Enjoy your Tahoe Vacation in North Lake Tahoe in the ultimate winter playground! Whether you're 2 or 92, there's nothing like the thrill of throwing snowballs, building snowmen, or soaking in the magic of a snow-covered mountain wonderland. While the lower elevations might be stuck with rain and cold, up here it’s all about outdoor snowy fun for kids of all ages.
Tahoe may be famous for its world-class skiing, but there’s so much more to explore for non-skiers too indoor and outdoor! From sledding to snowshoeing to indoor climbing walls we’ve rounded up the best local tips for kid-friendly winter activities that will keep the whole family entertained all day long. Here are a few of our favoritie winter fun ideas:
Snowplay & Sledding
With snow everywhere it's easy to find a spot to simply play in the snow, have a snowball fight, build a snowman or just enjoy the blankets of beautiful Tahoe snow.
Sledding is without a doubt one of the most fun activities for kids in winter. It involves no skills other than a need for fun and adventure. These are our top sled hills in the area.
North Tahoe Regional Park: Has multiple sledding areas, including: (check website link for updates due to weather)
Sunny Slope: A steep, fast, and long sledding area with a lake view
Tower Hill: A long, smooth downhill with a moderate pitch
Mellow Meadow: A good choice for toddlers, first-time sledders, or anyone looking for a more relaxed experience
Sled Hill: Has two snow hills, one with a paved path and one with wooden steps
Winter Sports Park in Tahoe City: A popular sledding destination for younger kids, with a man-made sled hill and discs not to mention so many other fun winter activities.
This is a great day out for the whole family with so much to do. Be sure to check the website link for updates and details on what is available daily due to weather.
Granlibakken has a great snow park with sledding, and a bunny hill perfect for first the little ones and first-timers.
Snow Tubing
When visiting Lake Tahoe in the winter Snow Tubing is a MUST DO!! With a variey of Snow Tubing locations you can enjoy this activity in many different ways.
- Playland Tubing, Boreal Mountain Resort’s tubing park, offers snow tubing with convenience to produce nothing but smiles for the whole family!
- Sugar Bowl Resorts Sugar Rush Tubing is one of the best in Tahoe! With 10 different lanes and a magic carpet you can enjoy many runs throughout the day!
- Palisades Tahoe Snow tubing is located at the base area adjacent to the parking lot. Perfect place for the kids, then warm up at the SnoVentures Lodge! Check out Disco Tubing where Palisades Tahoe takes snow tubing to a whole new level!
- Located in Tahoe Donner, the Snowplay area offers a full day of fun for the family with sledding, tubing, hot cocoa, & fire pits.
- For some good ol' fashioned sledding, check out the Granlibakken Sled Hill located at Granlibakken Resort in Tahoe City.
- Laugh until it hurts! At Donner Ski Ranch Snow Tubing you can enjoy a 2 hour session filled with fun, includes a magic carpet & free parking!
Ice Skating!
North Lake Tahoe is also home to many great outdoor ice rinks where you can put on some skates and glide around, with views of beautiful snow-capped mountains.
Tahoe City Winter Sports Park has a great ice-skating rink with skating aids available for rent to help those who are just trying it for the first time.
Truckee-Donner Regional Park is a huge outdoor rink offering season passes and even has a warming hut to host a winter birthday party or family gathering.
The Village at Northstar offers Friday night DJ. Get out on the Ice while dancing to some great music!
Indoor Fun For Kids
Truckee- Donner Community Swimming Pool- Fun for the whole family! A heated indoor aquatic center with a splash pool, a slide, and a full competition lap pool, concession stand, swim lessons, adult lap swim and a variety of excercise and activities to enjoy.
Kid Zone Museum - The KidZone Museum is a children’s museum in Truckee, California that serves 30,000 visits annually. Their mission is to inspire learning through creative play and discovery. Exhibits are optimal for children under 7.
Woodward Tahoe- The Woodward Bunker features an indoor skatepark, 7 trampolines, drop ramps, and more! The Bunker is Tahoe's year-round action sports hub. If you are looking to simply get active indoors or progress in action sports without having to deal with the elements this is an amazing option to take a break from the slopes.
High Altitude Fitness - Amazing climbing walls that provide a great indoor activity for beginners and advanced climbers looking to climb just for fun or to learn how to improve your skills.
Elevation Escape Room - Elevation Escape contains a variety of themed escape rooms. Each room is a high-adrenaline escape game full of mysteries and adventures, where the players are safely locked inside the room and must complete their mission within 1 hour.