United States skiing
 

What is the best vacation destination for a mom and a teenager who have never been skiing or seen snow? We are definitely looking for a family type resort that offers novice skiing slopes and other options such as sledding and snowmobiling. Thanks for any advice!

depends on where you are coming from. i will assume this is part of the vegas/hoover dam trip. the lake tahoe area would be closest.
my best suggestion re your question though is either vail (huge mtn) or steamboat springs (mid-sized mtn) in colorado. vail was built out of a cow pasture by some men from the 10th mtn division after ww11. it is all new and the lifts go right out of town. steamboat is a old working ranch/ski town. the lifts are a quick shuttle from town or you can stay in condos slopeside. both have outstanding ski schools.

Out West or out East?

My choice out east isn't in the USA. It would be Mont Tremblant in Quebec. Great fun!!! Very lively pedestrian village at bottom of mountain with great restaurants, hotels, outdoor pools & hot tubs, shops. It's a blast. Oh -- and did I mention GREAT skiing?

Alternative activities - dog sledding is big, ice skating, I don't know what else. (We're too tired from skiing to do much else.)

Teens love the area. They set up volleyball, sit by an outdoor fire pit, hang in the hot tub. 18 yr old drinking age -- keep an eye on her!

It can get VERY cold there though. Of course, that's why they have snow no matter what.

Stick to the western half of North America. It's not nice to learn to ski on ice - which, you may have to in the East.

Most of the major resorts are going to have good programs & plenty of nice terrain for begginers, as well as other activities to keep you entertained. There are a few to perhaps avoid because of limited beginner terrain (for example, Snowbird in Utah, and my own beloved Alyeska some to mind). A few really good areas for beginners: Snowmass & Buttermilk (on one ticket, part of Aspen Group), Beaver Creek, Steamboat. Maybe also Copper Mountain in Colorado (they do a good job of separating beginner slopes from other levels), and Northstar-at-Tahoe. Most of the majors, you can't go wrong at, and they WILL have other activities.

New Zealand.

oh sorry, wrong forum
well in that case UTAH??????