There’s a good reason that Canada’s Whistler Blackomb is at the top of so many “Must Ski” and “Must Snowboard” lists. This has been the case long before it was home to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympics Winter Games. It offers long runs, plenty of powder, bowls, tree skiing, freestyle parks, and half-pipes. All totaled it has over 200 trails and more than 8,100 skiable acres. Regardless of skiing/boarding ability there are plenty of options and challenges available on the mountains. Although, the more advanced skiers and boarders will likely be interested in a heli-skiing trip that offers access to 173 glaciers and over 450 runs. For those who look forward toaprès ski there are three slopeside bars that offer a perfect way to end a day of epic skiing or boarding. Whistler Blackcomb is made up of two mountains aptly named Whistler and Blackcomb. Once at the top of one of the mountains it’s easy to make it over to the other one via the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, which also happens to offer magnificent views of the terrain. Either mountain is accessible from the village below and a picturesque pedestrian path connects the villages. Adding to the allure of Whistler Blackcomb is the energy, shops, and food found in the two villages (they each have a different vibe). It has something for everyone from pub fare to Michelin starred restaurants, and stores that range from souvenir shops to high-end apparel.

Cortina d'Ampezzo is a town and ski resort in the southern (Dolomitic) Alps in Northern Italy. One of the world's first ski resort cities, Cortina is also Italy's most stylish place to be. This popular winter sport resort known for its ski-ranges, scenery, and après-ski scene. Cortina d'Ampezzo is one of the most charming ski resort in Italy. Cortina is also known as the "Regina delle Dolomiti" - Queen of the Dolomites - since it is in the heart of the Dolomites. After the scheduled 1944 Olympics had been cancelled because of WWII, it hosted the 1956 Winter Olympics as well as various world cup events and motion pictures. Cortina d'Ampezzo Italy is a leading ski resort among avid skiers and snowboarders. Cortina is on the eastern end of the region and has less lifts then other resorts. However, its one of the top ski resorts across the European region. Cortina is situated more or less to the centre of the Ampezzana valley, encircled nearly completely by the high Dolomites. Originally it was composed of numerous frazioni, isolated villages and hamlets, but with the advent of the tourism from the 1950s it grew rapidly. Only the furthest villages and hamlets in the commune have remained secluded and isolated from the main town, which today is known for its shopping. Cortina is home to some of the most prestigious names in fashion, including Bulgari, Benetton, Gucci and Geox, and various artisan shops, antiquarians, and craft stores. It is also home to many stores which specialize in mountaineering equipment.

Skiers regard Aspen, Colorado as one of the world’s ultimate snow ski locations after experiencing some of the best skiing on earth coupled with area’s rich history and legendary hospitality. Aspen is known for its steeps and its four mountains that are not linked - Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk and Aspen Highlands. The town of Aspen with its festivals, world class resort properties, energetic nightlife and quality restaurants creates such a lasting impression that first time visitors are likely to return again and again. Snowmass is the giant of Aspen’s four ski areas. It’s a huge complex of open slopes, expansive trails and gullies combined with majestic peaks and ridges. Snowmass boasts the largest vertical drop in the USA and a huge amount of skiable surface. The terrain is varied enough to please every level of skier and board rider. Quality on-mountain programs, ski schools and facilities insure a wonderful experience. Aspen Mountain is a favorite of celebrities and stargazers. The ski area provides some of the best jumps, bumps and verticals in the Aspen area and also offers backcountry access via Snowcat. At the same time, the area presents enough easy rider trails and intermediate slopes to keep everyone happy. Buttermilk is the smallest of the 4 ski areas but an incredible vertical drop with open bowls, plenty of challenging terrain and runs as long as 8½ kilometers allows Buttermilk to pack a lot of different experiences into its tidy package. Buttermilk has been the host to the Winter X Games and presents a classic super-pipe for snowboarders. Aspen Highlands is a favorite of locals and returning visitors. Its relatively low key personality shrouds challenging trails, and relatively un-crowded conditions. The area’s famous “Highland Bowl” boasts some of the most intense skiing in Colorado. Tree skiing through lodgepole pines, an above the timber line summit and a competitive race set up insure for great ski experiences. Aspen boasts Colorado’s third busiest airport with a broad selection of daily flights on commercial carriers. The city has been home to a legion of Hollywood stars and international celebrities and provides the restaurants, clubs and accommodations that only serve to enhance that reputation. Your dream trip to ski or snowboard where the stars come out to play can be fulfilled by including a trip to Aspen, Colorado on your list.

