10 Tips for Surviving – and Loving! Your Mammoth Lakes Winter Family Vacation

August 29, 2023

Bringing your family to Mammoth for a winter vacation experience? Great choice!

Whether you’re traveling with toddlers or teenagers, here are some tips to help things go smoothly and make it an enjoyable stay for everyone.

Bringing your family to Mammoth for a winter vacation experience? Great choice! Whether you’re traveling with toddlers or teenagers

Here are some tips to help things go smoothly and make it an enjoyable stay for everyone.

10. Book accommodations with access to laundry facilities.

Even people who live in the mountains only have so many base layers, and when you’re playing in the snow, things get wet. Being able to throw in a load of laundry or dry your socks helps keep everyone comfortable. Visit Mammoth has a complete listing of lodging options.

9. Arrive prepared with enough groceries to get through, at minimum, the first night and first morning of your stay, or have them delivered.

You won’t want to spend your first few hours at altitude running errands. Have some essentials with you so that you can get settled in as soon as you arrive, or let Doorstep Deliveries set you up with everything you need. Definitely avoid grocery shopping at 4:00pm when everyone is coming off the mountain.

8. Bring along your Apple TV or similar device and an HDMI cable.

My friend Sara, mother of five (she’s amazing and yes, all of her kids ski), suggests finding out if your accommodation has a television with an HDMI port and arriving with some shows pre-loaded for quick access to indoor entertainment.

7. Reserve rentals, lessons, and activities in advance where possible.

If you know you’ll be skiing or snowboarding, the earlier you can reserve equipment and lessons, the more options you’ll have. Black Tie Ski Rentals will even deliver and fit your equipment in the comfort of your hotel room or condo! Book lessons online at Mammoth Mountain Ski & Snowboard School and if you’re renting from the mountain, pick up your equipment the afternoon before you’ll use it.

6. Think about how you’ll get around.

Familiarize yourself with the free, local shuttle routes ahead of time. If you’ll be doing any driving, make sure your vehicle is prepared and heed these important Tips for driving in snow.

5. There’s always something exciting to do in Mammoth!

Check these sites to research activities and events happening during your stay: Mammoth Mountain Events Calendar; Town of Mammoth Lakes, includes information on the Mammoth Ice Rink; The Village at Mammoth Events calendar. Visit Mammoth has a calendar of all events and is constantly being updated.

4. Know your indoor options.

We love winter storms, but when the weather gets wild it’s good to know where to find indoor activities. For fun, family shopping try our locally-owned bookstore, Booky Joint and toy store, Mammoth Fun Shop. The Mammoth Lakes branch of the Mono County Libraries offers internet access, books, movies, programs, and a MakerSpace. Catch a movie at Minaret Cinemas, or grab a bite and bowl a few frames at Mammoth Rock ‘n’ Bowl. Looking to embrace your inner lumberjack, try axe throwing at Yosemite Axe Throwing. Snowcreek Athletic Club is a full-service health club and spa offering daily and multiday memberships for visitors, and a Trampoline Club. The indoor pool is a great place to spend some time on a snowy day.

3. Try something different.

Mammoth Lakes has something for everyone, so leave some time to explore. Fun ideas include Nordic skiing, dogsledding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, snow cat rides, snow tubing, ice skating…the possibilities are endless!

2. Patronize family-friendly restaurants.

Restaurants here are primarily casual and generally welcome families but find suggestions for some family favorites here.

1. Plan some downtime.

You’re on vacation, so resist the temptation to over schedule. Balance a full day of activity with a morning to sleep in. Play in the snow and take in the amazing mountain scenery!

Author

Betsy Temple-Truax

Betsy loves living and playing in Mammoth Lakes and the Eastern Sierra with her active family and friends. A passionate advocate for community recreation, Betsy never turns down an opportunity to swim, ski, paddle, travel or let someone else cook.