The winter holiday season has become synonymous with skiing and snowboarding, making it a great time for families to spend quality time together while enjoying some early-season turns. It’s also when ski resorts and ski towns hold some of their most unique events of the season. There are a few downsides to spending the holidays at ski resorts, though. Ski towns fill up, and if you don’t act early, you may not find any available rooms. Pro tip: Book your ski accommodations for Christmas before the season starts. Book dinner reservations as early as possible, too, especially for sought-after Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners.
With a little bit of planning, a holiday ski trip can make for a memorable way to kick off the ski season. So here’s our roundup of some of the best ski resorts to spend the holidays at. Event dates change each year, so check each resort’s events calendar as you plan, and use our Snow Before You Go forecasts as the holidays get closer. Heading into the new year? See our guide to the best ski town celebrations for New Year’s Eve.
Best Ski Resorts for the Holidays
Stowe, Vermont
Stowe is a quintessential New England ski town that pulls out all the stops for the holiday season. The town goes all out, with parades, tree lightings, holiday bazaars, holiday music, and much more. Take in the magic of the Village at Spruce Peak, enjoy the Spruce Peak ice skating rink, cozy up fireside for s’mores and hot chocolate, and check out any number of great holiday events. Don’t miss Spruce Peak’s holiday lights celebration, typically held in mid-December.
Big Sky, Montana
The festivities kick off early in December at Big Sky. Start the holiday season with the Big Sky Christmas Stroll, typically held over the second weekend of December. Join in the fun at the Meadow Village Center and Big Sky Town Center for a weekend of family-friendly events, entertainment, and holiday cheer. Festivities continue on Christmas Eve with a lineup of events, from skiing with Santa and Mrs. Claus to Christmas Eve dinner to the torchlight parade and fireworks. It’s only fitting that a place called Big Sky would go big for the holidays. See Big Sky’s complete schedule of Christmas events here.
Park City and Deer Valley, Utah
The holiday season gets going in Park City with the giant tree lighting ceremony at Canyons Village. And that’s just the start. The days that follow bring tons of holiday activities and events in the area, including Heber Valley’s North Pole Express (get tickets before they sell out) and the annual Electric Parade down Main Street. The unique Park City holiday traditions continue when Old Saint Nick ditches his reindeer and makes an entrance during the “Santa Comes Down the Town Lift” event. Music, entertainers, and more keep the holiday spirit flowing in Park City throughout December.
Over at Deer Valley Resort, which is targeting a Dec. 5 opening this season, the holidays are a great time to explore its newly expanded East Village terrain, including the new Hail Peak Express. Montage Deer Valley’s Christmas activities include Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners and a Christmas Eve reading of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas by Santa. Kids can also decorate cookies and write letters to Santa, and Santa visits a couple of Deer Valley lodges on Christmas Eve for photos.
Banff and Lake Louise, Alberta
Visit the spectacularly decorated Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and ski at Lake Louise Ski Resort for an iconic holiday experience in Canada. Popular holiday traditions include torchlight skiing events, horse-drawn sleigh rides along the edge of Lake Louise, and skiing with Santa. In Banff, the European-style Banff Christmas Market runs over several weekends in November and December, and the Banff Gondola typically hosts holiday activities at the summit, from visits with Santa to cookie decorating and crafts.
Whiteface at Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid’s annual Holiday Village Stroll is among its signature holiday events, with a weekend of festivities for families and kids in mid-December, from ice skating and breakfast with Santa to cookie decorating and a tree lighting. Santa makes appearances at several spots around town, and more holiday events take place closer to Christmas. Don’t miss the Polar Express train ride with the Adirondack Railroad in the weeks before Christmas.
Crystal Mountain, Michigan
Don’t sleep on the Midwest, including Crystal Mountain, which has a lot going on around Christmas. Families can enjoy kid-friendly activities around the resort, ice skating in the heart of Crystal’s village, and skiing with Santa on Christmas Eve. Cap it off with a holiday meal and a horse-drawn ride around the resort.
Sun Valley Resort, Idaho
It’s fitting that America’s first destination ski resort is one of the best ski destinations for the holidays. The holiday spirit takes over Sun Valley Resort throughout December, with everything from carolers strolling the European-style holiday market to the torchlight parade down Dollar Mountain on Christmas Eve to fireworks that close out the month. Enjoy photo ops with Santa, catch a holiday movie night at the Opera House, or have brunch with Santa on Christmas Eve.
Bear Mountain and Snow Summit, California
The holiday season around Big Bear Lake makes for a white Christmas that most Southern Californians don’t typically experience. Say hello to Santa and Mrs. Claus at The Village or catch Santa on the slopes around Big Bear throughout December. Check out the Christkindlmarkt in mid-December to celebrate the holidays with long-standing German traditions. After dark, check Snow Summit’s schedule for night skiing, or fly down the lanes at Big Bear Snow Play, which also offers nighttime glow tubing. Other holiday events include the annual Menorah Lighting and Chanukah Celebration in the Village.
Mont-Tremblant, Quebec
Few places in Canada do the holidays as big as Mont-Tremblant, about 90 minutes north of Montreal. Take in the Christmas spirit with holiday fairs, craft workshops, caroling, ice sculpting demonstrations, visits with Santa, and much more. By night, take in the holiday decorations and twinkling lights of the pedestrian village as you stroll from shop to shop and cozy up at restaurants and bars. Don’t miss Saint Nick’s Christmas Eve parade through the village.
A unique way for families to enjoy Tremblant is its indoor aquatic center, which is open throughout the holidays and is a perfect break for kids and teens between ski days.
Header image: ©Sun Valley Resort
