The 8 Best Ski Towns In The U.S. For A Friend Group Getaway, Ranked

There is something about peaky mountains topped with powder that awakens the adventurer in every ski lover. Whether you're skiing one of the world's most unique skiing destinations or Colorado's underrated mountain resort — the deeper the snow, the better. Add perfectly blue skies, groomed slopes, and long runs, and you have the perfect day in the making. The only thing missing is a jaunt into town to round off the day with a bit of entertainment. 

If you're traveling with friends, aprés ski is just as important as the skiing. A skier traveling alone is most certainly going to a resort to squeeze in as much time on the slopes as possible. But during our research, we found that when a group of friends take a ski vacation, they want to spend time enjoying other pursuits off the mountain as well. Some groups want nightlife and a good restaurant scene on top of outdoor activities. Others want culture and the arts. 

We dug deep and found the best ski towns, ranking them based on factors like quality of the skiing, accessibility, nightlife, and town activities. We also considered reviews from actual skiers as an important metric. Our methodology at the end gives a breakdown on the metrics that went into each ranking factor. We did ensure that the towns on this list were ones that had accolades in their own right — outside of the resorts that offer excellent skiing.

Park City snagged the top spot for its many attractions that would appeal to the different needs of a friend group. More advanced skiers in the group will find hundreds of trails suitable for intermediate to expert skill levels in Park City Mountain, Deer Valley Resort, and Woodward Park City — all within a 30-minute drive. Beginners will also find many slopes to practice on as more than 500 trails await between the three. Non-skiers are not left out either, as snow tubing and snowshoeing are available too. Woodward even offers night snow tubing so skiers in the group could spend days skiing then join the non-skiers in some fun tubing in the evening. Outdoor activities ranging from snowmobiling to ice- skating add even more fun.

Getting around Park City is a breeze. The town is one of the few with true ski-in access as Park City Mountain offers town runs that allow ski-in access right into Main Street. While the resorts have gondolas that go to base areas, the town did fall short when it came to gondola access to downtown. This may change as officials are discussing plans for one at the time of this article's writing. In the meantime, free buses shuttle skiers between town and the mountains. "Once you're in Park City there's a free bus that will get you just about anywhere that's super easy to use and built around skiers," raved one skier on Reddit.

The town was also highly recommended for its fun activities. "Another vote for Park City/Deer Valley ... the main drag in Park City is very fun for a night out," said another skier. In our research, Park City's strongest draw was its many off-mountain attractions. There are dozens of nightlife spots for a fun night out and even more attractions for travelers looking for culture or art.

At number two, Breckenridge shone bright for friend groups looking for a highly accessible ski town with lots of options for on and off mountain fun. Breck Connect, the free gondola offers rides from the mountain into town. The "4 O'Clock Run" at Breckenridge Ski Resort offers true ski-in access straight into downtown, and free shuttles carry skiers around town as well. Breckenridge is also a walkable town replete with all sorts of charms.

Among these charms, if you're looking for ways to enjoy a night on the town, you'll find countless options, including Western-style venues reflective of the town's mining history that serve up live music, dancing floors, and stiff cocktails. The Blue Stag Saloon shows local talent in a mountain cabin style space. And visitors will want to down a drink in Gold Pan Saloon if only to feel what it's like to drink in a saloon that's been around since 1879. Outdoor lovers in the group will also find dog sledding, fly fishing, fat tire biking, and lots of other ways to get some fresh air.

During the days, escape rooms, mine tours at Cowboy Mine, shopping, pottery painting workshops, and art classes show why Breckenridge is one of the best mountain towns for non-skiers. On Reddit, the town came highly recommended for its many opportunities to enjoy a day. "Breck is a good choice, since the non-skiers could go tubing, dog-sledding, snowshoeing and snowmobiling in the area. Quintessential [Colorado] ski town as well," said one commenter. That is not to suggest that Breckenridge falls short when it comes to skiing. Between Breckenridge Ski Resort, Keystone Ski Resort, and Breckenridge Nordic Center, the town offers over 300 trails for snowboarders and skiers of all levels in the group.

Filled with Western character and historic charm, Steamboat Springs ranked right behind Breckenridge for its amazing attractions, high-tier skiing, and good accessibility. Skiers in our research consistently raved about the attractions around town: "Steamboat, Colorado in my opinion is one of the best mountain town experiences you can get, surprised you guys haven't been there yet. Amazing mountain, plenty to do at night."

