Mad River Mountain With Kids
Since returning from our family’s around-the-world adventure—and learning to ski in Switzerland—we’ve been inspired to keep that sense of adventure alive closer to home. In between our bigger trips, we’re always on the lookout for experiences that feel special without requiring extensive travel. One of our favorite things to do as a family in the winter is find places near home where we can spend an entire day together—staying active, laughing, and making meaningful memories.
Located just 45 minutes outside of Columbus, Mad River Mountain in Ohio checked all the boxes for us and ended up being another wonderful winter adventure and a memorable family day on the slopes. Here are some helpful tips for visiting with kids, along with a few highlights that made this experience a favorite for our family.
Check-In / Rentals
We arrived early, which is always our goal when skiing with the kids. That early start paid off immediately. Parking was easy, and once inside, we found a very short line for lift tickets and rentals. The process was smooth and efficient, and the rental equipment was in really good shape. We found the right boots and then were fitted for skis and ready to go without feeling rushed.
Jon brought his own gear, but he’s never been completely happy with his boots. They work, but they’re not exactly comfortable. On a whim, he decided to try the rental boots—and that ended up being a great decision. They were noticeably more comfortable than his own, and it made a big difference in how much he enjoyed the day.
Lifts and Slopes
Before heading up the mountain, we spent some time in the beginner area. Mad River has a nice magic carpet setup, which was perfect for warming up the kids (as well as Jon’s joints and muscles… 40 is closer than we’d like to admit). We took a few easy runs there, letting everyone settle in and build confidence before moving on to the chair lifts.
Mad River has multiple lifts, but since we visited during the week and it wasn’t very busy, they only needed to operate two of them to get us to the top runs. Even so, we had plenty of variety and never felt limited. Fewer lifts made it easy to stick together, and we let the kids go on a run or two by themselves. The staff did a great job filling up the quad and tri lifts, so it was smooth and quick all day.
The green runs were very beginner- and family-friendly, which we really appreciated. Once everyone was comfortable and rolling, we started mixing in the blue runs and enjoyed skiing those together as a group. It felt like a natural progression, and everyone was having fun at their own pace.
As the day went on and confidence grew, Abigail—and later Brandon—decided to head down Sugarbush, the black diamond run, with Ashley. Watching them take that on was such a proud moment. Jon spent some time hitting a few jumps and landed all but one of them, which he was pretty happy about. His back wasn’t as happy the next morning.
Convenience and Food Options
Another thing we loved about Mad River Mountain was how easy everything felt. The resort has all the amenities you could want, but without the hustle and overwhelming crowds of a larger mountain. Parking is close and convenient, so running back to the car for an extra layer or to drop something off was quick and painless. Even simple things, like taking a restroom break or grabbing a quick hot chocolate, felt hassle-free, which meant more time on the slopes and less time wandering around trying to find what we needed. Those little conveniences really matter when you’re skiing as a family.
We ate lunch in the cafeteria, and it was honestly really good. Jon’s favorite was the hot honey chicken tenders—definitely worth ordering if you’re there. Other options included nachos, pizza, soup, and tacos. Later in the afternoon, we headed back inside for warm, fresh-baked cookies and hot chocolate, and both were amazing. It was the perfect way to warm up and slow things down before calling it a day.
All in all, Mad River Mountain was a great experience and an excellent option for a family ski outing. It’s approachable, well-run, and offers enough variety to keep everyone engaged. Jon has snowboarded out west several times, and Mad River would also be a great tune-up spot for a solid day on the slopes before heading out on a bigger ski trip.
If you’re looking for a family-friendly ski destination in the Midwest, we definitely recommend making a trip to Mad River Mountain. It’s the kind of place that makes winter days together feel easy, fun, and worth repeating. We loved adding this to our many adventures with our kids in 31 countries!
**This post contains affiliate links. We are grateful for the opportunity to be hosted by Mad River Mountain. All opinions are our own.
To see all our travel adventures during a year-long trip around the world, head over to our Instagram page. If you have questions or tips for skiing with kids, let us know! Happy Travels!
