Powder hounds from around the world flock to the Great White North to partake in its renowned snow sports and enjoy its famed alpine landscapes.
Canada has nearly 300 ski resorts, so finding the right one for you requires research on its mountainous corners. We’ve done the hard work for you and compiled six of the best ski resorts in Canada and recommendations for local hotels with views of Canada’s natural scenery—plus other practical information to help you make the most of your vacation.
1. Whistler Blackcomb
Whistler, British Columbia
- Best for: Variety of terrain options and difficulty levels
- Price for a day pass: Adults starting at $129, children starting at $65; whistlerblackcomb.com
A 1.5-hour drive north of Vancouver, Whistler not only enjoys a reputation as the premier skiing destination in Canada, but it’s also the largest ski resort on the continent. The slopes deliver a mind-bogglingly diverse range of terrain and trail types, while Whistler Village offers fine dining, a lively bar scene (check out the Longhorn Saloon for some solid après action), art, and an overall pleasant vibe. It’s no surprise that it was the setting for a range of downhill events during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.
The Whistler Blackcomb Resort comprises two interconnected mountains: Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain. Spanning a vast 8,171 acres of skiable terrain, the resort is crisscrossed by a network of over 200 trails and boasts a massive vertical drop of 5,280 feet. Here you’ll find runs for every type of skier and snowboarder, including first-timers and the most seasoned snow enthusiasts. No matter your level of experience, be sure to spend a few hours at Scandinave Spa: a pin-drop quiet Scandinavian-style spa where you can unwind with various baths, saunas, yoga rooms, solariums, and more.
Where to stay
The area offers plenty of options. Four Seasons Whistler’s 273 rooms give a supremely luxurious experience without lapsing into pretension. The 2019-renovated property boasts a comfy yet stylish aesthetic featuring lots of wood and art and has an outstanding steakhouse in the form of Sidecut.
If you’re looking for more homelike digs, especially for a family, check out Pan Pacific Whistler Mountainside. Its 121 rooms are more like apartments, including fully equipped kitchens, spacious interiors, and a fireplace for warming up after a day on the slopes.
Located in the Canadian Rockies, Sunshine Village has 115 runs of varying difficulties.
Photo by Bennekom/Shutterstock
2. Banff Sunshine Village
Banff, Alberta
- Best for: Stunning scenery and diverse runs
- Price for a day pass: Prices available once the resort opens for the season (around early to mid-November); skibanff.com
There are few natural regions in the world as renowned as Banff. A mere 90-minute drive into the mountains outside of Calgary, it’s popular with outdoor sport enthusiasts year-round, and in the winter its gorgeous vistas become a snowy wonderland. There are a number of skiing and snowboarding opportunities in the area, but Banff Sunshine Village is the most popular.
Banff Sunshine Village offers an expansive 3,358-acre terrain; both novices and experts seeking wild backcountry runs will find something suitable. But here skiing is only half the equation—the epic scenery of the Canadian Rockies is reason enough to visit this spot on the Continental Divide. Sunshine has also spent the past 20 years working to improve its sustainability practices, implementing high-efficiency technology in its on-mountain buildings to reduce water use per skier visit by 29 percent.
Where to stay
Banff Sunshine Village has its own on-site accommodations in the form of the 84-room Sunshine Mountain Lodge. A key reason to go to Banff is because you want to spend time in the charming town, however—if you’re looking for a hotel closer to the action, check out either the 333-room Rimrock Resort Hotel or 739-room Fairmont Banff Springs. The former leans into quiet, secluded luxury while the latter has more of a bustling, but nonetheless luxurious, atmosphere.
Marmot Basin may not be Canada’s biggest ski resort, but the views you get make up for it.
Photo by Michal Onderco/Shutterstock
3. Marmot Basin
Jasper, Alberta
- Best for: Magnificent scenery
- Price for a day pass: Adults starting at $139, youths starting at $112, children starting at $49; skimarmot.com
Note: Jasper National Park is currently closed due to wildfires.
Clocking in at 1,675 acres containing 86 runs, Marmot Basin in Jasper National Park certainly isn’t the biggest ski resort on this list. But what it lacks in expansiveness, it makes up for in terms of grandeur. From its modest 3,000-foot drop, you’ll enjoy dazzling views of Eagle Ridge from the Knob chairs. Its ski area is both above and below the treeline, and it offers a solid range of terrain spanning alpine bowls, groomed runs, glades, cliff features, and more.
