When you think of a ski trip from the UK, destination that come to mind include France, Austria and Switzerland. What you might not coinsider are USA Ski holidays. Yet this needs to change. From family-friendly slopes nestled amid picturesque villages, to resorts perched on some of the world’s highest mountains, the USA offers a wonderful variety of destinations for skiing and snowboarding — along with stunning landscapes, warm hospitality and fun apres-ski options. You can combine the adrenaline thrill of skiing with a trip more further afield, seeing new sights, immersing yourself in a different culture and having all you could need right on your doorstep.
A little know fact about USA ski holidays is that you can ski in 37 of the USA’s 50 states. Smaller, under-the-radar ski areas like Boone, North Carolina, or Canaan Valley, West Virginia, are typically more affordable, family-friendly and perfect for introducing kids and first-timers to snow sports. This includes downhill (Alpine) skiing and snowboarding to cross-country (Nordic) skiing, snowshoeing, snow-tubing, ice skating and snowmobiling.
For skiers who prefer to have the slopes to themselves, the USA has three resorts where snowboarding is not allowed: Vermont’s Mad River Glen and Utah’s Alta and Deer Valley.
Springtime USA Ski Holidays Inspiration
Skiing in the USA is not just a wintertime activity: Many resorts stay open until mid-to-late April. Springtime visitors can expect uncrowded slopes, shorter wait times, lower prices, milder temperatures and more daylight. Some resorts end the season in April with festivals, parties and other fun events. One late spring tradition is “pond-skimming,” where costumed skiers race down a slope, then try to glide across a pond without falling in.
Where To Stay For USA Ski Holidays
Accommodations run the gamut from hostels charging as little as $32 a night to five-star luxury hotels like The Little Nell in Aspen, Colorado. In between you’ll find a range of hotels, charming country inns, Airbnbs and other condo, home and apartment rentals, along with chalets and ski-in/ski-out options.
Many lodges have cosy fireplaces where you can curl up in a comfy chair after a long day outdoors and relax with a cup of hot chocolate or chilli, a favourite wintertime stew. But if you’re up for more fun, apres-ski and off-slope offerings in many destinations include spas, shopping and dining, dance clubs, bars and live music, horse-drawn sleigh rides and dog-sledging. For gaming, consider the Heavenly Resort on the California-Nevada border, located near casinos in South Lake Tahoe and Stateline, Nevada.
Passes For USA Ski Holidays
The Epic and Ikon passes offer significant discounts for multi-day lift tickets, lessons, lodging and food at dozens of resorts around the USA (as well as in other countries).
Which Region To Choose For Ski Holidays In The USA
Here are some details on skiing in the USA by region, offering the perfect inspiration depending on where you want to go and what you want to do. Note that snow and ski conditions can vary a lot due to the weather; check before booking and keep an eye on the forecast in the run up to your trip.
Colorado and Utah
Colorado is the USA’s best-known ski destination, renowned for perfect, powdery snow, hundreds of miles of varied terrain, lots of sunshine and clear blue skies. It’s home to more than two dozen ski resorts, including four of the world’s highest: Breckenridge, Loveland, Telluride and Aspen, all above 3,800 meters (12,500 feet) in the Rocky Mountains. Many resorts have a shuttle service from the Denver airport, which travellers can fly to directly from London Heathrow and Dublin Airport. From Denver, an Amtrak train runs from Union Station to Winter Park Resort through March 31.
Utah has 15 ski resorts, 10 of which are within an hour’s driveof the Salt Lake City airport, where you can rent a car or take a bus or shuttle to the slopes. You could even stay in downtown Salt Lake City and head to a different resort each day. Among them: Park City, the USA’s largest ski resort and host to the 2002 Winter Olympics, and Sundance, the rustic resort founded by actor Robert Redford, where the Sundance Film Festival is held each January. Utah has trademarked the slogan “The Greatest Snow on Earth” to describe its light, fluffy snow.
Elsewhere in The West
Outside Colorado and Utah, a dozen resorts in other Western states routinely rank among the USA’s best ski destinations. They include Grand Targhee and Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Schweitzer and Sun Valley in Idaho; Big Sky and Whitefish Mountain in Montana; Angel Fire and Taos in New Mexico; Mammoth and Palisades Tahoe in California; and Heavenly on the California-Nevada border. And don’t forget the Arizona Snowbowl, a three-hour drive from the Phoenix airport, and Mount Bachelor in Oregon.
Many of these Western destinations — like Sun Valley and Whitefish — are known for authentic local vibes and a friendly, laid-back ambience. Others, like Taos and Jackson Hole, are beloved by expert skiers for challenging terrain. Mammoth and Big Sky are among those that get high marks for the apres-ski and party scene, while family-friendly destinations include Mount Bachelor and Angel Fire.
The Northeast
Skiing in New England isn’t just about getting down a mountain. It’s also about cosy lodges, picturesque towns, historic covered bridges and red barns by the side of the road. Off the slopes, see how maple syrup is made; learn to play cribbage, a traditional card-and-board game, or hire a guide to go ice-fishing on a frozen pond.
Vermont is the Northeast’s premier ski destination, with 25 resorts including Killington, Stowe, Sugarbush, Okemo andStratton. Many resorts are a three- to four-hour drive from Boston, or fly nonstop to Burlington, Vermont, from more than a dozen U.S. cities. There’s also bus, shuttle and Amtrak train service from New York and Boston. Off the slopes, check out the famed Vermont Country Store, the charming village ofWoodstock, and the Trapp Family Lodge, whose family history inspired the classic film “The Sound of Music.”
New Hampshire is home to 18 downhill ski areas, including Cannon Mountain Ski Area, where Olympic gold medalistBode Miller grew up, and historic Bretton Woods, the state’s largest resort with 63 trails. In Maine, fly into Portland and head to Saddleback or Sunday River. Maine’s belovedSugarloaf, the largest ski area east of the Rocky Mountains, is the only place in the region to offer above-treeline skiing. En route to the slopes, go shopping in Freeport, Maine, home to the legendary L.L. Bean outfitter and dozens of outlet stores for major brands.
New York State has more than 50 ski areas. They range from Hunter Mountain and Belleayre Mountain, about a three-hour drive from New York City and perfect for families and beginners, to Whiteface Mountain, known for a 3,430-foot (1,045-meter) vertical drop and challenging terrain, including Black Diamond and Double Black Diamond trails. Nearby Whiteface, you can experience Olympic history in the picturesque village of Lake Placid, which hosted the 1932 and 1980 Winter Games.
Mid-Atlantic, Southeast And Midwest
You’ll find plenty of smaller resorts in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast region, most within a day’s drive of New York or Washington, D.C. They include Blue Mountain, Camelback and Seven Springs in Pennsylvania; Canaan Valley, Snowshoe and Timberline in West Virginia; and Wintergreenand Massanutten in Virginia. The town of Boone, located in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, is a jumping-off point for several popular ski areas, including Sugar Mountain,Beech Mountain and Appalachian Ski Mountain.
In the Midwest, consider Mount Bohemia in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, a favourite for backcountry skiing and other adventures; Wisconsin’s biggest and highest resort, Granite Peak; and Lutsen Mountains in Northeast Minnesota, with four interconnected peaks overlooking Lake Superior.
These are just a few USA ski holidays you should try this year that should hopefully get you inspired!
