The best ski destinations in the US

United State Ski Destinations Worth the Trip
Skiing, snowboarding and other winter activities don’t have to end just because 2021 has ended; there’s still quite a lot of winter to enjoy, so why not embrace the cold and visit one of these incredible destinations known for their great skiing opportunities? From famous ski destinations like Vail and Aspen to lesser-known but no less enjoyable places like Ketchum, Idaho or Boyne Falls, Michigan, this list highlights just some of the nation’s best ski destinations.

Mammoth Lakes, California
Mammoth Lakes, California is located near Yosemite National Park and offers incredible skiing and snowboarding opportunities on Mammoth Mountain, which is California’s highest peak offering chairlift service. It’s also a great destination for snowshoeing, tubing, snowmobiling and any other enjoyable winter activity. The stunning snow-covered peaks make for perfect photo-ops, while the town below offers attractions of its own, like Mammoth Brewing, the town’s oldest brewery and Black Velvet Coffee, a coffee shop and wine bar.

The Village at Mammoth is the place to shop and grab a bite to eat in between skiing and snowboarding; it’s also where many of the town’s events are held. The destination is known for its snowfall: receiving over 400 inches of snowfall on average each year, it’s no wonder the town is so popular among Californians as the perfect ski destination! But because it’s still located in California, it also receives 275 days of sunshine. Travelers to this destination can choose from private cabins and chalets to luxury ski resorts, B&Bs and even motels, making it a good place for a variety of travel budgets.

Aspen, Colorado
Perhaps one of the nation’s most recognizable ski destinations is Aspen, Colorado. One of many Colorado destinations notable for their adrenaline-inducing winter activities, Aspen offers a wide variety of experiences for both beginners and experts, young children and adults. Celebrating its 75th birthday this year, Aspen will host the X Games Aspen for the 21st time in late January. The region has four different mountains to choose from, all for different levels of skiers: Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Snowmass and Buttermilk.

Aspen offers a wealth of accommodation styles and budgets, but it excels at luxury hotels and resorts, which function as cozy retreats with high-line spas and plenty of amenities to relax and thaw out after a day spent on the slopes. Wondering about Aspen’s foodie scene? It’s totally worth discovering, with traditional European-style restaurants serving delicious cuisine to modern marvels like Matsuhisa, the interactive sushi restaurant or the stunning Elk Camp Restaurant, which offers great meals with locally sourced ingredients.

Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Located 6,700 feet high in the Rocky Mountains, Steamboat Springs, Colorado is another great ski destination, with levels for every stage, from beginner to expert. It offers 169 trails, nearly 3,000 acres of skiable area, 319 inches of snowfall on average each year and 18 different lifts, making this an easy choice for any family looking for great winter vacation destination. Its “champagne powder snow” offers a special skiing experience for expert skiiers. It’s a great destination for families, and it’s much more approachable than some other Colorado skiing destinations, like Aspen, for example.

Travelers can enjoy hitting the shops, enjoying the food, taking a scenic gondola ride or even a sleigh ride dinner in between skiing, snowboarding, tubing or any of the region’s other famous activities. This year, Steamboat Springs is once again hosting the WinterWonderGrass music festival, which celebrates bluegrass music and craft brews.

Vail, Colorado
Another notable ski destination located in Colorado is Vail. Noted for its incredible skiing and winter activities, as well as its charming Bavarian-styled Lionshead part of town, it’s a great place for families and couples looking to spend their vacation in an active winter setting with plenty of activities and events to do.

The winter doesn’t daunt the residents and visitors in Vail, where you’ll find sunny outdoor patios that are frequented year-round. Pepi’s is one of the most famous restaurants with an outdoor patio; offering Austrian and German food, it’s a great place for a nice, comforting meal after a long day spent skiing or snowboarding. Vail is another upscale destination, but there is also a variety of accommodation types to choose from, from the traditional Bavarian-styled Austria Haus Hotel to the ultra-luxurious Four Seasons Resort and Residences, Vail.

