Winter Family Fun at the Resort at Squaw Creek - Part 2

I recently shared part 1 of our winter family vacation to the Resort at Squaw Creek near Lake Tahoe, CA.  If you didn't get a chance to read that post, you can check it out here.  Day 2 was all about exploring the resort and checking out all the family fun activities that were just footsteps from our room.  The second day started with an early morning visit to the resort's heated pool and whirlpool hot tubs!  My husband decided to sleep in while the boys and I rolled out of bed, popped on our swimsuits, and headed down to the steamy oasis under the stars before dawn.

My boys (Collin & Jack) relaxing in the jacuzzi with the early morning starry sky view of Squaw and Alpine in the background!

Me (mama) enjoying a relaxing soak as the morning got a little brighter!  I purchased this J.Crew red and white striped one piece swimsuit last summer! Unfortunately, this style and color is currently sold out but it was popular so they may bring it back this year!  I've included a few similar favorites from J.Crew in the product links below!  I have this one shoulder tie swimsuit (first one in product list below) in navy/ivory stripes and I love it!  I wore it on our summer cruise last year and got so many compliments!  It was a chilly 36 degrees out, but the hot tubs were set to a perfect temperature of 102 degrees!  I didn't want to get out!  It was a great way to start the morning!

The resort's year-round Oasis pool complex includes a large recreational heated pool and three whirlpool hot tubs to soak in after a long day skiing or snowshoeing.  If you plan to visit in the summer, you can also enjoy the plunge pool, a 120 foot waterslide, and a children's pool.  My husband and I are already planning a return trip this summer!  Swimming is always a fun activity for kids and for my boys that was no exception!  They bounced back and forth between the hot tubs and the pool and had a blast!  I was not as brave to jump in the pool - I was quite happy in my spot at the hot tub!

A pic of me in the hot tub using fun Snapchat filters!

It was time for breakfast and we decided to quickly dry off, throw on our robes and head back up to our room for a quick shower!  By the way, our room accommodations at the Resort at Squaw Creek were very nice and family friendly!  We had a one bedroom fireplace suite, a living room with a pull out sofa, a nice view of the snow capped mountains, and a small kitchen with a mini refrigerator, microwave, and stove top!  If you do lots of family travel, you know that having a kitchenette is a blessing.  We always travel with a small cooler to store my kids favorite drinks and  some wine/beer for mom and dad.  We also bring a bag of snacks for our road trip so we are prepared when hunger strikes!  I like to bring oatmeal and fruit for breakfast for a quick, easy and healthy option!  The kids like to have those microwavable mac and cheese bowls so microwaves are always a plus!  

Here are a few of our favorite snack ideas for family travel:

Microwave popcorn

Oatmeal/Cereal

Fruit - apples, pears, bananas, oranges, etc.

Bottled water and juice boxes

Wine/Beer for the adults! (make sure you bring an opener)

Microwavable mac and cheese bowls

tortilla chips and salsa

individual variety packs of cookies and chips 

Here are a few pics of our room I snapped!  It really felt like being at home!

The living room had a gorgeous view of the outdoors and a warm fireplace to cuddle up and watch movies or sip wine!

The resort offers free wifi which makes it easy to connect and get work done if needed or for the kids to enjoy Netflix and their favorite apps on their tablets!

We had a really nice view outside!  The windows offer plenty of natural light and privacy curtains at night!

The kitchen was unexpected!  It was nice to have all these amenities which helps save money on going out to eat every night!  We didn't cook anything on this trip but we heavily used the refrigerator, microwave, and utensils!     

Once we showered and finished with breakfast, we decided to take a hike and check out the surrounding areas around the resort. If you enjoy snowshoeing you will love Squaw Creek's beautiful meadow or you can head into the back country of Squaw Valley. The Nordic Center on site offers all winter equipment rentals including snowshoe and boot rentals, as well as guided snowshoe tours.  We just decided to take a leisurely hike with the kids!

Featured:
This black and ivory buffalo plaid skirt from Talbots (similar options here, here, and here)

Outfit Details:
Black Merona snow boots from Target (similar here, here, and here)
Black Leggings (similar here, here, and here)
Black nylon coat (old) - (similar here, here, and here)
Cashmere Polka Dot Sweater (old) (similar here, here, and here)
Black faux Fur pom pom beanie (similar here, here, and here)
Hot pink fringe scarf from Old Navy (old) - (similar here, here, and here)
Mirror aviator sunglasses (similar here, here, and here)

Unfortunately, the dog sledding and snowmobiling tours were not available to book when we visited in early January.  The month of December was very dry and there was not enough snow.  This was disappointing for the kids as they were very much looking forward to this, but we found other fun family things to do such as sledding and ice skating which made up for it!

We took a short, easy, and flat hike that starts from the Resort at Squaw Creek off of hole #1 of the golf course.  This hike connects the resort with the Village at Squaw Valley (a great place for shopping, dining, and where you can catch the aerial tram to Squaw High Camp).  This hike is perfect for little ones and those who don't want to gain any elevation but want to get some exercise while taking in the beautiful views of the valley! 

After we got back from our hike, we decided to take the kids ice skating at the Resort's outdoor ice rink. The ice rink is open from 10 am - 10 pm daily and operates in three "sessions." It closes for an hour and a half in between sessions to refresh and clean the ice.We rented ice skates from the Nordic Center and let the kids have fun!  Chris and I sat and drank a hot toddy while the kids enjoyed whirling around on the ice.

Once their session was up, it was close to dinner and we were all starving,  We decided to go to Sandy's Pub which is one of the many restaurants located on site.  Sandy's is a convenient and casual sports bar dining option.  They offer tasty appetizers and delicious pub style meals to suit all preferences and ages.  They offer a wide selection of craft beer on tap, wine, and cocktails and we were able to catch the NFL playoff games on one of their six flat screen TV's while we were there!   I ordered the the shrimp tacos which were really delicious, Chris ordered the fully loaded nachos, my son Jack ordered the clam chowder (which he loved!), and my son Collin ordered spaghetti from the kids menu.  For more information about Sandy's pub and the full menu, please click here!

For dessert, the boys wanted to roast s'mores which you can order directly from Sandy's menu.  The kit comes complete with large marshmallows, a package of graham crackers, Hershey's chocolate bars, and the roasting skewers.  Just right outside the restaurant is a large outdoor fire pit overlooking the pool area.  It was a great place to warm up by the fire and chat with other visitors about their day and where they were from!  The boys had fun roasting their marshmallows and making their delicious treats.  It was a nice way to end a perfectly fun and relaxing day!  

Roasting marshmallows and making s'mores at the fire pit!  The best winter fun! 

Good Night!

We had a great time and would like to thank The Resort at Squaw Creek for such a wonderful experience!  We are definitely planning another trip soon so we can experience the dog sleds and snow mobiles!  Look for one more post coming soon to wrap up day three of our adventure to Squaw Valley!  Also, if you haven't had a chance to sign up for our newsletter you can subscribe here!  It's a great way to connect with all of you about new posts, great sales you don't want to miss, Q&A on various fashion, beauty, home decor, and travel topics, and so much more!  Don't worry, I won't overcrowd your inbox!  Also, don't forget you can shop all of the looks from San Francisco Bay Style on our shop page!

Thanks for Visiting!  

xoxoxo,

Hayley

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