Had a very fun time at the Round Valley Sno Park on 12/29/25. It was a Monday during the holidays…read moreso the parking lot was mostly full throughout the day. Parking lot holds about 20ish cars and is easily visible from the main road. We bought our $15 permit ahead of time, printed it, and put it on the dashboard. There are numerous hills that families can enjoy a very short walk from the parking lot. We had fun making a snowman and having a snowball fight. Restrooms are updated as others have shared. We unfortunately found all toilet paper gone when we visited so that is the only reason I am marking this review down. There are numerous places to pull off the side of the road before you get to Bear Valley but this was nice in that it had a fairly clean toilet.

Lots of trees. We went during fresh snow and were able to sled easily. The next day it was icy and…read moreharder to sleds without hitting treees

We had a gala of time over 3 days. First day was Snow tubing…read more(they were not open for sledding)... while it was crowded being the 2nd day after the first snowfall of hte season, it was fine. The kicker was that they gave a 50% off Learn to Ski package (cross-country skiing) which saved us several $$$ the next few days. Not only did cross-country skiing was fun (first time for us), the instructors were very patient and effective. The 2nd day I went (on a Monday morning), my group lesson became Private lesson as I was the only on in the class. Even more savings :-) The Warming Hut cafe is a great touch after doing some trails. The food was great here. The tracks for cross-country skiing was kept up. Our entire group (multiple kids and adults) had a great time. Weather was good as well as a bonus.

It was a toss up between BV or Leland's...after reading the reviews for Leland's, I opted for BV…read more It was my kids first time in the snow and I didn't want them to have a horrible crowded first experience. We had to leave early because I wanted to be there close to opening time if 9am, we got there around 10am and there were plenty of parking spots and tubes for the kids to ride. For 6 people, 4 tube rentals for 2hrs it cost me $160. At Leland's I would've paid $240. It was a pleasant experience. The staff was very friendly and seemed genuinely happy doing their job. We had so much fun, the kids were whooped after the two hrs. At first I don't think that two hrs would be enough, but it was perfect. It's an honor system for the amount of time you use the tubes, don't be the one who tries to use them all day. There are a lot of people coming into the park at all times of the mid morning. 2 1/2hes is more than plenty to wear the little ones out. We will definitely be back and would recommend Bear Valley Adventure Co to anyone who has kids.

I had an amazing time at Leland Snowplay! I drove three hours from San Francisco during a storm,…read moreand the powder conditions were absolutely perfect. I visited on a Friday with my 5-year-old, and it was a fantastic experience. One of the best things about this place is the free parking and the reduced weekday pricing. When we went, there were only about a dozen families, so we had plenty of space to enjoy ourselves. I can imagine it gets much busier on weekends and holidays. The staff was super friendly and helpful, which made the experience even better. I also appreciated that the lodge had food available--we had chicken tenders and a Philly cheesesteak, both of which were solid options. The food was by no means amazing but it was nice to have an option. The lodge itself is a nice spot to warm up, especially with the cozy fireplace. Plus, they sell essentials like gloves and boots in case you need them. My only con is reception is bad and there isn't wifi but in many ways that is probably a good thing so I could focus on spending time with my kid instead of being on the phone. The three-hour drive was totally worth it! I made it there in a Subaru Outback without chains and had no issues on the road. I'm already looking forward to coming back!

TLDR: Fun place to spend the day, but they don't seem to be…read morereally prepared for large volumes of people and don't have the resources/ right staffing it seems. We were here mid Feb during ski week and I think we lucked out - google said they were closed but their website suggested otherwise for just this week. So, the crowd was not bad and we got in at least 10-15 runs before the kids were cooked. Getting tickets was fine when we arrived at the opening time, parking was fine and never got full. Pros: Not really an overwhelming site , pretty simple with just 3 runs (one is a very tall one). Has some snow play space off to the side. Has magic carpet or lift. Not every tubing place does so I appreciated this! On site they sell boots and gear if you forgot. Food sold on site which is helpful. The usual fries and hot dogs etc for sorta high prices. Bathroom was clean and modern. Plenty of seating indoor and out. The outdoor deck is very exposed though. Nice view of a lake from the deck. It's an easy activity, doesn't require tons of gear, and relatively brainless compared to the skiing we were doing with our kids yesterday. Cons: I can see how this place must turn into lord of the flies on weekends. There's no attendant at the top, the top is very icy / not salted sufficiently, and nobody at the bottom. So, everybody is launching at random times, there's always stragglers loitering at the bottom and somebody is always getting knocked over by a tube coming down. They didn't seem to have great control of the folks on the magic carpet so instead they put up a ton of stanchions. It also isn't cheap. We had the benefit of coming on an uncommon weekday but if this involved longer lines or more chaos I wouldn't think it was worth it. Not all runs were open. They had both kiddie runs open for the first hour after opening then closed one without explanation. Pro tip: Bring your own helmets and goggles!

