10 Famous Ski Resorts To Add Your Winter Bucket List

If you love winter activities, you’ll probably spend a vacation at one of America’s ski resorts. However, have you skied or snowboarded in the same spot repeatedly? Why not try a bucket list spot this winter with new terrain and deep snow? Besides, it’s been a long, tough year, and you and your family deserve some extra pampering. The following are some of the most famous ski resorts for your bucket list holiday.

Top American Ski Resorts for Your Bucket List

Big Sky Resort

50 Big Sky Resort Road
Big Sky, MT 59716
(800) 548-4486
www.bigskyresort.com

There’s a good reason why it’s called Big Sky. After all, it’s still known as the Biggest Skiing in America. With over 5,800 skiable acres, Big Sky offers skiing and snowboarding for all skill levels. In fact, this fabulous Montana ski resort has nearly 900 acres just for beginners. Various activities are available, including ski lessons, snowmobile tours, and sleigh rides.

Big Sky Resort Lodging

The resort offers several lodging options for your winter vacation. Among the suggested lodging for you are Huntley Lodge and Summit Hotel. Also opening later this month is the luxurious Montage Big Sky. The stunning new property features 139 guestrooms and several impressive new dining options.

Bretton Woods

99 Ski Area Road
Bretton Woods, NH 03575
(603) 278-3320
www.brettonwoods

Bretton Woods is quite small compared to larger resorts like Big Sky and Mall. On the other hand, it’s been ranked No. 1 on the East Coast for snow, grooming, and scenery. Moreover, last year, it ranked as the No. 12 World’s Best Ski Reyear. With 464 skiable acres, it’s New Hampshire’s significant and features something for everyone. For instance, you can cross-country ski across one of the ECoast’s most extensive trails. Of course, there are other options, like snowshoeing and ice skating.

Bretton Woods Lodging

Part of the attraction of skiing at Bretton Woods is its lodging. Indeed, the majestic Omni Mount Washington is among the finest hotels in New Hampshire. It’s also the perfect après ski setting for drinks and dining. However, this historic hotel is not your only option. Specifically, you can stay at the new Rosebrook Lodge, with 59 new rooms and upscale dining.

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort

3395 Cody Lane
Teton Village, WY 83025
(307) 733-2292
www.jacksonhole.com

Set within the breathtaking Grand Tetons, this resort is consistently named among the nation’s best. In detail, Jackson Hole has a skiable area of 2,500 acres and 3,000 acres of famed backcountry. Although the resort is practical for any ski area, it’s famous for having the country’s most extended continuous vertical rise. On the other hand, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is also known to be quite expensive. But it’s important to realize it’s been named the No. 1 Resort in North America for seven consecutive years.

Teton Village Lodging

In Teton Village, you have a variety of lodging options to consider. Notably are Teton Mountain Lodge, HotelT,erra, and Snake River Lodge. In addi, the Caldera House and Four Seasons Re are nearby lodging available in Jackson Hole, like Hotel Jackson and The Cloudveil.

Related: Five Winter Driving Tips

Palisades Tahoe

1960 Squaw Valley Road
Olympic Valley, CA 96146
(800) 403-0206
www.facebook.com/palisadestahoe

It is backed with a sparkling new name; Palisades Tahoeked is among America’s Top Three Best Ski Resorts. Formerly Squaw Valley-Alpine Meadows, Palisades is distinguished as a former host of the Winter Olympics. With 3,600 acres of skiable area, it’s perfect for beginning, intermediates, and advanced skiers. Palisades Tahoe is similarly famed for its chairlifts like KT-22, yielding stunning views of the Tahoe Basin.

Palisades Tahoe Lodging

Your top choice for lodging is the Village at Palisades Tahoe Hotel. Set in the heart of the Village, there are 186 gueVillage and suites. You have many room types to choose from, including standard rooms and studio suites. If you’re traveling with a larger group, there are more spacious suites, some with bunk beds. Additionally, all lodging can be booked at the Resort at Squaw Creek.

Park City Mountain Resort

1345 Lowell Ave.
Park City, UT 84060
(435) 649-8111
www.parkcitymountain.com

If Park City Mountain Resort isn’t on your bucket list, be. After all, it’s America’s largest ski resort and certainly among the most popular. With 7,300 acres of skiable area, it offers 324, including the 3.5-mile Homerun. Although equal in acreage to Big Sky, Park City has more lifts and seven terrain parks. The site of the 2002 Winter Olympics is an acclaimed, family-friendly resort and offers plenty of beginner and intermediate ski areas.

