Kids are well cared for at a choice of great ski fields in New Zealand. Ski at Treble Cone, Cardrona, Mt Hutt, Coronet Peak or The Remarkables and enjoy a world of white, overlooking idyllic lakes with a backdrop of jagged peaks.
Most of the skifields are on the South Island, with two North Island ski resorts clinging to the sides of the mighty Mt Ruapehu, an active volcano south of Rotorua. For families wanting to learn to ski, the major resorts all offer fantastic ski schools.
For families who are seeking black runs, off-piste skiing and sheer drops, there are plenty of skifields to cater for you. In some, like the Remarkables and Treble Cone, there are several areas where you can hike up, then let gravity help you down … straight down.
Apart from some apartments at Cardrona, ski resorts in New Zealand do not offer accommodation, so skiers drive up to the ski fields from the nearest town. The choice of restaurants and activities really adds to a family holiday, and if the weather is not great, choose just to stay in town for the day. Stay in Queenstown to ski at Coronet Peak and The Remarkables, Wanaka to ski at Treble Cone or Cardrona, and Methven to tackle Mt Hutt.
Each town has plenty of family-friendly accommodation, things to do and places to dine, usually with a roaring fire. Wherever you stay, you will have an unforgettable family snow adventure.
Queenstown region ski resorts
The queen of the south, Queenstown is truly magnificent, with snow-capped mountains on both sides, a pristine mirror-like lake, kid-friendly restaurants and cafes with crackling fires and a plethora of fantastic places to stay.
Queenstown is the ideal base to ski Coronet Peak (20 minutes’ drive) and the Remarkables (45 minutes’ drive). Many visitors also ski Treble Cone and Cardrona from Queenstown either by shuttle bus or self-drive in a hire car.
How to get there: Fly direct into Queenstown from Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane, or a five hour drive from Christchurch.
Off-slopes activities: Must-dos in Queenstown include visiting the Skyline Gondola for panoramic views, bungy jumping and the luge tracks, as well as the ZipTrek – zipline tours that you will never forget. And after a day’s skiing, book in for a soak at the Onsen Hot Pools, which is an excellent set up with glass screens that open up so you can enjoy the view while you soak.
Where to stay: We recommend Holiday Inn Queenstown Remarkables Park or Peppers Beacon, which is walking distance from town and with brilliant views over the lake. Peppers Beacon has 83 hotel rooms, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and a five-bedroom penthouse on offer. The Rees is another standout, with its architectural apartments simply stunning. Push-button blinds and gas fire are big hits, as is the massive balcony, from which we watch planes flying in over the lake and the daily light show, when the sun rises and falls over the Remarkables.
Coronet Peak
Elevation: 1649m
Location: 20 minutes from Queenstown
Terrain mix: 25% beginner; 45% intermediate; 30% advanced
Number of lifts: 8
Terrain Park: Yes
Snow Sports School: Yes
Child care: From 3 months
Accommodation: Queenstown
Highlight: So close to Queenstown and has night skiing Friday and Saturday
Coronet Peak is a true Queenstown icon. Just 20 minutes’ drive from Queenstown, Coronet Peak is a world-class ski area featuring state-of-the-art facilities, 280 hectares of skiable terrain and breathtaking views.
With 213 snow guns, it boasts the country’s largest fully automated snowmaking system. This, along with Mother Nature, ensures consistently good skiing and snowboarding from early June till the end of September.
Coronet Peak caters for all abilities. The large novice area has a separate beginners’ trail. More experienced skiers and riders enjoy varied terrain from wide groomed trails to steep off-piste runs, moguls and open bowls.
The day starts early on the mountain with First Tracks from 8 am and on Fridays and Saturdays, it finishes late with Night Skiing till 9 pm.
Family review
“We had never skied before and found the Coronet Peak experience really easy. The MyPass e-ticket system meant we could organise everything from lessons and lift tickets before we even left home. And the lessons were so good, the kids learned very quickly.” The Brown family, Sydney
The Remarkables
Elevation: 1943m
Location: 45 minutes from Queenstown
Terrain mix: 30% beginner; 40% intermediate; 30% advanced
Number of lifts: 7
Terrain Park: 3 plus half pipe
Snow Sports School: Yes
Child care: From 3 months
Accommodation: Queenstown
Highlight: The terrain parks, Ozone Tubing Park and the view from the Lookout
Known for its friendly, relaxed atmosphere, The Remarkables is every snow lovers’ playground.There’s something for everyone – space for beginners, dedicated freestyle areas, big mountain possibilities and some of the best alpine views in the world.
