Watching snow falling is a magical experience. Derek and I have a fair amount of snow experience (less than some, more than others) after living in Missouri for a couple of years. Big Bro was introduced to snow around his first birthday, however it involved a quick walk and some hastily snapped pictures after pulling off a California highway. Little Bro had never seen the stuff. It was definitely time for a winter trip… we just didn’t realize we were signing up for a snowed-in family vacation.
Arnold, California
Arnold, CA, located down California’s Highway 4 in the Sierra Nevada mountains, is a choice location for winter play. For one thing, it is a less precarious drive than other California winter wonderland favorites, such as Truckee or Lake Tahoe. Arnold is home to Calaveras Big Trees State Park and is in close proximity to Bear Valley Ski Resort. We stayed here with the intention of visiting a nearby sno-park, of which there are several. However, as fate would have it, the snow was meant to come to us instead.
Arnold’s small downtown can be seen while driving along the previously mentioned Highway 4. Nestled along the mountain side, however, are beautiful communities of custom-built homes and cabins. We stayed in just one such cabin, and I personally cannot wait for a return trip.
Where To Stay
Our large family often cannot be accommodated by hotels, and we use vacation rental sites such as VRBO frequently. Staying in someone’s vacation home usually provides more space for us to spread out as well as the opportunity to save some money by cooking and eating in. There are also just some really cool places that beat an ordinary hotel any day.
The Red Viking is a tri-level cabin in the Blue Lake Springs community. A stay at this cabin includes access to the amenities included with a Blue Lake Springs membership and would be an enticing add-on during the warmer months.
With three bedrooms and a loft, The Red Viking had plenty of space for all of us… and then some. There was a full living area on every level so there was always space to gather for an activity.
The host/owner was also amazing. He offered us the opportunity to come up early for free and then allowed us to stay an extra night in order to find better driving conditions. You could tell safety was a priority for him and I truly appreciated it. He won us over and I whole heartedly endorse his rental property.
Watch the snow fall
Snow falling really isn’t something you can explain to a little kid. Go ahead and try it. “Ice crystals fall from the sky… but they aren’t hard. They are fluffy and soft.” I don’t know. I can’t really picture what a kid would think. But take them out into that first snow fall and watch their faces light up.
It had been a while since I had experienced snowfall myself. So, as a reminder, keep in mind that there is that sleety-freezing rain thing going on before the first actual snowflakes start falling. I had Big Bro out in basically ice-fall and was thinking… I sure don’t remember snow hurting this much. Either way, catching that first snowflake or ice drop or whatever on your tongue… that is a priceless experience.
More than going out into that first snow, it is just awe-inspiring watching the snow pile up. Our A-frame rental with its large windows was perfect for watching the snow levels rise. There is a quiet that only a blanket of snow brings. Sitting on the couch under a blanket, watching your kids sitting at the big picture window and taking in a winter-wonderland come to life… there really isn’t anything else like it.
Build a Snowman/Snowperson
Yes it is cliché and yes I can hear that song playing in my head. But, this really is a must-do activity with your kids. After watching all that snow accumulate, there is no way you can’t go out and get your hands dirty… or cold and wet (make sure you brought good gloves for all).
Your snowperson doesn’t have to be real big to make an impact. Ours ended up maybe shin-height. But it still was a proud moment and not just for Big Bro. Little Sis also insisted on pictures being taken.
Go Sledding
We had intended on going to a sno-park when we first booked our snow trip to Arnold, but we never made it. Instead, we were able to go two steps out the back door and build our own sledding routes. Bringing our own sleds ensured we were able to engage in this awesome activity, but our rental host also had sleds available for use.
As long as you don’t have any injuries/conditions preventing it, I recommend joining your kids in this adventure. For one thing, you can make sure the sledding route is free of any dangerous obstacles. For another, it’s just fun. Take yourself back to younger days and show your kids that it’s an activity worth engaging in. And, engage with your kids!
Make Dinner Together
After long, cold, fun days in the snow, everyone is hungry. And more hands make for lighter work. Its amazing how happy a toddler or small child can be just having a job to do. I jokingly tell everyone both Big and Little Bro are going to be chefs when they are older.
I find that cooking and eating together knits families closer. In the case of a vacation in the snow, making your own food is sometimes the only option. I recommend looking for easy, hot, one–pot recipes that can readily feed a crowd. Everyone will be tired and easy clean-up is the name of the game. Do you have any go-to meals after a long day in cold weather?
Build a Puzzle or Play a Game
Cold days out in the snow make for the perfect opportunity to balance with a cozy evening (or afternoon) inside together. One of Big Bro’s favorite things to do is build puzzles. He isn’t necessarily the best at anything beyond a 20 piece puzzle, but he loves watching any puzzle come together. It’s a common theme: he loves being involved. Puzzle building is also something that enticed our older two down from their loft. Both Big and Little Sis sat down around the table and added to the puzzle picture.
Alternatively, most vacation rentals have a stock of board games. We actually introduced Big Bro to his first board game: Candy Land. At three years old, he didn’t have much of an attention span, but he made it through the game and actually won (fair and square)! He had a much better time sitting with the bigger kids with the rest of the family and watching fake money pass back and forth during Monopoly.
Ultimately, a snowy vacation is a great chance to slow down and pull out activities you don’t always think about. As long as everyone is together and everyone is included, you are going to have a great time.
What I Would Do Differently Next Time
Okay, I can admit it. A lot of the time, I come up with an idea, get bitten by a bug, and just go for it. I often have a mindset of “We can just make it work.” And most of the time, we can. However, this is the trip where I learned that you really should check the weather. In my defense, I usually do… right around when it’s time to start packing.
Our plan to head to Arnold probably wouldn’t have changed even if I had anticipated a snow storm when I made the reservation. However, our planned activities might have been different from the get go. There is something to be said about flexibility, but the same for being prepared. Why not have more information to work with? Granted, weather forecasts tend to be more of a suggestion than an exact science. But, I plan on making a glance at AccuWeather or weather.com a step in my vacation planning for the future.
It may not have been the vacation we had planned, but it created the memories I needed. Big Bro still refers to our “Green Snowcation” as the best ‘cation he has been on. There wasn’t a lot of running around but there was a lot of time together and unique opportunities to experience. And that is really what I look for in a family vacation. So, definitely be safe and prepared if you are planning a vacation in a snowy locale. But, try to see the beauty in the opportunity to experience snow in all its glory… it actually isn’t too difficult.