Ready to plan your next ski vacation? For perfect powder and amazing après, hang your helmet at one of these truly exceptional ski resorts.
For Couples
GO: Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
STAY: Cristallo Resort & Spa
Cortina d’Ampezzo established itself as a renowned ski destination after hosting the 1956 Winter Olympics. (And the northern Italian ski resort is bidding to once again host Olympic events come 2026, so you can say you saw it when.) The postcard-perfect village is cradled by the dramatic Dolomite mountains, which cast a rosy glow prettier than any Instagram filter and provide gorgeous scenery to complement the powder. In fact, the mountains are so beautiful, they nabbed a UNESCO designation. More than five dozen slopes cover Cortina’s three ski areas — Cortina Cube, Tofana, and Lagazuoi 5 Torri — which are serviced by a free ski bus that shuttles between them. While skiing and winter sports are certainly a main draw, Cortina makes a perfect couples getaway thanks to its après-ski amenities including spas and a remarkable food and wine scene. For a regional dish, look for casunziei, which is ravioli filled with beetroot.
For Families
GO: Keystone, Colorado
STAY: Keystone Resort
Keystone, a resort that’s about two hours from Denver, has three peaks, 3,000 acres of skiable terrain that ranges from easy to expert, and one awesome snow fort your kids will have an absolute (snow)ball in. On top of all that, Keystone offers night skiing, which is a rarity at Colorado resorts. When you book at least two nights of lodging through the resort, kids who are 12 and younger ski and ride for free. Plus, they can enjoy Kidtopia, which, in addition to the “world’s largest snow fort,” includes arts and crafts, scavenger hunts, parades, fireworks, and the chance to meet avalanche safety dogs. When you want to take an afternoon off from skiing, careen down groomed sledding hills, go ice skating at one of two scenic rinks, or go dashing through the snow in a horse-drawn sleigh ride. The resort also has thoughtful, family-friendly amenities like complimentary red wagons that make it easy to tote kids and gear to the bunny hills and slopes.
For Groups
GO: Lake Tahoe, Nevada
STAY: Edgewood Resort
With its slopeside villages, elevated dining scene, and live music scene, Lake Tahoe is a playground for winter sports enthusiasts. And for groups traveling together on a ski vacation, there’s no better base camp than the brand-new Edgewood Tahoe. The resort provides a complimentary shuttle to nearby Heavenly Mountain, which has 4,630 skiable acres (for additional bragging rights, skiers at Heavenly can cross between California and Nevada), then welcomes you back for an après-ski experience like no other as you soak those sore muscles in a heated pool that overlooks Lake Tahoe, hot toddy in hand. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, lead the group to Edgewood Restaurant for floor-to-ceiling views of that Sierra sunset (Hint: Make a reservation for just before dark).
More from Make It Better:
- The Best Cruises for Couples, Families and Groups
- Skipping School for Family Vacation: Should You Do It?
- 3 New High-Design Chicago Hotels Perfect for Your Next Staycation
Brittany Anas is a freelance writer who specializes in health, fitness, and travel writing. She also contributes to Men’s Journal, Women’s Health, Trip Savvy, Simplemost, Orbitz, and Eat This, Not That! She spent a decade working at daily newspapers, including The Denver Post and the Daily Camera in Boulder, Colorado, and she is a former federal background investigator. In her free time, Brittany enjoys hiking with her gremlin-pot belly pig mix that the rescue described as a “Boston Terrier” and coaching youth basketball. She also works with domestic abuse survivors, helping them regain financial stability through career coaching. Follower her on Twitter and Instagram.