Just 45 minutes’ drive from Queenstown, The Remarkables ski area has sunny, north-facing slopes across three natural bowls. With an altitude of 1943m, the mountain receives fantastic natural snow, supported by over 100 snow guns for consistent coverage all season.
The Remarkables’ high speed 6 seat lift. This lift will take guests high into terrain previously only accessible by hiking. This chair lift (Curvey Basin) will access new novice/intermediate terrain. The beginner slopes are wide and long so the kids have terrain than ever before to play on.
“Everything about The Remarkables is exciting, from the drive up to the incredible runs and fun terrain parks that allow the kids to progress. The best thing is that kids under 10 ski free.” The Hayes family, Sydney.
Wanaka region ski resorts - South Island
The idyllic lakeside town of Wanaka is the place to stay if you intend to mostly ski in Treble Cone or Cardrona. It’s beautiful, and has a huge range of accommodation available. I can recommend Edgewater Wanaka Hotel or the Archway Motels & Chalets, which is walking distance from shops and restaurants and the owners are lovely people.
In Wanaka you’ll find a wide range of accommodation, lots of dining and activities, plus a real supermarket, chemists, medical centre, and everything else you’ll need. Wanaka is also home to some fabulous off-snow activities including Puzzling World – with a very puzzling maze and plenty of brainteasers – and Wanaka River Journeys – a jetboat tour that is so much more than just an adrenaline rush.
How to get there: Fly direct into Queenstown from Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane and Wanaka is only a one hour drive or shuttle ride away, or a five hour drive from Christchurch.
Cardrona Alpine Resort
Elevation: 1860m
Location: 35 minutes from Wanaka, an hour from Queenstown
Terrain mix: 20% beginner; 55% intermediate; 25% advanced
Number of lifts: 7
Terrain Park: 3 plus 2 half pipes, a superpipe and Gravity X course
Snow Sports School: Yes
Child care: From 3 months
Accommodation: 15 apartments on-snow, or stay in Wanaka
Highlight: The Snow Sports School and the terrain parks. And check out OnePass.
Cardrona Alpine Resort leads the way in New Zealand for child and family friendly resorts with four dedicated Kids Centres. Catering for kids from 3 months to 14 years there is something for every family. Cardrona is renowned for being a fun and family friendly ski resort with the most consistent snow conditions in the Southern Lakes regions.
With a range of flexible options including care, lunch, lessons and activities, kids can spend time at the kids centres, have lessons on the snow & spend some time skiing with their parents – up to you!
Cardrona’s wide open slopes and abundance of intermediate terrain make this mountain fun and easy to ride. That said, advanced skiers and riders aren’t disappointed with the Arcadia and Tulip chutes for them to play in as well as three open bowls.
Nestled high in the Crown Range, Cardrona is easily accessible from both Queenstown and Wanaka. Cardrona is an easy 60min drive (58km) from Queenstown, only 15 minutes further than its smaller cousins in Queenstown. The route from Queenstown to Cardrona takes in NZ’s highest road through an area rich in gold mining history. With breathtaking views the journey itself should not be missed. For those staying in the picturesque lakeside town of Wanaka, Cardrona is even more accessible with a drive time of only 35mins. Buses leave from Queenstown and Wanaka daily.
“Wow! Cardrona really blew us away with its amazing ski school set up. Loved the various areas, loved the private lessons and the kids really got into the terrain parks. We highly recommend it.” The Kermode family, Bega.
Treble Cone
Elevation: 2088m
Location: 35 minutes from Wanaka
Terrain mix: 10% beginner; 45% intermediate; 45% advanced
Number of lifts: 4
Terrain Park: Yes
Snow Sports School: Yes
Child care: From 3 yrs
Accommodation: In Wanaka
Highlight: The runs, the vibe, the views
From Wanaka it’s a scenic self-drive to either the base of Treble Cone from where you can Park & Ride up the hill in a Mountain Shuttle or right up to the ski area, or you can catch a bus from Wanaka to the ski field.
Many of Treble Cone’s guests also visit from Queenstown either by bus or self-drive in a hire car. Daily shuttles operate to Treble Cone from Queenstown, Wanaka, and the bottom of the access road.
