• Smugglers' Notch Resort
• Courtesy of Smugglers' Notch Resort

Smugglers' Notch Resort — Calling itself “America’s Family Resort™” may sound like a bold boast — not to mention a serious branding coup. But Smuggs has got plenty to be, well, smug about. Local skiers and riders have consistently chosen its three mountains of downhill slopes as their preferred choice for winter carving and sliding. With trails and terrain that can accommodate just about every skill level, from the kid-friendly bunny slopes to the snow-pants-wetting vertical terror of triple black diamonds, Smugglers’ Notch continues to deliver fantastic frosty fun. Let’s just hope for a better snow dump than the winter of 2015-16, aka the brown downer. Bring it, snow gods!

Other Finalists

• Bolton Valley Resort
• Jay Peak Resort
• Stowe Mountain Resort
• Sugarbush Resort