Are you looking to go skiing this weekend but don’t want to do a whole overnight trip? Lucky for us, there are many ski resorts/ski areas located less than 2 hours away from NYC and the New York Suburbs of Westchester, Fairfield County and Northern NJ. Here are ski day trips from NYC, we give you the closest ski resorts/ski areas from NYC for an easy ski day trip.
Methodology: We asked locals to give us their recommendations on where to go skiing. This is not a sponsored post. We hope you find this information valuable. After all, the best recommendations are unbiased recommendations from locals!
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7 Ski Day Trips from NYC
Thunder Ridge Ski Area
Thunder Ridge Ski Area– 137 Birch Hill Rd. Patterson, New York 12563
Thunder Ridge is an easy day trip from NYC if you are looking to go skiing. It is approximately 1.5 hours from NYC, 45 minutes from Greenwich, CT and 35 minutes from White Plains, NY.
Thunder Ridge is a small ski area with 22 trails, 3 chairlifts and 4 magic carpets. They have slow and gentle slopes for the newest skiers and snowboarders and advanced trails for the more advanced skiers.
There is a slopeside lodge with a cafeteria and pub. There are group lessons and a children’s program. You should sign up in advance because lessons can fill up. Night skiing is also available.
Lift tickets are very affordable, if you go on non-holiday weekdays adult lift tickets are only $45 and on weekends and holiday, the tickets go up to $69. Sometimes you can get $14 lift tickets from Liftopia- click here to check if it is available. This is a small, local, ski area if you want a quick ski day trip from NYC.
Tip: You don’t have to drive. You can even take the Metro-North to Thunder Ridge. A Thunder Ridge shuttle will pick you up from the station (available on weekends and holidays). Just ask for the Thunder Ridge Ski Package when you buy your Metro-North tickets. Please call Thunder Ridge in advance because shuttle service may not be available during the pandemic.
Mount Peter Ski Area
Mount Peter Ski Area– 51 Old Mt. Peter Road Warwick, New York 10990
Mount Peter Ski Area is another easy ski day trip from NYC. It is approximately 1.5 hours from NYC, 1 hour from Greenwich, CT, 1 hour from Englewood, NJ and 55 minutes from White Plains, NY.
Mount Peter is another small, family-run ski area with 14 trails, 1 terrain park, 1 tubing area, 3 chair lifts and 2 magic carpets.
Mount Peter is known for FREE beginner ski and snowboard lessons with a purchase of a lift ticket. The beginner ski lessons are available for skiers ages 5 and up and beginner snowboard lessons are available for skiers ages 6 and up. Free beginner lessons are offered on weekends and holidays. They also have children’s programs such as a 3-hour kid’s camp and lessons for 3 & 4 year old.
Lift tickets are affordable, adult weekend/holiday lift tickets are $64 and adult weekday lift tickets are $43. Children 4 years old and under ski free with a paying adult. This is a small, local ski area to go to if you are looking for a quick ski day trip from NYC.
Big Snow American Dream
Big Snow American Dream at 1 American Dream Way, East Rutherford, NJ
Probably the closest ski day trip from NYC is Big Snow located in American Dream Mall in Rutherford, NJ. It is only 31 minutes from NYC, 50 minutes from White Plains, NY and 55 minutes from Greenwich, CT.
Big Snow American Dream is North America’s first and only indoor ski and snowboard resort! Big Snow has 3 trails (green to black diamond), 2 magic carpets and 2 lifts. Their 2-hour slope access tickets are $34.99 and they have packages starting at $69.99 which includes 2 hour slope access tickets, rentals (equipment, helmet and outerwear!) and access to instructors. Children 6 and under are free with a paying adult. Definitely worth checking out this amazing indoor facility! Plus, you can make a day out of it shopping at American Dream Mall and stopping in the indoor theme park, Nickelodeon Universe. Note: Big Snow is temporarily closed through early 2022. Please check the Big Snow American Dream website for the most up to date opening details.
Campgaw Mountain
Campgaw Mountain at 200 Campgaw Road, Mahwah, NJ
If you are looking to take a ski day trip from NYC, then Campgaw Mountain is an easy drive to Bergen County’s Mahwah, NJ. It is just 57 minutes from NYC, 35 minutes from White Plains, NY and 45 minutes from Greenwich, CT.
Campgaw is a very small ski area with 12 trails, 2 chair lifts,, 3 magic carpets and tubing. Lift tickets are very affordable starting at $22 for adult weekday to $25-$45 for adult weekend tickets. Bergen County residents get 20% discount off lift tickets and rentals. Group lessons are available for children and adults at very affordable rates. Lessons for children ages 4-6 years old are only $44 on weekends and $49 for group lessons for skiers ages 7+. This is a small, local ski area to go to if you want a quick drive and are not looking for anything fancy.