The South Island’s largest alpine resort Treble Cone coupled with family-friendly Wanaka makes for a great, safe, and simple family snow holiday in New Zealand. It’s the closest ski area to Wanaka and only a 90 minute drive from Queenstown on New Zealand’s spectacular South Island.
The mountain offers some of skiing’s most spectacular views over Lake Wanaka and the snow-capped Southern Alps.It has such beautiful, wide groomed runs and plenty of different areas to ski in. Treble Cone also makes a great day trip from Queenstown to enjoy family snow fun whilst taking the spectacular alpine and lake views.
Starting with the free beginner lifts and dedicated learning area, conveniently located alongside the café and on mountain ski and snowboard rental shop. From here there’s the Treble Cone Snow Sports School offering full and half day kids programmes, adult and child group lessons and private lessons.
Once you’re ready to progress beyond the free Platter lifts Treble Cone offers the longest beginner trail in New Zealand with the 3km long meandering Easy Rider. The mountain offers a wide range of terrain to suit the whole family, from beginners to expert, lots of long wide groomed trails and also off-piste areas to explore. The mountain features a large on mountain café with indoor and outdoor dining, coffee, and a place to chill out. Treble Cone is also unique in that it offers family lift passes, to deliver even better value to families.
- Look out for and say hello to Treble Cone’s mascot, the big friendly TC Cat
- Take a family photo with the spectacular view from Treble Cone as a back-drop
- Grab a child specific Kids Trail Map from the Snow Sports School
- Make sure you visit the Jazz Kids Fun Trail (a highlight of many children’s day)
“Some of the world’s best ski teams train at Treble Cone so we were a bit worried it would be too hard for us. We sent the kids off for lessons so they would be in good hands and they came back talking about all the black runs they did. We loved everything about Treble Cone and we are going back this year.” The Brooks family, Adelaide
Ohau ski field - South Island
Elevation: 1825m
Location: 3 hours from Dunedin, 15 mins from Ohau Lodge
Terrain mix: 20% beginner; 50% intermediate; 30% advanced
Number of lifts: 3, with another chairlift coming in 2013
Terrain Park: 2
Snow Sports School: Yes
Child care: No
Accommodation: Off snow at Ohau Lodge
Highlight: The Lodge and ski field experience combined
“We’d never heard of Ohau but decided to try it out on a recent ski/drive trip from Christchurch to Queenstown. The Lodge is absolutely perfect for families and the skiing was surprisingly good. Even the ski hire gear was top rate. Big thumbs up!” The Bull family, Brisbane
Mt Ruapehu ski resorts - North Island
Mt Ruapehu
Whakapapa and Turoa are the two largest commercial ski areas in New Zealand – yep there’s more skiable terrain on these two North Island ski areas than the South Island’s Cardrona, The Remarkables, Coronet Peak and Mt Hutt all put together!
Whakapapa and Turoa Ski Areas sit proudly on Mt Ruapehu, the largest of the three volcanoes located within the renowned Tongariro National Park. The volcanic landscape lends itself to brilliant terrain features for skiers and snowboarders – think natural halfpipes, chutes and wide-open bowls that stem from centuries-old lava flows.
Some scenes of the fictional Mordor and Mount Doom in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings film trilogy were filmed on the slopes of Mount Ruapehu. Discover this filming location and impressive views towards Mt Ngauruhoe (Mount Doom), located just a short 15-30-minute walk from the base area of Whakapapa.
Taupō has a huge compliment of off-mountain activities that are different to any other resort town in New Zealand. Discover adrenalin sports like jet boating, white water rafting, bungy jumping and sky diving, as well as scenic lake and sunset cruises, sailing trips and kayaking adventures on Lake Taupō. You’ll find multiple geothermal hot pools throughout the region, and mountain biking and golf are popular winter activities. The many walking tracks in the area will take you on a journey to discover the stunning landscape, mountain views and native forests that surround the lake.
It’s not only the ski areas that benefit from brilliant terrain as result of volcanic activity. Derived from one of the greatest volcanic eruptions ever known, the region’s free-draining pumice soil means excellent cycling and mountain biking conditions year-round – even in the middle of winter. And if it’s golfing and hiking you’re into, you can thank that super volcano for great conditions also.
