Holiday Valley Ski Resort

Located in Western New York, Holiday Valley ski resort is a year-round outdoor playground, providing varied terrain for skiers and boarders as well as golfing, an adventure park, ziplines, spa services and more. The resort is designed to be appropriate for visitors of all ages and is a go-to for families. Close to major East Coast areas, including Cleveland, Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Toronto, it’s the perfect local getaway.

Where Is Holiday Valley Ski Resort Located?

The best airport to fly into is Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF), which is about an hour from the ski resort. You can take a taxi or a shuttle to Holiday Valley. By car, the resort is 2 hours from Rochester, New York; 3 hours from Toronto, Ontario; and 45 minutes from Jamestown, New York.

Terrain

Holiday Valley has 60 trails nearly evenly broken out by the different ability levels over its 290 acres. It receives 180 inches of snow, which is enhanced by snowmaking on 95% of the terrain with over 600 snowguns, including over 230 automated snowguns. It has five terrain parks, including the beginner-intermediate Mardi Gras Rail Park and the main terrain park, Fiddler’s Elbow. There’s also a boardercross course on Moonshadow.

The resort offers a summit of 2,250 feet (base elevation 1,500) with a vertical rise of 750 feet. Thirty-nine trails are open for night skiing, and all areas are serviced by a total of 13 lifts, moving up 23,850 per hour.

Beginners to Holiday Valley Ski Resort should stick to the Creekside Lodge beginner center, which is near the Holiday Valley Lodge. You can also rent equipment or take lessons here. The other beginner area is near the Tannenbaum Lodge. If you’re interested in cross-country skiing or snowshoeing, you can take advantage of the trails near the golf course or the ridge line. Photographers often take photos near the top of Mardi Gras if you want some action shots of your day. Day lockers and overnight equipment storage is available at the Holiday Valley Lodge.

If you are looking to get away from Holiday Valley's slopes for a while, the Town of Ellicottville has a lot to offer, from antiquing to historical walking tours of the town to galleries and artist studios. Less than an hour and a half from the town is Niagara Falls, which is well worth a day trip. The area is also home to many different events, including a beer and wine festival, live music, half marathons and more.