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My Southern kids seemed to have all but forgotten their Midwestern roots. Because, over the past couple of years, they have started asking us to plan more trips to cold-weather destinations with — bonus points for snow! Their dreams came true last week when a family event in Washington State overlapped with their Winter Break, allowing us to sneak in a few days at Suncadia Resort in the Cascade Mountains. And my siblings were able to join us with their young children, making it even more magical!
Visting Suncadia Resort In Winter
Nested along Washington State’s Snoqualmie Pass through the Cascade Mountains, Suncadia Resort was everything I was hoping for: a Winter escape. You see, we aren’t skiers (yet), so I wasn’t looking for a big, expensive ski resort experience on this trip. What I was envisioning was ice skating, tubing, outdoor hot tubs with steam rising against the cold snow, and a cozy lodge with good food and big fireplaces. Winter magic was on our minds!
I found everything I was looking for at Suncadia Resort and more! As a bonus, I was able to earn points and elite qualifying Hyatt nights during our stay, as Suncadia is a Destination by Hyatt property. You can even use Hyatt points to book your stay here, pending availability.
Our three night stay at Suncadia was a personal leisure trip, where I actually tried my best not to work. So, I don’t have Suncadia room photos or mouthwatering shots of our dinners, but the great news is that you can find all of that on their website. What I do have are some of my favorite family snapshots, some valuable first-hand tips for your stay, and some wonderful new memories!
Suncadia: Winter vs Summer
As the oldest sister and the family travel planner, I took it upon myself to do some extra advanced research for this winter getaway. With a group of twelve, including four children under six, I knew we couldn’t be as laissez-faire as I tend to be on our other family trips.
I quickly found a lot of information online about all of the wonderful summer activities at Suncadia. The 40+ miles of hiking/biking trails and numerous community pools looked right up our family’s alley! In fact, it reminded me a bit of a more rugged Palmetto Bluff, with the Lodge/Inn and the residential homes and condos. I can just picture sunkissed faces riding bikes around the property from activity to activity.
However, I had a harder time envisioning what Suncadia was like during the wintertime. Growing up in Washington State, I know that it can get very cold in the Cascade Mountains. So, naturally, I wondered how much there would be to do and even what would be open in the winter, especially post-Winterfest, which runs from around Thanksgiving to the New Year.
Well, we visited the second week in February, staying Wednesday through Saturday, and there were just the right amount of activities to keep us busy. Likewise, we found the Lodge at Suncadia to be quite comfortable!
Accommodations At Suncadia Resort
As I mentioned above, this isn’t a “hotel review” post, and I didn’t take photos of our room or many Suncadia Resort photos. Still, I wanted to explain the various types of accommodations at Suncadia Resort quickly. Then, I will share all of the activities we did and some first-hand travel tips!
SUNCADIA RESORT ADDRESS: 3600 Suncadia Trail, Cle Elum, WA 98922
The Lodge At Suncadia
The Lodge is the main hotel on the property and is home to 250+ rooms, including suites (1-2 bedrooms) and penthouses. We stayed in a one-bedroom suite and really appreciated the kitchen setup with the large refrigerator. And it had a washer and dryer, which came in very handy with our wet snow clothes!
The Lodge is home to The Source Plates & Pours and The Source Mercantile. We ate from the bar in the big lodge area all three nights! And, the Source Mercantile was perfect for breakfast and snacks. We enjoyed the grab-and-go breakfast burritos and fresh coffee! There are also coolers with some essentials if you don’t have time or the desire to visit a grocery store.
I got the impression that The Lodge is the more family-friendly of the hotel-like accommodations at Suncadia. And it was perfect for our large family!
The Inn At Suncadia
Not far from the Lodge is The Inn at Suncadia, a more intimate experience with only 18 rooms and suites. The Inn is better suited for adults and home to The Stovehouse Restaurant, which looked fantastic, and the Golf Shop. In reading the Suncadia Resort reviews, this seems as the more upscale option and nearest the Suncadia Resort golf amenities.
