5 Fabulous Ski Trips in the USA

Get ready to hit some of the USA’s most scenic slopes. While skiing is the main attraction in these dreamy winter destinations, be sure to take some time away from thrills atop the mountains to explore local towns. Go sightseeing, savor local cuisine and find a souvenir to take home as a reminder of your adventure. 

1. Lake Tahoe, California

Scene: The glistening lake lies less than three and a half hours from San Francisco in the lush Sierra Nevada Mountains. Snowy peaks towering over the lake are home to 14 ski areas. Heavenly Mountain Resort on the south shore is the largest and most luxurious. Unlike any other ski destination, Tahoe doubles as a winter sports hot spot and a top casino destination. The base of Heavenly is in California, but a large part of the terrain lies across the state line in Nevada, so if you want to hit the slots after the slopes, this is the place.

Good to know: Heavenly has a huge amount of terrain to ski (30 chairlifts and 100 trails), high-end hotels and fine dining options. There’s also plenty of vertical – approximately one kilometer from top to bottom – and a wide variety of terrain.

Don’t miss: A boat tour of Emerald Bay. Set off from Tahoe Keys Marina for incredible views, champagne tastings and excursions to Scandinavian-style marvel Vikingsholm Castle.

2. Park City, Utah

Scene: You would be hard-pressed to find so many incredible ski areas so close to any other international airport. Less than an hour from Salt Lake City, you could step into your skis at any one of eight world-class resorts, each one boasting better snow and fewer crowds than just about anywhere. Park City is the most popular of the options, and it’s not just a ski destination but a bustling community of outdoor sports lovers, shoppers and families. After hosting the 2002 Winter Olympics, the town and ski areas, which include Park City Mountain Resort, The Canyons and Deer Valley, stepped up their game. Of the over 40 chairlifts at Park City Mountain Resort, most are high-speed six-seaters. One takes you up the mountain directly from the town’s Main Street.

Good to know: Park City is great for families and anyone who appreciates a restored former mining town offering plenty of shopping and cross country skiing. Great athletes are everywhere, as is the headquarters for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association.

Don’t miss: The Flying Eagle Zipline. If tearing down the mountain on skis or a snowboard isn’t enough of an adrenaline rush, the on-mountain zipline transports you like a feathered Ferrari over the slopes.

Aspen and Vail, Colorado

Scene: Once you leave Denver, there is a distinct feel of the Old West in the Colorado Rockies, which are home to some of the highest ski areas in the world. The air is fresh and thin at the base areas at nearly 3,000 meters above sea level, but the elevation is partially to thank for the famous champagne powder, which stays soft throughout the winter. After a fresh storm, gliding through it is pure weightless magic.

3. Vail

Good to know: Just two hours from Denver, Vail is a luxurious paradise for skiers and shoppers, boasting renowned restaurants, art galleries and hotels, as well as the largest ski area in the country. The slopes on the front side are wide open, and many are relatively mild in pitch and perfect for families. The sprawl of the famous Back Bowls could thrill even an expert skier. On sunny powder days, you can see the majestic Mount of the Holy Cross from any number of spots. At over four kilometers (or 14,000 feet) in elevation, this “fourteener” mountain has a natural cross symbol made from snow on the side.

Don’t miss: Vail and nearby Beaver Creek host community events year-round, including a spring concert series, food and wine festivals and more.

4. Aspen

Good to know: Although it’s home to celebrities and designer shops like Louis Vuitton, the town of Aspen – dating back over 100 years to the silver mining era – is surprisingly rustic. It boasts four ski areas, each well-suited to a particular level of skier. Aspen Mountain looms over the town with its long, steep runs perfect for experts. Snowmass has a large variety of intermediate terrain. Aspen Highlands is ideal for skiers who prefer a quiet, less crowded experience, and beginner-friendly Buttermilk is home to the Winter X Games and a massive halfpipe and terrain park for both snowboarding and freestyle skiing.

Don’t miss: The convenience of the local airport, sparing you the four to five-hour drive from Denver, and a cocktail at the J-Bar, a favorite drinking hole of late Aspen resident and famous novelist Hunter S. Thompson.

5. Killington, Vermont

Scene: It’s hard to believe that New York City and Boston lie just a few hours away. Although Vermont and upstate New York are home to dozens of ski areas, Killington Resort, with six mountains and over 150 trails, is the largest and most popular. It’s great for skiers who don’t mind hard-packed conditions and have warm jackets, as it’s among the coldest ski destinations in the USA. Topping out at an elevation of just 1,292 meters (lower than the city of Denver), it’s much easier to breathe here than in the Rockies and Tahoe. Although the terrain difficulty is split evenly among all levels of skier, there is a 914-meter vertical drop that measures nearly 10 kilometers in length and will take you hours to complete.

Don’t miss: The area is known for several epicurean wonders: Melt-in-your-mouth Vermont cheddar, a pancake or waffle breakfast with locally harvested real maple syrup and a sample of the best-selling ice cream, Ben & Jerry’s.