From California to Quebec City, Musement shares six of the best destinations in North American for a winter mountain getaway.
While skiing trips are a no-brainer come winter, plenty of other mountain activities are suited to anyone who doesn’t want to hit the slopes. These six winter mountain getaways in North America show that there’s more to the slopes than skiing. You’ll find outdoor adventure, engaging entertainment, and one-of-a-kind accommodations in these peak locations.
1. Camelback Resort, Pennsylvania
Camelback Resort on Eastern Pennsylvania’s Camelback Mountain is home to the largest snow tubing park in the country. This all-age adventure park features 3-hour tubing sessions during the day and 2-hour value sessions at night. From 8:00a.m. to 10:00 p.m., the park is transformed into an out-of-this-world experience with a music and light show. Overnight guests of the Camelback Lodge & Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark get complimentary tickets to the park with their reservation.
2. Snowshoe Mountain Resort, West Virginia
For off-road adventure, head to Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia. The Snowshoe Mountain Resort offers guided tours along the Cheat Mountain Ridge Trail and Fire Tower Trail in heated Polaris RZR all-terrain vehicles. Take your tour to the next level by adding on the Overnight Backcountry Hut Dinner Package. The package includes a hearty dinner at the Sunrise Backcountry Hut, rustic accommodations and breakfast the following morning. Other winter activities offered through the resort include tubing, snowmobiling, horseback riding and, of course, skiing.
3. Hôtel de Glace, Quebec City
You’ll feel like you’re on the set of Frozen when you stay at Quebec City’s Hôtel de Glace. This unique hotel on the lower slopes of Canada’s Laurentian mountains is made entirely from snow and ice. Its forty-two rooms and themed suites offer guests a one-of-a-kind experience during the winter months. You’ll be welcomed with a cocktail served in a glass made of ice, sleep in an arctic sleeping bag on top of a block of ice, and enjoy access to the ice skating path at the Valcartier Vacation Village.
4. Yosemite National Park, California
Winter backpacking is the perfect way to explore the peaks and valleys of Yosemite National Park without the usual warm-weather crowds. See the park’s iconic landmarks while trekking through snow on skis or snowshoes. Hikers will find well-marked trails at levels from beginning to advanced. The Badger Pass Ski Area offers downhill and cross-country skiing opportunities, as well as snowshoeing, snowboarding, and snow tubing through the end of March. If you want to take an overnight or multi-day trip, you can make reservations for any of the available campsites, stay in a ski hut, or book a room at one of the lodges or hotels with special winter rates.
5. Estes Park, Colorado
The Kent Mountain Adventure Center and The Stanley Hotel have teamed up to offer Estes Park’s visitors a wonderful winter in the mountains. Half- and full-day adventures for the hotel’s guests include snowshoeing, skiing, split boarding, and ice climbing in the Rocky Mountains. If you decide not to stay at this historic Colorado hotel, you can join the expert adventure guides at the KMAC on a four-day mountaineering campout in tents or snow caves.
6. Park City, Utah
The spirit of the Olympics is still alive in Park City, Utah, which also happens to host the Sundance Film Festival. Utah Olympic Park held the luge, skeleton, ski jumping and bobsled events that were held during the 2002 Winter Games, and here, you can watch the next generation of Olympic athletes training for their shot at the gold or get in on the action yourself with an adrenaline-fueled activity like the Comet Bobsled Ride, an intense trip down an icy slope that reaches speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. Other available activities for adventure seekers include slides, zip lines, adventure courses, and climbing walls. Guided tours of the park and a scenic chairlift ride above the Park City trail are options for guests who are a little less daring.