Skiing with Teenagers
They’re too old to hang out with Mum and Dad the whole week or be shipped off to kids’ club but too young for total independence. So how do you prepare for a successful ski holiday with your teens? The key is to give them a little independence plus lots of opportunities to mix with their peers. The main aim is to avoid the ‘B-word’ at all costs. ‘Boring!’ can ruin family holidays!
Resorts are beginning to recognise the different needs of teens and many are improving their services and facilities for this age group. So, what should you be looking out for if you have teens in your family?
1. Dedicated youth or teen tuition
Teens don’t take kindly to getting stuck in a class with younger kids or adults for that matter. More and more ski schools are developing special programs to cater for this age bracket and services such as teen-orientated ski and snowboard camps and clinics are available in numerous resorts. Whistler’s Ski Adventure Camps are a fine example.
If you have several teenagers, consider booking them a private lesson. This will be completely geared to their age and may be more economical than a week of group lessons.
2.Terrain Parks
Freestyle skiing and boarding is huge – expect your teens to spend much of their time in the terrain parks. These areas have become the unofficial teen hangouts at many resorts so it’s no surprise resorts are pulling out the stops to improve and develop their parks into world-class destinations. La Plagne’s Teenager Zone is a great example, offering a half-pipe, 2 freestyle zones and a snowpark for all ability levels.
3. Resort Activities
Keeping them amused when off the slopes is key. Look at resorts that offer a good choice of off-slope activities. Tubing, ice-skating, snowmobiling, floodlit skiing and designated places for them hang out.
4. Accommodation
Choosing slopeside or central located properties means your teens can get around the resort easily without relying on you or the bus to ferry them around.
5. Après Ski
Like at home, you probably don’t want your teens drinking unsupervised. In Europe, although the drinking age limit is 18, bars have a little more relaxed approach. In Canada, the age limit is 19. If you’re worried about you’re children hitting the bottle, choose a resort with quieter nightlife so they’re less likely to be tempted.
6. Discounted Lift Passes
Many resorts offer discounted youth lift passes – check the
Lift Pass, Tuition and Equipment information within the resort pages for details.