Bear Valley is a great ski resort situated just a few hours from the Bay Area. It isn't too expensive there but still has great slopes and lifts. There are 67 trails there and the park is 25% begineer, 40% intermediate, and 35% advanced. Tickets cost $45/$40 for adults and $38/$32 for kids (depending on whether you go on the weekend or on a weekday). The only bad thing is that it can get crowded and it takes like 20 minutes to get a hot chocolate.
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