Founded in 1949 by Wayne Poulsen and Alex Cushing, Squaw Valley was the host to the 1960 Winter Olympic games, putting America’s West and Lake Tahoe on the map as the premier ski resort destination. Having only 1 chairlift and lodging for 50 at the time, Squaw has most certainly come a long way! Now over 3600 skiable acres, six peaks and 30 lifts Squaw is legendary for its terrain.
An especially family-friendly vacation destination, Squaw offers something for the entire gang during winter and summer. Whether you are a ski enthusiast, love the great outdoors, are looking for wonderful restaurants, shopping or relaxation, Squaw offers it all.
The new Village at Squaw Valley was built by Intrawest in 2005. Squaw Valley acquired neighboring Alpine Meadows Ski Resort and formed Squaw Valley Ski Holdings LLC who now officially owns both resorts. Fall 2011 was year one of Squaw Valley’s Renaissance, a $50 million capital plan designed to bring dramatic improvements to the resort over the course of 5 years. This winter marks year 2 of the Renaissance – which will now total $70 million (up from $50) to include improvements at Alpine Meadows as well as at Squaw.
My family headed up to Squaw this summer, and had a fabulous time! We stayed at The Village at Squaw Valley which is perfect and very conveienent for families. Walk out of the condo’s lobby doors and you are smack-dab in the center of the Village. Offering spacious lodging with full kitchens, balconies overlooking the action and plenty of space to relax, it is a perfect place to set up home-base and close enough for nap time!
Squaw Adventure Center, located in the heart of the Village offers a plethora of daily activities for the entire family! My kids were able to test their acrobat skills on the Skyjump Trampoline, had a blast scaling the rock wall, and enjoyed the miniature golf course…all without leaving the Village! Check out their website for more information and be sure to include them in your trip planning! www.squawadventure.com
During our stay, we headed up to the mountaintop pool at High Camp via the aerial tram and made an entire day of it. There we discovered a mountain oasis amongst the most amazing alpine backdrop. With an 8200’ elevation, you truly feel like you are on top of the world. At High Camp you will find a breathtaking pool and spa, mountaintop disc golf, tennis and roller skating. Partake in the elevated dining experience with views stretching as far as the eye can see, and you literally do not want to leave!
The kids were entertained each day, and each night the entire family was able to enjoy great food and beverages at the Village restaurants. Our favorite nights were spent at Rocker and Twenty-Two Bistro. We enjoyed the outdoor seating where we were able to watch the Village happenings, admire the beautiful mountain scenery and fresh air and experience Tahoe at its best! At Rocker, we were able to catch one of many seasonal Squaw events, the Bluesdays concert, right from our table. The entire group loved the music and scrumptious food, Mommy and Daddy enjoyed a glass of wine and fun was had by all.
At Twenty-Two Bistro owner Alexander Cox and his staff are committed to creating a quality dining experience both inside the comfortable restaurant and out on the patio set against the stunning backdrop of KT22. Not only does 22 offer a top-notch dining experience, it is family-friendly and inviting, the wait staff is wonderfully accommodating and the ambience can’t be beat!
Squaw offers several events during the summer season, including art shows and food and wine festivals accompanined with plenty of live music. Beyond skiing and snowboarding, winter offers mountain adventures the whole family can enjoy including snowmobiling, snowtubing, riding in a horse-drawn sled or dog sledding. Whether you are a summer person or a winter baby, Squaw is definitely a year-round destination not to be missed.
Squaw is all about offering a unique vacation destination that caters to families. Offering a pedestrian village of shops, restaurants, activities, specialty wine shops, spa treatments and more, you literally have everything at your fingertips. It makes for a very easy and enjoyable time with the kids while creating memories that you will cherish forever. Do make the trip, Squaw makes every minute worth your while!