You may be able to get discounted lift tickets via Liftopia, click here to check availability.
Mount Southington
Mount Southington at 396 Mt Vernon Rd, Plantsville, Connecticut 06479
If you are looking for a ski day trip in Connecticut, then Mount Southington is ideal. It is 2 hours from NYC, 1 hour and 15 minutes from White Plains, NY, 1 hour and 10 minutes from Greenwich, CT.
Mount Southington is a local Connecticut ski area with a vertical drop of 425 feet, 14 trails, 1 terrain park, 4 chair lifts, 1 handle tow, 2 carpet lifts and 100% snow making capabilities. There is a cafeteria in the lodge.
They have a ski school offering 4 hour children’s lessons for kids ages 4-9 years old. Lift tickets are $35 for adults on weekdays and $62 for adults on weekends. This is a small, local ski area to go to if you want a quick drive and are not looking for anything fancy.
Powder Ridge
Powder Ridge Mountain Park and Resort at 99 Powder Hill Road, Middlefield, Connecticut
Another ski day trip in Connecticut is Powder Ridge. It is only 2 hours from Grand Central Terminal, 1 hour and 20 minutes from White Plains, NY, 2 hours from Englewood, NJ and 1 hour and 15 minutes from Greenwich, CT.
Powder Ridge is a small, local ski area in Connecticut. There are 21 trails, snow tubing, 3 chairlifts, 1 tubing lift and 1 carpet lift. There are group lessons for kids and adults. Unlike other local ski areas, the food and beverage options at Powder Ridge is great. You have can pick from cafeteria dining to a beer and wine garden to a full-service restaurant complete with Sunday brunch. A big plus is the facilities at Powder Ridge are fairly new compared to other local ski areas. Lift tickets are affordable at $49 for adults on weekends and $49 for adults on weekdays. This is a good option if you are looking for a quick ski day trip from NYC.
Camelback Mountain
Camelback Mountain at 193 Resort Drive, Tannersville, PA
Camelback Mountain is the furthest ski day trip resorts on the list. It is located in the Poconos, approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes from NYC, 1.5 hours from Englewood, 1 hour and 53 minutes from White Plains and 2 hours from Greenwich, CT.
Unlike the other local ski areas on our list, Camelback Mountain will give you the full ski resort experience- skiing, snow tubing, indoor waterpark, hotel and spa. You can spend the weekend there and make it a mini-vacation!
Camelback has a vertical drop of 800 feet with 39 trails, 10 chairlifts, 6 magic carpets, snow tubing and 100% snowmaking capabilities. They also have a ski school that offers half-day children’s programs, group lessons and private lessons. Lift tickets are reasonably priced at $78 for weekend adult tickets and $60 for weekday adult tickets. Children 5 and under ski free.
You may be able to get $34.99 Camelback lift tickets from Liftopia, click here to check availability.
How To Dress for Skiing
The secret to being comfortable on the slopes is to dress in layers. You start with the thermo base layer and leggings. Then you layer over a thin moisture-wicking turtleneck or mid-weight fleece (your choice depending on the temperature). Then you top the layers off with a ski jacket, ski pants and ski gloves. You need to take care of your neck too with a neckwarmer. If it’s cold, you will want a balaclava instead of a neckwarmer. Then for safety, you need to wear a ski helmet. I suggest buying your own ski helmet instead of renting (it’s more sanitary). You can usually buy discounted ski helmets from Backcountry.com. You won’t feel bad buying kids ski helmets because they are adjustable, so it will last you a few seasons. For your feet, don’t use regular socks, you will need ski socks because they are moisture wicking. I suggest keeping a few toe warmers and hand warmers handy for cold days. Below is a list of all our recommended ski gears for a comfortable day skiing.
- Ski gloves
- Ski pants
- Ski jacket
- Thermo Base Layer
- Leggings
- Thin moisture-wicking turtleneck
- Mid-weight Fleece
- Ski socks
- Neckwarmer
- Balaclava
- Toe warmers and Hand warmers (for cold days)
- Ski Helmets (You can rent ski helmets but I recommend buying your own. You can usually buy discounted ski helmets from Backcountry.com)
The above ski resorts/ski areas are great options if you are looking for ski day trips from NYC that are within a 2-hour driving distance from NYC. One thing to note about these ski areas is, for the most part, they are local ski areas that are small and simple (except Camelback), which can be perfect for a quick ski day trip. If you are looking for something more or want a more challenging mountain, you will need to drive further. If that is the case, you may be interested in this article, written by one of our contributors, Top 5 Family Ski Destinations near NYC.
