Newsweek opened its Readers' Choice 2027 category for Best Ski Resort for Families on Nov 4, 2026. Newsweek editors picked 15 nominees with input from a panel of travel experts, and readers decide the winners. Voting ends Dec 2, 2026, and winners are announced Dec 16, 2026. We cover 9 of the 15. Here is how they look through our Family Score, which weights ski school, beginner terrain and childcare more than anything else.
The 9 nominees we cover
| Resort | State | Family Score | Pass | Youngest group lesson | Childcare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smugglers' Notch | VT | 8.4 | Independent | 3 | Treasures, 6 weeks to 3 years |
| Deer Valley | UT | 7.7 | Ikon (Ikon Base 3 days) | 3 | Children's Center, 2 months to 12 years |
| Schweitzer | ID | 7.3 | Ikon | Unverified | KinderKamp lesson and care bundle |
| Northstar | CA | 7.2 | Epic | 3 | None |
| Brighton | UT | 6.9 | Ikon | 4 | None |
| Snowmass | CO | 6.8 | Ikon | 2.5 | Treehouse kids' center (confirm infant vs lesson split) |
| Mount Snow | VT | 6.6 | Epic | Unverified | Licensed, 18 months to 4 years |
| Bretton Woods | NH | 6.2 | Independent | Unverified | None |
| Snowbasin | UT | 5.9 | Ikon | 3 | None |
Brighton is a Personal review; the rest are Researched. Scores are from each resort page on Nov 10, 2026.
Nominees we have not reviewed
Jay Peak Resort (VT), Killington Resort (VT), Loon Mountain Resort (NH), Snowshoe Mountain Resort (WV), Sunday River Resort (ME), Wolf Creek Ski Area (CO). No Family Score yet, so we do not rank them.
What stands out to us
- Childcare splits the list. Smugglers' Notch, Deer Valley and Mount Snow have licensed care for kids too young for ski school on our pages. Brighton, Northstar, Snowbasin and Bretton Woods have none we can list, so a family with a toddler needs a plan for one parent.
- Seven of the 15 nominees are in New England: four in Vermont, two in New Hampshire, one in Maine. Three are in Utah and two in Colorado.
- Our top scorer on the list is Smugglers' Notch at 8.4, mostly for ski school and childcare. Our lowest is Snowbasin at 5.9, where thin beginner terrain and no daycare pull the score down.
- Awards and our score measure different things. Readers' Choice is a popularity vote. Family Score is our weighted read of ski school, beginner terrain, childcare, cost, on-mountain, non-ski and travel. It is never paid for.
Want a mountain picked for your kids' ages instead of a vote? Try the resort finder.
Sources
Source: Newsweek Readers' Choice 2027, Best Ski Resort for Families, nominee list and dates, checked Nov 10, 2026. Family Scores and fields from our resort pages.
Last updated: 2026-11-10