Après-Ski Guide: What Is It And Where To Do It

What is après-ski?

Après-ski is a French term that means “after ski” or “after skiing.” The phrase was made popular in the Alps during the rise of commercial skiing in the 1950s, and today, après-ski is an umbrella term for popular post-ski activities. It can refer to champagne toasts on slopeside terraces in Chamonix, France, as well as kicking back around a firepit with a couple of craft beers in Breckenridge, Colorado.

There’s no official time frame for “après ski,” though it usually starts in late afternoon—say, around 4 p.m. after you’ve finished for the day (pro tip: never call it your last run, it’s bad luck)—and can keep going well past dinner. Nightclubs in ski-heavy parts of Austria have been known to party until 6 a.m. Think of it as a happy hour of sorts, one that has the potential to last late into the night. While après-ski customs and culture vary from place to place—ski resort atmospheres can run the gamut from laid back to ultra posh—it’s common for your snow gear to double as après-ski attire, minus the clunky ski boots. So don’t worry about adding any fancy getups to your ski trip packing list. Simply swap your helmet for a beanie and stow your boards and skis away.

The best places to experience après-ski

Many countries have their own distinct ski cultures, which can even vary from mountain to mountain. From table-top dancing to hot soaks, there is a very wide range of après-ski scenes around resorts once the boots come off.

The European Alps

Fondue sticks topped with bread resting in a pot of melted cheese, with two glasses of wine in the background — Warm up after skiing all day with a pot of fondue.

Ski chalets and grand hotels, fondue and mulled wine, cobblestone streets and haute cuisine—Europe’s Alpine ski towns are generally known for their white-gloved elegance. But within a large swath of the Alps (from Austria to France), the après-ski scene also has a wild side that makes Hot Tub Time Machine look tame. Think cabarets, underground clubs, and late-night Euro-pop dance parties.

Prime ski season: roughly late November to April

The wildest ski scene: St. Anton, Austria
In St. Anton, Austria, expect singalongs and 3 a.m. dance parties fueled by oversized beers and Jägermeister shots—plus all the oompah music you could ever dream of. Check out MooserWirt for the “epitome of oompah après.” Other rowdy honorable mentions include Ischgl, Austria; Val d’Isère, France; and Verbier, Switzerland.

The see-and-be-seen scene: St. Moritz, Switzerland
Ferraris are usually parked out front of Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, and elite athletes often compete at the Kulm Hotel, credited as the birthplace of modern winter sports. (For a less high-brow alternative, Grindelwald’s seasonal Bus Stop Bar in the Jungfrau region is a 1960s bus-turned-bar that serves Gingerbombs—a shot of their house-made, ultra-zingy ginger liqueur—at the bottom of the Grindel downhill piste. Interlaken boasts multiple ice skating rinks. On Lake Brienz, a “hotpot” is a riff on a hot tub that also serves fondue. Be still our (slightly clogged) hearts.)

Best all-around après-ski: Chamonix, France
A playground of mountaineering, Chamonix is a near-mythical destination for serious skiers with serious drinking appetites to match.

The best food: The Dolomites of the Italian Alps
The Dolomites of the Italian Alps is where foodies come to ski—for an hour or two, after a cappuccino, aperitivos, and a two-hour lunch, possibly Michelin-starred. Check out the South Tyrol village of San Cassiano for some of the best restaurants and hotels in the area.

The Southern Alps of New Zealand

Prime ski season: late June to mid-October
After a day spent cruising the Remarkables or Coronet Peak—two of the more accessible “ski fields,” as the resorts are known on New Zealand’s South Island—head back into Queenstown for a proper after-party. Fuel up at Fergburger with their namesake burger (roughly the size of your head, made from prime New Zealand beef) before diving into “late-night shenanigans” at Yonder, a coffee-to-closing-time spot that delivers live music and comedy. Bring the whole family to Minus 5º Ice Bar, where you’re fitted with Ugg-style boots, gloves, and coats to endure the indoor chill.

Rather ski straight to the bar? Coronet Peak does night skiing from 4 to 9 p.m.; to kick off après-ski early, Cardrona Alpine Resort‘s Vista Bar at the top of the gondola serves champagne and craft beer until 3 p.m. (If it’s later, seek out the firepit scene at 161-year-old Cardrona Hotel only five minutes away.)

Japan

Prime ski season: mid-December through March

With a diverse mix of skiers, snowboarders, and seasonal workers from Japan and around the globe, Hokkaido’s popular ski area Niseko has an après-ski scene that mixes both Western and Japanese elements. Visitors can spend the evening taking shots and dancing on tables at the rowdy, American-style Freddies or cozying up with a craft beer at Niseko Taproom. Or try a very Japanese après-ski: an evening soak in an onsen at Hilton Niseko Village; hearty dinners of soba noodles at Rakuichi (advance reservations required); and Japanese whisky flights at Bar Gyu+, dubbed “the fridge bar” for its refrigerator door entrance.

The United States

Prime ski season: November to April
Where to begin? East Coast or West Coast? Northwest or Southwest? The U.S. après-ski scene is as varied as its states, though an undercurrent of cheap beer and fleece runs across the country. Hearty fare in mountaintop lodges or ski bar and grills (chili and cornbread, soups, nachos, and hot chocolate are all staples) fuels full-day ski and snowboarding sessions across the nation. But that’s where the similarities end.

The best in the Northeast: Vermont
In Killington, skiers face off against steep, icy slopes and celebrate being alive by following up with a raucous night out at the Pickle Barrel nightclub.

