Best Snow Tubing Places for Families in California. Anyone who loves to go snow tubing or sledding will be thrilled by the possibilities offered by the snow play areas in California all of which offer pure screen-free family fun.

Here’s the scoop. Each of the snow tubing areas featured below provides great ways to be active with your kids, and make memories. Finding a great place to go snow tubing or sledding in California is not impossible thanks to cool temperatures in the San Bernadino Mountains and plenty of snow in Tahoe.  While the slide speed might be slightly slower than a run in Vermont, the squeals and laughter will be just as intense.

 

 
Meet Woolly at noon at Mammoth Lakes. Mammoth Mountain offers snow tubing at Woolly’s Tube Park a snow play area where fun is a family affair. While the main focus is on the six groomed tubing lanes, complete with return lifts, outdoor heaters, and hot cocoa nearby parents with young children may also create their own snowman, enjoy downhill sledding, or enjoy Woolly's Tube Rotondo merry-go-round. Kids are invited to meet Woolly and celebrate his birthday in February. Bonus Points: Learn about the natural history of Mammoth and the Eastern Sierra at the summit Interpretive Center. Here’s the deal. From the Village at Mammoth Mountain catch a complimentary ride on the Red Line to the tubing area. (Located on Minaret Road (SR203) approximately halfway between the Village at Mammoth and Main Lodge. (760) 934-7533, toll-free 1-800.MAMMOTH or www.mammothmountain.com)

Seek out a secret snow sledding spot at Running Springs. Snow Valley Mountain Resort in the San Bernardino Mountains has a snow play area which makes sledding with your kids easy.  The area is open on weekends and during holiday periods and accessible by chairlift ride. Bonus Points: Snow Valley also has a children's learning center dedicated to teaching traditional skiing and snowboarding skills to ages four through 12. Wait for it! Children aged six to 12 may enjoy riding in the Snow Valley mini snowmobile park. (35100 State Highway 18 five miles east of Running Springs, CA 92382. (909) 867-2751, toll-free snow report 1-800-680-SNOW (7669) or www.snow-valley.com)

Experience the magic of snow play at Big Bear Lake. Big Bear Lake offers snow tubing and sledding in two snow park areas. Each location has covered Magic Carpet rides with clear Plexiglas tunnels. Big Bear's snow tubing parks are the only facilities in Southern California with the extra benefit of Magic Carpet uphill lifts that transport riders to the top of the mountain. Bonus Points: Big Bear is home to Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain, the only authentic bobsled experience in Southern California and there are oodles of cross-country ski trails to explore.  Wait for it! In addition to snow tubing and bobsledding, it is also possible to go zip lining over the snow. (630 Bartlett Road Big Bear Lake, CA 92315. US and local calls toll-free 1-800-4-BIG BEAR (800-424-4232), international calls (909) 866-7000 or www.bigbear.com)

Look for Ralston the Snow Bear at Lake Tahoe. Blizzard Mountain at Sierra at Tahoe Resort™ has a two-rope tow making the tubing lanes accessible. The snow play area has been expanded snow play to include classic down hill sledding. Blizzard Mountain's dedicated snow play area is the place to build a snowman or a snow castle, taste snowflakes and make snow angels. Bonus Points: Snowman kits and snowball makers are available onsite or B.Y.O.S.T. - bring your own snow toys. (1111 Sierra at Tahoe Road Twin Bridges, CA 95735. (530) 659-7453 ext. 500 or www.sierraattaahoe.com)