Three Days at Bridger Bowl Ski Area with THREE kids! (Bozeman, Montana)

Feb 27
4 min read

“It is a happy talent to know how to play." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Whenever my kids come out in the winter, I let them plan the week. And it always revolves around skiing at Bridger Bowl... EVERYday. It's always a blast and although I'm a rookie skier, Bridger Bowl makes it easy for parents. It has one of the best kid ski areas and instructors in the state.

And I LOVE that it gets my kids outside ALLDAY, everyday. No screen time!

Here's a glimpse into how we plan our fun Ski Days... ❤️

6:30 am: Wake up and have some breakfast at the cabin. Check out our other blog post on the cabin we stayed in last year called the Shepherd's Retreat (highly recommend). You can book with them directly here: https://www.mtshepherdsretreat.com/. The host is AMAZING and so is the property. If you want an authentic Montana experience in a lovely cabin home, this is it. You can expect the drive to Bridger Bowl to be about 1 hour. But I needed that time as a Mom to just turn on some music and let the kids sleep on the way home after a busy day. It honestly kept me sane!

7:15 am: Head to Bridger Bowl! (BB) We try to get there at least 45 minutes before the mountain opens to get a good parking spot and get our gear rented.

7:30 am: Stop for coffee and snacks on the way to BB. From Shield's Valley to BB you really only have a couple of coffee shop options located in the cute town of Clyde Park. You could take an alternate route through Livingston, and that would give you a ton more coffee options. But I like the road less traveled so we always went through Clyde Park.

Option 1: Crazy's Coffee Shop, Clyde Park, MT. Chill artsy vibes, because, well, it's own and run by amazing artists. Exceptional coffee, great pastries. No drive through but parking is easy out front and it's worth a trip inside to say hey to the owners and watch the mix of ranchers and poets come through.

Option 2: Joyous Java Drive Through Coffee Hut, Clyde Park, MT. Easy peasy, especially if you have 3 kids in the back and you don't want to deal with carseats in and out. Coffee is great! They also have yummy pastries. Really, you can't go wrong with anything here. I always leave this place with a great cup of coffee and a big smile from the owners that just makes my day.

Totally kid approved! Two happy girls in the back seat with their Joyous Java :-).

Option 3: Clyde Park Tavern and Cafe, Clyde Park, MT. Great local atmosphere, as of this writing, they are only open for breakfast on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. So google their hours before you go to make sure they're open. If you're looking for a more typical American style breakfast at a sit-down table, check them out!

8:15 am: Arrive at BB! Follow the arrows and try to park as close as possible to the SADDLE PEAK LODGE. Then head on up to the ski rental office to get your gear. You can book everything online for an easy arrival!

9:00 am: Ski School! On the first day of skiing each year, the kids all take a lesson. I like that routine because it reminds them how to be safe on the mountain, and it also helps remind them on some skiing etiquette and techniques to practice. I take my ski lesson the week before they come out, and you can see my other blog post on BB adult ski school - that was awesome.

AND... while all 3 kiddos are in ski school, Mom gets a nice break to grab a coffee at the lodge and read a book until ski school is over and the kids want up on the big mountain.

Noon: When ski school is over, we pack a lunch and eat in the lodge before going out to ski another 3 hours before closing. One day a week, I let the kids eat anything they want at the cafeteria in the lodge (pizza, fries, etc...). But the rest of the week we pack a lunch and snacks to stay healthy and on budget.

2pm-ish: Ski into Deer Park Chalet on your way down the mountain and grab a hot chocolate for a mid-afternoon warm-me-up and pick-me-up!

3: 30 pm: Get off the mountain and head home. Like I said, the drive back to our cabin is about an hour. I loved that. The kids always fell asleep in the backseat and I put on music or a podcast. And then I felt refreshed when we got home.

There are SO many reasons to love Bridger Bowl...

Never skied before? This is your place. Are you a parent who doesn't know how to introduce your kids to skiing? This is your place.

Seriously, if you get your kids skiing, you can make a lifetime of memories together. A LIFETIME! It also really helps their confidence. Skiing makes confident and brave kids. And BB has all the right areas to build that confidence. The kids lift is perfect for new learners. And my 5 year old loved the magic carpet ride when he was learning to ski.

“Skiing is not just about the sport, it's about the journey and the memories you can make along the way." - Anonymous

Bridger Bowl Local tips and tricks:

Get there early.
Take a lesson, or two, or three!
Bring your own food.
Purchase rentals, lift tickets and classes online before you go to make life easy!

Gear we love...

If you're not ready to buy an entire ski set, but you ski more than a couple days a year, I would encourage you to buy ski goggles. My favorites are the GoodR brand. I have the Bunny Slope Dropout ones, and I think they are beyond perfect. They have with two magnetic lenses for bright light and low light. At $75, I think they are a steal.

Ok! That's it! Get out there and get your ski on ⛷️🏂 😍. A big thank you to Bridger Bowl for helping me grow as a Mom, and helping my kids grow in confidence.