There are plenty of popular skiing and snowboarding destinations around the world—from Vail, Colorado to Revelstoke in British Columbia, the Swiss Alps in Europe and Tierra del Fuego in South America.
For those travelers looking for a unique ski experience this year, we’ve gathered some of our favorite places in the U.S. and beyond. Keep reading to see all the exceptional spots where you can shred the slopes and return with some fantastic winter sports memories.
Sierra Nevada in Granada, Spain
Just an hour and 15 minutes north of the beach is the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Spain, home to Europe’s southernmost ski destination. Here travelers can ski 134 slopes, including the highest slope in Spain. Expect plenty of sunny days on this mountain that has run options for beginners and experts alike.
Did we mention that an adult ski pass is as low as $54? We suggest staying at a Spanish-owned hotel like Melia Sol y Nieve or Melia Sierra Nevada both of which are short walks from the ski lifts. Before and after your stay, take some time to experience the nearby historic city of Granada, which is only a 30-40-minute drive away.
Anchorage, Alaska
Most travelers to Alaska visit in the summer, but they’d be wise to return in the winter for an amazing ski experience at Alyeska Resort. Located an hour outside of Anchorage, Alyeska is the largest ski resort in Alaska offering 1,610 skiable acres and 76 trails. Not to mention, it has North America’s longest double black diamond run.
Here you can hit the slopes and enjoy views of beautiful snowy mountains and glaciers. This year, the Black Diamond Club gives guests access to the helipad so helicopter and cat skiers can ski the Chugach Mountain range which has steep powder skiing and terrain with alpine bowls and glaciers. Don’t forget to enjoy the resort’s Nordic Spa and sightings of the Northern Lights.
Julian Alps, Slovenia
You probably won’t find a lot of Americans skiing in the Julian Alps, but honestly, they’re missing out. Located in beautiful Slovenia, the Julian Alps are home to 13 picturesque ski centers, some of which are large and others more intimate in size. There’s Kranjska Gora which often hosts World Cup ski races, as well as Vogel, located on a high plateau over Lake Bohinj.
Kanin offers big mountain terrain and freeride skiing. ?
Traveler skiing the Julian Alps in Slovenia. (Photo Credit: bajla/Adobe)
The Sori?ka Planina?ski center is ideal for beginners and families alike. If you want to go to multiple ski resorts in the Julian Alps you might want to consider the Ski Pass Slovenia or the Julian Alps International Ski Pass (which gives access to some resorts in Italy and Austria too).
Paoli Peaks, Indiana
We know Indiana isn’t high on most people’s ski trip lists – but it should be. Paoli Peaks is an ideal ski and snowboarding destination in southern Indiana about an hour from Louisville (four hours south of Chicago). Ski here day or night with an Epic Pass and enjoy eight lifts, one terrain park, and 15 trails.
Most of the terrain is suited for beginners and intermediate skiers and snowboarders, but there are some expert areas too. We should note that they have a snowmaking system that covers the entire slope, ensuring you always have a great run.
Greece
When someone says they’re traveling to Greece, you might think it’s to see the country’s beautiful islands, eat delicious Greek food or wander among the ruins in Athens. It might surprise you to know that Greece has quite a number of ski resorts. Eighty percent of the country is comprised of mountains after all. Don’t expect a lot of fancy ski resorts, but do expect some unique skiing – like on Mount Olympus.
The mountain is maintained by the military, but they open it to the public on the weekends (have your passport on hand) and it’s reportedly free and receives few visitors. For a more typical ski experience, you could check out Kalavryta, about a 2.5-hour drive from Athens. It’s the second-largest ski resort in Greece with 2 chair lifts, 5 ski lifts and 12 ski runs, including some black and red runs that expert skiers will love. Did we mention an adult day pass is only $31?
Winter in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. (Photo Credit: Pelow Media/Adobe)
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
If you’re looking for a family-friendly ski trip to an underrated destination look no further than Ober Mountain in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The ski area is already open and usually lasts through March. Here you can experience 10 ski trails with 2 quad chairlifts and one double chair lift.
Snowmaking equipment does help cover the slopes and keeps them extra smooth. The longest run is 5,000 feet. When not hitting the slopes at Ober Mountain, you’ll find tons of kid-friendly activities like an aerial tram, ice skating, ice bumper cars, snow tubing, and more.
Oukaimeden, Morocco
Morocco may be known for its dry, hot climate, but this tiny country has some incredible skiing too. Oukaimeden is about 1.5 hours from Marrakech and is home to the highest ski area in Africa with an elevation of over 10,700 feet. Expect seven affordable chair lifts and ski runs for every level (there’s even a ski school).
The pistes may not be super well groomed and you might not find the most up-to-date equipment, but it’s a truly unique skiing destination that’s exceptionally fun and affordable for all.
Gulmarg, India
Want an exceptionally one-of-a-kind ski experience? How about skiing in the Himalayas of India? Here you’ll find Gulmarg Ski Resort, a fantastic resort for skiers and snowboarders that’s open from November to March. Gondolas and chairlifts can take you up to 13,000 feet, and ski runs range from 3.7 to 10.2 miles.
Ski resort in Gulmarg, India. (Photo Credit: Pvince73/Adobe)
Expert skiers will love a trip to Gulmarg, especially since heli-skiing is an option too. Even though Gulmarg is very popular among ski enthusiasts, lift prices are about the same if not slightly more affordable than in the U.S.
Sunrise Park, Arizona
Arizona does have a hot desert climate, but you’d be surprised to learn that it has some fantastic skiing, too. Sunrise Park is owned by the White Mountain Apache Tribe, making it one of two Indigenous-owned ski areas in the U.S. Here you can shred across 1200 skiable acres and 67 trails—the most ski runs in the state.
With a terrain park, half pipe, wood and metal rails, night skiing, and more, you’ll have a blast at this ski destination that’s up to a four-hour drive from Phoenix, Tucson, and Albuquerque.
Perisher Ski Resort, Australia
Did you know you can ski in the land down under? Perisher Ski Resort is the largest alpine resort in the southern hemisphere. Located in Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales, Perisher has 46 lifts, over 100 trails, and 3000 acres of terrain across four resort areas. It’s got runs for beginners and experts alike.
Best yet? If you miss out on ski season in the northern hemisphere, you can hop on over to Perisher Ski Resort in Australia and ski between June and October.
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