You can either fear winter or embrace it with a winter hobby like skiing or snowboarding, and one of those ways sounds a lot more fun than the other for me. But with so many diverse mountain destinations to choose from, choosing a ski trip locale can feel like you're standing on top of a double black diamond. It doesn't have to, though.
The beauty of skiing and snowboarding is that there's no one right way to do it. There is truly something for everyone when it comes to choosing your ski trip destination – don't be overwhelmed by the mountain of options.
Some winter travelers are looking for steep chutes and deep powder while others want a safe place to learn with an alpine town vibe. Some skiers and snowboarders are hoping for comfortable slope-side accommodations, while others just want a place to rest their heads … even if that place is in the back of a van.
Whether you're skiing from first chair to last chair of the day or you hope to be sipping cocoa and bloody marys by noon, there's a mountain experience out there for you. This guide will help lead you to the best ski resort for your upcoming trip.
Many of these resorts belong to one of the major ski pass programs: Read our guide comparing the Ikon vs Epic Pass and see if either one will help you save this winter season!
Best Ski Resorts for Beginners or Novices
New skier or rider? Knocking the rust off after a multi-year hiatus from the slopes? There are tons of great options to help you find your edges while still soaking in some of the best mountain towns in the world.
Buttermilk, Colorado
A part of a quartet of mountains in the Aspen-Snowmass family in Colorado, Buttermilk (Ikon Pass/Mountain Collective) is known for its gentle slopes and learn-to-ski areas. Literally a walk from the Aspen-Pitkin County (ASE) airport, the resort is also close to legendary downtown Aspen.
Besides the wide open, groomed, and relatively tame runs, part of the allure for beginners at Buttermilk is the famous Aspen/Snowmass Ski School, which offers public and private lessons for people of all ages.
If Buttermilk sounds familiar to you, that's also because it is the home of the Winter X Games every winter at the end of January. If you're looking for a fun attraction to fill your days and nights besides hitting the slopes, consider a visit during this time, too!
Park City, Utah
Park City (Epic Pass) is the largest ski area in the United States, but don't let the acreage intimidate you! It has something for everyone, including a sprawling network of beginner and intermediate slopes that are perfect for learning or honing your skills. Just look at all that green (beginner runs) and blue (intermediate runs) on their enormous trail map!
Plus, if you have skiers or riders of ranging levels in your group, the intermediate and advanced skiers will still have thousands of acres of fun. And, if you catch on quickly, you can keep progressing to higher levels of terrain over the course of a week.
In addition, the town of Park City has a little bit of everything. As one of the bigger ski towns and still very close to Salt Lake City, it has big-time amenities in a mountain town package.
Northstar, California
The northernmost of Lake Tahoe's Epic Pass resorts, Northstar benefits from the abundant snowfall and spectacular weather of the Tahoe region, but without the death-defying terrain of nearby Palisades Tahoe.
Northstar is just as known for its Ritz-Carlton Resort as it is for its slopes, so it's the perfect place to take it easy with a glass of champagne or a latte in between runs, too.
The mountain isn't too expansive, either, so getting lost or stuck on top of something too steep isn't something to worry about for the most part.
Your Local Hill!
Before you start throwing money into your new or renewed hobby, make sure you're up for it with a few low-stakes, cheaper laps at your local hill first.
If you're based in the Northeast or the Midwest, you have plenty of options to get your feet under you and make sure you're actually excited to ski again before you spend thousands on a big destination trip.
Just remember: Everything will be more fun out west! Don't cross off the sport after some bad, sub-zero, icy turns. But definitely use your local hill for a test run.
Honorable Mentions: Heavenly (California), Lutsen (Minnesota), Stowe (Vermont), Eldora (Colorado)
Check out the flight deals straight into ski territory we've been finding lately!
Best Ski Resorts for Advanced Skiers
If you've spent your fall watching snowfall outlooks, tuning your skis, and dialing in those squats and lunges, you might want to check out some of these world-class ski areas that cater to advanced skiers and experts.
