Travel > Ski Vacations

Ski Vacations & Top Ski Resorts

If you're a winter sports lover, the world provides you with a myriad of choices to enjoy skiing, snowboarding, cross country, snowmobiling, sledding, and all the other activities that you probably love. You can travel far and wide or just within your own continent to experience some of the best skiing on earth. Not only are the sports fine at all these locales, but most winter resorts boast breathtaking scenery as well, making these ski vacations truly unforgettable.

In the United States, many avid skiers travel to Colorado to experience the best the sport offers. Skiers on all budgets can find a resort that fit their pocketbook, thanks to the vast number of resorts from which to choose. If posh is what you're looking for, travel to Vail or Aspen and schuss down the mountain with the skiing elite. Not only is the skiing grand here but the towns are charming and the après ski is the best.

More great areas to visit in Colorado include Steamboat Springs in the northwest portion of the state, known for its "champagne powder" snow, or beautiful Breckenridge, the quintessential Victorian town where the history is rich and the snow amazing.

In Utah, Park City is a favorite place for ski vacations. Just 35 miles from the Salt Lake City International Airport, Park City offers 100 trails, five terrain parks for snowboarders, and plenty of things to keep non-skiers busy as well. Its close proximity to Salt Lake City makes it a good place for sightseeing, too.

On the Nevada/California border, you'll find Lake Tahoe. With seven ski resorts, this area boasts more ski-able terrain than any other North American ski destination and the scenery is breathtaking as well.

Travel north to Canada and you'll find Whistler Ski Resort, future home of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Whistler is an amazing resort that's continuously earned accolades as one of the best ski destinations in North America. Just a short drive from the interesting sites of Vancouver, the eyes of the world will soon be on Whistler, making it an even more popular destination in years to come.

If you choose to travel to Europe, you'll be awed by the amazing ski vacations that you can enjoy on the continent. The Alps offer some of the best skiing in the world and the icing on the cake is the beautiful Alpine villages that make the resorts truly European in nature.

For high-profile skiing, travel to St. Moritz in Switzerland or Chamonix-Mont Blanc in the French Alps. For something a bit more affordable, consider such locations as Zermatt, where you can ski in the shadow of the Swiss Matterhorn surrounded by a beautiful town where cars are outlawed, or Grindelwald, the perfect European family ski destination. In Italy, the jagged peaks of the Dolomites get plenty of snow and the constantly sunny weather makes this Tyrolean region an ideal place to ski.

Ski resorts are most crowded during the December holidays and immediately thereafter, so if you're planning a ski vacation, check out the rates and availability for late January and the month of February, when skiing is still fantastic but slopes aren't so busy and accommodations are less expensive.