These are a few of our favorite things! There isn’t much more that we love more than living only two hours from a day full of skiing and snowboarding. The bros own their own equipment and Logan and Landon especially can shred it up on the slopes! I am somewhere between keeping Griffin alive on a snowboard and trying to ski myself. We just love having time to play in the snow!

1 – Snowtubing at Ski Sapphire Valley

If you’re just wanting to go tubing, consider Ski Sapphire Valley! This tubing site was extremely close to us, just under one-and-a-half hours away, and the tubing lanes and location are maintained well.

The downside to Ski Sapphire Valley is that you cannot make reservations in advance, so lines for tubing (and all winter activities!) are long. Get there early and be prepared to wait. We were thankful for our experience here (tubing is snowww much fun) but the operations of the business were a little slow, in our opinion.

2 – Snowboarding Lessons at Cataloochee Ski Area

I cannot say enough great things about Cataloochee Ski Area! Located just at two hours away from Greenville, this super organized and well-run winter activities center was such a blast! You can make advanced reservations for activities like skiing, snowboarding and tubing which takes the long wait out of the process which we really enjoyed.

Our boys took their first snowboard lesson through Cataloochee Ski Area‘s CAT Trackers program, a program targeted for ages 7-12 (although they allowed G who is a little younger participate, too). The staff in the CAT Trackers program managed the children wonderfully and the boys loved the instructor!

If your child is interested but extremely new at trying skiing or snowboarding, Cataloochee Ski Area‘s Ski School or CAT Trackers is a great place to begin. Once you purchase your ticket online, the process is seamless to rent boots and equipment. Bring a picnic blanket and sit back and enjoy watching your children during their lesson with magnificent views of Maggie Valley. We highly recommend Cataloochee Ski Area! (Also, be sure to stop at The Buttered Biscuit for breakfast/brunch on the way out of town).

3 – “Easy” Skiing & Snowboarding at Wolf Ridge Ski Resort

After round one of lessons and experiencing our first snowflakes in the Upstate, we decided to dedicate a cold, early February weekend to snow. We hopped in the car on a Sunday morning and headed to Wolf Ridge Ski Resort, located also just under two hours from Greenville, SC.

Wolf Ridge Ski Resort is pretty basic, lacking bells and whistles, yet is a truly great option for those looking to easily ski/snowboard for an afternoon. Reservations for skiing, snowboarding and rentals can be made online in advance and the process to rent equipment was pretty seamless once we arrived.

Landon did especially well having old had one lesson and was able to independently snowboard on the bunny hills. Logan attempted his first round of snowboarding ever and of course did very well (with the occasional fall which I loved – ha!). Snowboarding without lessons and adult assistance is still difficult for Griffin at age 6, but Wolf Ski Ridge Resort had a great area where he could enjoy playing in the snow waiting on his big brother. If you’re looking for a simple place to ski or snowboard, Wolf Ridge Ski Resort and its family-friendly, faith-centric mentality is the simple place for you.

4 – Great Skiing/Snowboarding at Appalachian Ski Mountain

Of all of the ski resorts that we’ve experienced in the Carolinas, we enjoyed our skiing/snowboarding experiences at Appalachian Ski Mountain best. The variety of slope levels were great for our family, offering a harder slope for Logan, some beginner slopes on gondolas for me and a really challenging/great practice area for the bros on the magic carpet. This ski resort is a little further away from Greenville in Blowing Rock, NC, but without a doubt it’s a great option for beginner skiers and snowboarders.

5 – Stay Warm Indoors and Enjoy Ice Hockey at Greenville Swamp Rabbits

If the cold weather has got you down, stay warm indoors at a Greenville Swamp Rabbits game. This East Coast Hockey League team offers lots of action-packed moments and crowd involvement and our bros couldn’t get enough! The boys loved cheering for the ice hockey players, keeping their eyes frozen on the rink the entire game. We will definitely be back for another game!

6 – More Snow Tubing at Jonas Ridge Snow Tubing

If you’re looking for nearby snow tubing fun but want to skip out on long lines and a massive ski resort, consider Jonas Ridge Snow Tubing in Newton, NC! This basic yet organized and well-run snow tubing area provides up to 1 hour and 45 minutes of tubing fun. With the ability to book tickets online in advance, the process is easy, ensuring a day of easy snow tubing fun.

7 – Skating on the Big Ice at Bon Secours Arena

If you’re still looking for more ice skating once you complete Ice on Main, try Skating on the Big Ice, a December annual event at Bon Secours Arena. The arena that typically houses the Greenville Swamp Rabbits and many concerts and events throughout the year becomes an ice skating opportunity for families under the big lights. While the ice skating here is a bit more challenging for kids, sleds and skater-helpers are available to help guide the little members of your family. Our bros really enjoyed skating in the big arena!