As the saying goes, you can’t please all the people all the time. And that certainly goes for ski resorts. Not one size (or style) fits all. Lucky us: New England has a variety of resorts, all with a different character and amenities. How do you pick the right one for you and your group? We’re here to help with this roundup of different resorts, catering to different folks.
Best for multi-gen groups: Bretton Woods Ski Area, New Hampshire
When we’re traveling with a group, including non-skiers and skiers of varying abilities, adults, kids, teens, and elders, we head to this resort in northern New Hampshire. It never disappoints. The Granite State’s largest ski resort has 98 alpine ski trails and glades across 464 acres, with a nice mix of beginner, intermediate, and expert terrain all funneling into a central base lodge. Have Nordic skiers in your group? There are 45 trails with 100 kilometers of terrain, including lift-served terrain. Canopy zipline tours, tubing, sleigh rides, and more are also available. The best part is that the grand and historic Omni Mount Washington Resort & Spa is just up the road (free shuttles available to the ski area) with history tours, kids club, daily activities, game room, fine dining, indoor pool and spa, and majestic mountain views. Yep, something for everyone. Note: Ask about their Stay Here, Ski Free midweek package that includes two free alpine or Nordic tickets for each night you stay.
Runner up: Okemo in Ludlow, Vt., has a variety of trails for all abilities, on-slope condo lodging for big groups, and a slew of nearby, off-slope activities.
Best for all-day skiers: Sugarloaf, Maine
Are you a first chair up, last chair down skier? You’ll find plenty of acreage to cover at the Loaf, one of the largest in the Northeast. Last season’s West Mountain expansion added 12 new trails, increasing its skiable acreage by nearly 10 percent. The resort now has 176 trails, glades and terrain parks across 1,360 skiable acres. The 4,237-foot summit is the highest peak elevation of any ski resort in New England, and it has the only lift-serviced, above-treeline skiing in the East. Whew. There are narrow chutes and wide wanderers, glades and snowfields, greens, blues, diamonds, and double diamonds across three mountains. When you’re ready to challenge yourself, take a snowcat up Burnt Mountain to ski the side-country, expert-only glades.
Runner-up: You’ll need a strategy to ski Killington Resort in Vermont, nicknamed The Beast for a reason. Seven mountains, 73 miles of trails. Is it possible to be too big?
Best for non-skiers: Loon Mountain, New Hampshire
You don’t need skis to take the scenic Gondola Skyride to the summit of Loon Peak for sweeping mountain to valley views. Or to go Sno-Go (snow bike) riding.
Visit the Mountain Spa & Wellness Center for fitness classes and body treatments. Or attend one of the special events held at the resort throughout the season. Take a guided snowmobile tour through the White Mountains with Sledventures; do a wine tasting at the Seven Birches Winery; go on a snowshoe trek or zipline with Alpine Adventures; take a sleigh ride and be awed at the Ice Castles, a massive fairyland made of ice with tunnels, caves, thrones, slides and more.
Runner-up: Let the others hit the slopes at Sunday River in Bethel, Maine, while you visit the impressive Maine Mineral and Gem Museum, with some 40,000 gems and minerals and 6,000 meteorites. Or go dog sledding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, ice skating, horseback riding, and more.
Best for food lovers: Stowe, Vermont
Ski resorts are rarely known for their food, but this one has three of our favorite restaurants in town. The Cliff House at the gondola atop Mount Mansfield, with sweeping mountain views, serves contemporary American cuisine. The lively Alpine Hall, with an open kitchen and chef’s counter, serves local, farm-to-table dishes, and the Tipsy Trout specializes in seafood. All are worth a visit. And then venture into the village of Stowe, named by Fodor’s Travel as the #1 Ski Town for Foodies in the United States. Check out Piecasso Pizzeria, Harrison’s, Idlethyme Brewery and Restaurant, The Bench, and Doc Ponds, to name a few.
Runner-up: Sugarbush in Warren, Vt., is surrounded by great dining options, including the elegant Dining Room at the Pitcher Inn, Chez Henri, and Deco Restaurant & Bar. And then there’s the nearby town of Waterbury, an epicenter for craft beer lovers and hotspot for foodies, filled with worthy restaurants, pubs, and cafes.
Best for Beginners: Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, Massachusetts
This beloved resort in the Berkshires, open since 1948, is well known for its family-friendly atmosphere and easy-does-it vibe. There are more than 45 trails across some 167 acres, with some 50 percent devoted to beginner and intermediate skiers. There’s a separate area for beginners with its own lift, but even newbies can hop on a chair to Hendrick’s Summit Lodge, for a bite to eat and nice mountaintop views, and then ski down from the 2,380-foot summit on the winding Left Bank trail. All trails funnel to the base, where you’ll find a small village with a lodge, ski-in ski-out accommodations, restaurants and their award-winning children’s center. It’s also one of the first ski resorts in North America to get 100 percent of its electrical power from renewable sources.
Runner-up: Wachusett Mountain in Princeton, about 60 miles from Boston, has 27 trails with 100 percent snowmaking, lots of beginner terrain, and great deals on learn-to-ski packages.
Diane Bair and Pamela Wright can be reached at bairwright@gmail.com