Another skier had this to say on Reddit: "I haven't been to all, but I'd take Steamboat over Aspen any day, for both on and off-mountain activities." Off the mountain, Steamboat offers up lots of history. Friends traveling together may want to tour Hahns Peak, a historic town from the Gold Rush era that still has many of its old buildings intact. The Howelsen Hill Ski Area, one of the oldest ski resorts in the U.S., and Eleanor Bliss Center for the Arts, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, call Steamboat Springs home. Art loving groups can hop between the town's several art galleries and the many outdoor murals. Steamboat Art Museum, and the hands-on Steamboat Creates are also good ideas for more artsy friends. The town also offers plenty of nightlife and eateries to keep evenings interesting.

Every group member, from beginner to advanced, will find a suitable run in the almost 200 trails between Steamboat and Howelsen Hill Ski Area. Non-skiers can enjoy snow tubing at Saddleback Ranch or snowshoeing and snowboarding at Steamboat's many terrain parks. Ice fishing, horseback riding, dog sledding, and the town's famous hot springs are just a sample of the outdoor activities around the walkable town. Steamboat Springs also has free buses for getting around.

South Lake Tahoe is the perfect ski town for groups who live for the night. The ski town ranks fourth for its nearby casinos, many nightlife spots around town, high quality skiing, and fun town activities. The skiing happens at the popular Heavenly Mountain Resort, just a quick jaunt from the main thoroughfare, and Sierra at Tahoe Resort, around 30 minutes away. Between these two resorts, there are around 160 skiing trails and terrain parks keep skiers and snowboarders happy on the fresh powder. Non-skiers will also find snow tubing fun at Sierra At Tahoe, while snowshoeing can be had at Heavenly Mountain.

While South Lake Tahoe is known as a premier skiing destination, it's the town's exciting attractions that got it the highest praise in our research. "Skiing isn't Colorado or Utah level but it's right below that. Casinos, skiing, bars, restaurants, the Lake itself, non-skiing outdoor activities, all within walking distance," said one Redditor when recommending the town. The town got its highest marks for the attractions around town. Five casinos including big names like Bally's, Harrah's, and Caesar's offer gambling and other entertainment for groups wanting a night on the town. And numerous other nightlife spots and bars add to the nightlife scene. The Loft magic theatre and lounge is particularly recommended for unbelievable shows that blend magic and showmanship .

During the days, activities like axe throwing at Yosemite Axe Throwing and pottery painting at All Fired Up at The Hot Spot add variety for friends wanting activities they can enjoy together. The town did fall short when it comes to accessibility. While the Heavenly Mountain Resort has a gondola, it goes to Heavenly Village, the base area which takes some walking (or driving) to get to the entertainment. There are no buses between Heavenly Village and the casinos, but there are transit options from other areas, depending on where you're going.

Aspen is a prime example of why Colorado has the best skiing in the U.S. The town snagged the number five spot, getting high marks for amazing skiing experiences and accessibility. Being a smaller town, its nightlife and off-mountain entertainment options, though enjoyable, got lower marks. Advanced skiers in the group will especially like the town. Two of its four ski areas — Aspen Mountain (Ajax), Buttermilk, Aspen Highlands, and Snowmass — are exclusively for intermediate to advanced skiers. The two, Ajax and Aspen Highlands, have more than 200 trails dedicated to intermediate and advanced skiers. With mostly double diamond runs, Highland Bowl at Aspen Highlands is particularly challenging.

Beginners will find trails at Buttermilk and Aspen Snowmass (where non-skiers can enjoy also snow tubing). When it comes to getting around, Aspen is a delight. The town is a true ski-in destination for skiers at Ajax. And Silver Queen, Aspen's picturesque gondola offers rides straight into downtown from Ajax. The walkable town also offers free shuttles between town and the mountain. In our research, its accessibility was part of the reason skiers recommended the town on Reddit. "Aspen is one of the classic ski towns with a ... ton of terrain between the four mountains." said one commenter, who also mentioned that the town is walkable.

Aspen has a good amount of nightlife options for keeping evenings interesting and a fair share of eateries for meal times. When not skiing, whole groups can take part in soothing outdoors activities like forest bathing, hiking, bird watching, snowmobiling, ice skating, and fat tire biking. Numerous cultural and arts attractions ranging from Aspen Art Museum to Wheeler Opera House round off the town's entertainment.

Popular among skiers thanks to being surrounded by four amazing ski resorts, Salt Lake City snagged sixth place on our list. However, keep in mind that you should rent a car here since Salt Lake City is a between a 35 and 45 minute drive from Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, and Brighton, — its main ski resorts. Some reviewers, like this skier on Reddit, didn't seem to mind the distance when recommending the town, though, saying, "Salt Lake City? Nearby to Alta, Snowbird, Solitude and Brighton. Also could try Ogden/Snowbasin."