In every case, there are also beginner and intermediate options at the resort. But these are the best ski resorts for those looking for a challenge.
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Starting at the parking lot of western Wyoming's Jackson Hole (Ikon Pass), you can take a lift called the Aerial Tram that takes you up 4,139 vertical feet into the expert terrain at the top of Rendezvous Mountain. Depending on how many pre-season squats and lunges you actually did (versus how many you planned to do), your legs will be screaming by the time you get back down to the bottom.
The Tram is just one of the lifts that can get you to some steep, challenging terrain in a place where it seemingly always snows. Jackson Hole is an advanced skier's paradise, and it has a lively base village and nearby mountain town to keep even non-skiers entertained.
Jackson's hard-charging vibe starts in the lift line long before the chairs open and continues through your ápres ski drinks at the Mangy Moose, too.
Aspen Highlands, Colorado
Another resort in the Aspen/Snowmass family, Aspen Highlands (Ikon Pass/Mountain Collective) is known for its expert terrain, including the famed Highland Bowl.
Starting from the top of the Loge Peak Lift, Highland Bowl seekers must hike 782 challenging vertical feet to the 12,392-foot summit. Once there, they have 270 acres of terrain, in the shape of a bowl, which is some of the wildest in-bounds terrain on the continent.
The Highland Bowl is a mecca for expert skiers and the close-by Deep Temerity lift also features some incredible, gladed expert terrain, too. If it snows in the Roaring Fork Valley, head to Highlands for the steep and deep.
Revelstoke, British Columbia
Revelstoke is quickly becoming big mountain skiing's worst-kept secret. This British Columbia resort opened for the first time in 2007 and brought lift access to some of the best – and snowiest – mountains in the world.
Just a few hours' drive west of Calgary, Revelstoke (Ikon Pass/Mountain Collective) is a new and rapidly growing mountain town that caters to powder-seekers and those looking to conquer some advanced terrain.
Because it's more difficult to get to than other ski areas, you won't fight huge crowds at Revelstoke, either.
Palisades Tahoe, California
Palisades Tahoe (Ikon) was the playground on which some of the best skiers in the world created modern freeskiing. The enormous mountain is known for its epic Lake Tahoe-region snowfalls. I've skied consecutive days at Palisades Tahoe where the resort received 28 inches or more overnight.
The place is a powder paradise that features miles of skiable ridgeline that you can access from one of the mountain's many lifts. The massive high alpine area, the Granite Chief backside area, and the famed KT-22 lift that goes straight up from the base spread out the expert skiers, too. Plus, there's a whole other side to Palisades Tahoe called Alpine Meadows. Now connected by a base-to-base gondola, the once separate resorts are one and the same to skiers and riders with a Palisades lift ticket.
While it's home to some unbelievable terrain and some of the most plentiful snowfall on earth, Palisades shirks that hard-charging, aggressive, competitive energy in favor of a more laid-back, Californian vibe, too.
It's personally my favorite ski area in the world. I can't wait to go back.
Honorable Mentions: Kicking Horse (British Columbia), Alta (Utah), Snowbird (Utah)
Best Ski Resorts for Families
Ski trips with the whole family are an entirely different animal. Juggling ski equipment, travel concerns, and fragile sensibilities can be a whirlwind for parents. But I can't tell you how grateful I am that my dad put up with it at the first resort on this list.
Snowmass, Colorado
Snowmass (Ikon/Mountain Collective) is the family-centric resort of the Aspen/Snowmass quartet of mountains. It's a large resort, featuring dozens of beginner and intermediate runs, as well as some advanced and expert options, too.
Snowmass is near Aspen but is a distinctly quieter, more resort-y town. Perhaps most importantly, it's home to Aspen/Snowmass' famed ski school, to which I personally owe a lifetime love of the mountains.
