Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort – Disneyland side trips

To add some variety to your California Disneyland winter holiday, all you need to do is – just add snow! Only an hour’s commuter flight away from LAX (or a half-day’s picturesque road trip) you’ll find California’s Mammoth Mountain ski resort.

Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort, California

Beautiful Mammoth Lakes is a bustling little ski town with its own airport, and a whole mountain of family snow-fun!

Just an hour’s flight away from LAX, a trip to Mammoth is an easy Disneyland holiday add-on – or wonderful California winter holiday in its own right.

Mammoth is just a one hour flight from LAX

The surrounding scenery of Mammoth Mountain is breathtaking – huge, snowy mountains covered with majestic trees and unique wildlife. It’s not unusual to spot an American black bear wandering through the town of Mammoth Lakes!

The town of Mammoth Lakes, California

From beach holiday to snowy mountains just doesn’t get any easier or more convenient than this!

Beginner snowboarding and skiing lessons

Mammoth Mountain ski hire

If you’re a beginner skier, Mammoth Mountain is a great place to learn how to ski. It’s a very easy process to hire all of your ski gear at the Mammoth Main Lodge and organise ski lessons.

Watch our Mammoth Mountain YouTube

To see what skiing Mammoth Mountain is really like, watch our YouTube video.

There are excellent beginner runs on the lower slopes of Mammoth Mountain. Mammoth ski instructors will have you and/or your children off and skiing independently  in just one day!

Family-friendly skiing

Family skiing and snowboarding fun at Mammoth

My family loved skiing Mammoth together – even late in the ski season, this ski resort offers beautiful snow conditions. With 25 lifts and 150 trails spread over 3,500 acres, you can explore to your heart’s content!

Mammoth Mountain ski lifts are fast and friendly

Mammoth Mountain lift queues are fast, lift attendants are friendly and helpful, and the skiing can be as easy or challenging as you choose.

I had a lot of fun skiing with my kids at Mammoth

I’m an intermediate skier, and my girls are now handling blue intermediate runs quite well. We started off on green beginner slopes to get our ski legs back after our break over the Australian Summer.

After a couple of easy ski runs, we were ready to head up Mammoth Mountain in the main gondola to see more of Mammoth Mountain!

Mammoth Mountain Gondola

The Mammoth Mountain Gondola is a beautiful ride. Whilst skiers use it to access the upper mountain areas, you can also go a scenic ride to enjoy the amazing views.

The Mammoth Mountain Gondola

We loved exploring the Mammoth Mountain upper trails, and followed trail after trail of gorgeous tree-lined runs with stunning mountain views. Mammoth is a truly spectacular Californian ski resort.

Snowboard half-pipe competitions

Back down the mountain, Mammoth also features a world-class snowboard half-pipe where freestyle skiers and snowboarders Grand Prix and World Cup competitions are held. We watched an event featuring USA Olympic champions – it was great entertainment to watch their amazing gravity-defying skills!

My girls loved playing in the ski park areas

For a bit of extra daring ski fun of your own, at the bottom of the mountain there’s a small jumps trail which is perfect for both ski and snowboarders. My girls loved trying the mini-jumps!

Disabled skiing

Mammoth Mountain also have disabled skiing programs and support. This ski resort prides themselves on being inclusive, and disabled skiing lessons are also available.

Family Snow Fun

Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort

If you’re not a skier, or are looking for more variety in your snow holiday then never fear – there’s plenty more family fun on offer!

Snowmobiles are a great snow activity you can do together. With a parent driving, pop a child on the back and you’ve got a really fun way to explore and enjoy the stunning scenery together.

Tube rides, or “Tubing” is just that – climb aboard a big inflatable tube go for an exciting slide down a gentle slope. This activity will have you and the kids laughing with delight, and is suitable for both children and adults.

Dining options at Mammoth Lakes

The Yodler restaurant has great food & views

Skiing is a hungry business, and there are many and varied dining and eatery options at Mammoth. We sampled a range of delicious restaurants during our stay.
The Yodler is located near the Mammoth Mountain Main Lodge. Straight off the ski slopes, it’s the perfect place for an amazing Bavarian style lunch.

Campo pizza restaurant at The Village, Mammoth

At The Village in Mammoth Lakes you’ll find the cosy Campo Mammoth, specialising in delicious wood-fired Neopolitan Pizzas.

Also in the town is Toomeys in the Village, where you can enjoy a relaxed and hearty breakfast surrounded by sport-themed decor.

Toomeys is a fun sports-themed Mammoth restaurant

The Warming Hut is another Mammoth Lakes stand-out, with it’s unique log-cabin atmosphere.

Its rustic charm is reflected in the food, which is warm, comforting – and features absolutely massive servings to keep you going all day!

If you still have energy to burn after a long day’s snow fun, be sure to spend an evening at the Mammoth Rock ‘n’ Bowl. Here you can knock down a few pins (or practically none if you’re a member of our family!) and enjoy some delicious grazing, bowling-alley-side! Be prepared for great finger food with lots of bowling-fail laughs thrown in!

The Mammoth Rock ‘n Bowl is a lot of fun!

Whilst it can be very hard to pull yourselves away from the culinary fare on offer in the restaurants of Mammoth, don’t miss the opportunity to experience one of the great fun American dessert traditions – gather around an outdoor fire pit to make and eat S’mores! Find out more about making S’mores at The Village Lodge here.

Where to stay at Mammoth Mountain

The Village Lodge hotel at Mammoth

Whilst at Mammoth Lakes, we stayed at The Village Lodge Mammoth – a luxurious hotel set in a beautiful village complex that boasts direct gondola access to the ski slopes – plus year-round entertainment and excellent shopping and dining options. There’s even an outdoor heated pool where you can swim and relax in hot tubs surrounded by snow!

Read all about our stay at The Village Lodge at Mammoth here.

Find out more about booking your Australian family holiday to Mammoth, California at Visit California

Read all about the three exciting California destinations we visited in 2020 here!

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This article is meant to inspired travel to California once it is safe to do to. The attractions and experiences featured in this article may be temporarily unavailable due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Please consult official travel resources and individual businesses to confirm future plans.

The Let’s Go Mum family partnered with Visit California and their supporting partners for this trip.  As always, all opinions are our own.

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