The 6 best North American resorts for every kind of skier

Ski resorts are a lot like snowflakes – no two are the same. Skiers in Canada and the USA have seemingly endless choices for schussing, carving, gliding or French-frying down the slopes. And that’s just the skiing –there’s also the apres ski scene, the lodgings, the restaurants, the shopping and the overall vibe to consider. Choices, choices…

As you start making plans for winter, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the dizzying array of options out there. To help you decide where to spend your winter vacation, we’ve put together this guide to some of the best ski destinations in North America. Here’s where to go.

Weave your way through Schweitzer’s snow-covered forest. Debbie Galbraith/Getty Images

1. Schweitzer, Idaho, USA

Best for tree skiing and epic views

Idaho may be best known for its potatoes, but the Gem State also has great skiing, with more than a dozen uncrowded, laid-back resorts to choose from. One of our favorites is Schweitzer, a 2900-acre winter playground located in the Idaho Panhandle, roughly 60 miles south of the Canadian border.

Schweitzer is the largest ski area in all of Idaho. Its spaciousness, coupled with the fact that the closest major airport is just 90 minutes away in Spokane, Washington, means you never have to worry about waiting in a long lift line. The drive from Spokane is also easy and beautiful.

Schweitzer has more than 1200 trees dotting its slopes, so if you love carving in and out of snow-dusted forests, this is your place. Perhaps the best part? On a bluebird day, you’ll have a clear view of the sparkling waters of Lake Pend Oreille from the top. Framed by snow-dusted evergreens and rolling hills, the scene could have been plucked straight off a picture postcard. And, according to legend, the lake is home to the notorious “Pend Oreille Paddler,” similar to Scotland’s Loch Ness monster.

Planning tip: Book a room at Humbird, a new boutique hotel that opened in Schweitzer’s base area in 2022. All 31 of Humbird’s contemporary, Scandinavian-inspired rooms face southeast and they have massive picture windows, so you can continue admiring Lake Pend Oreille long after you’ve hung up your skis for the day. Staying at Humbird, you can easily head into Sandpoint, Idaho, for après-ski drinks or dinner, and you won’t have to worry about schlepping your gear back up the hill the next morning.

Serious snow is guaranteed on the slopes of Banff. Stuart Westmorland/Getty Images

2. Banff Sunshine Village, Alberta, Canada

Best for northern lights and tasty Canadian treats

More people visit Banff in the summer, but powder-hounds choose winter for their trips to this Alberta mountain town. Aside from ice skating on Lake Louise and soaking in the geothermal waters of Banff Upper Hot Springs, you can also hop between three different ski areas located inside Banff National Park.

Banff Sunshine Village, Lake Louise Ski Resort and Mt Norquay each have their own vibe. If you have to pick just one, make it Banff Sunshine Village – this 3300-acre swath of ski country is perched atop the Continental Divide of the Canadian Rockies, on the border between Alberta and British Columbia. If you ride the Great Divide chairlift, you’ll be able to say you visited both provinces!

Because it has so little light pollution, Banff Sunshine Village is also an ideal place to stay up late and watch for the northern lights. The aurora borealis dances across the night sky here so frequently that the resort even has a dedicated “aurora cam” broadcasting the show. For the best chances of spotting the aurora, book a room at Sunshine Mountain Lodge, the resort’s only ski-in, ski-out hotel. 

Planning tip: If you get hungry on the slopes, glide down the Banff Avenue run until you spot the small, bright red BeaverTails shack. Here, you can treat yourself to a quintessentially Canadian pastry dusted with cinnamon and sugar (The Classic) or smothered in decadent toppings, like chocolate hazelnut spread or apple pie filling.

Glide along Beaver Creek’s gentle slopes before a mouthwatering meal. Getty Images

3. Beaver Creek Resort, Colorado, USA

Best for mellow skiing and top-notch culinary adventures

Beaver Creek Resort often gets overshadowed by its larger, more famous sister, Vail, but while both are fun, if you’re looking for a slightly more mellow vibe and you appreciate good food and drink, make Beaver Creek your home base. You can easily buzz between the two, and both are included on the Epic Pass.

After shredding Beaver Creek’s 2082 acres of snowy terrain by day, head down to the base area around 3pm, otherwise known as “Cookie Time.” Every afternoon, chefs come around holding platters of warm, ooey-gooey chocolate chip cookies that are totally free. It’s the perfect pre-après-ski snack.

Afterward, ditch your ski boots but leave your coat on for dinner at Beano’s, a rustic, fine-dining cabin located right on Beaver Creek’s slopes. To get here, you’ll need to climb aboard a sleigh attached to a snowcat, but don’t worry about being too chilly – the ride is just 20 minutes long, and there are blankets in the sleigh. Plus, on clear nights, you’ll be too busy stargazing to notice the chill. On arrival at Beano’s, warm up by the massive stone fireplace, then tuck into decadent, seasonal dishes inspired by the surrounding peaks. 

Planning tip: If you’re skiing with little ones, be sure to drop by the Candy Cabin, which has bins, barrels and dispensers full of sweet treats. Visiting this magical, on-mountain spot will probably be the highlight of their entire week.