We visited Bear Valley snowmobile today! We wanted to do the one hour tour, which is first come…read morefirst serve. I was nervous about crowds so we got there at 8:45. We got checked in right at 9 AM and then we were ready to go. We rented 2 snowmobiles, my husband drove 1 with our 9 year old and I drove the other with our 8 year old. Our tour guide was Kai and he was great. Gave us a quick rundown of how things go and we were off running. He took us up in the village and showed us several "landmarks" in the area. We had tons of fun and this 1 hour trip was a great introduction to snowmobiling. We hope to visit again and go in the 2 hour alpine trip

When it hits December or January , my son will remind me that he never asks for too much, but…read morethere's only one thing that he always makes sure that I say yes to, his FAVORITE WINTER ACTIVY the SNOWMOBILE RIDE! We trully Trust and love this place called " BEAR VALLEY SNOWMOBILE " . From the service to their Snowmobiles and tracks. Our first experience here was when my son was so young :) . They had this caddy that you can attach to your Snowmobile for the child's Safety. After a very good experience with them, we never changed our place to Snowmobile, we stick to this company when it comes to Snowmobile rides. Every time we come here we rent like 2 to 3 beautiful SNOWMOBILES and it drives really well and smooth, the tracks are also so cool. AS FAR as I KNOW .... this is the ONLY snowmobile company where YOU DON'T NEED a TOUR GUIDE. You go on your OWN and CAN ENJOY and STOP whenever you want 'coz you don't have a tour Guide to Follow. But their STAFF is all over the TRACKS patrolling the area just in case you need Help. It's SO EASY, it is guaranteed that you wont even get lost, the tracks are long, but it is easy to recognize the paths. I Strongly recommend this place for good SNOWMOBILE RIDES. This is the MAIN REASON that we visit up NORTH every year 'coz of this place. Also, Shout out to KIM who is always there to give as a very Satisfying Stay, I believe that she's been in this Snowmobile Company for almost 30 years. When I see this Person in the Front desk, I always know that our RIDE will be another AMAZING EXPERIENCE !!!

Nice hill, lots of people, but everyone was nice and friendly…read more Plenty of parking on the side of the road. Perfect spot to bring a camp stove and heat up some soup or hot cocoa!

A little hard to find but it does have its own parking lot!…read moreGreat hill for sledding, snow shoeing. Kids loved it.

This place was amazing the cream foam matcha was so good and the Dubai cookie is a must try.read more

It was so much fun. And the owner it's such a sweetheart 5 we stayed for an hr and it's more than…read moreenough to have fun.

Just got back spending 2 days in Bear Valley. The Bear Valley lodge is a wonderful place but oh…read morethese guys are stuck in the 60s! The overall lodge and the rooms are dated and could definitely use a refresh. They have janky & clunky keys to open doors, old heaters to heat rooms & the world's oldest elevator. Not only that they don't provide coffee machines or an iron in the rooms, forget a microwave or a fridge. For the hefty price they charge, they don't even refresh your rooms or offer turndown service if you stay more than a night. I saw several active leaks in the common areas on the 4th floor and at the check-in desk. The staff literally had a paper cup to catch the leaking water. Plus the restaurant options they have are terrible. If I had another option in BV, I'd definitely avoid this place. But they will continue to have customers as there isn't too many other options for people.

The Lodge is a cabin style stay. It shows tattered worn out signs of accommodations and old simple…read morecharm it once served. Although in need of a face lift it served its purpose. Don't pay more than 150 a night then you will feel that you were greatly taking advantage of. The hotel provide the shuttle service to the mountain. There's absolutely nothing in the area as far as convenience stores or shops. The Lodge 'convenience store sold some small, very expensive package goods and T-shirts but it smelt like Grandma's armpits. Bring cases of water and your favorite beverages and a cooler!!! Maybe you could bring your own little small barbecue for outside your car if you wanted ! We also brought a coffee maker of our own, which was recommended to us. Best thing we did. Don't forget to bring your favorite treats and snacks up and instant soups and oatmeal. We decided to have wine last night by the fire pit, and it was gas lit very loud and no warmth We went to the grizzly lounge. We had a few cocktails and appetizers that were Mid. You come here to ski, but when you rest your head, you want some convenience and comfort Have a great season ! Pray for snow!