Vail Ski Resort in Colorado is the largest single mountain ski resort in the United States and the 2nd largest in North America. The summit at Vail towers 3,530 metres above sea level and presents an over 1,000 metre vertical rise from the base of the mountain. More than 190 runs and marked trails as long as 6.4 km provides a broad selection of skiable terrain, appealing to every skill level. In excess of 30 lifts, including a 12 person Gondola, whisk skiers to their chosen spots on the mountain. Multiple terrain parks provide snowboarders with the challenges they desire such as a superpipe, jumps, hits, rails, fun boxes, half pipes and bump terrain. Vail hosted the 1989 Alpine Skiing World Championships to great fanfare. Nordic activities, including back country cross country skiing and snowshoeing are also popular activities pursued by visitors to Vail. A prolific offering of ski schools, including those adapted to skiers with special needs, contributes to the world-renowned reputation of the resort. The town of Vail offers Dining, Shopping, Entertainment and Nightlife experiences to satisfy any desire. Accommodations ranging from basic motel rooms to full-service condominiums and five-star hotels provide lodging options for every budget. Spas associated with the resort properties and for day use proliferate for those seeking that type of relaxation after their time on the mountain. Ski and Snowboard rentals are readily available on-mountain and at a number of equipment shops in town. The cobblestone streets of the center of this incredible mountain town are pedestrian only providing for a relaxed environment for sightseeing and moving about this incredibly striking region. Vail also hosts a number of annual festivals including those geared toward winter activities, an annual film festival and a summer-time food and wine festival. Vail, Colorado is home to its own nearby regional airport (Vail/Eagle County Airport) with direct service from 11 cities in North America and connecting service from virtually everywhere. Shuttle service from the airport to the various facilities providing accommodations is very convenient. Vail is also easily accessible by car from Denver, Colorado, approximately a 2 hour drive on US Interstate 70, a scenic, modern highway. Your dream of a ski trip to the famous Rocky Mountains in Colorado may be realized by adding a trip to Vail, Colorado to your list. A trip to this exquisite mountain resort with an emphasis on providing a first-class experience to its visitors will leave you wanting to return again and again.

Chamonix at Mont-Blanc, France has been a refuge of Europeans seeking an escape to a place where beauty and solitude prevail in a picturesque mountain village for over 350 years. Alpine skiing began in earnest in the shadow of Mont-Blanc in the late 19th century. Chamonix-Mont-Blanc has an unreal vertical drop of 9,209 feet and has one of the world's longest runs (Vallée Blanche) at 13.7 miles. The first Winter Olympics were held in 1924 at the village at Chamonix which now offers multiple distinct ski areas spread about its valley providing over 30,000 skiable acres, 140 kilometres of trails and massive amounts of off-piste terrain. Chamonix has grown to become the most famous ski area in all of France and a prominent meeting place for skiers from all over the world. The area is famous for its prolific slopes and deep powder. Among the favorite areas spread around the valley are Grands-Montets, a snowboarders paradise with a natural half-pipe and snowboard funpark; Aiguille du Midi with its stunning views of the Swiss, Italian and French Alps from its 3,842 metre peak; Le-Brevent, considered to have the best groomed trails in the valley; Valle Blanche known around the world due to the famous glacier, Mer-De-Glace; Les Houches and its seemingly endless trail system and prolific snow making ability; Le Tour and La Flegere with their generous collections of beginner and intermediate trails. The nearby Courmayer ski area, actually across the Italian border, offers helicopter skiing. The main ski areas in the Chamonix valley are serviced by a series of more 100 lifts including cable cars and various other high speed chairs and pulls. Often it’s iconic off-piste Vallee Blanche that makes for the most unforgettable memories of Chamonix. The main attraction is a famous 17 km descent on a glacier, the Mer-de-Glace. The ride isn’t just exciting, it’s truly an adventure. Skiing on the glacier through forests of towering ice, surreal fields of massive boulders and valleys with enough accumulated snow to form bridges over the deep crevasses defines what a trip to ski Chamonix is all about. Many visitors to Chamonix align themselves with a guide to make the most of their time in the mountains. It’s almost mandatory to have one if you want to tackle Valle Blanche. The town of Chamonix has a rich and diverse history and an architectural heritage that supports its storied past. The Chamonix ski resort has partnered with nearby Courmayer (Italy) and Verbier (Switzerland) to provide an incredible selection of mountains and terrain. A rail system and buses link the various ski resorts spread throughout the valley and with those nearby in Italy and Switzerland. Accommodations from apartments and chalets to 4 star hotels are available in the valley. Restaurants, bars, cafes and clubs to appeal to every skier proliferate. Cross Country skiing tours are also popular with visitor to Chamonix. Outside magazine said Chamonix in the best place in Europefor lift-accessed steeps. Your dream ski adventure in the French Alps is as close to being fulfilled as adding a trip to Chamonix at Mont-Blanc to your list. Winter sports in this famous region are everything you have fantasized about. Start working on the execution of your plan so that you can check this one off your list soon.

