Top 10 Ski Resorts part 2

       5. Banff/Lake Louise, Alberta, Western Canada
Located in the heart of Canada's Banff National Park, Lake Louise ranks as one of the most scenic mountain resorts in North America, if not the entire world. Banff/Lake Louise has three different ski areas (Mount Norquay/Mystic Ridge, Sunshine Village, and Lake Louise) that are roughly 50 km apart (yes, they use km outside of the US).

The Insider's Guide to the Best Canadian Skiing has labeled Norquay as "an unforgiving brute legendary for its unrelenting vertical and monster moguls."

4. Vail, Colorado, Western United States
Legendary Vail markets itself as "America's favorite resort" and deserves to be ranked amongst the world's top five all-around ski resorts. As the largest single ski area in the United States, Vail offers roughly 5,300 acres of skiable , terrain.

Let's not forget the fastest high-speed detachable quads on one mountain. No small feat, I'm sure. Vail offers much more with several art galleries, museums, ballooning, dog sledding, ice skating, hockey, snowmobiling, and much more.

3. Zermatt, Switzerland
While neighboring Gstaad is one of the world's top resorts with its three five-star hotels and St. Moritz is more popular, most rank Zermatt as Switzerland's top resort. A remarkably peaceful getaway, the village is peaceful thanks to its car-free environment. Amazingly picturesque, Zermatt holds the world's second biggest lift-served vertical drop and receives huge snowfalls thanks to its altitude (and some help from snowmakers on the lower slopes).

2. Kitzbuhel, Austria
While St. Anton holds the crown of "Europe's liveliest ski resort," and Innsbruck is home to one of Europe's liveliest and most beautiful cities (the International Olympic Committee must have thought so as well, as the city hosted the Winter Olympics in 1964 and 1976), Kitzbuhel is considered the "Pearl of the Alps" and is the most famous holiday resort in the Austrian Tyrol. This 700-year-old village offers visitors the charm of an alpine village. Skiing began in the winter of 1892.

1. Whistler/Blackcomb, British Columbia
These two towering mountains provide the best skiing in North America, with the biggest vertical drop. It's funny what a difference 30 years and $600 million can make. Yet there was not much there but a mountain for courageous hikers.

Whistler's charming village offers everything snowboarders and skiers crave; cafes, international stores and over 100 restaurants that cater to all tastes including Chinese, French, Greek, Italian, Mediterranean, Mexican, and Thai cuisine.

Food is key after partaking in the activities that really make Whistler legendary. Whistler quickly rose through the ranks to become one of the strongest contenders for the much-disputed title of "world's greatest ski resort." Over the past decade, Whistler was consistently voted "Best North American Ski Resort" by North Americans. The Japanese repeatedly rank it as their favorite international destination.

Email | Bookmark | Link