This winter the Kladder Kids took up skiing. For six straight Wednesdays they spent their evenings on the Cannonsburg ski hill with their instructor taking lessons. They progressed from not knowing the proper way to clip into their skis to zooming down the hill all on their own. It won’t be long before they’re better skiers than both Jeff and me. As an end of the year celebration to their success we treated the whole family to a weekend away at Shanty Creek Resort.
There are three options, or ‘Villages’ as they call them, for accommodations/ski hills when visiting Shanty Creek Resort: Schuss, Cedar River and Summit. We booked accommodations at the Cedar River Lodge which is perfect for families. It’s a ski-in-ski-out hotel that includes rentals and ski school all in the same building. The suites offer a separate bedroom and living space, large bathroom with jacuzzi tub and a mini kitchen complete with a fridge, microwave, sink and cabinets full of dishes and flatware. We leveraged the kitchen for breakfast and snack time and because of the separate living space we were able to put the kids to bed and stay up later by the fire with a bottle of wine and a movie.
Cedar River Lodge is also the only lodge on the resort that offers an outdoor heated pool and hot tubs (two of them) which are only accessible to guests staying at the hotel. The kids loved swimming and warming up in the hot tub after a day on the slopes.
The slopes at Schuss Mountain are very mild and perfect for kids. The hills take you longer to get to the top than it takes to ski to the bottom but they are the perfect size for skiers just starting out. Jeff and I were able to each take a kid and follow them down the hill with very little effort. Jeff and I had fun trailing the kids and watching them practice their skills.
On Saturday we signed each of the kids up for an hour long private lesson just before lunch and we were very impressed by their instructors. It was a good way for us parents to take a break and for the kids to get some additional pointers from adults who aren’t their parents.
We also checked out the tubing hill which is located at Summit Village - an eight minute drive from Cedar River Village. The tubing hills were great! Four lanes of pure joy and a magic carpet back to the top of the hill. They had music playing during our hour long ticketed time slot and the vibe was super fun. Tubing is great for the whole family.
On Friday night we booked dog sledding rides through the Nordic Center but then we were super disappointed when they called to cancel our tickets - the snow levels were too low to support the rides that weekend. Winter weather in early March can be hit or miss and unfortunately for us, we missed out on our trip.
Had we received a bit more heads up from the Nordic Center on our cancellation, we likely would have taken the kids bowling in nearby Bellaire. After check in I received a fun local guide to the area and read about the bowling alley downtown which seems like another great option for a weekend family trip in that area.
On Friday night we booked reservations at Shorts Brewing (also in downtown Bellaire) for dinner with the kids. Shorts is well known for its local microbrews and pizzas. The pub atmosphere was great for the kids as well as their kids menu. We loved the pizza (heavy on the toppings, light on the sauce) and their salad with the banana peppers was also great.
Some other places worth a stop while downtown include Ruthannes Bake Shop and Mammoth Distilling. We swung by Ruthannes on our way out of town on Sunday morning for coffee and breakfast treats. We selected our items and took a short walk down to the ‘Keg Garden’ across from Shorts Brewing where we hung out for a bit before heading home. Mammoth is a great place to pick up some local spirits or grab drinks with the adults at night.
Something to note about Shanty Creek Resort is their free shuttle service between Villages as well as to downtown Bellaire. We took the shuttle from our hotel to Shorts and the kids found it super entertaining. We got to the pub and they were so excited about getting back on the shuttle that they cared very little about eating their dinner.
On Saturday night we made reservations at the Cedar River Bistro at our hotel followed by an hour session in their Top Golf Simulator located just off the restaurant. We recommend skipping the dinner at the Bistro (it’s was ‘fine’) and instead just ordering apps and drinks while hanging out in the simulator room. Your reservation comes with a server so you can order off the menu as you would in the restaurant. There are also TV screens for watching sports games (or something else) if desired.
The Top Golf experience was a fun way to spend an hour with the kids. It’s not true Top Golf where you’re hitting balls into a large dome or outdoor space, but rather a simulator where you can play a variety of games like kicking soccer balls, throwing footballs as well as hitting golf balls. I was surprised to find their rates had been raise since I booked our trip: they went from $60/hour to $75/hour. When I asked about the price hike they simply said their website hadn’t been updated yet. So keep in mind that it’s pricey.
One of our biggest takeaways from our first family ski trip is that it’s also a great way to spend time with others. We were joined by our friends and fellow ski family on Saturday for some morning skiing together, followed by a tailgate lunch by the bridge and a few more runs after lunch. We came prepared with coolers carrying all the necessary tailgate items and had a great time catching up and watching the skiers go down the hill.
Our first family ski weekend was a great success and something we hope to make a new annual tradition. If you’ve got good recommendations for other Michigan family ski locations we want to hear them! For those looking to plan a similar weekend to Shanty Creek Resort, here are some pro tips:
Pack your robe, slide sandals and maybe water toys for the kids for the pool. The hotel has pool towels.
The kitchenette in the suite is great but the coffee maker sucks. We packed our own maker and coffee.
If you dine at Shorts Brewing with the kids be sure to bring crayons/paper - they don’t have any.
Utilize the free shuttle between villages and to downtown - bring cash for tips!
Also pack cash for tipping your private ski instructors.
We recommend skipping Cedar River Bistro for dinner. It was so-so. Perhaps it’s better for a hot breakfast option?
There is a campfire at Cedar River just outside the ski-in-out area where you can roast marshmallows (bring the mallows!) and warm up at.
For a tailgate lunch be sure to park your car along the ski hill for best location. Don’t forget your folding camp chairs and speaker for music.
