34 Best Places In The World To Ski

Surfers have long been portrayed as nomadic wanderers that scour the seven seas to chase the ultimate wave, but do many perceive skiers in the same vein? They certainly should, after all, great powder blankets mountains all over the world, and snow hounds readily grasp the opportunity to experience different terrains, environments, and cultures while indulging in a sport that gets their hearts racing and faces beaming with joy. There are so many reasons why people love skiing, from the chance to enjoy the fresh, clean mountain air, to the sensation of feeling like they are flying, from challenging themselves physically to hanging out with family and friends after being active together. It's also a great way to see different parts of the world, especially since there are more than 6,000 ski resorts dotted around the planet. 

While skiers are clearly spoiled for choice, some destinations stand out, whether it's for their beauty, size, facilities, novelty, or the overall experience they provide for visitors. While the list below isn't exhaustive, with plenty more ski resorts around this little blue speck worth visiting, it's a great place to start when thinking of the next place you might want to gear up and hit the slopes. It also promises a great geographical spread, sure to stoke the wanderlust in any reader that can't wait for their next winter adventure.

The biggest ski expanse in Scandinavia is located about an eight-hour drive northwest of Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. The stats at this destination are certainly entertaining reading, with more than 40 ski lifts, almost 90 runs that run the gamut from beginner to extreme expert, and a vertical drop of 2,900 feet. Three ski areas are easily accessible from Åre — the main village, with the tallest peaks and the most challenging runs, Björnen, which is more geared toward families, and the sister terrains of Tegefjäll and Duved, the quietest of the three options, with complimentary shuttle buses linking them all. In addition to fabulous downhill, expect plenty of cross-country skiing trails.

At Sunshine Village in the province of Alberta, visitors can ski on three mountains in the core of the Canadian Rockies. Located due west of Calgary, and a short drive from the town of Banff, the resort also sits close to the border with British Columbia, with some runs crisscrossing between the two, adding a little bit of travel trivia to the downhill drives. Skiers and snowboarders like the 3,300 acres of terrain, the huge terrain park, the 30 or so feet of fluffy white stuff, and the super-long winter season. You can expect about seven months of snowy bliss here, from November all the way to American Memorial Day, a time when many in the U.S. are dreaming of barbecues and beaches!

Adventurers have long held New Zealand in high regard. This island nation is, after all, home of the bungee jump and jet boat, and many activities are centered around Queenstown, on the South Island, a destination sitting on a glacial lake and surrounded by mountains (some of which featured in the "Lord of the Rings" movies). Close to Queenstown, Cardrona pulls in the adventure crowd thanks to its location, though its metrics also help — it has a vertical rise of almost 2,000 feet, and gets more than 100 inches of snow per year. The 1,100 acres of terrain splits itself fairly evenly between beginner, intermediate, advanced, and expert, while plenty of dining options can keep visitors of all abilities fully fueled.

A valley with a number of great resorts, this piece of France is a winter wonderland, with skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, sledding, snowshoe trails, and even ice climbing listed as some of the attractions during the calendar's colder months. Small, quaint villages dot the landscape, among them is Servoz, with a Baroque church that is hundreds of years old and a yearly sheep fair in the fall. The area doesn't rest on its laurels, with new ski infrastructure added in 2022, including new gondolas, and upgraded dining. There are at least five resorts in the valley, and all snow fanatics will find something to their liking.

The amount of terrain at this beloved French destination is bewildering. Courchevel lift tickets give visitors access to three different valleys, 25 peaks, and seven resorts, with 600 kilometers (more than 370 miles) of runs, with 180 good for beginners and intermediates, and a little less than that perfect for skiing pros. Kids and novice adults can learn the ropes at the ski school and on gentle slopes, while non-skiers can head to the zip line. The terrain varies from open high peaks to passages flanked by towering fir trees, and nearby villages allow for exploration off-piste. Snow is a given thanks for the comprehensive snow-making infrastructure that is in place.

The premier ski area of Germany features 60 kilometers of runs, split between two mountains and open from November through April. Garmisch-Classic, one of the pair, is home to two-thirds of the slopes, and has special kids' lifts, a playground, a carousel, and is better suited to family outings. It's here where travelers can easily find ski instruction, and practice their moves on languid slopes. At the lofty Zugspitze resort, where the altitude tops out at 2,700 meters above sea level (almost 9,000 feet), the runs are much more difficult, and after completing them, skiers can retire to some polished restaurants and alpine huts for rest and nourishment.

A valley that sits at the feet of the soaring Northern Japan Alps, a range that tops out at 3,000 meters above sea level, this is where the 1998 Winter Olympics took place, commonly referred to as Nagano after the name of the prefecture here. Choices are plentiful, with 10 resorts that form an orderly line along the valley, and where slopes range from simple, easy declines to expansive runs where skiers can bump and bounce along for extended periods. Among the choices are White Resort Hakuba Sanosaka, where all runs are for beginners and intermediates, and Hakuba Norikura Onsen Snow Resort, with almost a third of slopes earmarked for experts.