A key to any family mountain, Snowmass also offers a diverse grouping of runs from expert chutes to its famed bunny hill, Fanny Hill. Plus, its newly revamped base village features tons of dining and entertainment offerings for everyone in the family.
Mammoth, California
Mammoth Mountain is as big as its name suggests, which is a positive for skiing and riding families. This place has something for everyone, from steep ridgelines for the expert or fearless teenager to bunny slopes and easily accessible ápres-ski spots for less eager family members to retreat to.
Nestled in the Sierra Nevada mountains away from the hustle and bustle of Lake Tahoe and from Los Angeles and Las Vegas to the south, the quiet area is a perfect escape for families.
Especially in the middle of the week, Mammoth is also a good place to avoid crowds. Lines typically form thanks to weekend warriors on Saturdays and Sundays, but Mammoth will feel a world away from the rat race Monday-Friday.
Whistler-Blackcomb, British Columbia
North of the border, Whistler-Blackcomb (Epic) is the class of the continent when it comes to skiing. Whistler could be on every single list in this story because it checks all the boxes. That's also why it's the best mountain for every person in the family.
The mountain has a little bit of everything with any amenity you can think of. Plus, with two interconnected mountains, you can spend a week exploring the place and never get bored.
The coastal environment brings about some great snowfalls, but also relatively comfortable temperatures for skiers and riders to enjoy.
Whistler is about 90 minutes north of Vancouver (YVR), making it relatively easy to fly to as well.
Honorable Mentions: Copper (Colorado), Winter Park (Colorado), Heavenly (California), Sugarbush (Vermont)
Best Value Ski Resorts
The cost of ski trips can add up fast. But if you know where to look, your ski vacation doesn't have to break the bank.
Wolf Creek, Colorado
If you haven't heard of Wolf Creek, that's by design. The low-key, no-frills ski area in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado boasts the most annual snowfall of any resort in the state. It's a powder-skiing destination despite its relatively small stature and remote location.
The ski area doesn't have any lodging and only has one base lodge to sell food and drink, rental equipment … and cheap, cheap lift tickets. Their average day ticket runs only around $82 for adults, a far cry from the $200+ lift tickets offered by some of the bigger resorts in Colorado and the rest of North America.
While the masses sit in hours of traffic on I-70 heading to Vail, Breckenridge, and Copper, make the 5-hour drive down to Wolf Creek for a cheap weekend of skiing and riding.
Also, Wolf Creek typically averages the most snowfall of any resort in Colorado thanks to its unique location. Chase a storm down to Wolf Creek for an exceptional experience.
Nearby Pagosa Springs, Colorado is a funky little mountain town that serves as a good home base for a Wolf Creek visit, too.
Mt. Hood Meadows, Oregon
Just about an hour from Portland, Mt. Hood Meadows is one of the best city-adjacent mountains in the country. And even though it's a popular spot and draws tons of skiers and riders from the city, day lift tickets at Mt. Hood Meadows can typically be purchased in the $70-$125 range depending on how busy the resort is that day.
The dynamic pricing model can lead to tickets a little closer to $150 on snowy weekend days, but can also allow for some terrific value if you purchase in advance.
The resort has a high alpine area under the peak of Mt. Hood that is spectacular on a sunny day, but it also has a lower area that, snow-quality permitting, offers skiers and riders some magnificent runs, too.
Mount Bohemia, Michigan
You might be asking: “Michigan, really?”
Yes, really.
Mount Bohemia is the most unique ski area on the continent in so many ways. For one, its location on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan puts it directly in the way of more than 200 inches of snow per winter on average, which is about 150 more inches of snow than they average just an hour south. It's located on the very northern tip of the Keewenaw Peninsula, and is therefore extremely remote. The nearest major international airport is Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP), which is about seven hours away. The “base area” of the resort is a series of interconnected yurts, one actual building, and a spa area called the “Nordic Spa” that features what the company brags is the biggest hot tub in Michigan.