I've been to the Village for tubing and snow play, this was my first time at the resort because my…read morekids were taking snowboarding lessons. The cost for lessons is comparable to other places, and somewhat of a good deal as it also includes a lift ticket. The lesson itself was less than two hours, so I wish they had a half-day lesson for this age group (13+). That being said, after the first lesson my kids were able to get on a lift for the easiest run and practice on their own. The process for parking, checking in, and rentals was STRESSFUL. Get there early!! The resort itself is kind of MEH. We came during one of the holiday dates (literally when else do folks come as we all have work and school) and it was over-crowded and kind of gross. Food was tragic, and over-priced. Leave food in your car and go eat in your car, it's that bad. I'd come again for my kids, but would arrive as early as possible with a big breakfast.

You can tell that Bear Valley is a ski area that time has left behind. It's not on any major ski…read morepass systems, and the day lodge is dated and run down. Flashiness is not their thing - The entrance to the lodge from parking looked like the back door to a grade school, so for a minute we were worried we had gone the wrong way. It didn't help that the info on the website was so poor we knew nothing about the lodge - like if they had food (they did), or lockers, or a store, etc. (Turns out they do have lockers but they no longer work). The only "modern" touch since my last visit (15 years ago) was the addition of RFID lift tickets (used on the main lifts at the bottom). The vibe here during our Friday visit was: small town; locals and families. There had been 6 inches of overnight snow (with more still falling), so several groups had come up for the day from nearby towns in the Central Valley. There was also a lift ticket deal that day ($30 off when you buy two), but it was not advertised on the website, nor at the ticket area (just some unexplained jargon on a sign near rentals). My friend N and I were on different morning routines so we bought our tickets at separate times and missed out on the deal. We only found out later - Very annoying. Apparently we had to be "in the know" to take advantage. On the plus side, each adult lift ticket was pretty inexpensive for the Sierras ($135 in Spring 2024). The food situation here was the worst I've ever seen at any ski area, anywhere. We had intentionally returned very late to the day lodge to miss the main lunch crowd (Note: It's the only place with food on the mountain). But there was still an incredibly long, slow line to order. The offerings were meager (mostly fried-up frozen food), and they were under-staffed by a sullen crew who were cooking most items to order, one burger and chicken sandwich at a time. Just stupid. When we saw this, my friend and I opted for a yogurt, a bag of chips, and a bag of cookies to tide us over. I also had a snack bar in my pocket - But god forbid that they find me with outside food; there were signs everywhere stating this was verboten. (Note: If I'm ever at BV again, my future self will be putting a sandwich in my pack and eating it off-piste in some secret alcove). Other oddness. All lodging, including a ski lodge/hotel, is on the opposite side of the mountain and only available by shuttle. A few ski runs went down that way, but there were no lifts to get back. Turned out we were staying in that lodging area, but we didn't know exactly where the runs terminated; the map was too vague. Again, it appears you have to be in the know. In short, I found Bear Valley to be a below-average (a.k.a. 2-star) ski area. But it turns out they're in luck, because the snow on that day was so fluffy and fun that - despite all the negatives - I had one of the best ski days I've had in awhile. So I'll level-up for that.

I did not know that I would enjoy tubing this much. Definitely check it out. If you go with your…read morefriends do trains - best is 4 people. Kenzia was amazing helped us a lot. They have discount at and after 3 pm. We were lucky to arrive late and used the discount

Still 1.5 hours for a blast of fun. Remember to do the waivers online to be a little more quick…read moreinto the action. They have little inflatable igloos for rent too with heaters if that's your jazz but the tubing itself is what we go for every season. 3 people will run you north of $200. They have normal tubes and now some racer types. They have also introduced a small bump of sorts in the run which you get a little air, so that's super fun. Also have a little kid's area.

New owners this year…read more You CAN NOT bring your own snow discs or sleds you HAVE to pay for tubes. No point in arriving early either cause by the time you're done filling out & signing the form the time for the first session starts. Instead of your time starting when you first get to the tubes. For 2 hours $20 per adult (adult age is 13+) $15 per kid (ages 3 - 12) and you have to lug the tubes yourself up the hill. One worker said not a lot of people go longer than 2 hours, geee I wonder why . A lot of returning customers either lor did not all go, smh.

Kids loved it ages 1 & 5 Loved being able to take them…read moresomewhere I used to go with my family growing up on our way to South Lake Tahoe