TRY TUBING IN TAHOE
Snow, snow and so much more snow. Tahoe's mountain resorts enjoyed record snowfall in January — but you don't have to be a skier or snowboarder to enjoy it. If you have kids or grandkids — or are a child at heart — you can go tubing down groomed chutes, saucer-sliding or sledding at any of dozens of places around the lake.
In the past few years, the options have exploded, especially when it comes to groomed tubing lanes with rope tows or conveyor belts (i.e., “moving carpets”) to get participants to the top of the hill without hiking.
Tahoe boasts plenty of enticements, from disco tubing at Palisades Tahoe to Sugar Rush Tubing at Sugar Bowl, with 10 different types of groomed tubing lanes, a covered moving carpet and an elaborate snow-play area for little ones. More old-school offerings are on tap at smaller resorts such as Granlibakken Tahoe, which has been a snow-play magnet since the 1920s. And Soda Springs goes all out with Planet Kids, featuring a kids tubing hill, tube carousel and free-play area.
Tubing at the most high-end resort venues can be expensive (see below), but there are many ways to have snow fun on a budget. Most resorts offer snow-play areas for kids under 42 inches tall. At some, you can bring your own tube, sled or saucer. Just be aware that you may need to purchase tickets online in advance.
Here's where to get your slide on in the Lake Tahoe area.
SUGAR BOWL >> The new Sugar Rush Tubing, located near the Mount Judah base area, offers two-hour tubing sessions for $40 (tubes included) and two-hour snow-play sessions for $20. The 10 tubing lanes are 625 feet long and accessed via a covered magic carpet; work your way from the “green circle” lanes for a warmup and over to the “black diamond” lanes with rollers. The snow-play area for tykes up to 42 inches tall includes a tubing carousel, mini snowboards and other equipment. Sweet confections to match the theme are available on-site. Open Friday-Sunday and during “ski week” (Feb. 2026); reservations advised. www.sugarbowl.com/tubing
BOREAL/WOODWARD/SODA SPRINGS >> The first visible-from-the road resort on Highway 80 (near Donner Summit), Boreal was one of the first to get into family fun in a tubing way. Its three to eight (depending on conditions) TahoeTubing lanes are accessed by moving carpet and open daily, weather permitting. Cost is $54 on weekdays, $59 on weekends for a 90-minute session; advance reservations required. At sister property Soda Springs Mountain Resort, just six minutes away, Planet Kids and Tube Town cater to non-skiers, new-to-snow families and little kids. Facilities include sleighride transport, kids tubing, a kids ski/snowboard area, a tube carousel and a snow-play area, all accessible with a Mountain Adventure Pass, $54 or $59. rideboreal.com, skisodasprings.com
DONNER SKI RANCH >> Known as one of the most affordable ski areas in the region, Donner Ski Ranch has tubing hills that are great for kids and adults alike. Tubes are supplied, and there's a moving carpet to shuttle guests to the top of the hill. Cost is $35 for a two-hour session, or $29 on Old School Days (Tuesdays-Thursdays). donnerskiranch.com
VAIL RESORTS >> You'll find Northstar's tubing hill at the Village behind the Overlook Bar, where the family can grab s'mores kits and roast marshmallows around the fire pits. Tubing tickets are $26, a tow lift takes you up the hill and tubers can slide down solo or in daisy chains;