Ketchum and Sun Valley, Idaho
Idaho might not be top-of-mind for many travelers, but one destination in particular is perfect for ski trips and winter vacations. Nestled within the Rocky Mountains are two sizeable twin towns offering small town vibes: Ketchum and Sun Valley. The region has recently been designed as a Dark Sky Community for its beautiful stargazing opportunities; the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve offers over 1,400 square miles of pristine night skies to enjoy, much of which is located in Sawtooth National Forest.

Beyond the beautiful night skies is a charming town that grew from a mining town to a resort area now noted for its wintertime activities, like skiing. It’s won awards for its Nordic skiing and ski resorts, plus it also offers an array of annual events like the Sun Valley Film Festival or the Sun Valley Writers’ Conference. Accommodations, like many of these destinations, range from budget options and camping to private cabins and luxury resorts.

Carrabassett Valley, Maine
The town of Kingfield is located next to the Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine’s Carrabassett Valley. It’s a gorgeous year-round destination, but becomes even more popular for skiers and other winter adventurers. Sugarloaf Mountain Resort is Maine’s largest ski resort, and it’s located in Kingfield. From double black diamond trails to easy child-friendly slopes, the Sugarloaf Mountain offers something for every level of experience. Travelers can also snowshoe or hike a portion of the 80-mile Maine Huts and Trails path, which offers rest stops or “huts” to thaw out in along the way. From charming B&Bs to Victorian-era mansion hotels to the Sugarloaf Mountain Resort, this destination offers plenty of locally owned accommodations to fit any vacation style.

Boyne Falls, Michigan
Boyne Falls, Michigan is a notable and family-friendly ski destination in the Midwest, home to the Boyne Mountain Resort. Located in northern Michigan, it’s one of the most northerly parts of the Midwest to visit, offering plenty of snowfall to make for perfect skiing, snowboarding and tubing conditions. The resort offers 415 skiable acres, 60 trails, twelve lifts and even a zipline adventure!

Boyne Resorts has committed to becoming more sustainable, offering a way for guests to offset their carbon emissions during their stay through a partnership with Tradewater and committing to being net zero by 2030. It’s also joined the National Ski Areas Association’s Climate Challenge program, making it a great destination and accommodation for the eco-conscious.

Big Sky, Montana
Big Sky, Montana is a great winter vacation destination. As a gateway into Yellowstone National Park, travelers can enjoy the variety of winter activities to be had within the park, from showshoeing to touring around on a snowmobile or taking it easy during a snowcoach tour through the park. Visitors to the region can also enjoy horse-drawn sleigh rides and dog sleds.

Big Sky Resort offers a whopping 5,800 acres of skiiable terrain across four mountains, while Lone Mountain Ranch offers 85 kilometers of Nordic skiing trails to explore, making Big Sky one of the best ski destinations in the country. Travelers can also enjoy the resorts’ spa and wellness activities to relax their aching muscles after a day of exploring the national park or hitting the slopes.

Whitefish, Montana
Another gateway into a notable national park in Montana is the town of Whitefish, located near Glacier National Park. This charming mountain town offers a great destination for winter trips, with opportunities to tour Glacier National Park in showshoes or on a horse-drawn sleigh, hit the slopes at Whitefish Mountain Resort with 3000 acres of skiable area, or ride around the snow on a fat bike. Night skiing is another fun attraction held each weekend in March.

Travelers can make reservations to enjoy a delicious meal prepared especially for them at Abruzzo Italian Kitchen, while beer lovers can enjoy tasting local brews at Bonsai Brewing Project. Travelers looking to get a caffeine rush before hitting the slopes can look no further than award-winning Folklore Coffee. Whitefish also offers a variety of different accommodation types and styles to choose from.

Taos, New Mexico
Who knew you could ski in New Mexico? You can in Taos. Taos, New Mexico may receive over 300 days of sunshine a year, but that doesn’t stop the mountains from getting ample snow for skiing, snowboarding and any other winter activity. Taos is a great place for people who love skiing, but it’s also great for people who love to relax while on vacation. Home to hot springs, travelers can enjoy a nice leisurely soak in the natural springsafter a day spent hiking or skiing. Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs and Spa is an award-winning local spa that’s a great choice for those wanting to pencil some self-care into their vacation.