But the more than 1,000 vertical feet of skiing offered at Mount Bohemia makes it hard to believe you're in the Midwest. It's steep and snowy there and they own exactly zero snow grooming machines. These conditions birthed a hilariously pointed slogan for the mountain: “No Beginners.”
But here's the kicker: Mount Bohemia's unlimited access season pass is $110…
Read that again. For one week a year at the end of November, the Mount Bohemia season pass is less than half the cost of one day of skiing at Vail, Beaver Creek, or Jackson Hole. You must be a season pass holder to ski Saturdays at Mount Bohemia, too, which helps the resort quell overcrowding (which it doesn't have much of, to begin with.)
This place is special. There's nothing quite like it.
Brundage, Idaho
Just a few hours north of Boise, Idaho you'll find Brundage (Indy Pass). Just like Wolf Creek, this resort is no-frills but offers some great ski and snowboard terrain. Brundage is close to the town of McCall, Idaho, which is a cute home base to explore Brundage on the shores of Payette Lake.
With adult day tickets starting at just $80 and with nearly 2,000 acres to ski and ride, Brundage is one of the best values in skiing if you can make the trip to central Idaho.
If you go, check out the Lakeview zone, featuring tons of intermediate runs with spectacular views of Payette Lake.
Honorable Mention: Red Lodge (Montana), Grand Targhee (Wyoming), Loveland (Colorado), Mad River Glen (Vermont)
Best Ski Resorts to Avoid Crowds
Skiing is as popular as it has ever been. It was gaining popularity all through the 2010s and then the pandemic forced everyone sitting on the fence about this hobby outside. People from the city moved to the mountains and seemingly everyone fell in love with the winter pastime.
That became a problem for some ski resorts as they experienced real, sustained overcrowding for the first time. Resorts are quickly trying to build more lifts in order to handle the swelling crowds, but there are still some places where overcrowding isn't an issue.
Taos
New Mexico doesn't always top the mind when it comes to ski destinations, but the mountains of northern Mexico are an awesome place to visit at a good value. Taos (Ikon/Mountain Collective) is definitely on that list.
Taos has a uniquely southwestern vibe despite being a high-end skiing destination. The town of Taos has tons of history, including the Taos Pueblo, which is an active, living Native American community and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
As a ski area, Taos has everything. It has the expert slopes of Kachina Peak and plenty of runs on which beginners or intermediates can cruise, too. Plus, it has a world-famous apres-ski bar called The Bavarian, where a pint awaits after a day of cutting through fresh powder.
Because Taos is far from the busy mountains of Colorado and the bustling city of Albuquerque, it doesn't deal with enormous crowds or lift lines.
Whitefish, Montana
Whitefish Mountain Resort near Glacier National Park is one of the prettiest mountains I've ever skied and the city of Whitefish is a gem of a mountain town, too.
Off the beaten path, the town of Whitefish is close to the Canadian border in northern Montana. Despite its remoteness, Whitefish has great dining options and a thriving arts and culture scene.
But up the hill from Whitefish is Whitefish Mountain Resort. The ski area used to be known as “Big Mountain” and you can feel it when you're up there. The resort has tons of options for skiers and riders of all ilks. It's also famous for its “snow ghost” trees completely caked in snow. Skiing through them is a surreal experience.
You can fly to Kalispell (FCA) or take the Amtrak straight into the middle of town, too. But other than that, a long road trip awaits skiers and riders looking for a taste of Whitefish. That's partly why the resort is able to shirk overcrowding and keep its lift tickets cheap.
Plus, Whitefish is a large enough resort that you can spend multiple days there without getting bored.
I can't mask my affection for this place. It's one of the best ski resorts on the continent.
Grand Targhee
On the other side of the Grand Teton Mountains from popular Jackson Hole sits Grand Targhee (Mountain Collective), a smaller yet all-encompassing ski resort with everything you need for a ski vacation – at a lower price tag. Plus, on a sunny day, you get this incredible view of the Grand Teton.
