Is this really five star skiing? No. Are the ski lifts older than my Aunt Janet? (RIP)... yup…read more This is our local mountain. We are very possessive of it. The staff is nice, yet disorganized at times. Here's why it gets five stars. The instructors are amazing. Get your little ones signed up for weekly lessons and they will be up and skiing in a few lessons. The mountain is split into two areas: front and back. The front is set up for beginners. Beginners can progress from a short magic carpet to their first mid-hill very green level run. Then up the ante to a light blue run at the top. The backside is for beginners that can handle the front of the mountain and up to midlevel intermediate skiiers. It has its own, mildly terrifying, chair lift and the only low black level run. There is supposed to be a double black run under the chair lift, but in 15 years, I have never seen it open. This is not a ski mountain on any top 10 skiier bucket list. We don't want it there anyway. It our local hill. Inexpensive. Easily accessible. Plenty of beginner fun.

Mountain Spring Adventures is a small mom-and-pop mountain. While it's not Blue Mountain or…read moreMountain Creek, it's a good spot to try winter sports with fewer crowds. However, conditions and equipment are not top-notch--you get what you pay for. It's an inexpensive option close to King of Prussia and Philadelphia. Parking Parking can be confusing. Arrive early on weekends for a good spot; otherwise, you may have to park farther away and take a shuttle. Parking is free. Rentals My friend and I rented gear here in early February 2023, shortly after my first private snowboarding lesson at Big SNOW. The boots were lace-up (not BOA), helmets were an extra $10, and there were no instructions. At Big SNOW, helmets were free, and staff helped with BOA boots, making a big difference. Snow & Slopes Being closer to Philly means warmer temps; a hoodie sufficed. Snow was decent but limited, and slopes were small. Great for local fun or beginners. Lessons here, I noticed, were mostly group-based, which I wouldn't recommend for adults. Group lessons are cost-effective but lack the hands-on instruction needed to truly learn. After visiting this mountain, I realized I wasn't going to progress safely on my own. This experience taught me that if I truly wanted to learn snowboarding, it was best to continue at Big SNOW, where I could build skills properly. Some areas were icy, and many kids bombed the slopes without supervision. I blew out my knee because a child cut across my path, and as a beginner, I couldn't dodge in time. His mother didn't intervene, leaving me with two options: crash into him or bail and get injured. I chose the latter and haven't returned. Unfortunately, this lack of etiquette is common at smaller mountains. Price Affordable, but if you want a high-quality experience, Blue Mountain or Mountain Creek are worth the higher price--they're expensive for a reason. Food Edible, but think public school lunches. Overall Though I wouldn't return, I'm grateful for the experience because it taught me valuable lessons about how to progress safely in snowboarding. Everyone should form their own opinion, as some may enjoy this mountain for what it offers. If you're just starting out, it can be a good introduction, but for real improvement, I'd recommend Big SNOW.

Went skiing with a friend after a heavy snowfall…read more Main critique is that the lifties are not strict on maxing out the lifts, letting people go 2 on a quad when there's a line of a hundred people waiting. Otherwise, it's a perfectly nice local spot to go for beginners and early intermediates.

*****Harvest Host Review*****…read more Recently stayed at Bear Creek Mountain Resort as a Harvest Host guest and really enjoyed our stay. The first night is free and additional nights are extra $, but worth it because it includes use of their outdoor pool/sauna, Mountain Activity Center, and more. The outdoor pool is a nice size and is located just outside of The Traile End Cafe, which makes it an ideal spot if you wanted to grab a bite to eat/sip on some drinks before/after swimming. There's also a sauna outdoors too. During our stay, we also took advantage of hiking the loop (5.1 miles) around the resort and top of the mountain. There's also games to play like table tennis and corn hole; and you could go canoeing and use the paddle boats on the lake free of charge. The also have guided archery and ax throwing for $15pp for an hour. If you prefer not to cook, there's two restaurants on site with decent food. Overall a great Harvest Host location that I highly recommend.

