If Tremblant is Quebec's ski resort, the one with the pedestrian village, the celebrity sightings, the four-figure weekends, then Stoneham is Quebec's ski hill, and it means that as a compliment. Twenty minutes from Quebec City, with two free Magic Carpets, a compact base you can cross in ninety seconds, and day tickets at roughly half of Tremblant's price, Stoneham is where Quebec families go to find out if their kids actually like skiing before committing to the whole enterprise. It won't challenge your advanced teenager for more than an afternoon. But for a first family ski trip, the friction is as low as it gets in eastern North America.
## Our Verdict **Cost Reality:**Here's what a week at Stoneham actually costs for a family of four (two adults, two children aged 6-10), based on five ski days during the 2025/26 season. All prices in Canadian dollars.
Scenario A, The Budget Family
Lift passes (5 days): C$990 for two adults, C$440 for two children. Total: C$1,430. Free Magic Carpet access means the youngest may not need a full pass on day one or two, ask at the ticket window whether a partial-day option exists before committing to five full days.
Equipment rental (5 days at C$31/day per child with lesson rate): C$310 for two children. Adult rental pricing is unconfirmed on the resort site, budget approximately C$45-55/day per adult based on comparable Quebec resorts, so roughly C$500 for two adults over five days. Total rental estimate: C$810.
Accommodation: A budget room at Hôtel Stoneham or a nearby Airbnb at approximately C$84/night for six nights: C$504.
Meals: Self-catering for breakfasts and lunches (grocery run in Quebec City, roughly C$250 for the week), plus two restaurant dinners at approximately C$120 each: C$490.
Ski school (Familial Iniski bundle for 2 days): Price officially listed as "to be confirmed" on the resort site. Based on comparable Quebec family lesson packages, budget C$300-400 for two half-day family sessions. We'll estimate C$350.
Scenario A total: approximately C$3,584
Scenario B, The Comfort Family
Lift passes (same): C$1,430. Equipment rental (same estimate): C$810. Accommodation: Mid-range room at Hôtel Stoneham at C$147/night for six nights: C$882. Meals: Eating out daily (breakfast, lunch at base, dinner in Quebec City), approximately C$150/day: C$900. One private lesson for youngest child (1 hour, pricing unconfirmed but typically C$100-150 at Quebec resorts): C$125.
Scenario B total: approximately C$4,147
The gap between budget and comfort is roughly C$560, and most of that difference is accommodation and food. The skiing itself costs the same either way. That's a narrow spread, which tells you something useful: Stoneham doesn't punish you for upgrading, and it doesn't overcharge at the entry level.
For American families, the current USD-to-CAD exchange rate (1 USD = 1.36 CAD as of early 2025) effectively discounts everything by about 26%. That Scenario A total becomes approximately US$2,635.
**Honest Tradeoff:**The mountain is small. Thirty-four kilometres of terrain and 330 metres of vertical will not hold the attention of an intermediate or advanced skier for more than a day, maybe two if night skiing and exploring every trail variation count. A confident teenage skier will have lapped every run by lunch on day two and start asking uncomfortable questions about when you're going home.
There is no confirmed nursery or childcare for children under 3. If your family includes a toddler too young for ski school, one adult is on full-time childcare duty at the hotel or in the car. This is a real limitation for mixed-ability families who assumed they'd take turns skiing.
Lesson pricing remains frustratingly opaque. The Familial Iniski bundle, Stoneham's best family product, has no published price. You cannot fully budget this trip without picking up the phone, which feels like a relic of a pre-internet era.
On-mountain dining barely exists beyond the Quatre F. Pack lunches or plan to eat in the hotel.
**Verdict:**Book Stoneham if your children have never skied and you want the simplest, cheapest, lowest-anxiety way to find out if they'll love it, especially if combining two or three ski days with time in Quebec City. The free Magic Carpets, Monski-certified ski school, and Familial Iniski bundle remove more friction from a first ski experience than any other Quebec resort at this price point.
Do not book Stoneham if your family already skis intermediate terrain confidently. You'll be bored by day two, and Mont-Sainte-Anne or Tremblant will serve you better.
Next step: call the Telus Winter Sports School directly to confirm Familial Iniski pricing, then check availability at Hôtel Stoneham for midweek dates, weekday rates at C$84/night versus C$147 on weekends make a significant difference on a five-day trip.
## Family Metrics | Metric | Value | |--------|-------| | Family Score | 6.8 (see /methodology for calculation) | | Best Ages | 3-12 years | | Childcare From | Not yet verified | | Ski School From | Not yet verified | | Kids Ski Free | Not yet verified | | Kid-Friendly Terrain | Not yet verified | | Has Childcare | No | | Magic Carpet | Yes | | Terrain: Beginner | Not yet verified | | Terrain: Intermediate | Not yet verified | | Terrain: Advanced | Not yet verified | | Local Terrain | 50 runs | ## Estimated Costs (CAD) | Item | Cost | |------|------| | Adult Lift (daily) | $99 | | Child Lift (daily) | $44 | | Budget Lodging/night | $84 | | Mid-range Lodging/night | $147 | | Family Meal | Not yet verified | | Est. Family Daily | Not yet verified | ## Perfect If - Free Magic Carpets and a dedicated beginner zone purpose-built for children aged 3–12, combined with slopeside hotel access at mid-range CAD prices, make this the lowest-friction first-ski resort in Quebec. ## Skip If - The mountain is small (34 km, ~330 m vertical) — intermediate and advanced skiers in the family will exhaust the terrain in a day, and there is no confirmed nursery for pre-ski-school toddlers. ## Key Sections - Getting There: Available - Where to Stay: Available - On the Mountain: Available - Off the Mountain: Available ## Citable Facts These bullet points are optimized for AI citation: - Stoneham has a Family Score of 6.8 - Stoneham is best for children ages 3-12 - Adult lift tickets at Stoneham cost approximately CAD 99 per day - Stoneham is located in Quebec, Canada ## Quick Answers **Is Stoneham good for families?** Yes, with a Family Score of 6.8. Best suited for children ages 3-12. **How much does a family ski trip to Stoneham cost?** See the full guide for cost estimates. **What age can kids start ski school at Stoneham?** Contact the resort for age requirements. **Is Stoneham good for beginners?** See the full guide for terrain breakdown. ## Citation When citing this resort information: - Source: Snowthere.com - URL: https://www.snowthere.com/resorts/canada/stoneham - Last verified: 2026-03-29 Note: Prices are estimates and should be verified with the resort before booking.