Grand Targhee gets all of the snow of Jackson – but without the crowds. Its wide open, accessible slopes cater to all types of skiers and riders and its modest but complete base village has everything one would need to fill out a ski vacation.
Being on the western side of the Teton mountains, you have to take the legendary Teton Pass to drive over to Targhee. This drive is enough to scare skiers and riders away to the world-famous Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. But if you can stomach the 1.5-hour trek, it's worth every second.
Any time I make a trip to Jackson Hole, I insist on at least one day at Grand Targhee.
Schweitzer, Idaho
Schweitzer, Idaho, a new entrant into the Ikon Pass fray, is located just north of Couer d'Alene, Idaho, and just east of Spokane, Washington. Nestled in the Selkirk Mountains in Sandpoint, Idaho, the towering mountain is not particularly close to any major metropolitan area and makes for a pretty solitary skiing experience in the best way.
Spokane Airport (GEG) is about 2 hours away from Schweitzer, giving the tall, snowy mountain plenty of breathing room.
But if that's not enough crowd avoidance for you, you can book a day of cat-skiing off the back of Schweitzer with Selkirk Powder, too.
Honorable Mention: Alyeska (Ikon), Tamarack (Idaho), Red Mountain (B.C.)
Best Ski Resorts for a Splurge
You've been saving for trips like these. Not all ski trips have to fit into a neat budget.
If you're ready to spend a little more to get a little more, take these ski resorts into consideration.
Vail and Beaver Creek
Vail and Beaver Creek, the flagship resorts of the Epic Pass, are known for being big, expensive winter playgrounds. Just a short drive from Denver, Vail is a truly incredible resort, and it knows it.
After Christmas and on holiday weekends, Vail has been known to routinely charge day lift ticket prices in excess of $200. The Epic Pass, which grants you access to Vail, Beaver Creek, and a catalog of dozens more resorts around the world, is $969 right now.
The lodging in the town of Vail is similarly costly, especially if you want to sleep slopeside. The food and drink in town is, you guessed it, also tough on the wallet.
Despite the expense, Vail and its famed network of “Back Bowls” offer some world-class skiing that caters to anyone. Plus, the resort is long on high-end amenities.
Steamboat Springs
In northern Colorado, Steamboat Springs (Ikon Pass) offers skiers and riders of all skill levels something to enjoy, but it will likely cost you.
Its rolling groomed runs are the perfect place to get into a groove without feeling like you're going to wind up somewhere too challenging for your level. But as you gain confidence over the course of your trip, there are plenty of intermediate and even advanced runs, too.
Steamboat itself is a perfect mountain town to unwind and rest your tired legs after a day of learning. It has a laid-back, western vibe and its namesake hot springs are a great apres-ski activity.
Lately, Steamboat has exploded in popularity, leading the resort to charge upwards of $275 per day to ride the resort. Ouch.
Big Sky
Big Sky (Ikon/Mountain Collective) is another sprawling resort that caters to beginners and experts alike, making it a perfect getaway for families…so long as they're rich families.
An hour south of Bozeman, it's a relatively accessible mountain area with tons of new lodging options from slopeside condos and hotel rooms to mountain cabins in the woods. But as the popularity of this resort has grown, so has the cost to visit.
Single-day lift tickets can cost anywhere between $215 and $275 dollars, and if you want to ride the resort's aerial tram to the top of the peak, it's another $75 surcharge. Big Sky is the only resort that nickel and dimes skiers and riders like this to use one of their lifts.
Once an up-and-coming escape into the Montana mountains, Big Sky has morphed into a mountain haven for the rich and it appears to be leaning into that designation.
Deer Valley Resort
Like Vail, Deer Valley Resort (Ikon) is also known for its astronomical lift ticket prices. In Park City, Utah, the glitzy mountain is a skier's playground – but it's for skiers only.
That's right, Deer Valley is one of the only remaining mountain resorts in the world that does not allow snowboarding. Another is nearby Alta and Vermont's Mad River Glen.
