The middle of winter in Michigan isn’t usually my favorite time of year, but I made a promise to myself that this season would be different. I truly believe that in order to survive the winter feeling happy, with happy kids, I need to embrace ALL that our state has to offer. Which is how we officially became a ski family.
I will be honest: I don’t ski. But my husband and kids do, and our trip to Crystal Mountain was AMAZING for all of us. I can’t wait to share A Mom’s Guide to Crystal Mountain and our family ski trip! This guide will have you geared up with everything you need to know for an amazing couple days.
Crystal Mountain is located in Thompsonville, Michigan. It’s about a three-and-a-half hour drive from the Metro Detroit area, and is a true escape to a winter wonderland. I’m going to share ALL the details you need to make your trip truly memorable, along with a detailed itinerary. We are so grateful to Crystal Mountain for hosting us for this trip. Get ready to save all the details from our Mom’s Guide to Crystal Mountain!
Where to Stay at Crystal Mountain
Sometimes the hardest part of booking a trip can be figuring out an accommodation that works for the whole family. Crystal Mountain offers a variety of lodging that will fit any family’s needs!
The Cottages at Water’s Edge
Our family was so excited to be staying in the Cottages at Water’s Edge. In a neighborhood-type setting, the cottages were the perfect place to spread out, warm up, and enjoy time together as a family. The cottage is perfect for families who are looking to settle in and enjoy being in the heart of Crystal Village. Our cottage had three bedrooms, a gas-log fireplace, a full kitchen, and a washer and dryer.
While there are so many great accommodation options at Crystal Mountain, I want to share a little peek into a day in the life at the cottage:
Morning at the Cottage
Our first morning I woke up early and headed over to the gym at Crystal Spa, which is within walking distance of the cottages. I came back before everyone was even awake and made a pot of coffee in the kitchen. I was able to turn on the fireplace and read my book for a bit in the cozy living room area before the kids woke up.
Once the kids were up, we walked over to Wild Tomato for breakfast. One amazing thing about the cottages is that they are all within walking distance of everything!
After breakfast we headed back to the cottage to get our gear on. I LOVED that there was a place to store the kids’ skis and snowboards in our own personal locker on the outside of the house; this kept the house itself clean and we felt good knowing they were in a specific spot just for them (which could be accessed with our key card).
Once the kids were dressed, we walked over to the slopes. The cottages are not the closest accommodations but they aren’t far either–it was easily walkable for our five-, seven-, and nine-year-old. You can also grab a shuttle or drive over for a closer walk!
Afternoon at the Cottage
Believe it or not, I don’t ski! I was here for the vibes and to document our trip. While the kids and my husband were on the slopes, I went back to the cottage and read a little bit more and prepped lunch. I loved that there was a full kitchen, which made meals a little bit easier.
When everyone came back for lunch we decided to swim at the Crystal Spa for the afternoon. I threw the kids’ wet things in the dryer (if you’re a ski family, you know having a dryer is a must!) and we headed over to the pool to swim. The pool has a changing area, hot tub, lap lanes, and an open swim area.
Evening at the Cottage
Everyone headed back out to the slopes so of course, I went back and read a little more. We decided to order pizza from Betsie River Pizza & Subs, which could be delivered (but pick-up would be easy enough because it is so close!). It was perfect to be able to eat in the dining room after a long day on the slopes. We all played games, relaxed, and were able to spread out into our own spaces before bed.
For a family, I cannot recommend staying in a cottage enough. It has absolutely everything you need and can sleep up to nine people!
Other Accommodations at Crystal Mountain
In addition to the cottages, you can also choose to stay in a bungalow, condo, hotel, resort home, studio, suite, or townhome. You can explore their full list of accommodations on their website and find just what you’re looking for.
Take a Lesson at Crystal Mountain
Whether you are a beginner, or having been skiing or snowboarding for years, there are so many benefits to a lesson. This is our kids second year skiing and snowboarding, and in their two hour lesson they improved so much, which gave us the confidence to hit the slopes, with the skills they needed.
There are several different options for lessons, The Basic Private Lesson, The Builder Private Lesson, and The Best Private Lesson, Nanny McSki, Private Race Lesson, and Group Lessons.
Our kids all took The Builder Private Lesson. This lesson is 110 minutes long and was the perfect amount of time for them to learn and put into practice with an instructor.
The Builder Private Lesson started on the Crystal Carpets with a small hill so the kids could get the fundamentals down. Our skiers are 5 and 9 years old. Our oldest did a few runs on the carpet and then was off to the mountain with his instructor where they worked on how to slow down, turns, and getting used to being on skis.
Our five year old spent the entire time on the carpets working on her pizza and the last thirty minutes of the lesson began working on turns. To help her go down they used a hula hoop but by the end of the lesson she was off and away, confident and with the skills she needed to go down on her own!
Our snowboarder is 7 and spent about 30 minutes working on the carpets and then moved over to the slopes. He considers himself a pretty good snowboarder, as most kids consider themselves excellent at things they are just learning, so he worked a lot on controlling speed. By the time he was done he had a few more skills to match his confidence level.
Since the older kids were off with an instructor we loved that they used Flaik. Flaik is a GPS tracking device that allowed us to see where the kids went on the mountain. When the kids came back from their lesson we received an email with their map and it made it easy for them to show us which runs were their favorite!
