I don’t mean to alarm anyone, but winter is only 122 days away!

For many people this means the winter travel season, such as a ski vacation, is equally close at hand.

There are some excellent ski resorts near and far —-consider the big ski slopes in Colorado or the fabulous Whistler resort in B.C.

For something extra special—consider a ski vacation in spectacular Switzerland or the Tyrol and Arlberg regions in Austria. 

And life in the ski resort doesn’t stop at skiing — there are relaxing spas, outstanding restaurants and fun apres ski activities!

Skiing and snowboarding in Colorado is a truly unique experience. The unmistakable peaks of the majestic Rocky Mountains, the sheer variety, volume, and breadth of the resorts, and plentiful annual snowfall make this state one of the most coveted winter playgrounds. The pandemic has given us all a renewed appreciation for the outdoors, and what better way to experience it this winter than at one of these eight Colorado ski resorts.

Each destination offers something unique, like world class art exhibits in Aspen, backcountry cat skiing in Crested Butte, or whiskey tastings in Breckenridge, to name a few, but the best ski resorts in Colorado have two major things in common: great winter weather (allowing for a longer ski season) and exhilarating terrain that makes for an unmatched skiing experience for all skill levels.

Colorado is a Swiss army knife of winter activity, and the key to unlocking it is the Epic Pass, a single season pass that covers different resorts across the US, Canada, Europe, and Japan (including several on this list). At each of the Colorado ski resorts, you can push your skills, master the terrain, and even enjoy some charming non-skiing activities in some of the West’s most idyllic towns.

Whistler Resort, which includes Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, has the largest ski area and two of the longest vertical drops on the continent, as well as one of the world’s most advanced lift systems.

But there’s more to Whistler than skiing and snowboarding; each winter people flow into the resort with no intention of riding a chairlift, preferring to explore the many spas, shops, and restaurants, as well as the varied nightlife.

During the rest of the year, they come to play four championship golf courses, race down the world’s largest downhill bike park, and hike the hundreds of miles of trails. Then there’s horseback riding along mountain ridges, zip-lining across Fitzsimmons Valley, or hopping aboard a helicopter ride to have lunch on one of dozens of nearby glaciers.

Whistler Blackcomb is also now a member of The Mountain Collective, a ski- and perk-pass program that’s good for half a dozen other top-notch resorts including Aspen and Jackson Hole.

The frontier between Tyrol and the province of Salzburgerland to the east is defined by mountains; four passes routed over them are what make access possible. To the west of Tyrol lies Vorarlberg—“before the Arlberg”—the mountain range straddling the border between the two provinces.

In winter you’ll find unrivaled skiing and tobogganing. The famous Arlberg ski resorts are cult destinations for skiers from all over the world. In summer, Bregenz, the historic state capital of Vorarlberg, becomes the “Summer Capital of Austria” when the Bregenz Festival opens with a performance by the Viennese Symphonic Orchestra. Thousands flock to see operas and musicals by the likes of Giuseppe Verdi, Georges Bizet, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, which take place on a huge floating stage with the Bodensee (Lake Constance) and the Swiss mountains as a backdrop.

Ready to start planning your winter travel experience? Contact us today and let’s make it a winter vacation to remember!