Others found it to be a deal breaker. "First off: sure, Salt Lake City has benefits like lots of lodging, dining, and shopping options. But it won't feel particularly wintry and you'll need to brave a not-always-fun commute to get to the resorts and Park City. I wouldn't recommend it," one person said. Salt Lake is less than 30 minutes from Woodward Park City, a small ski area that offers a few trails for skiers to enjoy. Non-skiers can also snow tube and snowboard at Woodward.

When it comes to accessibility, Salt Lake City doesn't currently have a gondola into the downtown area, although there are discussions for one. As a larger city, it's somewhat walkable with lots of entertainment and eateries. Salt Lake City did shine when it comes to the sheer number of nightlife spots, restaurants, and off-mountain entertainment venues. Friends who visit will have fun whether they choose the theater, an art walk, or one of Salt Lake City's many museums.

The beloved town of Telluride got its highest marks for accessibility. At only eight by 12 blocks, the smaller town packs as much as it can in its small space, including one ski resort with 149 renowned runs which earned the town decent marks for skiing experience. A good amount of night life and off-mountain activities also garnered pretty good marks in terms of town activities. This snagged Telluride the seventh place ranking and makes it perfect for friend groups looking to confine skiing to one resort while enjoying a small, picturesque town.

Beginners have their pick of a several runs, but intermediate and advanced skiers also have plenty of challenging trails to explore. Telluride's free gondola connects the mountain to the town while shuttle buses also provide transportation. Being on the smaller end, the town is walkable, making it easy to enjoy during down time. During ski season, friends can enjoy dog sledding into Telluride's back mountains or get the adrenaline going with some fat tire biking. There is also fishing, snowmobiling, and ice-climbing. For laughs, groups visiting in February can head to Telluride Comedy Festival, and the town has more than a dozen art galleries for artsy groups wanting to spend a few hours admiring art.

A long list of eateries ensure delicious meals any time of day and was this skier's reason for recommending the town: "Second Telluride. Great food in town and on mountain there are some cool bars/food spots like the Yurt and Alpino Vino. To me it's a lot less 'influencery' (less scenery) than Aspen but still has great food and drink spots!"

Whitefish, Montana gets the final spot for groups looking for a good ski town to enjoy. The town got decent scores all around, with its highest marks coming from its nightlife scene and the activities around town. Whitefish's skiing experience is pretty decent. Being close to Whitefish Mountain Resort, means that skiers have easy access to 110 trails and four terrain parks for snowboarders. There is also snowshoeing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, and lots of ways to enjoy the outdoors without skiing.

While Whitefish has a gondola, it does not connect the mountain to downtown, instead stopping at the ski village about 8 miles out. The S.N.O.W. Bus, the town's free bus system, does offer shuttles between the ski resort and the town. And once in the town, Whitefish is highly walkable, thanks to roads that connect major parts of the town. Friends visiting may want to take the time to explore the gorgeous downtown section as Whitefish has a reputation for being one of Montana's most charming towns, thanks to a storybook downtown. Around the town, an entertaining menu of action should make the town more popular than it is.

Groups on a skiing trip can catch a live show at Alpine Theater or Whitefish Theater Company, while live music pops up at Amazing Place Music. And Stumpton Art Studio offers pottery painting and glass art workshops. The town offers a good nightlife scene and plenty of restaurants, and there are art walks that take advantage of the many art galleries scattered around town. Nature lovers also have Glacier National Park at their fingertips. 

We initially looked to real skiers for recommendations on the best ski towns for groups traveling together. Using the number of positive votes and recommendations, we narrowed this list down to eight towns. To rank the towns we developed criteria based on the things that mattered most to groups. From the first part of our research, we found that these were the skiing experience, accessibility, nightlife, and town activities.

Skiing experience includes: number of ski resorts/areas within a 30 minute drive, number of beginner-level trails as well as intermediate/advanced, and other available activities such as snowtubing, snowshoeing, or snowboarding. Accessibility included whether there was a gondola straight into town, whether the town was truly ski in ski out, walkability, and general public transportation. We also took into account the town activities, looking at criteria such as the number of arts and culture venues, eateries, nightlife spots, and other winter outdoor activities.

Number of positive reviews/recommendations were considered as the last ranking factor. Accessibility, town activities, and nightlife were given slightly more weight than skiing experience, since that was generally a given. While skiing opportunities play a part in what makes a ski town enjoyable, this list was most interested in how attractive the town itself was for a diverse friend group. To get the most accurate metrics, we used publicly-available listings on Google, tourism boards, ski resort websites, and others. We also confined "town" to mean an original town or city that exists independent of the mountain, as we know from experience that while skiers may enjoy the villages and towns constructed for the ski resort, they often craved the authenticity of a real town.