I wavered between 3 and 4 stars on this one. How you feel about Blue Mountain depends largely on…read morewhat kind of a skier/snowboarder you are. If you're an absolute beginner, it isn't a bad introduction to the world of snow sports. It's a small "mountain" and therefore very beginner friendly. They have a completely closed off area on one side that is entirely for beginners with conveyor lifts, very gentle and short slopes, and a short chairlift. There are also two green trails on the mountain designated as "slow skiing areas," though they might want to police them better as there were still several daredevils blasting by us. The whole process for rentals and lessons is a well-oiled machine and easy to navigate. My 11-year-old son had never been skiing or snowboarding before and was anxious to try. So this seemed like a logical spot to bring him. I had been here plenty of times as a kid in the 90's, but this was my first time back in decades. We came on a Sunday in March and arrived at 7:30. It was already crowded with cars and people at that point but we still got a good parking spot and picking up rental equipment was no problem. My son enjoyed his snowboarding lesson and was loving how quickly he was learning. I bought a lift pass for me + helmet rental, and a beginner package for him (this included snowboard/helmet rental, one hour lesson, and restricted lift ticket). All together this was $293, which seems wildly overpriced for the mountain we were on, especially considering my son was stuck to the beginner area all day unless we upgraded his lift ticket. But I guess this price is common in the skiing industry these days, and I hate to think what the big mountains out west are charging. If you're an experienced skier/snowboarder and live close by, it's probably not a bad place to get in a quick fix. As an experienced skier myself, it was a pleasant day on the slopes, but got a little boring after awhile. If I'm going to pay an arm and a leg, fight hordes of people all day, and drive for a few hours to get there, I'd rather do so on a bigger and more challenging mountain.

We really wanted to get an aerial view of the fall foliage, but it wasn't really much to see as…read moremost leaves are still green. However, Blue mountain is absolutely stunning! We enjoyed the views from the chair lift and felt pretty safe. After the lift, we hiked over to the restaurant at Summit Lodge. ** Of note, the website says it's a .6 mile trek, but it is definitely 1 full mile as we were told upon departing the chair lift. We finished our meal and hiked back up the mountain arriving at 5, to discover that the lift was shutting down for the night. The operator said someone should've told us that it stops running at 430. Initially, he said he could take one of us back down in his 2 seater vehicle and the rest of us would have to hike back. But then he decided to radio to base who advised they would have someone drive the 3 of us together. The operator waited with us until our driver arrived. The driver was a very nice police officer who gave us a lot of info about Blue Mountain, and even volunteered to be our photographer. Despite the snafu, we all said we would come back. 8/10

The operation hour in big boulder is very limited, usually from 3-8 pm on weekdays, good thing is…read morethat we could use the same lifting ticket from Jack Frost to access this ski mountain. We went during the Xmas / New Year holiday week, but they closed down two out of the four lifts. There were a few beginning trails, but I felt they still seemed very challenging. Two of my boys went on the blue and black trails and they said those trails were okay. The staff seemed very friendly and helpful, but the food was very pricy. Parking lots was big, but the roads were terrible and lots of bumps in the parking lot.

Epic Resorts destroyed the skiing experience. They brought their corporate philosophy to ski…read moremountains that used to be great before Vail Resorts bought them and value profit over customers. They are understaffed and customer support is awful. And the App is terrible and not user friendly. Their management have zero people skills if you have a problem at one of their resorts.

Hitting the slopes! without actually hitting the slopes…read more Big Snow American Dream is such a cool, unique spot. Definitely one of the most fun things you can do year-round in New Jersey! It's wild walking into the American Dream mall and suddenly stepping into a real indoor snow park with actual snow, lifts, and multiple slopes. Perfect for scratching that ski/snowboard itch when it's 90 degrees outside or just getting some practice in during the off-season. The snow felt legit (cold and grippy), the terrain park features were fun and progressive for all levels, and the staff was helpful with rentals and getting everyone set up. We did a couple of hours and it was plenty of time to get solid runs in, work on technique, and hit some jumps and rails without the usual outdoor crowds or icy conditions. Great for beginners and families. There is also snow tubing which was really fun! If you wanna practice skiing or snowboarding but are still a bit iffy on going on an actual mountain, this can be a great option for you to get started.

