Written by Sabrina Chen

Fewer than four hours away from Palo Alto, the Northstar Resort is a great place for families to enjoy their winter vacation.

For skiers, the resort offers a variety of slopes with 13 beginner trails, 60 intermediate trails and 27 advanced trails. Eight terrain parks and moguls provide tons of exhilaration to excitement-driven skiers. 20 ski lifts and two gondolas provide easy access to the mountains, and ski lessons are available to both children and adults.

For non-skiers, the Village at Northstar is home to a 9,000 square-foot ice skating rink, dozens of restaurants and shops, a bungee trampoline and a yoga center.

There is always something to do at Northstar, whether it is riding on the five magic carpets, roasting marshmallows in the fire pits or skiing down a double-black diamond trail.