Take the hassle out of getting to the snow with daily mountain transport from Taupo and Turangi to Whakapapa (return).The Mt Ruapehu snow shuttle departs daily from the Snow Depot right in the heart of Taupo town, so you can sort all your gear hire and passes before you leave – all you have to worry about is jumping on board and enjoying the stunning volcanic scenery along the way.
There’s a whole lot going on in Taupō after a day on the slopes! Come and see the town come to life with fairy light-lined streets and cosy bars and restaurants with hearty winter food menus, mulled wine and crackling fires to sit beside. There’s everything from craft beer and wood-fired pizza in lakefront pubs to gourmet cuisine in top restaurants and family-friendly dining throughout the town. Many of these establishments offer spectacular sunset views and a vista of the massive Lake Taupō with the mountains of Tongariro National Park beyond.
“Skiing on an active volcano added excitement to our holiday and the skiing at both Turoa and Whakapapa was incredible. The lessons were fun and we really enjoyed staying in Ohakune. If you’ve already ‘done’ the South Island, we recommend trying Ruapehu.” The Paul family, Colac
Whakapapa Ski Area
Elevation: 2300m
Location: 10 minutes from Whakapapa Village
Terrain mix: Whakapapa – 25% beginner; 50% intermediate; 25% advanced
Number of lifts: 15
Terrain Park: No (at Turoa)
Snow Sports School: Yes
Accommodation: Whakapapa Village or Ohakune
Highlight: One lift pass gives access to both fields. Incredible skiing.
Thanks to a brand new state-of-the-art ‘Snow Factory’, which has the ability to make snow in temperatures up to 25˚C, Whakapapa now boasts the longest ski season in Australasia.
Whakapapa Ski Area is home to Happy Valley, New Zealand’s largest beginner ski and snow play area. Here you can spend the day experiencing the best that a family winter holiday has to offer with ski and snowboard lessons, sledding, snowball fights and building snowmen!
The Knoll Ridge Café on Whakapapa Ski Area is New Zealand’s highest café at 2020m above sea level. If you’re not skiing or boarding, you can access the Knoll Ridge Café by scenic chairlift ride.
Turoa
Elevation: 2322m
Location: 20 minutes from Ohakune
Terrain mix: 20% beginners, 55% intermediate, 25% advanced
Number of lifts: 9
Terrain Park: Yes
Snow Sports School: Yes
Child care: Tura has child care from 2 years
Accommodation: Whakapapa Village or Ohakune
Highlight: One lift pass gives access to both fields. Incredible skiing.
Methven and Christchurch region ski resorts
Methven is a very pretty town and is an hour’s drive from Christchurch. Apart from Mt Hutt, there are other ski and snowboard areas within two hours, or experts can take to the skies and go heli-skiing.
The Methven region is ideal for an extended trip to experience the surrounds with a touch of adventure: the odd walk or bike ride, jet boating up the Rakaia river, visiting the NZ Alpine and Agricultural Encounter, horse riding or even hot air ballooning. A unique family favourite is discovering the Staveley outdoor ice skating and curling rinks set in native bush just 20 minutes from Methven.
There is plenty of accommodation in Methven and I can recommend two places for families. Ski Time Villas has modern villas and apartments or lodge accommodation, while the Brinkley Resort offers top quality studio hotel rooms and serviced apartments, with two-bedroom apartments offering beautiful views out to Mt Hutt. It also has a heliport for heli-skiing operators to pick up from and its piece de resistance is Shackleton’s Bar and Grill.
Mt Hutt
Located in the stunning Methven region of New Zealand, Mt Hutt Ski Area is a 90-minute drive from Christchurch or an hour from Christchurch International Airport. Children aged five years and under can score free lift passes at Mt Hutt, a great budget booster along with the resort’s great-value ‘learn to ski’ packages for ages four to 15. Many programs like Skiwiland even include rental equipment, with snow gear available for kids aged 2+ (and snowboards for ages 7+).
Elevation: 2086m
Location: 35 minutes from Methven, an hour from Christchurch
Terrain mix: 25% beginner; 50% intermediate; 25% advanced
Number of lifts: 4
Terrain Park: 2
Snow Sports School: Yes
Child care: From 3 months
Accommodation: In Methven
Highlight: Free lift passes for kids five and under
“It was a very pretty drive and Mt Hutt delivered some amazing runs that were almost as good as the views. Great food, lovely people and loved Methven. We will definitely go back.” The Harris family, Wee Waa
Opening image: A snowboard lesson at Coronet Peak