Trailhead Condos
These one or two-bedroom condos (some with bunks) offer more space and a bit more privacy. For this trip, we wanted to be close to the other families and have easy food and beverage access, so we preferred being in the Lodge to hop from room to room. But I can see why the condos would be appealing, especially on a summer trip to Suncadia!
Vacation Rentals At Suncadia
Many Suncadia guests are also staying at vacation rentals spread over this 6400-acre mountain resort. And these aren’t homely mountain cabins! Suncadia is home to some of Washington State’s premier vacation rentals. As a successful Airbnb host myself, I couldn’t help but hop onto Zillow. Many of these homes are impressive luxury getaways worth millions of dollars!
Click here to view Suncadia vacation rentals on VRBO.
You will notice that some rooms at The Lodge At Suncadia are also available to rent privately through VRBO. I noticed that many Lodge rooms are for sale as well, and the prices are actually much more affordable than what we own in a similar size on 30A!
Activities At Sucadia Resort
So, what did we do during our three days at Suncadia Resort? Well, the most impressive outing was Matt and Abby’s epic 2-hour snowshoeing adventure. It was only 15 degrees, and it was snowing. This is definitely a core memory unlocked for both of them!
While they snowshoed, Jake and I gave the tubing hill a first run. Only a few people were out there that morning, and the snow was coming down pretty hard. It was literally the very moment I was hoping for when I booked our trip to this Cle Elum resort.
The kids also went Glice Skating, and we spent time in the indoor pool (and waterslides) and the outdoor hot tubs. We spent the rest of our time was spent in the main lodge area, enjoying good food and drink by the fire. It was such a great setup as the four little ones hopped back and forth between their older cousins. Jake and Abby are always so good with them, too!
Not all activities are offered daily, and they have set times/sessions, so make sure to use the following link to check what’s going on during your stay at Suncadia Resort. For example, Glice Skating isn’t currently open on Tuesday and Wednesday, so if that is important to you, you may want to plan your trip on alternate days.
QUICK LINK: Suncadia Events & Experiences
Food & Drink At Suncadia Resort
There are two main restaurants at Suncadia: The Source at the Lodge and The Stovehouse at The Inn. Both have a lodge feel, but the Stovehouse is the more upscale of the two, and reservations are recommended. We really enjoyed the main lodge bar at The Source.
TIP: Make sure to try to Smoked Old Fashioned!
In addition, the Lodge at Suncacia is home to The Source Mercantile. We loved this little coffee shop! The grab-and-go pastries and breakfast sandwiches were perfect for our group!
If you visit in the summer, there are several other smaller seasonal options, such as the Suncadia Street Eats food trucks, The River Bar, Mulligans, and Nellies! Plus, there are local restaurants nearby in Roslyn and Cle Elum. And, as most of the rooms have larger kitchen areas, you can bring in some of your groceries. We stopped at the Trader Joe’s in Issaquah before heading into the pass. But there is a Safeway right there in Cle Elum as well.
QUICK LINK: Suncadia Resort Food & Drink Options
6 Tips For Visiting Suncadia Resort In Winter
As I mentioned before, I had a handful of questions prior to the trip that I think would be helpful to share. Because I want your family to have as wonderful of a time as we did. And I do believe you have to be a little more strategic when visiting Suncadia Resort in the winter!
It is key that you pay attention to the activities calendar above to see exactly when particular areas are open. Many of the popular things to do in Suncadia are seasonal, so that schedule is incredibly helpful when you enter your specific dates at the top.
Here are six helpful tips for your trip to Suncadia Resort in Cle Elum, Washington!
#1 Monitor The Snoqualmie Pass Conditions
If you aren’t from the Pacific Northwest, you may not realize how important it is to monitor conditions in the Snoqualmie Pass. I recommend that you save the following link to monitor road conditions and closures. You can even sign up for text alerts! You can swipe through the live photos taken along various points in the pass, acting as a Cascade Mountain snow cam.
QUICK LINK: Snoqualmie Pass Real-Time Status
It’s a good idea to rent an SUV with all-wheel drive and snow traction control. And don’t dilly-dally getting up or down the pass, especially if you think snow or severe weather is coming! Make sure to check the weather in the pass via that link and not just the Suncadia weather.