Ideas for a Weekend Ski Trip
In case, you want to do a weekend ski trip instead, we put together a list of popular Northeast ski resorts that are family friendly. To make it easier for you, we also included hotel recommendations. Enjoy!
Family Friendly New York Ski Resorts
We’ve made planning your family New York ski vacation easier by putting together a list of family friendly ski resorts. Check out our article: Best Family Ski Resorts in New York (according to locals)
| New York Ski Resorts | Hotels near Ski Resorts |
|---|---|
| Whiteface Mountain | Whiteface Lodge and Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa are family friendly hotels near Whiteface Mountain |
| Greek Peak | Hope Lake Lodge is a family friendly hotel with an indoor water park located across from Greek Peak. |
Family Friendly Vermont Ski Resorts
Below is a list of family friendly ski resorts in Vermont. These are the most popular Vermont ski resorts that families go to year after year. To make it easier for you, we have accommodation recommendations for Bromley Mountain, Killington, Jay Peak, Stratton Mountain, Mount Snow, Okemo, Smuggler’s Notch and Stowe. Some of these Vermont ski resort accommodations are ski in/ski out, some are condo style and some are hotel room units.
| Vermont Ski Resorts | Hotels near Ski Resorts |
|---|---|
| Bromley Mountain | The Lodge at Bromley is a family friendly ski in/ski out hotel on Bromley Mountain. |
| Killington | Killington Grand Hotel is a family friendly accommodation on Killington. |
| Jay Peak | Jay Peak Resort is a family friendly ski in/ski out resort with water park on Jay Peak. |
| Stratton Mountain | Long Trail House and The Black Bear Lodge are family friendly accommodations just steps away from Stratton Mountain ski lifts. Vantage Point Villas is also another family friendly accommodation on Stratton Mountain. |
| Mount Snow | Mount Snow Grand Summit Resort is a family friendly ski in/ski out accommodation on Mount Snow. The Lodge at Mount Snow is another accommodation option on Mount Snow. |
| Okemo Mountain | Jackson Gore Village is a family friendly ski in/ski out accommodation on Okemo Mountain. |
| Smuggler’s Notch | Smuggler’s Notch Resort and Wyndham Smuggler’s Notch are family friendly ski/ski out resorts with condo-style accommodation on Smuggler’s Notch. |
| Stowe Mountain | The Lodge at Spruce Peak are family friendly ski in/ski out resorts on Stowe. Trapp Family Lodge is another family friendly resort near Stowe Mountain. |
Family Friendly Massachusetts Ski Resorts
Below are popular family friendly ski resorts in Massachusetts. These are ski resorts that families go to year after year. Check out our Complete Guide to Jiminy Peak.
| Massachusetts Ski Resorts | Hotels near Ski Resorts |
|---|---|
| Jiminy Peak | Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort and Wyndham Bentley Brook are family friendly, ski in/ski out condo-style accommodations on Jiminy Peak. Vacation Village Berkshires are condo-style accommodations near Jiminy Peak. |
| Ski Butternut | Fairfield Inn and Suites is a family friendly hotel near Butternut. |
Family Friendly Pennsylvania Ski Resorts
Below you will find our favorite family friendly ski resort in Pennsylvania.
| Pennsylvania Ski Resort | Hotels near Pennsylvania Ski Resort |
|---|---|
| Camelback Mountain | Camelback Lodge is a family friendly ski in/ski out resort with an indoor waterpark on Camelback Mountain. |
You may also be interested in these Ski Related Articles:
- How Much Does it Cost to go on a Family Ski Vacation? Use our Ski Vacation Calculator to Find out!
- Best Family Ski Resorts in New York (according to locals)
- Check out our ski trip packing shortcuts: What to Pack for a Family Weekend Ski Trip: The Ultimate Packing Guide
- Are you thinking of skiing out West? Check out our article: Where are the Best Places to Ski in Colorado?
- Skiing is expensive! Where to Get Free or Discounted Ski Lift Tickets
- Do you need a good laugh? Do you know we have a column that takes a lighter look at suburban life? Sam takes us through her love hate relationship with skiing. Seriously, Sam? Mountain Mama
- Are you thinking of skiing in Mont Tremblant? Here is everything you need to know to plan a family vacation to Mont Tremblant: Why I Love Mont Tremblant
- Check out our tips on How to Find the Perfect Ski Resort
- We also have a Ski Resort Finder with user-friendly search filters. For example: Looking for a Nut-Free Ski School for your 3 year old? Find it using our Ski Resort Finder!
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