Heavenly — California
There's something undeniably special about skiing down a snowy white slope toward the sapphire-blue waters of Lake Tahoe. It's the norm in Heavenly, where you'll find 34 miles of wide-open, groomed cruisers alongside thrilling double-black diamond drops. And luckily for you, flying into the nearby town of Reno is cheap and easy.
Lodging: $148 per night on average
Lift Tickets: $107 per day (using the Epic 3-Day Pass, restricted)
Flights: starting at $250 round trip (Chicago to Reno)
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Park City, Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, and Snowbasin — Utah
If you and your ski pals want to cover some serious terrain, head to Utah, where you can fly (and stay) in Salt Lake City for cheap, using it as your basecamp as you explore the area's amazing ski opportunities — from a day (or two) spent at the sprawling Park City Mountain Resort to some time spent exploring Little Cottonwood Canyon, home to Alta and Snowbird.
Lodging: $123 per night on average
Lift Tickets: $107 per day at Park City or Snowbasin (using the Epic 3-Day Pass, restricted); lift tickets to the less expensive resorts haven't been released yet this year
Flights: starting at $205 round trip (Dallas to Salt Lake City)