Park City Lodging

Within the resort are several lodging options for you and your family. For instance, once you have luxury hotels and many vacation rentals. Among hotel recommendations for you are Hotel Park City and Grand Summit Hotel. It would be best if I didn’t overlook the Waldorf Astoria Park City and Stein Eriksen Deer Valley.

Snowmass

97 Lower Mall
Snowmass Village, CO 81615
(970) 925-1220
www.gosnowmass.com

There’s always world-famous Aspen Mountain and a family-friendly Buttermilk Ski Area. But for your bucket list, the choice in the Aspen area should be Snowmass Mountain. After all, it’s the largest of the four local ski areas, and it’s absolutely family-friendly—it’s more significant than the other three combined. Moreover, Snowmass features the most vertical ski areas in the entire country. Coupled with ongoing events all winter, you’ll have the complete package.

Snowmass Lodging

Like Aspen Village, you have outstanding lodging for your stay in Snowmass. In brief, your choices should include Viceroy Snowmass and the new Viewline Resort. However, you have more choices, like Wildwood and Timberline Condominiums. On the other hand, if you only insist on staying in Aspen, you’ve got some great options. To illustrate five-star properties like The Little Nell, Hotel Je, Rome, and St. Regis Aspen.

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Stowe Mountain Ski Resort

5781 Mountain Road
Stowe, VT 05672
(802) 253-3000
www.stowe.com

If you’re looking for a White Christmas, your top getaway should be Stowe Mountain. Besides, the beloved holiday film portrays a fictional Vermont town. If that’s not enough, Stowe Mountain Resort is celebrating its 85th anniversary. There, you can enjoy not only one of the finest resorts on the East Coast but also special events. This includes music and Christmas tree lighting at the Spruce Peak Lights Festival.

Stowe Mountain Lodging

One drawback to Stowe Mountain Resort is the limited lodging options nearby. While there is the Lodge at Spruce Peak, most others are closer to the village of Stowe. NevertheVillagehere are many outstanding choices. For example, the Trapp Family Lodge is famous for the film The Sound of Music. Another excellent hotel to consider is Topnotch Res, ort as is The Stowehof.

Sun Valley Resort

1 Sun Valley Road
Sun Valley, ID 83353
(888) 490-5950
www.sunvalley.com

For your bucket list, what could be better than visiting America’s oldest destination resort? But Sun Valley Resort is more than just a historical attraction. In fact, SKI Magazine named it as the top North American ski resort. And for the second consecutive year. Sun Valley offers over 2,100 acres of skiable area; its longest run is three miles. Trail difficulty is more evenly divided for beginners and intermediates. But there are sizable areas for advanced and expert levels, particularly on Bald Mountain.

Related: 48 Hours In Bois,e Idaho

Telluride Ski Resort

565 Mountain Village Blvd.
Telluride, CO 81435
(800) 778-8581
www.tellurideskiresort.com

There’s a reason why Telluride is listed here rather than the more famous Vail. Telluride is undoubtedly smaller in the car and age, and there aren’t nearly as many lodges. On the other hand, Telluride is more affordable and has a far better reputation amongst visitors. Additionally, Telluride is more family-friendly and offers some challenging runs for advanced skiers. Furthermore, it’s been named the No. 1 Ski Resort multiple times by the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards.

Telluride Lodging

You have several top-rated lodging choices to choose from. Nevertheless, some are particularly expensive, albeit quite noteworthy. For example, there is Hotel Heritage Place Franz Klammer Lodge, Lumière with Inspirato, and Auberge Madeline Hotel. However, there are definitely other noteworthy places to stay. Take, for instance, Beaumont Hotel, Hotel Telluride, and Dunton Town House.

About The Author

Randy Yagi is an award-winning freelance writer who served as the National Travel Writer for CBS Local from 2012 to 2019. More than 900 of his stories still appear in syndication across 23 CBS websites, including CBS New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco. During his peak years with CBS, Randy had a reported digital audience reach of 489 million and 5.5 million monthly visitors. Additionally, his stories have appeared in the Daily Meal, CBS Radio, Engadget, and Radio.com.

Famous U.S. Ski Resorts For Your Winter Bucket List