The 10 best winter breaks 2 hours from New York

Up sticks and hit the slopes

There’s nothing like escaping city life for a few days on the slopes. And, even if skiing’s not your thing, the views and après-ski atmosphere always ensure some respite from the hustle and bustle of your demanding working week.

But we can’t all jet off to the Alps or across to Aspen for a couple of days. Instead, we’ve found the ten best winter resorts within two hours of New York City.

In Pennsylvania’s Pocono Moutains, the Camelback resort reaches an elevation of 2,133 feet and boasts the famous ‘Nile Mile’ run. 15 lifts allow you to flit about the resort, and Camelback also boasts the only half pipe in the Pocono Mountains – for all you budding boarders.

With 53 trails and 12 lifts, Hunter Mountain is actually three separate mountains – which encompass a wide variety of different slopes and terrains for skiers of all abilities. Spacious runs for first time skiers sit alongside steeps and bumps for the seasoned expert, meaning that there’s something for everyone.

1600 vertical feet of slopes, 52 trails, 12 lifts and 97 per cent of snow making coverage mean that Windham Mountain adds up to a top resort. Also, for those more adventurous amongst you, a 600 foot halfpipe with rails, bumps, boxes, jibs and tabletops adds to the excitement.

Located in Patterson, NY, Thunder Ridge is but an hour from New York City. 22 trails and 3 chairlifts make this one of your smaller options, and gentle, slow slopes aren’t for everyone – but the incredible panoramic views certainly will be.

The largest ski area in New Jersey, Mountain Creek, offers not just skiing, but snowboarding, dedicated snow tubing slopes and a winter zip wire that promises unrivalled views of the skiers and boarders below.

Dubbed ‘the undisputed winter sports capital of the world’ and two-time site of the Olympic Winter Games, Whiteface Lake Placid has a 3430 foot vertical and is lined by pine trees that spent most of their winters coated by fresh snow.

New Jersey’s Mount Peter is located in the heart of the Hudson Valley. Opened in 1936 by Macy’s Department Store to show off and sell their ski fashion, it is one of the few family run areas that remains in New York.

Located in Cornwall, Connecticut, Mohawk Mountain is a popular destination for both day and night skiers – offering lit runs to maximise enjoyment and possibility. Also, along the same lines, it was one of the world’s first areas to popularise the snow gun and artificial snow, which means that whenever you go – and in whatever conditions – there’ll be skiing to be done.

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