Thanks to its remote location, Jasper has fewer crowds to congest the pleasantly small town. And when it comes to sheer magnificence, only a handful of drives in the world rival the stunning lakes, ice fields, and other natural phenomena presented over the three-hour stretch between Banff and Jasper.
Where to stay
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge reopened to the public in October 2024 after wildfires devastated Jasper and its surrounding areas. The luxury stay is only 20 minutes from Marmot Basin, and daily shuttles are available.
Powder hounds will enjoy the steep runs of Revelstoke.
Photo by CSNafzger/Shutterstock
4. Revelstoke Mountain Resort
Revelstoke, British Columbia
- Best for: Advanced skiers, heli-skiing, lack of crowds
- Price for a day pass: Adults starting at $179, seniors and youths starting at $138, children starting at $68; revelstokemountainresort.com
Two hours west of Banff or eight hours northeast of Vancouver, Revelstoke Mountain Resort provides an epic experience for advanced skiers. It’s not really the place for beginners or families, but if you’re an adventure junkie looking for heli-skiing or otherwise wild runs, it delivers big thrills.
Revelstoke—also known as “Revy”—is massive. It covers 3,121 acres but has only 75 trails, so that should give you a sense of how wild the skiing can get. It has the longest vertical on the continent at 5,620 feet and most of it is below the treeline, consisting of a few mellow groomed runs, glades, moguls, alpine bowl skiing, and more. It’s known for getting lots of snow—as much as 60 feet of powder per season.
Where to stay
There are no on-site accommodations, so you’ll need to book something nearby. Two options stand out: The first is Heather Mountain Lodge, which has 24 rooms high in the mountains; from its remote location, you can launch heli-skiing adventures, enjoy comfy rooms, and gather with your fellow powder hounds at the on-site bar. If you’re looking to be closer to the town of Revelstoke or need longer-term accommodations, consider Basecamp Resorts Revelstoke. Its 32 suites are massive, easily accommodating a family while providing full kitchens, balconies, and lovely riverside views.
The Laurentian Mountains are among the oldest mountain ranges in the world.
Courtesy of Nikita Markov/Unsplash
5. Mont Tremblant
Mont-Tremblant, Quebec
- Best for: European ski vibes, expert skiers
- Price for a day pass: Adults starting at $142, youths starting at $107, children starting at $81; tremblant.ca
Mont Tremblant is a ski resort in the Laurentian Mountains, about a 1.5-hour drive northwest from Montreal. The resort has 755 acres of skiable terrain and 102 trails (around 80 are classified as “difficult” or “very difficult and extreme”). But if you’re looking for an experience less adrenaline-inducing, the area is a haven for activities such as snowshoeing and fat-tire biking.
The resort is also family friendly. For those with little ones eager to learn, the resort has snowboard and ski lessons, and its roster of activities (including ice fishing, sleigh rides, and snow tubing) are more than enough to keep everyone occupied. Its European-style pedestrian village is also worth a gander, too.
Where to stay
Hotel Quintessence is a 30-suite boutique ski hotel on the shores of Lake Tremblant. It received a Michelin Key in 2024 and is a place to relax in ultra-luxe coziness, complete with wood-burning fireplaces and deep soaking tubs. (Bonus: Each of the suites is 700 square feet.)
Kicking Horse, between the Purcell and the Rocky mountains, has more than 3,500 acres of skiable terrain, 121 runs, 4 alpine bowls, 85 chutes, and 5 lifts.
Photo by EB Adventure Photography/Shutterstock
6. Kicking Horse
Golden, British Columbia
- Best for: Avoiding the crowds, extreme terrain
- Price for a day pass: Adults starting at $70, youths starting at $49, children starting at $23; tickets.kickinghorseresort.com
The lesser-known Kicking Horse is in the Kootenay Rockies of British Columbia, offering more than 3,400 acres of challenging terrain (there’s some great chute skiing here). Besides being crowd-free compared to resorts like Whistler, Kicking Horse is known as the “Champagne Powder Capital of Canada”—giving travelers all the more reason to explore its 120 runs.
Don’t miss exploring the town of Golden, which is 15 minutes from the resort by car, for some shopping, lodging, and dining, which includes vegetarian and vegan Mexican fare at Reposados Tacos and Belgian-inspired and West Coast–influenced beers from Whitetooth Brewing Co.
Where to stay
Palliser Lodge has ski-in and ski-out access, and one- and two-bedroom suite options. If you want to take advantage of possible sighting of the northern lights that are more spectacular as we approach a solar maximum, opt for a suite with a private balcony.
This article was originally published in 2022; It was updated on October 15, 2024, with current information.
