Plunge is recommended for ages 6 and up, but for the younger ones, snow tubing is available at Ridgely's Fun Park, where you might also get a chance to meet the resort's mascot, Ridgely the Bear. Group or private skiing and snowboarding lessons are offered, plus half-day or full-day programs for kids.

Blue Knob All Seasons Resort, Claysburg, PA (3 hours)
Located in beautiful Central Pennsylvania on the state's highest skiable mountain, Blue Knob All Seasons Resort offers skiing, snowboarding, Nordic skiing, and snow tubing. For the competitive skiers in your group, the Resort offers a NASTAR course where you can hone your skills or compete for fun. Restaurants, shopping, and a variety of lodging options are available at the top of the mountain in the Resort's charming Alpine Village. 

Looking to get away with the family this winter? Check out our family-friendly getaway deals.

Tags: snow tubing skiing snowboarding D.C. kids families fun

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