Snow Tubing for Kids Near NYC: Tubing in NY, NJ, PA and CT

Sliding down my parents' front lawn is one of my fondest childhood memories. Since we had the steepest hill on the block, all of the neighborhood kids would come over with their sleds. The skies were blue, the snow was plentiful and we were so active we never felt cold. The worst parts of the day were dragging my sled back up the hill and nightfall when the fun would end.

I have tried to recreate those magical days for my son in New York City but the logistics are challenging—especially this winter when there's barely been any snow at all. But even when the white stuff does fall, lugging a sled on the subway is a drag. And just where am I supposed to store a sled in my apartment anyway?

That's why every winter, we jump in our car and hit a nearby snow tubing spot. It's a wonderful winter activity that reminds me of those carefree days sledding at my childhood home. No skill is required, and the only things you need are a tube, a hill and snow, which are all provided by the parks. Just dress in warm duds and you are good to go.

We've rounded up 11 ski resorts in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut that offer snow tubing, most less than a two-hour drive from midtown Manhattan.

Tubing isn’t exactly the same as sledding and it is a little pricey. However, the positives far outweigh the negatives. The resorts make a ton of snow so you don't have to depend on Mother Nature; you don’t have to lug your tube back up the hill (in fact at some resorts, you don’t even have to lug yourself back up the hill); tubes go way faster than sleds and the sessions are pretty short so you can’t get too cold. And if you do need to warm up, there are always indoor snack stands with hot cocoa.

Many resorts have timed sessions that start on the hour or half hour, which means you can’t just drop in, especially on weekends. There are often height, weight and age restrictions, and waivers to sign, so be sure to check the respective websites before you head out.

New Jersey

Campgaw Mountain – Mahwah
200 Campgaw Road
Approximately 45 minutes by car from midtown Manhattan
$16-$24 depending on the day of the week. Visit the website for comprehensive rates.
Open weekday evenings and weekend days, with sessions starting every two hours. Visit the website for a complete schedule.
This tiny ski resort offers several tubing runs with two lifts, so kids can ride their tubes back up instead of walking. Reserving your sessions in advance online is recommended. Bonus: You save $2 per ticket. Since it's less than an hour from NYC, you might even be able to go after school one day. Campgaw also offers snow tubing parties for winter birthdays!

Mountain Creek – Vernon
200 Route 94
Approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes by car from midtown Manhattan
$20 on weekdays, $25 on weekends
Thursday-Friday 4-9 pm, weekends and holidays 10am-9pm
The Drop Zone at Mountain Creek is the largest tubing park in our area, with 30 chutes for zooming down the mountain. Tubers must be at least five-years-old and 42 inches tall to hit the hills here, and advance reservations are strongly recommended, especially on weekends which often sell out. Your two-hour session starts when you arrive, so you don't need to wait for a specific time.
 

Pennsylvania

Jack Frost – Blakeslee
1 Jack Frost Mountain Road
Approximately two hours by car from midtown Manhattan
$25-$27 for a three-hour session; $45-$47 for an all-day pass
Hours vary. Visit the website for the complete schedule.
Tubers can book a three-hour session or spend the whole day at the mountain. The resort only has single tubes and a tow rope for hauling them back up the six different chutes. Jack Frost doesn't take advance reservations so entry is first-come, first-served. Kids must be at least 42 inches tall.

Big Boulder – Lake Harmony
1 South Lake Drive
Approximately two hours by car from midtown Manhattan
$25-$27 for a three-hour session, $25-$47 for an all-day pass
Open 10am-10pm daily with sessions starting every three hours.
A larger operation than its sister resort Jack Frost, Big Boulder features 20 tubing chutes, a conveyor belt for people and a tow rope for tubes. The resort has done away with family-size tubes, so it's singles only, and kids must be 42 inches tall to slide. For a bargain, try the Sunday Night Special when $20 will get you a ticket to tube from 4 to 8pm.

Camelback Mountain Resort – Tannersville
1 Camelback Road
Approximately two hours by car from midtown Manhattan
Hours vary. Visit the website for the complete schedule.
$25 on weekdays for an all-day pass, $25 for a three-hour session on weekends and holidays
This popular resort gets very crowded on weekends, so it's best to arrive early. If you get there by 9am, Camelback promises to get you on the chutes that day. After 9am there's no guarantee. My family usually comes on Sunday morning when most visitors are packing it in for the drive home. During the week, $25 gets you an all-day session on the 20 chutes using a single or double tube. On weekends, you only get a three-hour session. Kids must be 44 inches tall to tube alone and 33 inches tall to tube with an adult in a double.

Shawnee Mountain Ski Area – Shawnee on Delaware
I-80 Exit 309, Hollow Road,
Approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes by car from midtown Manhattan
Hours vary. Visit the website for the complete schedule.
$20-$40 depending on day of the week and session length
The Pocono Plunge Snow Tubing Park at Shawnee offers two or four-hour sessions, seven chutes and two magic carpets, so you don’t have to walk up the hill. There are a limited number of parent-child tandem tubes for kids under 46 inches in height. Shawnee is the closest of all the PA resorts, just through the Delaware Water Gap.

Alpine Mountain – Analomink
Route 447 North
Approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes by car from midtown Manhattan
Hours vary. Visit the website for the complete schedule.
$20.50-$30 depending on day of the week and session length
This small resort is under new management and no longer offers early bird or night owl hours like it did in the past. You can opt for a two-hour session or pay to tube the whole day, which at $30 is a pretty good deal.

Snö Mountain – Scranton
1000 Montage Mountain Road
Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes by car from midtown Manhattan
$23-$38 depending on day of the week and length of session
Open 4-9pm on weekdays, 9am-9pm on weekends and holidays
Formerly known as Montage Mountain, Snö offers 10 nicely groomed chutes with dips and peaks for extra fun. There's also a magic carpet so you don't have to trudge back up the hill. Choose from three, five or all-day sessions. If you get chilly, warm up at the outdoor fire pit. For a good deal, check out Family Nights on non-holiday Saturday and Sundays when $50 will get you four tickets to tube between 4 and 9pm.
 

Connecticut

Woodbury Ski Area – Woodbury
785 Washington Road
Approximately 2 hours by car from midtown Manhattan
Hours vary. Visit the website for the complete schedule.
$32-$45 depending on session length
Woodbury is more expensive than most resorts, but I think it's worth it. This was the first ski spot to offer tubing and boasts three tubing parks, four lifts and 20 different runs, plus single and family-size tubes. Choose from 90-minute, three-hour or all-day sessions.

New York

Tuxedo Ridge at Sterling Forest – Tuxedo
581 Route 17A West
Approximately 1 hour by car from midtown Manhattan
Hours vary. Visit the website for the complete schedule.
$20-$25
Tuxedo Ridge offers four lanes and lifts for tubes. Tubers need to be at least 42 inches tall to tube here. Sessions are 90 minutes each, and often sell out, so make online reservations before you go.

Hunter Mountain – Hunter
Route 23a and Route 32a
Approximately 2 hours by car from midtown Manhattan
Open weekends and holidays. Hours vary. Visit the website for a complete schedule.
$20
Here you'll find nine tubing chutes, each 1,000-feet-long, plus two tows to get you and your tube back up the hill. Two-hour sessions begin every two hours, and kids must be at least 42 inches high. For a great deal, check out the Family Friday Fun Pak (sic) when $52 gets you four tickets.

Find other great winter day trip ideas in our Family Travel Guide and additional seasonal fun in our Winter Guide.