10 Best North American Cities for an Urban Ski Trip

Day Trip to the Slopes
When you decide to take a ski vacation, you do so under the assumption that your vacation will focus on hitting the slopes and enjoying the resort’s amazing (yet limited) activities. But what if there was a way to have a city and ski vacation wrapped into one? There is!

We’ve gathered 10 of the best cities across North America for the ultimate ski vacation. This winter, you can stay and explore some of North America’s biggest cities, and have a day trip to a ski resort that’s less than a few hour’s drive away. Read on to see which big cities have nearby powder where you can ‘shred the gnar.’

Calgary, Alberta, Canada
You don’t have to leave the city limits of Calgary to have a ski day. WinSport, which was home to the 1988 Winter Olympics, is just an 18-minute drive from downtown Calgary. With Winsport’s convenient location, you can enjoy the best of both worlds — an artsy downtown hotel like Hotel Arts, upscale restaurants like Rouge, exploring the ice bike trails of Bowness Park, and half or full days on the slopes. On November 25th, Winsport’s winter season begins, inviting skiers of all levels to hit the slopes on their skis and snowboards. Ski rentals are available, as are single day tickets which range from $24-$69 CAD.

Denver, Colorado
An hour and 15 minutes west of Denver, Colorado, is Winter Park Resort. To get to Winter Park Resort, you can drive, carpool through the Treadshare app, or hop on the Winter Park Express train from Union Station on the weekends. Single-day tickets can range from $59 to over $200, and thanks to online ski rental booking, you can book ahead so you’re equipment is ready to go when you arrive. With seven different territories, you can ski on everything from groomers to black diamonds at Colorado’s longest continually operated ski resort before making your way back to Denver to explore the city’s museums, artsy neighborhoods like RiNo, and fantastic cuisine.

Reno, Nevada
A winter vacation to Reno, Nevada, can include exploring the Riverwalk, hitting the casinos, and, you guessed it, a day full of skiing. There are 11 different ski resorts within an hour’s drive from Reno — with Mt. Rose Ski only 35 minutes away. The ski slopes are centered around the North Tahoe area of California and include the likes of Tahoe Donner, Sugar Bowl Resort, Soda Springs, Granlibakken, Palisades Tahoe, Donner Ski Ranch, Alpine Meadows, Boreal, Royal George XC, Northstar California Resort, and Diamond Peak. Whether you’re looking for cross-country skiing or black diamonds, Reno is just a short drive from them all. You can get to a mountain and back in time to hit the jackpot before dinner!

Santa Fe, New Mexico
We love Santa Fe year-round for its Indigenous culture, Meow Wolf, art galleries, and the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. And in the winter, it’s just a 33-minute drive from Ski Santa Fe, which is home to 86 runs with elevations over 10,000 feet. And guess what? There’s a public bus service called the RTD Mountain Trail Bus Route which offers round-trip service from Santa Fe to the mountain.

Want some variety? About one hour and 15 minutes from Santa Fe is Pajarito Mountain Ski Area, which is known for its tree skiing and bump skiing. Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort, which is less than two hours away from Santa Fe, has 41 trails and the longest ski season in the state.

Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City has so much to offer during the winter: ice skating, holiday lights at the Hogle Zoo, the Sundance Festival in January, and German markets around the holidays. If you’re aching for more wintery adventure, you’ll be glad to hear that there are 11 ski areas within an hour’s drive. Seven of those — like Alta Ski Area, Brighton Ski Resort, and Deer Valley — are just 30-45 minutes from the city. We suggest Alta Ski Area because it has 118 runs, though if you’re looking for something a bit more luxurious, Deer Valley may be the way to go. Snowbird Ski Resort has the longest snow season, while Woodward Park City is the nation’s first all-in-one action sports and ski resort, just a 30-minute drive away.

Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville has been a hot travel destination this year and it’s no surprise why. Arts, history, and brew culture collide into a cool spot in the Southeast. And it just so happens to be in a great location for day-tripping to the slopes this winter. Wolf Ridge Ski Resort is a 40-minute drive north of Asheville and is a family-friendly destination with plenty of beginner and intermediate slopes. Eighteen runs are available at the Cataloochee Ski Area, just a 50-minute drive west, and if you’re willing to make the hour-and-a-half drive, there’s also Sugar Mountain, an affordable ski destination with 20 runs.

Minneapolis, Minnesota
The 14 runs on the snowy slopes of Hyland Hills Ski Area is a huge appeal to Minneapolis travelers, especially because it’s just 21 minutes away. There are actually three ski slopes near Minneapolis — Hyland Hills, Afton Alps, and Buck Hill. Afton Alps is the farthest at a 41-minute drive but it offers spectacular ski experiences like skiing through a tunnel and multiple access points to ski down the mountain from parking at the top. Buck Hill may be small but it has night skiing which could be a fun evening experience after your day exploring the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden or shopping in the Mall of America.

Portland, Oregon
You’ll have no trouble seeing snow-covered mountains from Portland. This artsy city with a fantastic coffee culture calls skiers from across the world who want to explore the Rose City one day and ski the next. Most of the slopes are an hour or so’s drive away, like the Mt. Hood Ski Bowl which happens to be the largest night ski area in the U.S. If you’ve got the kids with you, consider the Cooper Spur Mountain Resort which has 50 acres of terrain for beginner and intermediate skiers. And if you want to ski beyond the regular ski season, check out Timberline, which is the only U.S. ski area open 10 months out of the year.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
If you’re headed to Milwaukee for the weekened to see Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture, the Harley Davidson Museum, and to go on a brewery tour, don’t miss a chance to go skiing too.You can find a range of slopes like the Little Switzerland Ski Area and The Rock Snowpark less than a 45-minute drive away. While skiing isn’t the cheapest winter activity, you’ll find it incredibly affordable at many of these resorts. An all day ticket and rental pass for an adult is only $84 at the Little Switzerland Ski Area (if you buy it online). Talk about a ski-tastic deal.

Seattle, Washington
The Space Needle is like a magnet to travelers, drawing people to Seattle to see the iconic Pike Place Market, delve into the music culture, and drink some of the best coffee around. Diversify your trip to Seattle this year with a visit to a nearby ski resort. The Summit at Snoqualmie is a 48-minute drive away, has four mountain areas with almost 2,000 skiable acres, and Nordic skiing. Stevens Pass Mountain Resort may be an hour and forty-five minutes by car but it’s a popular ski destination for Seattle visitors as it offers free-form skiing and snowboarding across 37 major runs.