Lake Louise ski resort located in Banff National Park in Canada 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 (Lake Louise, Mount Norquay/Mystic Ridge and Sunshine Village) that are roughly 31 miles apart. Lake Louise resort is situated on the southern slopes of the Merlin Ridge of the Slate Range, between the heights of Mount Richardson, Ptarmigan Peak, Pika Peak and Redoubt Mountain, all around 3000 m (10,000 ft) above sea level. The 139 marked ski runs and back bowls on four mountain faces are 25% beginner, 45% intermediate and 30% advanced. The 'Terrain Park' is also designed for riders of all levels. Four full service day lodges are operational during winter. Snowboarders have access to all trails and the terrain park. The Insider's Guide to the Best Canadian Skiing has labeled Norquay as "an unforgiving brute legendary for its unrelenting vertical and monster moguls." Sunshine Village ski runs and lifts are accessed via an eight-person high-speed gondola. The gondola takes people from the parking lot (or bus terminal) to Goat's Eye mountain in 10 minutes and to the upper Village area in 18 minutes. There are 10 chairlifts and 107 trails within the alpine valley formed by the three mountains (Mount Standish, Lookout Mountain, and Goat's Eye Mountain) that constitute Sunshine Village. Mt. Norquay has 28 runs which total 16,382m in length with 3 quad chairs, 1 double chair and a magic carpet. With a vertical drop of 503 m (1,650 ft) and 16.4 km (10.2 mi) of runs, it is considered challenging, with 20% easy, 36% medium, 28% difficult and 16% expert runs. The Lake Louise resorts are located near the village of Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada. Sunshine Village is located 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) Southwest of the town of Banff, Alberta. By car, it is about one hour and thirty minute drive from the city of Calgary. The Sunshine exit on the Trans Canada Highway is 8 km (5.0 mi) west of the town of Banff. Mt. Norquay is a mountain and ski resort in Banff National Park, Canada that lies directly northwest of the Town of Banff. The Lake Louise sightseeing gondola is open year round, offering panoramas of glaciers, natural springs, wildflowers and possibly wildlife (such as grizzly bears). Other activities in the resort area include heli-skiing, dog sledding, ice skating, and cross-country skiing.

The Laurentian Mountains of Quebec, Canada envelopes the historic ski area of Mont-Tremblant, named for the mountain upon which it is located. 95 marked trails (one as long as 6km) on 4 faces present a good mix of alpine terrain appealing to all skill levels. Due to its far northern location, Mont-Tremblant boasts a long season with dependable conditions that can stretch from November to April each year. Snowparks with jumps, rails, a 6 meter tall super-pipe and boxes segregated with attractions that match participant’s expertise level provide opportunities for riders and skiers to enhance their skills accompanied by the backdrop of a contemporary musical soundtrack. Cross-country skiers will find at least 100km of machine groomed trails. The town of Mont-Tremblant has its identity wrapped in the brightly colored buildings assembled along its cobblestone streets that match the iconic ski village style and exists primarily to support the mountain activities. Along with the fantastic skiing and riding adventures, close by Mont-Tremblant visitors will find spas, ice rinks, a casino, horse drawn sleigh rides, dog sledding, ice climbing and nighttime entertainment. The lively village atmosphere permeates the après ski activities that revolve around a good selection of restaurants, bars and shops. Visitors to Mont-Tremblant access the town through Mont-Tremblant International Airport with regularly scheduled service from a number of Canadian and American cities. A scenic 90 minute drive from Montreal is an alternative as is regular bus service into the town from Montreal. Accommodations that appeal to a full range of needs and budgets range from quaint bed and breakfast guesthouses to 5-star hotels. Mont-Tremblant Resort finds its name on a number of publication’s Top 10 ski resorts. Consider including a visit to Canada’s Mont-Tremblant in Quebec on your list. Close to the world class city of Montreal, this famous ski area can satisfy the dream of a memorable trip to an iconic ski resort with all the trappings that make for an unforgettable holiday close to one of the world’s major cities without spending hours navigating winding mountain roads to reach the slopes.

