Palisades Tahoe (formerly Squaw Valley)

Palisades Tahoe -- formerly Squaw Valley, renamed in 2021 -- is one of Lake Tahoe's largest and most iconic resorts, famous as the host of the 1960 Winter Olympics. Spanning 6,000 acres across two mountains (Palisades and Alpine Meadows, connected by a gondola), it offers families world-class skiing in winter and a unique mountaintop adventure complex in summer.

Winter skiing at Palisades covers every ability level. Beginners start at the base with gentle slopes and an excellent kids' ski school program. Intermediate skiers explore miles of groomed runs through forests and bowls.

Advanced skiers and teens seeking thrills find legendary terrain including KT-22 and the Palisades face. The resort's scale means you can ski for a full week without repeating a run.

Summer transforms the resort into a mountain activity center. The aerial tram -- a large cabin carrying 28 passengers -- rises 2,000 feet from the Valley floor to High Camp at 8,200 feet in 10 minutes. At High Camp, families find a heated swimming pool (swimming on a mountaintop with panoramic views is surreal), a roller skating rink, a ropes and zip-line course, and hiking trails.

The combination of tram ride, pool, and mountain-top activities makes for a unique half-day or full-day experience.

The Village at Palisades is the base-area hub -- a pedestrian village with shops, restaurants, a fire pit, and (in winter) an outdoor ice skating rink. It has a social, communal atmosphere that makes after-ski or post-activity time enjoyable for families. The Olympic Museum is small but contains memorabilia from the 1960 Games.

Palisades Tahoe is a premium-priced resort, but the quality of the experience matches. The facilities are well-maintained, the staff is professional, and the combination of history (1960 Olympics), scale (6,000 acres), and year-round programming makes it Lake Tahoe's most complete family mountain resort.