WINTER HOLIDAYS

stuck for ideas?

Planning family travel often starts with one question: where could we realistically go this school holiday? We’re a family of three, travelling independently with a school‑aged child since he was 6 (now 9) — and this page shares the destinations, itineraries and planning insight that have actually worked for us.

WHERE TO GO for the school winter HOLIDAYs?

To be completely honest, winter for us is all about skiing. This is where we almost always prioritise our December or February school holiday breaks.

We’ve skied at a range of resorts across Lapland, Italy, and France, planning some trips ourselves and booking others as package holidays. Both approaches work — it really depends on budget, timing, and how much flexibility you want.

In this section, you’ll find a run‑down of family‑friendly ski destinations, along with practical planning tips on where to start when organising a family ski adventure, whether it’s your first trip or you’re returning with more confidence.

RUKA, FINLAND

Close to Lapland, Ruka offers the full winter‑wonderland experience — reindeer rides, snowmobiling, meeting Santa — while being an excellent beginner‑friendly ski resort.

PASSO TONALE, ITALY

A compact, family‑friendly resort, set high in the mountains and known for its easy beginner slopes and convenient catered accommodation.

LA THUILE, ITALY

A fantastic choice for first‑time skiers looking for a quiet, practical resort right by the slopes — we’ve loved it so much we’ve been back multiple times.

pLANNING TIPS

When to Book

We usually aim to book our trips around a year in advance, as soon as flights are released. This gives the best choice on flight times and routes, and often better value on family‑friendly hotels. In general, the earlier you can book long‑haul summer travel, the more options you’ll have — especially for school holiday dates.

Where to Book

For package ski trips, we consistently use Crystal Ski. We’ve found them to offer good value, clear family‑friendly options, and — most importantly — we’ve only ever had positive experiences with their holidays.

For 'do it yourself' trips, comparison websites like Trip.com to review the latest flight, hotel, and route options. Low‑cost airlines such as easyJet or Ryanair are often the best‑value choice for short‑haul ski destinations, especially for European resorts, and give you flexibility to build a trip that fits your family’s budget and schedule.

Trip.com is also a useful place to look for car rentals, hotels, and pre‑booked airport transfers in one place. That said, for accommodation we personally tend to favour Hotels.com and Expedia, mainly because their loyalty schemes have consistently worked well for us on all our trips.

Budget for a Family Ski Tripp

We always start with a realistic budget for each ski trip and build the trip from there. Our trips range from £1,200 - £1,800 per person. For every trip on the site, you’ll find a full budget breakdown showing exactly what we spent and where — flights, accommodation, ski hire, transport, and extras — to help families plan future trips with fewer surprises. A good place to start is here, each resort has its own budget break down on the destination page.

What to pack for a ski trip?

Ski trips have taught us a lot about what actually keeps families warm — and what ends up untouched at the bottom of the suitcase. The key is layering properly, investing in good gloves and socks, and knowing where you can simplify.

We share ski‑specific packing tips across our destination pages, covering:

• How to layer properly to stay warm on the slopes

• What’s worth buying vs hiring at resort

• Small extras that make a big difference in cold conditions

• And what you can confidently leave at home

These lists are based on real family ski trips from someone who REALLY feels the cold, they are designed to help you pack warmer, lighter, and with far less stress — especially if you’re heading on your first ski holiday with kids. A good place to start is with here.

A quick note on links: some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you choose to book through them, we may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you.

We only ever share places, tours, and experiences we’ve personally used and genuinely enjoyed. If you’re planning your own family summer trip, feel free to use these links as a starting point — they’re the same ones that helped us plan efficiently, avoid unnecessary expense, and cut down hours of searching.

WINTER BLOG POSTS