Zermatt, Switzerland is famed as a mountaineering and ski resort of the Swiss Alps and is known throughout the world for its skiing, especially Triftji for its moguls. Zermatt holds the world's second biggest lift-served vertical drop and the high altitude results in consistent skiing continuously throughout the summer. The Sunnegga Paradise is accessed via a funicular railway, followed by a gondola to Blauherd and finally a cable car onwards to the Rothorn (3,103m) above. The topography of the mountain and the valley tends to keep the Rothorn clear and sunny, even when Zermatt is submerged in cloud. From Blauherd there is a gondola down to Gant, and from there a connecting cablecar goes to Hohtälli. This cable car and the newer 4-seat chairlift Sunnegga-Findeln-Breitboden provide connections between Sunnegga and Gornergrat. With few steep slopes, this mountain is often used to train younger skiers. The Gornergrat is served by the Gornergratbahn railway, a 29 minute ride to the Gornergrat peak (3,089 m), via Riffelalp, Rotenboden and Riffelberg, (with limited stops at Findelbach and Landtunnel just above the town). At the summit, the hotel and restaurant have been refurbished and accommodate a shopping centre. A cable car heads up from Hohtälli to the Rote Nase (3,247 m). This final lift serves a freeride area but can be unreliable as this mountainside requires good snow cover to be skiable. The lifts in this area generally open for the season in late February or early March, cablecar is now permanently closed, with no replacement lift planned. A new slope leading back from Hohtälli to Kellensee just under the Gornergrat replaced this lift to maintain the link from the Rothorn to Gornergrat. Near the southern end of Zermatt, the Matterhorn Express gondola transports passengers up to the interchange station at Furi. From here there is access to the Schwarzsee via a gondola to the right, a cable car that leads on to the Trockener Steg midstation (and then on to the Klein Matterhorn), and a new gondola, opened on 18 December 2006, links Furi to Riffelberg on the Gornergrat mountain. This lift addresses one of the most persistent criticisms of Zermatt: that it is very difficult to ski the two sides of the valley without a tiresome trek through the village between the Gornergratbahn and the Matterhorn Express at opposite ends of the town. Testa Grigia at the top of the Theodulpass serves as a connection to the Italian ski-resorts of Cervinia and Valtournenche. From the Swiss side it is only reachable by skilift, but from the Italian side by a chairlift and by a cablecar. There are customs offices here as well as a small alpine museum. Zermatt is marketed as an all year skiing resort, with summer skiing limited to the Theodulgletscher behind the Klein Matterhorn. Whilst strictly true, during the off season in May and June there will only tend to be one or two runs open, and the main glacier area does not open until July.

If skiing the Alps has been a long time dream then visiting Kitzbühel should be at the top of your vacation wish list. One of the top holiday destinations in Austria, Kitzbühel is a quaint town along the Kitzbühel Ache River in Tyrol. It features over 100 miles of powdery slopes and 55 lifts and gondolas designed to take you all over the Alps. Snowboarders and skiers will both appreciate the dedicated DC Snow Park in Hanglalm for boarders. There’s also plenty of tree runs in the backcountry terrain of Kitzbüheler Horn. As is the case with many ski towns these days, Kitzbühel has quite a few high-end spas and fine dining options including three Michelin-starred restaurants Outside magazine said Kitzbühel in the best place in Europe for watching ski races. Beyond the winter months, Kitzbühel still has loads of activities for outdoor enthusiasts. There are 29 lifts and cable cars available during the summer to take visitors up the mountain. Once on the mountain, it’s easy to hike between cable cars to go up higher. It’s worth going up the mountain just to take in the views and regardless of skill level there’s definitely a path or two even beginner hikers would be comfortable traversing. For those more advanced, there are climbing trips available to Wilder Kaiser Mountain and the Hohe Tauern glaciers. Beyond the mountain activities, there are plenty of places to swim and golf. The town has the following festivals & events: New Year’s Fireworks and Ski Show – January Hahnenkamm Race – January International Cordial Cup – May Valartis Bank Snow Polo World Cup – January Kitzbühel Alpenrallye – May/June Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU Championship – June Kitzbühel Golf Festival – June/July KitzAlpBike – June/July Tour of Austria – July Steinbach Boogie Woogie & Blues Festival – July Kitzbühel Tennis Tournament BET-AT-HOME Cup – July Annual Fair of Stadtmusik in Kitzbühel – August Advent in the Mountains – November/December