Head to Utah for Olympic energy and clear skies. Scott Markewitz/Getty Images

4. Snowbasin Resort, Utah, USA

Best for unleashing your inner Olympian and stargazing

Still buzzing from the Paris Olympics and thinking about the winter version in 2026? Get a taste of Olympic snow at Snowbasin Resort, located in Huntsville, Utah, roughly an hour north of Salt Lake City.

When Salt Lake hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics, the men’s and women’s downhill, super-G and combined races were held at Snowbasin. So when you visit, you can ski the same slopes as Olympians did, even if you don’t go quite as fast! Salt Lake City has been selected to host the 2034 Winter Olympics, so Snowbasin will be back in the spotlight as an official Olympic skiing venue before too long.

When your legs need a break, relax in one of Snowbasin’s luxuriously over-the-top lodges, which feature tall ceilings, stone fireplaces, massive windows, chandeliers and rustic-chic decor. Check out the bathrooms – posh granite floors, Italian light fixtures, wood paneling, plush furniture and ultra-private stalls make these the poshest restrooms you’ll find in any ski area, anywhere. 

Planning tip: Snowbasin doesn’t have any on-mountain lodging, but the slopes are just a 10-minute drive from downtown Huntsville. Check into the Compass Rose Lodge, an intimate boutique hotel with its own observatory and powerful telescopes. As soon as you decide the dates of your trip, book a “star walk” tour at the hotel so you can admire galaxies, nebulae, constellations and planets before falling into bed. 

Explore Jackson Hole’s wilderness and spot wildlife along the way. Rob Hammer/Getty Images

5. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyoming, USA

Best for wildlife sightings 

If your Netflix history is nonstop wildlife documentaries, start planning a trip to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort ASAP. Located in far western Wyoming, this 2500-acre ski area is known for its gnarly, ruggedly steep slopes and huge powder dumps. Its bright red aerial tram is also iconic, whisking skiers up 4139 vertical feet in less than 10 minutes.

But there’s so much more to do and see here besides skiing. Just outside of downtown Jackson, you’ll find the National Elk Refuge, a federal site that protects more than 24,000 acres of wildlife-filled wilderness. As the name suggests, elk are abundant on the refuge, and so are wolves, coyotes, bighorn sheep, ermine, trumpeter swans, birds of prey and waterfowl. During the winter, you can admire these animals from the comfort of a horse-drawn sleigh as it glides across the snow. 

For even more wildlife viewing opportunities, head to Grand Teton National Park, which is even more magical and serene in the winter. For a dash of arts and culture, check out the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, which has more than 5000 pieces of animal art in its collection.

Planning tip: If skiing is your top priority, book slope-side accommodations in Teton Village (we rate Hotel Terra and Teton Mountain Lodge & Spa). If you plan on exploring beyond the slopes, check into a more centrally located hotel in downtown Jackson, like the Alpine House, Anvil Hotel or Cache House. For a splurge, treat yourself to a few nights at Amangani, an ultra-luxury property where you might rub elbows with a celebrity or two.

Find classic American snow at Steamboat Springs in Colorado. Getty Images

6. Steamboat Ski Resort, Colorado, USA

Best for Wild West vibes and adrenaline-pumping events

The snow at Steamboat Ski Resort in Colorado is so light, so fluffy, so perfect in fact that the ski area dubbed it “Champagne Powder” and got the name trademarked (no joke). White stuff aside, Steamboat Springs should also be high on your winter bucket list because of its something-for-everyone skiing and Wild West vibes.

The resort has more than 3741 acres of terrain that ranges from accessible and beginner-friendly slopes to hardcore, expert-only stuff. And if you really want to challenge yourself, Steamboat added 650 additional acres of advanced and expert slopes that were previously out of bounds in 2023.

Pack a cowboy hat and boots, if you’ve got them, because Steamboat is also brimming with Western charm. Watch professional rodeo cowboys zoom down the slopes during the annual Cowboy Downhill, then retreat to Vista Verde Guest Ranch for an authentic (and luxurious) dude ranch experience. If you need to freshen up your wardrobe while you’re here, head to FM Light & Sons, a historic, fifth-generation Western apparel shop that’s been open since 1905. 

Planning tip: Don’t miss the Steamboat Winter Carnival, which has been going strong since 1914. The schedule is jam-packed with fun activities, but one of the highlights is the skijoring race down Lincoln Avenue, Steamboat’s main downtown street. Watch skiers get pulled by horses at top speed while trying to navigate jumps, gates, turns, cones and other obstacles.

Aspen Snowmass is a legendary stop for North American skiers. Karl Weatherly/Getty Images

Honorable mentions

There’s plenty more snow in them thar hills. Here are more of our favorites.

Mammoth Mountain: Lots of powder and towering lodgepole pines in California’s Eastern Sierra.

Stowe Resort: A glitzy, New England ski area with tons of history.

Aspen Snowmass: Four Colorado ski resorts that cater to a high-end clientele.

Park City Mountain Resort: A humongous Utah ski area with more than 7300 acres of diverse terrain.

Club Med Charlevoix: A rare all-inclusive ski resort in Québec, Canada, where you don’t have to worry about unexpected costs once you arrive.

Palisades Tahoe: An iconic Lake Tahoe spot that hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics and recently changed its name from Squaw Valley.

Whistler Blackcomb: A sprawling British Columbia resort with more than 8000 acres of snow.