I went here during the long weekend in January with a few friends for the first time not expecting…read moremuch. It was my first time skiing or snowboarding but I was fortunate to have a friend with me that can teach me how to snowboard. I think at base price the day pass only provides 2 hours on the slopes which is not a lot of time, I don't think I would pay full price out of pocket. There was a Groupon offer at the time that significantly reduced the price of my visit and at the price point I would encourage going. While there isn't anyone there to actively teach you how to ski or snowboard, the fake snow is quite soft making it a good place to learn. However the slopes aren't too steep and it's hard to gain speed so if you are someone experienced not sure if I would recommend this visit. Staff is incredibly nice at helping you fit into your snowboard or ski or grab rentals with the all inclusive day pass. The lines can get long so I would say in a 2 hour period we were able to get on the lift about 7-8 times. But I had a fine time during my visit here. I think it's a great place to start your ski and snowboard journey, fall at ton but safely on soft snow to break the initial fear of trying something new. However would probably not come again.

Shawnee Mountain is a solid choice for a family ski day in the Poconos, especially if you're not…read morechasing black diamond thrills or massive vertical drops. Took the fam here on MLK day weekend and we had a really enjoyable time overall. Super family-friendly vibe! The staff at the rental shop and ski school were patient and helpful. My 8-year-old's group lesson was excellent; the instructor had her linking turns by the end of the day. They were also very nice and gave her a great report card of how she did during her lesson. We also went to one of the snowtubing sessions. It was the first time for my kids and everyone had a great time. Be sure to try linking snowtubes with a bunch of people. It makes you go down twice as fast and much more exciting! It was a bit crowded though so be prepared to wait in line and avoid bumping into others on the ski trail. Would definitely come back for another family outing or to progress the kids' skiing. It's not Vail, but it's reliable, approachable, and feels like a classic local hill done right. Recommended for beginners, families, or anyone wanting a low-key ski day without the big crowds and prices of the larger mountains.

There was parent that allowed his daughter to ski in snowplow without control of speed or turns on…read morea green slope from the top of the mountain She almost hit me, but I just moved in time. The parent was violent and refused to take responsible for his daughter skiing around other skiers. He would not listen to you, skied on top my skiis and would say something and run away. He is middle age, thin, green jacket, thinning brown hair with a white car.

Dear Yelp, Visited…read morehere last night for a school sponsored snow tubing event. Lines were long, my daughter and her friend got in maybe 5 runs in an hour and 20 minutes which seemed like a decent amount. She loved it and said it was a lot of fun and wants to return in the next few days before it closes for the season. However, the one staff member I interacted with at the entrance to the snowtubing left a bitter taste in my mouth. He was not kind, polite or helpful. He seemed annoyed to even have to explain how anything works. I'm sure it's overwhelming, but he just seemed really unhappy to be working. There is ample parking. Love, Nicole

The good vibes with friendly, cheerful staff. Really pristine...snow tubing, equipment in good…read morecondition. Food prices weren't too expensive. The bad...logistics. Not enough lockers for everyone, not even a designated area to pay for someone to look after your stuff. Best to go with family and someone to guard your stuff. The coin lockers did not work. Maybe it was the day we went on Presidents day but it was crowded. And the magic carpet stopped and started with no warning so you may face plant into your snow tube if you're not careful. Due to the crowded, only able to go tubing maybe 5 runs. Ultimately a place great for kids ....

Here's the reality: if you're visiting any area in close proximity to New York City, this is…read morelargely what you should expect, and it has been our experience in both Connecticut and New Jersey as well. There is trash everywhere. Truly everywhere. Many people don't bother using the trash bins and instead leave their garbage behind for someone else to deal with. Public spaces and facilities aren't treated with much care; we saw gum, trash, and random items tossed into the gas fire pits, and people taking selfies often seemed to take priority over respecting others' personal space. We were fortunate to have rented a condo outside the resort, but the behavior we encountered at the resort itself was very similar, plus a few additional moments we could have done without, including someone blowing their nose into their bare hand and whipping it onto the floor. My family and I are doing the 50‑state challenge, and we chose Camelback Mountain as our Pennsylvania destination. Had we realized how close it was to NYC, we likely would have picked somewhere else. The mountain is beautiful, and the resort has a lot of potential, but they were out of almost everything across the property. On‑site restaurants had limited availability, and the posted hours weren't accurate. There's also very little to do outside the resort at this time of year. I'd recommend skipping the "largest general store in the country", the condition of their petting zoo alone will have you wanting to start an animal rescue.

