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Big White Ski Resort: A Winter Wonderland for All Ages

We’ve taken our fair share of family ski vacations, but none have felt quite as effortless—or as fun—as our week at Big White Ski Resort. Tucked away in British Columbia, Big White manages to combine big mountains, acres of terrain, and small-town charm into one perfect snow globe of a destination. From skiing to snow tubing, sleigh rides to cozy dinners in the village, it had everything we were looking for and more.

Here’s a look at why Big White might just be one of the best ski resorts in North America for the whole family—and how to make the most of it when you go.

Why Big White?

We've skied places like Deer Valley, Park City Mountain Resort, Sun Valley, and Bretton Woods, and while each has its strengths, Big White combines the most important things for families: approachable terrain, true ski-out lodging, a safe and walkable village, and tons of family fun off the slopes.

The resort boasts over 2,700 acres of skiable terrain, but it never feels overwhelming—or crowded. There’s a welcoming vibe here that’s hard to beat, whether you're learning to ski for the first time or just looking to reconnect over hot chocolate and powder days.

And then there are the Big White hats. Seriously, every kid leaves with one. It’s practically tradition.

Getting There

We flew into Kelowna International Airport (YLW) and caught the official Big White shuttle, which was super convenient. The 45-minute shuttle ride brought us right to our door in SouthPoint—no rental car needed. In fact, you won’t drive around once you're at the resort, and you definitely don’t need to. The entire village is ski-in/ski-out or walkable, and even from the lower mountain (where we stayed), the free gondola made it easy to get to the action.

We loved that we didn’t have to stress about snowy roads or parking lots. Just hop on the Happy Valley Gondola, which runs daily from around 7:45 AM to 9:00 PM, and enjoy the ride. Our kids thought taking the gondola to dinner was a highlight of the trip!

Where We Stayed

We booked a condo in SouthPoint, right near Happy Valley Lodge, and it was perfect. Not only was it a quiet and spacious area for families, but it was also just steps from the gondola, which made it easy to start our ski day and just as easy to come home at the end of the day.

The ski-out access was a dream, and the gondola made quick trips up to the village for dinner a breeze.

If you want to stay even closer to the action, village accommodations are super convenient too. And for beginner families, anything near the Black Forest Chair is a great bet—some of the best green and blue terrain is over there, especially if you're still building confidence.

💡 Bonus tip: We booked our place through HomeExchange, which was a huge money-saver. You can find beautiful family-friendly accommodations this way—and if you’re curious, you can use my referral code to sign up and start exchanging too!

Hitting the Slopes

The skiing at Big White is everything we hoped for: soft snow, fun terrain, and not a single lift line in sight. Our family’s favorite runs were:

Sundance – A wide, playful blue run with gentle rollers.
Bearpaw – A fun, slightly more challenging blue with great flow.
Serwas – A beautiful long green-blue cruiser perfect for relaxed family laps.

We love that you can plan last-minute here. Big White doesn’t have the overwhelming crowds of places like Salt Lake City area resorts, so it’s easier to be spontaneous. That said, ski lessons should be booked by 2 PM the day before, just to be safe.

🎿 Money-saving tip: If you’re skiing both weekdays and weekends, grab a POWDER Card—it offers great value on lift tickets. And for kids, we found the Canadian Lift Pass deal ($39.99 for 3 days!) which saved us nearly $500. You book the visit through the SnowPass website, and then just go to the ticket window in the morning and they’ll load the pass onto your child’s RFID card. Super simple.

Off-the-Slope Adventures

Even if you’re not skiing every day, Big White delivers big time on off-slope fun:

Snow tubing: No skill required—just hold on and scream!
Ice skating: A beautiful outdoor rink, free if you bring your own skates.
Snowshoeing & Nordic trails: Peaceful and perfect for a change of pace.
Horse-drawn sleigh rides: Cozy blankets, jingle bells, and a mountain view.
Snowmobile tours: For older kids and adventurous parents.
Dog sledding: A must-do if you’ve never tried it. The kids were in awe.

