by:  Elizabeth Sedway, TahoeKidsGuide.com

This Summer our family of four, mom, dad and two kids (ages 5 and 8), enjoyed a true family vacation at the Resort at Squaw Creek.  This review will give you and your family detailed information about the resort, to help you plan your own Summer visit.

Resort Location:  Located adjacent to the Squaw Valley Ski Resort, the Resort at Squaw Creek is within 10 miles of Tahoe City and Lake Tahoe. 

If you're arriving by plane, there is transportation from Reno/Tahoe Airport available daily by reservation.  The airport is a 42 miles from the resort.  Shuttles leave the airport on the hour from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Shuttles leave Resort at Squaw Creek on the hour from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.  At approximately $70 per person, the shuttle may be a good alternative to a rental car, depending upon the number or people in your party and the length of your stay.  Keep in mind, valet parking is $25 per day, while self parking is free.

Value:  At the time of our visit, room rates ranged from $299 for a Deluxe Queen Room to $329 for a Fireplace Suite Room. The decor of the rooms is superior; among the nicest you'll find in the region.  While the rooms are well-worth the price, the amenities (see below) and affordable activities (also below) at the resort make this property a great value. It takes very little effort to find something fun for each member of the family to enjoy.  The service offered by the resort is superior, eliminating most, if not all, of the chores associated with travel.

Amenities:  The Resort at Squaw Creek feature the following amenities:

• Robert Trent Jones Jr. championship golf course
• Several distinctive restaurants
• Extensive meeting space
• Wireless high-speed Internet access
• Exclusive boutique shopping
• Three outdoor swimming pools
• Outdoor hot tubs
• Luxury spa
• Health and fitness center
• Mountain Buddies, a supervised children's program for family travel

Family and Kids' Activities:  We discovered there are many family and kid-friendly activities available at the resort.  Even more impressive than the shear number of activities available, was the affordability of these activities. 

For no additional charge at all, guest can enjoy these Summer activities:  Swimming, hiking, tennis, chess and checkers in the lobby, transportation to The Village at Squaw Valley and the Health and Fitness Center.  The July weekend we visited, hotels guests were even offered free ice cream cones poolside. 

For under $10 guests could paint pottery, which would be fired at delivered to their room the next day.  Also for around $10, guests could make their own tye dye shirts.

Service:  We found resort staff, without exception, very friendly prompt and competent.  We left our room at 9a.m. in the morning and returned for a change of clothes at noon.  We found our room cleaned and looking as nice as when we checked in. 

Mountain Buddies counselor, Jordan, greeted our family warmly and facilitated a fun and incredibly active afternoon for our children.  They played on the climbing wall, made tye dye shirts, painted pottery, played tennis, went swimming and enjoyed the waterslide and more.  They were delighted and blissfully exhausted when we picked them up.

We spent a good portion of our time poolside during our visit.  The pool staff were attentive not just to us, but to all the people around us.  Pool Manager, Joanna McKenzie brought special delight to our children one afternoon when she found them playing in the beach sand area adjacent to the pool.  She talked with them a bit, left, and then reappeared with all kinds of sand toys.  Then, Joanna nestled down in sand with our boys and help them get started on a sand castle complete with water-filled mote.

Based upon our mid-July weekend visit, each member of our family emphatically recommends The Resort at Squaw Creek.  It is one of the finest resorts in the Lake Tahoe area, and we also found it to be one of the best values for your Lake Tahoe Summer vacation dollar.  If you want a resort where you can count on having fun as a family and relaxing in a resort environment, The Resort at Squaw Creek is a good choice.