This is a great place for beginners! LOTS of green beginner slopes to try out. However, it's a…read morepopular spot and tends to be VERY crowded... That said, I recommend you get here as early as possible if you plan to rent equipment!! It's also very helpful to reserve your gear and lift tickets ahead of time. That will make the gear check out process a bit easier/faster. We arrived around 1pm, and stood in a ridiculously long line to get our gear... All in all, we spent a little over an hour and a half just waiting for our gear. We were pretty annoyed by this, so if you're looking to spend more time on the slopes, get here EARLY!!! Parking is free, but also very difficult to find the later you get here... So keep that in mind as well. They have lockers all over the premises to lock up your things. You'll have to pay to rent them and I believe the only option is to pay for the whole day. Regarding crowdedness... There were really long wait times at the ski lifts, which was very annoying and often frustrating. I get that they have upgraded systems that scan our lift tickets each time we ride, however it created a lot of chaos regarding the lines. I was not a fan. Also, the number of people who were just SITTING in the middle of the slopes, blocking the way was incredibly annoying and also dangerous. There were a LOT of people doing this... I get that it can be scary going down the slopes, especially if it's your first time, however MOVE TO THE SIDE if you're not planning on going anywhere. To end on a brighter note, we were surprised to discover that they offer night skiing here! So arriving later in the day didn't affect us too much as we continued skiing until after 7pm. As beginners, we only needed about 3-4 hours of ski time so it worked out great for us! Not sure if we would come back here or not, but we're definitely glad we tried it out at least once!

PROS: this place is wonderful! They have skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing! Staff is friendly,…read moremany time slots available, and they have food CONS: there is no lodge to sit in and wait for your friends to be done skiing. It's overpriced as snow tubing is $90 on the weekends. OVERALL: I only recommend coming here if you don't mind spending a ton of money and if you're not going for the ski lodge

I rarely leave reviews, but this experience was bad enough that I feel obligated to warn other…read morefamilies. After driving nearly 5 hours with three small children, we arrived at Camelback excited for a fun getaway. Check-in was at 4 PM. We got there around 6 PM and were told our room was ready, only to walk into a dirty, completely unprepared room. At that point, I had to drag my kids and luggage back downstairs and start the waiting game all over again. We didn't get into a usable room until around 8 PM. That's four hours past check-in and two hours after arrival. Our entire first day was essentially wasted. And unfortunately, it only went downhill from there. The room we were finally given had no towels, missing bedding, floors that clearly hadn't been vacuumed, and dust throughout. The next day there was no housekeeping at all. We left multiple times and came back to the same trash, the same mess, and nothing touched. To make matters worse, bugs were coming out of the HVAC system, which is honestly unacceptable at any hotel, let alone a resort charging these prices. The waterpark is the only reason this isn't a zero-star review. My kids found some enjoyment, but even that area felt dirty and poorly maintained. Staff were hit or miss, with several being inattentive and some just plain rude. Yes, it was spring break, so I expected crowds. What I didn't expect was a complete lack of preparation, cleanliness, and basic hospitality. That's the difference between an average resort and one that actually cares about guest experience. For comparison, we've stayed at Kalahari Resorts, which is larger and somehow still manages to be clean, organized, and ready for guests. Camelback didn't come close. This trip was exhausting, disappointing, and a waste of money. I would not return, and I would strongly recommend families spend their money elsewhere.

My 10 year old has been attending School of Rock for a year now. He loves the private lessons and…read morethe group rehearsals. His confidence has soared! Learning an instrument, playing in a band and making friends! School of Rock has been the best decision for us!

Disappointed with their sketchy and underhanded billing techniques that they promised to resolve,…read morebut left us hanging. The instructor were great and professional but the management and owners need a lesson in customer service. Harsh tone on the phone when i called to inquire about a simple lesson bill. We'll finish out but he needs to work on manners.