After what seems like forever, ski season is finally here with resorts across the country preparing to welcome visitors back to the slopes. North America is home to some of the best resorts in the world, but with so many to choose from it can be tough knowing where to begin.
However, whether it’s your first time hitting the slopes or you’ve been skiing your whole life, one thing we can all agree on is that being surrounded by stunning scenery is never a bad thing. So, which are the best resorts if you’re looking for picture-perfect views?
To find out, we searched through Instagram, looking at over 450 ski resorts across the US and Canada, analyzing millions of photos to see which destinations are being tagged in the most posts.
These are North America’s most Instagrammable ski resorts.
1. Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia – 3,129,769 posts
https://www.instagram.com/p/CTFOhkINPLP/
Taking the top spot as the most Instagrammable ski resort is Whistler Blackcomb, which has been tagged in almost 3.2 million posts. The largest resort in North America, with a whopping 8,171 acres of skiable terrain, there’s plenty to keep you busy all season long. Visitors have access to two side-by-side mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb, which offer over 200 marked runs, 16 alpine bowls and three glaciers, meaning there’s something for everyone, regardless of ability or interest.
And if you’re looking to reward yourself after a long day on the slopes, the après-ski scene at Whistler is known as one of the best around!
2. Park City Mountain, Utah – 1,648,992 posts
https://www.instagram.com/p/CUz3kn6Np5h/
Second place goes to Park City Mountain, which features in over 1.6 million photos on Instagram. Spanning over 7,300 acres, 348 trails, 13 bowls and eight terrain parks, Park City Mountain is the largest resort in the United States and the second largest in North America, behind Whistler Blackcomb.
Skiers have access to 41 lifts spread across the resort, and if you’re really feeling the cold, Park City Mountain is also home to the Orange Bubble Express; a one-of-a-kind bubbled lift which features heated seats.
3. Vail, Colorado – 1,540,599 posts
https://www.instagram.com/p/CVJJSNYMzk2/
With over 1.5 million tagged posts on Instagram, Colorado’s Vail Resort comes in third place.
Modelled after traditional Bavarian villages, Vail offers visitors an authentic European winter experience right here in the US. And when it comes time to hit the slopes, you have over 5,317 acres to explore, including some thrilling vertical, with the Forever trail in Sun Down Bowl dropping 1,850 feet.
4. Winter Park, Colorado – 1,298,888 posts
https://www.instagram.com/p/CU5PAdPs2dA/
Fourth places goes to Winter Park, which has been tagged in almost 1.3 million photos on Instagram. With an impressive 80 year history, it holds the title of the longest continually operating resort in North America.
Winter Park is popular with skiers thanks to its shorter commute from the nearby Denver airport compared to other Colorado resorts, as well as its consistent snowfall, with over 326 inches falling each year.
5. Breckenridge, Colorado – 1,012,904 posts
https://www.instagram.com/p/CVA9R6CsWu2/
With over 1 million tagged photos on Instagram, fifth place goes to Breckenridge, another popular Colorado resort.
With five peaks, 2,908 skiable acres, four terrain parks and the tallest chairlift in North America, Breckenridge offers some of the country’s best high-alpine terrain – with breathtaking scenery to match.
Take Home Message
The wait is finally over and we’re so excited to get back on the slopes! There’s no denying that North America has some of the best ski resorts around, whether you’re an expert looking to push yourself to the limit, or a novice who’s more interested in finding the best après-ski spots. And with so many spectacular views, it’s no surprise to see these resorts filling up our feeds on Instagram.
If you’re planning a ski trip this winter, our protein bars are a great indulgent snack, perfect for when you’re feeling peckish on the slopes.
Methodology
We compiled a list of every ski resort currently operating in the US and Canada. We then looked at the number of photos on Instagram featuring the name of the resort, as well as associated hashtags (e.g. #WhistlerBlackcomb, #Whistler, #WhistlerVillage etc). We then combined these figures to get our total, before cutting our list down to the top 50 resorts in North America.