#2 Enjoy The Happy Hours
Suncadia Resort has great Happy Hours! With such a big group and so many little kids, The Source’s Happy Hour was a massive win for us. We were able to get a large casual seating area by the fireplace and order from the bar. Doing so gave us some room to spread out and relax than if we were all to sit at a long restaurant table.
Happy Hour runs from 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm at the Suncadia restaurants. At The Source, they had a bunch of appetizers 1/2 price and some wine and beer specials. And at The Stovehouse they are 28% off. The Source also brings back their happy house prices for 1 hour before closing!
Click here to browse Suncadia Resort Happy Hour!
#3 Book Activities In Advance
One of my most burning questions prior to this trip was whether or not we needed to book activities in advance. We did book our tubing experience about a week out to ensure our big group could all go. But, it ended up not being 100% necessary. We booked skating just an hour before the activity.
That said, on our last day, it was getting much busier as guests rolled in for a long weekend. So, definitely consider that, and it’s better to be safe than sorry. They seem very flexible with changes to activities!
TIP: The tubing hill use is free and you can bring your sled. The $25 rental fee is for the tube. You don’t necessarily need to rent one per person. Our group spent $300 on twelve and could have easily done six or seven tubes.
#4 Get Out And Explore
If visiting Suncadia in the wintertime, it’s easy just never to leave the Lodge. But I encourage you to get out for a brisk walk. Get a lay of the land!
On our first afternoon, Matt and I left the Lodge and walked out past the Galde, the Suncadia spa. Then we took the walking path over the the indoor pool and activities center. The path took us right by the Glice Skating Rink. After that, we retraced our steps and walked over to the Inn, checking out the Suncadia Golf Shop and The Stovehouse Restaurant. We wrapped up our walk with a look at the tubing hill. All in all, this gave us a good feel for the property and helped us lay out our plans for the next few days.
#5 Shuttle Around The Resort
If you aren’t up for walking during your Suncadia winter trip, take advantage of the free Suncadia Resort Shuttle. The driver we had was so friendly! We found this service particularly helpful after our swim at the big indoor/outdoor pool. Instead of walking for 10 minutes with wet hair, we were able to enjoy door-to-door transfer service!
#6 Save Room For Smores Hour
During our stay, we enjoyed an evening Smores Hour from 7 pm – 9 pm. These were the perfect little treats before the little ones headed up to bed. The Smores sticks and sets are complimentary and very generous in size! After picking them up in the lobby, Suncadia guests can either take them to the fire out front or out back to toast their marshmallows!
Plan Your Visit To Suncadia Resort
Suncadia Resort was exactly what our family was looking for in a winter escape! It proved perfect for my family (with two teenagers) but also ended up being a wonderful retreat for an extended family getaway. Additionally, we found the Suncadia resort prices to be very reasonable for such a unique winter experience!
We found wintertime at Suncadia Resort to be mountain magic, joking at times that it felt like we had stepped into a Hallmark movie set! However, I am intrigued by all that Suncadia has to offer in the summer as well and would love to plan a return trip, especially once the new Suncadia Social area opens up in 2026. It is right up my alley! And, because it was icy, we didn’t get to do the 1000 Steps Suncadia hike, which is on our bucket list!
If you are interested in planning a trip to Suncadia Resort, visit their website for more information or browse vacation rentals at Suncadia Resort!
Feel free to use the map below to look at some additional lodging options at Suncadia. As you zoom in to various parts of Suncadia, you can see more of the vacation rentals.
More Family Travel Inspiration
If you enjoyed hearing about Suncadia Resort, you’ll love my other travel blog posts! If you are looking for other family-friendly resorts that I recommend, make sure to check out the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point and the Turks and Caicos Collection Resorts. Our family enjoys traveling, and now that our two kids are teenagers, we have been taking more and more bucket-list trips around the world. So, make sure to follow us on social media to see where we are off to next!
You can view all of my family travel blog posts here!
PIN: Suncadia Resort In Winter For Later
