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.

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!

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

Beginner snowboarding and skiing lessons

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

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

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.

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!

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

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

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.

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.

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!

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

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!

If you enjoyed reading this article, please consider giving us a Facebook “Like” or leaving a comment below!

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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This page contains affiliate links. If you book a stay through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support!

Perfect for a USA family ski holiday, the Mammoth Mountain ski resort is located  just one hour’s flight or a few hours drive from LAX, and offers excellent skiing plus a wide range of fun snow activities.

The accommodation choice for your ski trip is just as important as the destination, and recently we had the pleasure in staying at a luxurious ski lodge at Mammoth Lakes, California –  The Village Lodge at Mammoth.

No time to read? Watch our walk-through video here…

The Village Lodge Mammoth is a stunning hotel set in its own village complex, offering year-round entertainment and superior shopping and dining.

The Village also has a direct-access gondola to the skiing trails of Mammoth Mountain.

All of these features make The Village Lodge the perfect base for your snow holiday at Mammoth

Apartment accommodation

This decadent ski lodge offers secure, superior condo and hotel style accommodation that will have you feeling right at home.

There’s plenty of space for families to spread out, with large apartments featuring cosy open-plan lounge and kitchen areas, and large, comfortable bedrooms.

A full kitchen means you can choose to self-cater, making your own breakfast and other meals in your own lodging.

Alternatively, you can choose to work your way through a wide selection of excellent restaurants – all located just steps away from your accommodation!

Guests at The Village Lodge also enjoy free parking and free wifi.

Gondola to Mammoth Mountain ski resort

The Village features its own direct-access gondola to the ski trails of Mammoth Mountain. That means you’re on the mountain faster, and there’s no need for driving, parking or a shuttle service to the ski fields.

In-room ski boots & ski hire

The ultimate in convenience, you can be fitted for your ski hire gear right in your Village apartment. Then when you’re ready to ski, your gear will be waiting for you on-snow outside the hotel lobby!

An outdoor heated swimming pool surrounded by snow!

Surrounded by snow, the heated pool and hot tubs adds a really fun dimension to your ski holiday!

Put on your bikini, wrap yourself up in your hotel robe and head out to the pool. There’s something wonderful about sitting in a toasty warm spa, surrounded by snow. (Plus it’s a great opportunity to take a fabulous  Instagram shot!)

Restaurants & shopping

You’ll find the beautiful alpine-style The Village entertainment precinct just outside your door, and it’s here you’ll find some great shopping and eateries.

The main walkway is lined with enticing boutique stores, and a variety of high-quality restaurants and bars.

We enjoyed a great meal Campo Mammoth, well known for its relaxed apres-ski atmosphere and delectable pizzas! Also close by you’ll find several other Mammoth restaurant options.

Dotted around The Village are cosy fire pit areas which are perfect for an after-dinner drink or catch up with friends – and of course take part in that scrumptious American tradition – making s’mores!

How to make S’mores

If you don’t know how to make S’mores, or don’t have the ingredients, there’s no need to worry. Complete S’mores kits (and some good advice!) are available from The Village Lodge reception.

The kits contain everything you need for the perfect Smore. A long wooden stick, thick chocolate discs, large marshmallows and graham crackers (the Australian or UK equivalent is something like Digestive biscuits) are all included.

S’mores are as easy as toasting your marshmallow over the fire until it’s a bit gooey (the long sticks make it easy and safe for children to do) and then sandwiching the marshmallow and chocolate within two graham crackers. The result is a warm, chocolaty marshmallow treat with a combined taste that is out-of-this-world!

Staying at The Village is all about convenience and luxury – this beautiful hotel ticks all the family ski resort boxes.

Book your stay at The Village Lodge at Mammoth on Booking.com here

To stay or find out more, go to their official website here.

If you enjoyed reading this article, please consider giving us a Facebook “Like” or leaving a comment below!

Read more about our Mammoth Mountain skiing and activities here

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

This article is meant to inspire 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.

Share one of our images to Pinterest…

This page contains affiliate links. If you book a stay through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support!

The post Where to stay at Mammoth Mountain – The Village Lodge Mammoth hotel appeared first on Let's go Mum.