It's hard to miss the BullDog Grand Cafe when you drive into Silver Star. It sits at the top of the main street through the resort and covers at very large portion of the block. The cafe sits on the first floor of the Bulldog Hotel, has plenty of seating to offer families outside of the bar area, and serves up one heck of a burger. And always, ALWAYS remember that when a burger comes with bacon it isn't the long thin strips American's are used it. It is Canadian bacon, which is also very tasty.

After a long day on the slopes your family will be famished. Long John's is very kid friendly, with enough variety in the menu to satisfy any picky eater needs. A favorite was the Grilled Cheesiest, Creamy Tomato Basil Soup, Butcher Block Beef Salad (ask for the dressing on the side if you don't your lettuce to swim), Tuna Melt (actually a tuna steak, not flaky tuna), and Bunkhouse Chili. There are hot dogs and burgers as well if you are in the mood, or go more adventurous with Mussels and Chorizo or Back Hand of John Ribs. There is a bar you can sit at if you are of age, but there are plenty of large tables for a family to settle into, even if you brought a few friends with you.

Normally when you tell me my pizza will be on a whole wheat crust I cringe inside and hear pizza angels dying somewhere, but HB Pizza somehow pulls it off. The crust wasn't too dry, and it wasn't half bad cold later in the evening. Their fresh toppings and creative flavor combinations make it an easy family stop after a long day on the slopes. Order your pie to go and bring it back to your room or cram into a table in their tiny shop. Beverages, dessert squares, meat pies, pasta, salads, and calzones are also on the menu.

Oh how I love the smell of fresh pastries in the morning. This is exactly what you will find when you walk into Frank's establishment Bugaboos Bakery Cafe. Croissant sandwiches filled with brie, veggies, and other delicious goodies tempt you at lunch, meaning you can indulge your sweet tooth and dive into the apple strudel, chocolate croissants, or cinnamon bun if you so desire. Your kids' eyes will bug out of their head as they press their faces against the dessert case and beg you to let them have cake instead of something a little more sensible. Then again, you are on vacation. So while you sip your cappuccino or dutch imported cocoa let your kids load up on sugar before you set them loose on the mountain. Ski school can worry about all that energy they will now have.

I'll admit it, I've never dropped my son off at daycare while at a ski resort. He was always too young. This year I gave it a try though, and oh boy are we both glad that I did! My son, who is 3 years old, loved playing with other kids before his private lesson (added expense for ages 3-5) with a ski instructor. I'm a snowboarder, so having someone teach him how to ski so we can all get on the slopes faster as a family was extremely handy to have built into the daycare program. Even better, he had fun playing and learning, while I was on the slopes having a bit of "me time." I get my Zen moment of the day as I whoosh (and fall) down a mountain covered in fluffy white snow. Hi instructor was incredibly patient, lots of fun, and really encouraged him to push himself when she knew he could. At no point did he show fear and that is because she made it so easy for him to love this new sport he had been introduced to. The teacher in the daycare was equally as nice and caring. She helped the kids when there was a sharing issue, was very hands on, and made it so fun that my son never wanted to leave. He actually begged to go back. If that isn't tell than I don't know what is.