The see-and-be-seen scene: Montana
Big Sky is known for attracting tech entrepreneurs and celebrities—though it’s unlikely that you’ll see them while you’re here. There are nine square miles of skiable terrain (runs for everyone!) and plenty of laid-back, burger-and-a-brew vibes.

The best for wellness lovers: Idaho
Classic lodges, massive spas, wide-open trails—everything is big in Sun Valley.

The film lover’s favorite: Utah
Park City is home to the legendary Sundance Film Festival and beloved High West Distillery. At Montage Deer Valley ski resort, head to the bright orange yurt housing The Après Lounge for champagne and caviar.

Best all-around après-ski: Colorado
Aspen is known for being fancy, with its luxury resorts (The Little Nell, The St. Regis, and Hotel Jerome, to name a few), fur-vest dress code, and Veuve Clicquot bars. Two hours away, Breckenridge offers après-ski for everyone, from families to dive-bar devotees.

The wildest ski scene: Wyoming

Expert skiers come to Jackson Hole for steep chutes and cheap shots at the Mangy Moose, a local watering hole and live music hot spot since 1967.

The best for the whole family: California

And things are positively Heavenly in South Lake Tahoe, where skiers and boarders can walk from the base of the gondola over to Azul Latin Kitchen for live music and margaritas. Down the road at Northstar, head to Tōst for après-ski champagne in the snow.

A Canadian flag flying over snow-covered mountains — British Columbians are justifiably proud of their pristine powder.

Canada

Prime ski season: late November to late April

Whether you’re skiing with Aussies in Whistler, British Columbia, or the French Canadians on Mont-Tremblant in Québec, there’s a distinctly Canadian feel to the après-ski in the Great White North. Things are much more laid-back, beer-fueled, and decidedly unfussy. Whistler Village (built for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics) remains one of our favorite scenes in the world. It’s walkable, shoppable, and safely stumble-able from the Longhorn Saloon & Grill at the base of Whistler mountain to renowned barbecue joint Dusty’s or—a must for beer hounds—High Mountain Brewing Co. Atop Whistler Mountain, Garibaldi Lift Co., or GLC, serves up a memorable Caesar (see “The drinks” section below) and stays family-friendly until 10 p.m. Remember: You can never have too much poutine.

Two skiers on a chairlift above a snow-covered mountain, with a lake in the background — The chairlifts at Cerro Catedral ski stations have sweeping views of Nahuel Huapi and Gutiérrez Lake.

South America

Prime ski season: mid-June to mid-October
Skiing in Argentina, from Cerro Catedral in Bariloche to Las Lenas in Mendoza, is as picturesque as it gets. The lakes! The granite spires! The après-ski scene at Cerro Catedral is no joke—we’re talking a 1 a.m. start—so plan on a siesta after a day on the mountains.

When it comes to Las Trancas, Chile, Afar contributor Zoe Baillargeon has a few suggestions: “After a day of off-piste skiing, snowshoeing, or dog-sledding, take a rejuvenating soak in the renowned, slopeside Termas de Chillán thermal hot springs, then head to the folksy Snow Pub, the local après it-spot, or Oliva’s Restaurant for casual eats and tasty pisco sours. Unwind for the night in town at stylish digs like the chalet-chic MILodge or the trendy, Scandinavian-inspired Las Trancas Hideaway, where you can revel in the local, laid-back vibe.”

Après-ski attire

For your après-ski look, don’t worry about heading home for a full change after your last run of the day. Swap your ski boots for waterproof boots you can actually walk in, add a beanie to cover your helmet hair, and you’ll fit right in everywhere from Jackson Hole to Zermatt. However, while well-worn fleeces may be the norm in casual ski towns in California and Vermont, you’ll find the peak (pun very much intended) of après-ski attire in places like Aspen, Colorado, and St. Moritz, Switzerland.

A person in a red snow suit posing on a snowy flat with mountains in background — Après-ski fashion has a life of its own.

To help you find your own après-ski style, we spoke to a few locals about what to wear in the most stylish ski towns in the United States and Europe.

Après-ski attire in St. Moritz, Switzerland vs. Aspen, Colorado

“People wear everything from cool ski clothes to the latest runway looks,” says St. Moritz local Barbara Granetzny-Görtz, who’s worked in the fashion industry since the early ‘90s. A typical St. Moritz outfit would be cashmere from locally based Cashmere House Lamm paired with Italian handmade Santoni leather boots, a long colorful scarf, and a Borsalino hat to top it all off.

Lee Keating believes Aspen has the greatest ski style in the world, and she would know: She owns three ski-wear shops in Colorado that stock upmarket European brands like Moncler and Frauenschuh. One thing she’s noticed helping dress people for the slopes: The women in particular are not afraid to show off their own looks.

“Aspen’s an independent-thinking place, and [locals] don’t care what people think,” Keating says. Recently, she’s noticed more and more women opt for stretchy one-piece ski suits on the slopes over traditional separates.

“The black stretch suit has become the little black dress for après-ski,” Keating says. “People will wear a ski jacket over the one-piece for skiing and then change to a long shearling vest for après.”

Another trend gaining speed is a movement away from traditionally over-sized jackets and shells to cropped bomber jackets that are functional on the slopes, stylish enough for après, and layer well over one-piece stretch suits.

For men, Aspen-based Aztech Mountain makes beautiful plaid shirts with incredibly soft brushed-cotton fabric and magnetic collars to keep out the chill; these shirts go from slopes to après to dinner.

For the full story, read Who Wears It Well? The Best in Après-Ski Outfits.

An aperol spritz and a bombardino on tables in front of snowy mountains — Common après drinks in Italy include the Aperol Spritz (L) and the Bombardino (R).