Closest snow in SF South Bay
I am looking for a place to take my 3.5 yr old to see and play in snow for the first time (having grown up in NYC I find it strange even having to ask this but here I am). I don't need anything formal. I found once place called Snowplay a little less then 3 hours away but I was hoping for something closer.
It doesn't have to be any kind of actual formal location like Snowplay, I just need a to place to build a snowman and a hill for some intro to sledding.
Any ideas?
1 Answers
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I think 3 hours is about as good as it's going to get. We try to go up to Bear Valley. It's fun to spend a few nights in a cabin, play in the snow, and we usually do some cross-country skiing. Google thinks Bear Valley is a 3h45m drive from the south bay, which is about right, unless you have to stop and put on chains. It's taken us 4h30m to 5h in bad weather, but even that is nothing compared to Tahoe in similar conditions. (Can take 8h+ to get there with traffic, chains & snow.) Bear Valley gets much less traffic and people than Tahoe, so the drive is much more pleasant, and it's much less crowded.
There's also another great place called Sorensen's Resort that also has nice looking cabin rentals, sledding, and cross-country skiing. Google thinks it'll take 4h02m to get to Hope Valley, CA from where I live in the south bay.
For some good sledding, take a look at the California State SnoPark Map which lists some great places to have some fun in the snow (usually sledding and back-country cross-country). But note that you need a permit ($4/day if I remember right) to use the SnoPark, and you'll have to buy those at a nearby gas station. Locals have said that the vigilantly patrol the parking lots, and the fines are steep if you don't have a permit.
Good luck!
