“HomeToGo, the world’s largest vacation rental marketplace, today revealed the results of its annual Ski Season Report for 2023, ranking the top 50 ski destinations in North America based on traveler interest and affordability.
After carving through heaps of research from ski destinations across the continent – including lift ticket and accommodation prices – HomeToGo uncovered this year’s most affordable and sought-after destinations for rookie riders and master mountaineers.”
It’s always hard to discern how accurate these types of lists are as it seems like every company in the world creates them just for marketing, but HomeToGo seems to have done a fairly good job.
Check out their lists below:
HomeToGo’s Most Affordable Ski Spots In North America:
HomeToGo’s Most Popular Ski Spots in North America:
No surprises really on any of the Most Popular ski resorts. All five are owned by Vail Resorts, and all of them are known to get super-crowded thanks to the Epic Pass.
They did make one mistake, however, Keystone is in Colorado, not Montana. 😉
The most affordable ski resorts list made sense as well. It’s getting increasingly cheaper for Americans to take their money across the border to get a little more bang for their buck.
I was surprised, however that Whitefish, MT didn’t make the list. I’m guessing that has something to do with the accommodation expenses considering a daily lift ticket is only $94.
HomeToGo has also published a series of findings that were compiled from their research. Check those out below:
2023 Ski Season Search Trends
- Returning to the Great White North – The share of U.S. skiers searching for international accommodations is up by 10% compared to last year. Specifically, Americans’ searches for stays in Canada have increased by 15%, compared to last ski season. Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia is particularly popular among U.S. ski enthusiasts searching for stays on HomeToGo.
- Longer Stays & More Ski Days – The average length of stay being searched by U.S. skiers has increased by 12% compared to last year. The average skier is looking for accommodations for 9+ days this season. Snowbird, Utah, for example, is attracting more long-term guests this season with the average searched duration of stay 23 days.
- Bigger Chalets for their Ski Holidays – Ski fanatics are teaming up to travel together. The average group size traveling for ski trips this year is 4-5 people, which is up by 22% compared to last year. Among all the ski destinations in this year’s report, Deer Valley, Utah has the largest average group size at 8+ guests.
Additional Key Findings
- Most Mountain for Your Money – When considering the cost of a lift ticket and total length of slopes, destinations in British Columbia offer the most mountain for travelers’ money. Skiers can enjoy budget-friendly skiing in Whistler at $1.15 per mile, followed by Fernie at $1.20 per mile.
- Leading with Luxury – Travelers seeking snow-filled luxury can head to the Rocky Mountains to visit the top five most luxurious ski destinations of 2023. Deer Valley, Utah chimes in as the most luxurious and expensive spot with skiers estimated to pay $585.49 per day for accommodations and lift tickets, followed by Beaver Creek, Colorado; Aspen Mountain, Colorado; Vail, Colorado and Big Sky, Montana.
- Top States for Skiers – Colorado (10) reigns supreme with the most ski resorts on this year’s ranking, followed by British Columbia (8), Utah (5) and California (5). However, when it comes to price, the total nightly price per person in Colorado is between $215.73 and $433.63 compared to $115.13 in Washington, which clocks in as the most affordable state.
- Snowcapped Hidden Gem – Skiers who prefer the slopes less traveled will love this year’s hidden gem, Fernie, Alberta, which is the least searched ski destination on HomeToGo. Located in beautiful British Columbia in the Canadian Rockies, Fernie boasts more than 2,500 acres of snow-covered terrain, stunning scenery and unique, small-town charm.
- Average Ski Lift Ticket Price – At the mountains featured in this year’s report, the average cost of a daily ski lift ticket for one adult is $159.91 this season. Mount Hood Meadows, Oregon offers the cheapest ski lift ticket price of $79, whereas Deer Valley, Utah boasts the most expensive ski lift ticket at $259.
Featured Image Credit: Indy Pass Media Kit/ Mission Ridge