Best ski resorts North America

When everyone thinks about the world’s biggest ski area, they immediately think of the Three Valleys, which works in Lake Tahoe’s favour as it keeps lift queues and piste density down. Add this to well over 20,000 acres of the most varied skiable terrain, Las Vegas style après, Californian sun and breath-taking views, and you have a truly epic ski area.

Consistently voted near, if not at the top of almost every skier’s dream destination as well as most official rankings, Whistler has planted its roots very deeply and is there to stay. This monolithic resort has hosted events like the Winter Olympics and continues to draw in athletes, holidaymakers and anyone else who visits with an intense, immeasurable and undiminishing pull.

You’ll be hard pushed to find someone who hasn’t heard of Vail. Rivalling Aspen as the resort of choice for the uber rich and super famous, it’s the 2^nd largest ski area in the USA, has a vibrant cosmopolitan town and offers an outstanding visitor experience - one of the best in the world.

We love Breckenridge - an outstanding, all-round resort with a friendly atmosphere, heaps to do and an infectiously bubbly après scene. It’s the birthplace of competitive freestyle, has some of the highest quality skiing and snowboarding in the States and is repeatedly rated as one of the best ski resorts in the world.

Despite world class terrain, a reputation as a fantastic family destination, being super close to Denver and having the best 10 year snowfall in Colorado, Winter Park has managed to remain down to earth. Fending off the glitzy, commercial nature associated with other resorts in the area, it lets the quality of skiing and terrain do the talking.

With its own mountain range and signature champagne powder, Steamboat resort is seriously world class (a record number of Olympians call it home). Ski Town USA - the legendary Cowboy town of Steamboat Springs - is a few miles down the mountain and we love its friendly locals, proper pubs and unpretentious vibe.

The clouds that descend on Park City after crossing the neighbouring desert drop some of the best snow on earth onto the varied 3,300 acres of terrain. Group this with a vibrant and exciting town and you have the makings of an outstanding ski holiday for every type of snow lover.

Beaver Creek’s sense of sophistication is more subtle than its famously classy neighbour Vail, though many argue it’s of a higher calibre. Offering a quiet, convenient and refined skiing experience - a world away from home - this is a seriously good place to ski, with umpteen accolades to prove it.

Family-focused and Quebec’s skiing capital, this is one of North America’s oldest, most loved resorts. Whether it’s the brightly coloured village, Franco-Canadian atmosphere or another thing entirely, there’s something seriously enchanting about Mont Tremblant – a ski town like no other where maple taffies meet Savoie fondues.

Encompassing an old cowboy town, mountain resort, 2,500 acres of inbound terrain and almost limitless backcountry, Jackson Hole should definitely be high up the bucket list for any passionate skier. It was voted “Best Overall Resort in North America” by SKI Magazine - if that’s not enough of a reason to visit, we don’t know what is.