Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Winter activities: Northern lights viewing, glacier cruises, Nordic spa, scenic tram, heli-skiing
This ski-in, ski-out resort is found at the base of its eponymously named mountain and caters to those looking to enjoy 1,610 skiable acres, seven chair lifts, 76 named trails, and more than 650 inches of snow each season. The whole property has a hunting-château aesthetic—when you first walk into the lobby, you’re greeted with a diorama of stuffed animals, including a polar bear. There are also roaring fireplaces in the communal areas (most presided over by a moose or elk bust), oodles of wood and leather furniture, pieces of Indigenous art throughout, and floor-to-ceiling windows facing the mountains. The rooms are equipped with ski gear storage, plush bathrobes, heated towel racks, and coffee pots with local java. And, if you don’t consider yourself a ski bum, Alyeska has a large saltwater indoor swimming pool, hot tub, and sauna. Plus, there’s a 50,000-square-foot Nordic-style indoor/outdoor spa that’s the perfect spot to soak after a long day on the slopes. —Bailey Berg