Because it is a skiers-only mountain and due to its high prices, Deer Valley guests often love the experience there, because it skews slightly quieter and more private than neighboring ski resorts near Salt Lake City, which can get busy.
But you'll pay for that privacy, with day tickets always exceeding $200.
Honorable Mention: Breckenridge (Colorado), Keystone (Colorado), Jackson Hole (Wyoming)
Best Ski Resorts Overseas
North America is home to some of the best skiing on the planet, but on the other side of either the Atlantic or the Pacific Ocean, you'll find some tantalizing skiing and riding opportunities that are also wonderful travel locales.
Niseko, Japan
Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan, is one of the snowiest places on earth. The region averages 39-52 feet (feet!) of snow each winter and boasts more than 130 calendar days of snowfall a year. This legendary, unrelenting snowfall in January spurned a nickname among skiers and riders: “Japanuary.”
Niseko United (Ikon, Mountain Collective) is the conglomeration of ski resorts most prominent on the island of Hokkaido. Its four conjoining resorts create a winter playground for Japanese skiers, riders, and visitors from all over the world.
So what will this world-renowned ski area cost you for a day ticket? 9,500 Japanese Yen, or $63. Spread that into a four-day pass for 36,500 Yen, and you're looking at just $60 a day.
Chamonix
If your idea of a fun day on the slopes includes ice axes and climbing harnesses, Chamonix (Ikon, Mountain Collective) is a ski mountaineering paradise in the heart of the French Alps.
Unlike the curated, patrolled mountains of North America, Europe's “ski at your own risk” attitude toward mountain safety puts skiers in sometimes treacherous environments. But every one of them would say the payoff is worth it.
Chamonix does have advanced and expert terrain like you'd find in North America, as well as some beginner and intermediate terrain, too. The Chamonix Valley's diversity of ski areas has a little something for everyone, and one of the coolest mountain towns in the world to add a little culture to your trip, too.
Read our guide to visiting Chamonix, France!
Despite being one of the most famous ski areas in the world and being home to one of the classic European Alps towns, a single-day Chamonix lift ticket will only cost you 44 euro, or $46 if you purchase in advance. Even if you wait, the ticket will only run you $56-$66 if you purchase the morning of.
Murren
Over in Switzerland, Murren is an impossibly cute mountain town you can only access by ski lift. You won't find cars – it's pedestrian-only roads here – but you will see more delectable fondue than you could possibly stomach in a single visit.
Its hotels and chateaus are straight out of a Wes Anderson film as this tiny village in the Alps remains trapped in the past – in the best way possible.
Despite its quaint charm, Murren also features the modern luxuries of the high-end resorts of North America. For instance, take the trams to the top of Piz Gloria, where you can have all-you-can-eat brunch and mimosas in a James Bond-themed, rotating restaurant, giving you 360-degree views of the mountains and valleys below.
Skiing in the Alps is an adventure unlike anything you will find in North America, and Murren stands out for its relentless charm.
Zermatt
As far as the Swiss Alps go, Zermatt, Switzerland (Ikon Pass) is one of the most glamorous and sought-after resorts.
Set at the base of the famed Matterhorn mountain, Zermatt features all of the frills people looking to break the bank come to expect. It's a world-renowned ski destination in an idyllic setting, so many would consider the price tags well worth it, too.
Honorable Mention: Kitzbuhel (Austria), Hakuba (Japan), The Remarkables (New Zealand), Coronet Peak (New Zealand), Threbdo (Australia), Perisher (Australia)
Bottom Line
Just like the snowflakes skiers and snowboarders seek, no two ski trips are alike. The best ski resorts are truly in the eye of the beholder
There's something out there for everyone, no matter your skill level or what your travel budget looks like this winter. From Vail to Brundage and from Revelstoke to Steamboat, there's a trip you can take this winter.
There's an old saying that nobody in the skiing world can quite properly attribute: If you don't like winter, you probably haven't been skiing. Do yourself a favor and fix that this winter!
