Where Do Americans Want to Ski This Winter?

Ski Vacations

That was the question answered recently by the experts at money.co.ua, an online comparison service with a singular focus on consumer savings. Recognizing that most people who travel for ski vacations do research ahead of time, particularly those with families, it makes sense to look at these search results. That’s exactly what Money analysts did when they sifted through Google search data to find which ski areas people were most popular. Using the term “ski[resort]” to review more than 1,130 resorts here’s what they found.

Where Do Americans Want To Ski?

When asked “where do Americans want to ski,” the Google results showed the most popular ski resorts and ranked them by state. Here are the results:

1. Lake Tahoe, California was at the top of the list with 14 states looking to ski here. Lake Tahoe is home to over 10 ski areas, 539 miles of slopes, and more than 175 lifts, all located in a beautiful alpine lake setting. With so much to offer and plentiful sunshine, it’s hard not to enjoy Lake Tahoe (Full disclosure, it’s my home ski area).

2. Killington, Vermont held down 2nd. Known as the largest ski resort in the east, and also boasting one of the longest seasons, Killington Mountain is a popular destination. Money analysts report, “… the area benefits from plenty of natural snowfall, and the resort is well equipped with snowmaking technology….the resort is also home to some fantastic hotels, perfect for those looking for somewhere to relax after a long day.”

3. Breckenridge Resort, Colorado fell to 3rd place with five states searching the most; Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska. Serving up a magical combination of five separate mountain peaks with a true variety of slopes and bowls and next to a historic town with year-round activities, Breckenridge truly stands apart from the rest.

A ‘Unique Overlap’

What I also found interesting about the results was a unique overlap between “where the world wants to ski” and “the most expensive place to ski.” Surprisingly, the overlap falls squarely on the Bulgarian resort of Bansko. Who knew?

Bansko

Nestled in the southwest corner of Bulgaria at the foot of the Prin Mountains lies the town and ski resort of Bansko. It’s a popular choice (11 different countries ranked it most popular) with its huge beginner areas, modern gondolas and chairlifts, and a highly-acclaimed ski school. All of this can be had for a budget price of $34 a day for lift tickets. So, when a family of four factors in travel costs, lift tickets, lodging, rentals, lessons, food, and fun, it makes sense why Bansko is so attractive.

Are you traveling this winter? Where do you plan to ski/ride? We’d like to know!