This Austrian city is synonymous with skiing, having hosted the Winter Olympics twice in just over a decade — in 1964 and in 1976. Today, visitors arriving here have their pick of ski resorts, with nine of them forming a consortium known as the Olympia SkiWorld Innsbruck. An easy start is Seegrube, a mountain that can be reached in less than 30 minutes from the city center, a peak with striking city views and home to the Nordkette resort, which has a terrain park and some runs with gradients hitting a sizzling 70%. A longer transfer is required to get to Kühtai, the highest ski destination in the country, while Stubai Glacier, set at 3,000 meters above sea level, offers glacier skiing at its best.

One of the earliest places in the world to hold downhill ski races, this Austrian town continues to lure fans of snow and hosts the famous Hahnenkamm races each January as a continuation of this rich tradition. According to some accounts, the late 19th century was when the first Alpine ski contest was held here, run on the Kitbühler Horn peak, a springboard for the skiing that grips this town from December through April each year. The quaint village at the base has fine shopping, eating, lodging, and nightlife, and is the anchor for the mountain, which has more than 210 kilometers of runs, in excess of half of them suitable for beginners, and a vertical drop of 1,200 meters.

Four resorts make up this destination on the Japanese island of Hokkaido, the northernmost island in the country's archipelago. Close to the city of Sapporo — famous for its beer among other things — and less than a three-hour drive from the international airport, Niseko is a complex of connected resorts, namely An'nupuri, Hanazono, Hirafu, and Niseko Village. Snow is consistent here, with about 600 inches falling each year, so slopes are always handsomely blanketed in powder. The fine vistas of Mount Yotei complement the diverse terrain, including slopes that bisect tree-lined slopes and large open spaces that are great for turning. A vertical drop of about 1,300 meters, and runs almost evenly split between beginner, intermediate, and advanced, make this a favorite of visitors across Asia.

Located in the Australian state of New South Wales, which is also home to Sydney, this resort has 60% of runs aimed at intermediates. The season here operates from early June to the first couple of days of October each year, and Perisher divvies up its run among seven peaks, among them the ominous-sounding Mount Black Perisher (with a name like this, teenage shredders are sure to want to ride it). The skiing area spreads across almost 3,100 acres, with one run giving skiers and boarders three kilometers of powder time, while cross-country enthusiasts can also explore 100 kilometers of trails.

Chile's most famous ski destination has a season that runs during the North American summer, from around our summer solstice through September. The Andes is where to find this ski haunt, with rugged peaks visible all around, though the terrain is as forgiving to beginners as it is challenging to expert skiers and snowboarders. The mountain offers adventurers 1,235 acres of terrain to ski or snowboard, and slopes for beginners and intermediates get thorough groomings each night to ensure they are easy to ride for the next day's excursions. The longest run clocks in at 2.5 kilometers, and with 200 inches of snow per year, slopes are always ready to ride.

This posh Swiss town has a deep skiing history, one of the earliest wellsprings of winter activities in the world, and possesses a number of runs that are considered truly world-class. Skiers can get an early start here, with a lift and gondola making the journey up Corviglia mountain as early at 7.45 a.m. each morning during the season. St. Moritz is where to find four sizeable ski areas, among them Corvatsch, one of the highest peaks in the region, and home to 120 kilometers of runs, as well as a terrain park, a multitude of snowshoes trails, night skiing, all open until late April.

Another Colorado crusher, this town emulates the feeling of Europe, with German architecture and streets primed for pedestrians. There are more than 5,000 acres open for skiers and boarders during the season, split between the front of the mountain, bowls on the back, and an area called Blue Sky Basin. Vail really is pitched at skiers that aren't intimidated by the slopes, with more than half of its grounds labeled advanced or expert. Of the 195 trails, which receive a sumptuous 350 inches of powder a year, the run with the biggest bang for the buck is the four-mile Riva Ridge. Vail's vertical comes in at 3,450 feet, with the top reaching 11,570 feet above sea level.

A recent business deal between this Chilean resort and Mountain Capital Partners, which operates mountains in America's West, will bring investments over the next few years to this South American destination. The season runs from June through September, and given its proximity to Santiago — it can be reached from Chile's capital in less than two hours — it's a big draw for weekenders. Trails are available for all skill levels, split among different sections of the peaks, and there are also freestyle areas for anyone keen to brush up on their jumps and tricks. Heli-skiing is popular here, with trips climbing to 13,000 feet above sea level, and vertical drops of 5,000 not unheard of.

Hugely popular with visitors from Vancouver, these twin peaks set next to each other are pulls for their consistent snow and well-developed lodging and support infrastructure, with a pedestrian village and accommodations that allow ski-in/ski-out. The season starts in the middle of November, and the early days are typified by thinner crowds, better pricing, and sometimes up to eight feet of snow. Skiing here usually runs until sometime in May, and the warmer weather might bring slushier conditions, but the opportunity to enjoy a restorative drink on a pleasant, sun-soaked terrace, is a joy to behold.

The Matterhorn, with its pointed apex that almost appears like the finely shaped top of a pyramid, is one of the most iconic mountains in the world. Visitors can see its distinctive profile from the slopes of this Swiss ski resort. Runs are split among three staging areas, Zermatt, Cervinia, and Matterhorn, with more than 700 kilometers of space combined. Sixty percent of the runs are intermediate, but whatever the skier's proficiency or the slope chosen, the views are guaranteed to be outstanding, and the snow is always on the mountains thanks to the handsome snow-making capacity.