There’s no shortage of things to do, which makes Big White a perfect pick for families who want more than just skiing.

Family-Friendly Eats

Big White has a bunch of great options for families, and we were able to eat out without a lot of stress. Some of our favorites:

BullWheel – Our go-to. Great food, no reservations needed, and super family-friendly.
The Woods – A cozy mountain lodge vibe with excellent food (and s’mores!).
Globe Café – A casual spot for breakfast, lunch, or hot cocoa breaks.

Many of the condo rentals have full kitchens, so we also made simple breakfasts and dinners at home when we were too tired to go out.

Grocery Logistics: Eat Smart, Save Energy

Let’s talk about groceries—because feeding a family on a ski trip can get expensive fast. We ended up going with a combo approach that worked really well for us.

We packed a few essentials in our luggage—mostly breakfast items like oatmeal packets, granola bars, peanut butter, and instant coffee. It was such a win to have those first meals covered without scrambling to shop or spend a fortune at a restaurant on day one.

The morning after we arrived, we used Instacart to have groceries delivered straight to our condo. Super convenient, especially since we didn’t have a car and didn’t want to haul bags up the gondola. You can also order from IGA in Kelowna, though be prepared—their delivery fee is $75, and Instacart adds up too. That said, the convenience of having everything show up at your door is hard to beat.

There’s also a small market in the Big White village, and it’s perfect if you just need to grab a few things to make lunch or dinner at your ski chalet. Prices are definitely marked up, but it’s well-stocked and walkable (or skiable), so you won’t go hungry even if you forgot something.

So overall—bring breakfast, consider delivery for a big grocery haul, and use the village market for quick restocks. No matter how you do it, eating in for a few meals will help you balance out the cost of dinners out and make things easier when the kids are tired from a full day on the slopes.

What We Loved Most

The laid-back, family-friendly resort vibe
Being able to ski home to our condo
The incredible quality of the ski runs and snow conditions
The free and fun gondola rides to dinner
The insane value of the Canadian Lift Pass for kids
The variety of non-skiing activities for rest days
The hot chocolate served with marshmallows AND whip cream!!
Watching our kids proudly rock their new Big White hats

A Few Tips for Other Families

Book ski lessons by 2 PM the day before—they fill up but not ridiculously fast.
Buy tickets online! It saves you a solid 20% and there are convenient pick up locations where you just scan the purchase QR code and get your RFID card. Plus, you only have to do this the first time. Once you have the RFID card, you just reload it online and head straight to the lifts!
Pack layers and waterproof gear. Snow here is soft and deep, but also cold!
Consider staying near Black Forest Chair if you have beginners in the group.
Don't stress about having a car—the shuttle + free gondola makes everything easy.
Bring helmets, and if you have a chance, label your gear. Lots of skis out there look the same!

Would We Go Back?

In a heartbeat.

Big White is everything we’re looking for in a family ski vacation—incredible snow, a laid-back vibe, and a resort that actually feels designed with families in mind. There’s zero pressure to do it all, no massive lift lines, and plenty of room for kids (and parents!) to have their own kind of fun.

Whether you’re chasing powder on Sundance, snow tubing in Happy Valley, riding a horse drawn sleigh through the forest on a sleigh ride, or watching fireworks light up the night sky in Happy Valley, there’s something magical at Big White that’s hard to put into words. It’s the kind of place where the kids make new friends on the chairlift, you bump into the same smiling lifties every morning, and no one’s in a rush.

We’ve visited our fair share of big mountains and family-friendly resorts, but this one keeps rising to the top of our list. It’s not just the activities or the location—it’s the overall ease of it all. You can be spontaneous here. You can relax. You can truly enjoy the mountain without feeling like you're part of a crowd.

And honestly, we’ve already caught ourselves browsing dates for next year—and checking HomeExchange listings again. Big White just has that pull.

So yes, we’ll absolutely go back. In fact, it’s not a question of if—just when.

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