As someone who is completely new to the ski world, I can’t recommend a lesson enough. As parents we may have the skills to teach our kids, I do not, but that doesn’t always mean we are the best teachers. My kids had a blast and built confidence being with instructors who were encouraging, kind, and who know way more than we do! A bonus was then that the kids got to have one on one attention and then came back to show us their favorite runs and what they learned! They were so proud of themselves and I highly recommend getting your kids a lesson, we wouldn’t have had such a successful trip without this at the beginning.
Where to Eat at Crystal Mountain
The awesome thing about Crystal Mountain is that you don’t even need to leave the resort in order to get everything you need! With dining options, a market onsite, and a Waffle Cabin, everything is right there for you.
Betsie River Pizza & Subs
If you’re looking for food for a night-in, pizza was the perfect option!
Here’s what we ordered:
- Antipasto Salad: I needed some vegetables.
- Individual Cheese and BBQ Chicken Pizzas: for the kids, they loved this!
- Pan Breadsticks: more often than not my kids just want the breadsticks, so they’re always a must-order.
- Wings: for a little added protein!
The Thistle
If you’re looking for a meal that feels like fine dining with a come-as-you-are atmosphere, this is it. The Thistle is located in Kinlochen and serves lunch and dinner. While the food was amazing, I have to be honest: the service was the best part. Our server was so kind, patient, and engaging with the kids!
Here’s what we ordered:
- Daily Soup: it was broccoli cheddar while we were there and OMG, it was so good. 10/10 recommend.
- Chicken Diane: I love mashed potatoes so this was a no-brainer choice for me. The haricot verts were perfection and the chicken was so good!
- Truffle Burger: if you’re a burger and fries kind of family, this burger did not disappoint.
- Kids Mac and Cheese + Chicken Tenders: my kids are pretty good about eating a variety of food, but nothing is better than the classics. Bonus: we loved that you could get fresh fruit or the vegetable of the day; my kids actually ordered both!
Wild Tomato
Wild Tomato is located in The Lodge and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We stopped in for breakfast!
Here’s what we ordered:
- Greek Yogurt Parfait: so good for a protein-packed lighter option.
- Farmer’s Breakfast: I ordered this because, Mom Life. I knew that it was going to be a lot of food and that the kids would inevitably want to eat some of what I ordered. It was filled with the classics, was so good, and I was able to share some out!
- Breakfast Burrito: my husband went with the breakfast burrito. I didn’t get a single bite in, so I assume it was excellent.
- Pancakes with Strawberries on top: the kids ordered this, and I was excited to see they were fresh strawberries!
Other food options include Waffle Cabin, Mountain Market, Bru Bar, Clipper Cafe, Outdoor Igloos, Vista Lounge, and the Yurt. All great options for a quick bite–and located throughout the Crystal Mountain Village!
What To Do at Crystal Mountain
While you know you’ll be here to ski or snowboard, there are still SO MANY things to do at Crystal Mountain. We were able to experience so much over the three day period we were there and I can’t recommend enough that your family spends some time enjoying all the amenities and not just the slopes!
If you’re new to skiing or snowboarding, or even if you’ve had some experience, taking a lesson changed our entire experience. This was not my kids’ first time but the lesson made a huge difference. The instructors were so kind and encouraging, and I saw a massive improvement in the kids!
Some other fun activities to try include taking a horse drawn surrey ride, trying out fat tire biking, snowshoeing through the Michigan Legacy Art Park, trying your hand at cross country skiing, and ice skating in Barr Park.
Lastly, be sure to warm up at the outdoor hot tub, relax at Crystal Spa, swim at the indoor pool, take a fitness class, and test your swing on the new TrackMan golf simulators!
Helpful Tips for Crystal Mountain
- Everything you could possibly need is in the village. Whether it’s a grocery store or a spot to buy replacement gloves, you don’t need to leave!
- We highly recommend starting the trip with a lesson to make everyone’s time more enjoyable.
- Book an accommodation with a dryer, you won’t regret it!
- Pack hand warmers and blankets.
- Rentals are available for both skis and snowboards of all sizes.
- Bring chapstick and SPF.
- Our kids’ favorite runs were Hoot Owl and Emmy!
Sample Three-Day Itinerary for Crystal Mountain
Day 1
- Leave early morning to be there by noon
- Plan for an afternoon ski or snowboard lesson
- Get settled into your accommodation while the kids take a lesson
- Pick the kids up and grab a waffle and hot cocoa at Waffle Cabin after your lesson
- Evening skiing
- Dinner at The Thistle
- Cozy night at your accommodation
Day 2
- Fitness Class at the gym
- Breakfast at Wild Tomato
- Skiing and snowboarding
- Lunch at the cottage
- Swimming and hot tub at the Peak Fitness Center
- Skiing and snowboarding
- Dinner from Betsie River Pizza & Subs
- Outdoor Hot Tub
Day 3
- Morning snowshoe through the Michigan Legacy Art Park
- Skiing and Snowboarding
- Lunch at Clipper Cafe
- Ice Skating at Barr Park
- Horse Drawn Surrey Ride
If you’re like me and finding the need to embrace this winter, Crystal Mountain is the perfect place to do it. As someone who did not grow up in a ski family, it felt overwhelming to tackle but with this itinerary, you can do it! We can’t wait to see you on the slopes and hope our Mom’s Guide to Crystal Mountain has inspired and built confidence in you!
