The 5 best ski destinations that are drivable from New Jersey

It’s that time of year again! The time that we start planning family getaways to make the cold winter go by as quickly as possible.

Of course, we all love to getaway to the sun when we can, but the way it’s been with travel recently, that’s not necessarily feasible.

Photo by Jackson Blackhurst on Unsplash

One of my favorite ways to spend a winter weekend is skiing with my family, but when it comes to skiing we are all at different levels of difficulty. Some of my family members can handle the harder slopes, while others prefer to do a run or two and call it a day with some hot chocolate and warming the tootsies by the fire.

Whatever end of the spectrum you may fall on, there are plenty of places surrounding New Jersey that are perfectly suited for a family ski weekend.

Here are some of the best:

1
Mountain Creek Resort: Vernon, NJ
Mountain Creek Resort is great for one day adventures or a weekend stay. The mountain has 4 different peaks, 5 lifts, 12 trails and a ton of terrain. There is a Kids Camp for younger kids, as well as a snow tubing hill with a magic carpet. If you like to snowshoe this is a good place to get some practice in while you watch your kids ski down the hill.
2
Campgaw Mountain: Mahwah, NJ
This is another Jersey ski resort, which makes it a pretty easy day trip depending on where you live. This mountain is definitely catered more towards younger kids or beginners as the lifts are short and not too crowded. There is also a tubing hill if you don’t want to ski, as well as a lodge with an enclosed apres-ski area for fun drinks and food while you watch the mountain.
3
Blue Mountain Resort: Palmerton, PA
If you’ve skied on the east coast before you’ve probably been to Blue Mountain. This place is home to Pennsylvania’s highest vertical, the longest runs, and the most varied terrain with 39 slopes. It also has 16 lifts, which gives skiers plenty of trails to explore. You can also put kids into ski school if needed, or if they’re experienced send them over to the terrain area. There is also the Slopeside Pub & Grill, which is the perfect place to dine after a day of skiing and enjoy the beautiful mountain view.
4
Elk Mountain Ski Resort: Union Dale, PA
This mountain is considered one of the “Six Unsung Heroes” by Ski Magazine. With an elevation of 2,692 feet, this is the highest of any operating resort in eastern Pennsylvania. The ski resort has terrain parks for both beginners and advanced skiers, and a ski school for anyone in need of a lesson. There is also a newly renovated Winter Garden Restaurant that you can grab a bite from before or after skiing.
5
Hunter Mountain: Hunter, NY
New Yorkers love coming to this resort to ski, snow tube and stay in the Kaatskill Mountain Club luxury hotel. If you want to go to a big mountain and have the travel time this is definitely where you’ll want to go. The mountain's summit hits 3,200 feet above sea level with a 1,600-foot vertical drop, and has 58 trails spread across the 240 acres. This is a great place to come with a wide range of skiers.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco only.

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