Skiing is not only an extreme sport, it holds a large spectrum of reasoning behind it. Snow resorts are romantic, great for the family and are generally the best holiday you can have, provided you’re not afraid of the cold.
I have compiled a list of what I think are the top ten ski resorts based on my knowledge and what I’ve personally been to.
I’m a hobby snowboarder and love my white powder, and there is nothing worse than compact powder or resorts that must groom their snow with machines.
Top Ten Ski Destinations in the World
I’m not going to start with the best first that should always be last. So without any further ado, let’s get to the list.
Alpine Valley, USA
Located at White Lake, Michigan with children’s lessons available and a lot of slopes for beginners. Don’t let that steer you away, there are a few advanced trails with a 300 feet drop and the longest run being over 2000 feet.
Ben Lomond, Australia
This great little gem is located in the south island off Australia, in Tasmania. One of the greatest things about this mountain is there is always fresh powder floating around. Setup for school groups and family days, it’s great if you want to tie in snow with sun on an Australian holiday.
Kiroro, Japan
Located just a few hours from the famous Niseko, it’s hard to not fall in love with Kiroro. The mountain is known for always having an incredible amount of dry powder. This resort is suitable for all types of skiers, including family time.
Porters, New Zealand
Home to the Lord of the Rings, NZ has some extremely large mountain ranges and the snow falls consistently. Located just 89 km outside of Christchurch on the south island with a lot of family events, beginners slopes and fresh powder.
Perisher, Australia
The most famous ski resort in Australia and commonly known as Perisher Blue. There is a lot to do at Perisher and has been a family go-to place for generations. There are four resort areas with trails that challenge you over time.
Furano, Japan
Based in the Hokkaido region, where all the great resorts are. Just like Kiroro, here you can get consistent dry powder falling for great trails. There are day trip options nearby, well-groomed fall line skiing and a genuine cultural experience.
Cardrona Alpine Resort, New Zealand
Definitely NZ’s chill resort with affordable pricing for families and regular visits. The resort covers all levels of experience with children’s lessons available. Organized family groups, on mountain apartments and food you would die for.
Whistler Blackcomb, Canada
This two side-by-side mountain horizon with chairlift access to trails, in which they’re also famous for. This locations has more terrains than any of their neighboring resorts and the resort really enjoys catering/hosting families.
Kicking Horse, Canada
This resort holds over 2,800 acres of terrain and holds 128 named runs. The resort is famous for not disappointing and located only a few hours’ drive from Calgary. There is only an average of 7m snowfall at the top of the mountain, however, it’s dry powder and provides a good quality run.
Niseko, Japan
Listed one of Japan’s finest ski resorts and one of the largest. Common to have fresh powder and amazing food always. – More about skiing in Niseko here.
Niseko, Japan ski resort has over 48 km of services runs. The terrain itself caters more towards intermediate and advanced runners, however, there is around 30% of the resort dedicated to beginners and families. One of the more advanced runs has a 1000 meter drop.