Taos is also home to several historic and architectural landmarks, which make for fun opportunities for exploration. From the otherwordly Taos Earthships to the historic Taos Pueblo, the only living Native American community designated as both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Historic Landmark, having been continuously inhabited since 1,000 A.D.

The Finger Lakes, New York
The Finger Lakes in New York might be most famous for their pitcuresque lakes and award-winning wines, but it’s also home to some great skiing opportunities. Travelers to this region can enjoy cross-country and downhill skiing, as well as ice fishing and ice skating. Bristol Mountain, Toggenburg Winter Sports Center and Greek Peak Mountain Resort are great options to enjoy some of these activities.

Travelers can take a break from the strenuous winter activities to warm up at a winery or they can even follow one of the region’s wine trails to visit more than one of the area’s wineries. Accommodations in this destination range from budget-friendly B&Bs to luxury resorts, but one good option is the Inns of Aurora, a collection of gorgeously restored historic lakeside residences that offer a wellness-centric approach.

Bend, Oregon
Bend is a perfect outdoor-lover’s destination. This Oregon town offers plenty to enjoy, from the west’s largest beer trail to ancient lava tubes to showshoeing or biking through the forest. The nearby Mount Bachelor offers incredible downhill skiing and snowboarding opportunities for both children and the most seasoned expert, with 4,300 acres of terrain accessible by lifts and more than 460 inches of snowfall each year. Travelers wanting to enjoy some night skiing can hang out at Hoodoo Ski Area, the only area in the state that offers skiing at night.

Travelers with disabilities can also enjoy all of these activities and more with Oregon Adaptive Sports, which works to provide equipment and training so people with disabilities can enjoy skiing, mountain biking and more.

Park City, Utah
Park City is another famous ski destination. Home of the Utah Olympic Park, where the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games were held, it continues to offer fun experiences like bobsledding to visitors. But Park City Mountain is probably the most notable winter attraction in Park City: it’s the largest resort in the United States! It offers 7,300 acres, over 330 trails, 43 lifts and six terrain parks! Open from November to April, skiers should not miss out on visiting this resort and its famous ski slopes.

Another unique part of Park City’s culture is that adventure is accessible for all: it’s home to the National Ability Center, which provides adaptations so people with disabilities can enjoy more activities like skiing, fat tire biking, snowshoeing and so much more. Beyond the slopes, Park City’s outdoorsy culture easily permeates the rest of its way of life, with plenty of fun restaurants, shopping and cultural experiences to enjoy.

Stowe, Vermont
Stowe, Vermont is considered the ski capital of the eastern United States, and for good reason. This mountainous region gets tons of snow and offers Nordic skiing, downhill skiing, snowshoeing, dogsledding and sleigh-riding opportunities, to name only a few activities. Families with young children just learning how to walk in their skis and seasoned pros can both find something to enjoy from the slopes in Stowe.

It’s also a notable spa and wellness destination, with plenty of luxury resorts offering incredible spa experiences. From cabin rentals to independently owned boutique hotels and B&Bs, there are so plenty of other styles of accommodations to choose from, too, like the Scandinavian-style Talta Lodge or the famous Trapp Family Lodge, opened by the same family that inspired the world-famous movie, “The Sound of Music.” You might ask: are the hills in Stowe really alive with the sound of music? You’ll have to visit to find out.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Another gateway into a notable national park is Jackson Hole, Wyoming, a gateway into Grand Teton National Park. Surrounded by the Gros Ventre and Teton mountain ranges, it offers stunning skiing and snowboarding opportunities. The best places for skiing in Jackson is the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Snow King and Grand Targhee. Travelers can take a dog sled tour or a guided wildlife safari through the national park, or visit the National Elk Refuge to round out their winter activities. The Granite Hot Springs is a great destination to thaw out from the cold, but it takes a winter adventure to get there, with ten miles of snowmobiling, dog-sledding or fat biking to get there.

Ever tried heli-skiing? You can in Jackson Hole! Experienced skiers can purchase tours that include helicopter lifts to the top of one of the area’s scenic mountains, which they can then ski down for a truly memorable experience. Jackson Hole offers quite a lot of accommodation options, too, but excels at luxury lodges and accommodations.