I have lived in Houston for my entire life, and have never really seen snow. I usually travel during the summer because I've been in college until last year. I want to take a trip (3-day weekend) this winter so I can finally experience snow. Where is the most picturesque place in the US that I could go?

From Houston I'm guessing Colorado is your best bet. I'd choose Vail, Breckenridge or Keystone, depending on what you're looking for.

Yes, you'll get snow in the mountains of Colorado.

Another idea, especially if you're not a skiier, would be the arrowhead of Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, or the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

New England is another good option ... Stowe, Vermont would be a good choice.

Another good option is Lake Placid, New York ... a really great place for a winter get-a-way.

One more option ... Lake Tahoe

If I lived in Houston I would be heading out west to ski. I have always wanted to go Sun Valley, Idaho. I hear a lot about Tahoe CA, Jackson Hole Wy, Utah . Then there is always Banff, Whistler (British Columbia). For a first timer I would look for a mountain with great ski schools (no more than six in a class and some kind of award status). Gray Rock in Quebec has an affordable and Internationally recognized ski school.

Colorado is certainly great I understand but too cold for this N.E. girl. I do meet Texans from time to time skiing in Vermont. I like Sugar Bush but Stowe and Killington are the biggest names in Vermont that I know of.Okemo has a nice ski school and it is very family oriented, so hot doggers on the mountain are benched quickly by a very viligent ski patrol.

Hope this helps have fun go online and look up ski magazine picks.

Thank you for all the replies!

I think I am leaning more toward Vermont and that area at this time. I did a text search on Minnesota and after reading a few posts, I decided that I don't think I could deal with the cold. I realize I will have to buy warm clothing regardless, but I don't know if my body could adjust to below freezing temps.

Lake Tahoe is beautiful in summer. I can only imagine how beautiful it would be in the winter.

I do want to learn to ski someday, but I am really just looking for a beautiful place.

N.E is very quant Jen. If you have the right clothing you can handle most temperatures. The right clothing for me has been polypropelene long johns (tops and bottoms), thick ski pants, good breathable insulataed jacket, ski gloves. You will be surprised what you can handle once you have the right clothes. I am always in weather that I would never shop in if it hit us in NYC.

I like New Hampshire also but if you are not a skier and want to do other things seems like Vermont has more of the quant old towns. Feel free to correct me someone with more freqent experience. I have only been skiing in N.E for two years.

Hmmm....Vermont is a wonderful choice, but if the cold is the deciding factor, it will feel just as cold in Vermont as in much of Minnesota. Don't fool yourself, and get long underwear! It's a lifesaver. Have fun seeing snow for the first time. I can't even imagine!

Yah know I was going to right that too J but I think Minesotta is colder. It is expected to get up to the high 30's or mid 40's in killington this weekend. I know as I unfortunatley booked a trip with a ski club.

Not warm like the west Jen and when it is not cold cold you are skiing in slush or ice. Last year I had frezzing rain at Killington. I still skied!!! Just did not have a very good time. Out west there is not so much luck involved more snow more frequently is what I understand and a warm glow from the sun to toast you up.

Pardon my spelling/grammar I just write as I am thinking out loud not really considering "frezzing" or "right" when I mean write.

I meant I could not deal with below zero temps, not below freezing. Sorry! Obviously, I would have to deal with below freezing temps to see snow

I would think it would be colder, the closer you are to the Midwest (because of all the wind). Is this right?

You can ski below O Jen and I get cold easy, it all just takes the right clothes. I hate thinking about it before hand even now I am dreading this weekend but in the right clothes I am warm and glad I made the trip. Last year I had red marks on my face from what seemed like a winter/ice storm I skied in. I paid my money gosh darn it and I was going to have some fun. I did and I was careful. When I got into the office on Monday everyone treated me like an extreme skier big wind marks on my cheeks. It was a crack up as I am just moving off the junior slopes.

I've spent plenty of time in both Vermont and Minnesota/Wisconsin in the winter. They're both cold, really, really cold. At a certain point, it doesn't matter if it's 5 degrees or 20 degrees, you still need the same warm clothes. My vote would be for the place easiest for you to fly to since you mentioned only s 3-day weekend. A lot of the prettiest, more isolated areas will take a day's travel to get to. Have fun wherever you go.

The midwest is a big place, so not sure what you mean by the wind. Lake Superior freezes in northern wisc/minn, so you're not getting that extra cold breeze from the lake. But there is no place in the world more beautiful (to me.)

According to weather.com:

Mean Feb temp in Lutsen, MN: 19 degrees

Mean Feb temp in Stowe, VT: 16 degrees

I'd just go where you can find the best deal.

Lake Tahoe will likely have the most comfortable weather with certain snow. Mean Feb temp is 30 degrees. The snow tends to come in big dumps, with sunny days in between. You can fly into Reno and get a hotel shuttle up to Tahoe, so you don't need to drive in the snow. Spring tends to bring days in the 50s with lots of snow still left.

Some other possibilities: fly into Seattle and head up to Mt Rainier, or Portland and Mt Hood. Steamboat Springs Colo, and Jackson Hole Wy are scenic locations beyond the skiing, but are a bit out of the way for a quick trip. Park City Utah is considered a pretty town, and close to SLC. Banff, near Calgary in Canada is very pretty.

If you avoid peak ski season, the ski destinations will be less crowded (and warmer).

If skiing is not in your plans on this trip and you do choose Vermont, I'd suggest one fot he communities such as Brattleborough or bennington that is less ski oriented and has a quaint New England village feel. There will undoubtedly be a local history museum, a good bookstore or two, some antique shops, some local stores where artisans sell their good, cafes etc. Perhaps a bit less commercial than Lake Placid ro the ski towns and less busy in the inwter - nice for a relaxing weekend. I'd shoot for a place where a local innn had a fireplace in the common area and I could hang for a few hours with a cup of coffee (or a cognac if so inclined) and soak in the atmosphere.

topping

Sarah,

I read your post and had to laugh that you thought CO would be to cold for a NE girl. I have skiied in both Vermont and Colorado and I can say that Vermont felt much colder that Col. I live in Florida so I am definitely aware of the cold. Colorado is much drier and sunnier than Vermont and it feels a lot warmer. I remember my first day in Crested Butte standing outside on a bright sunny day with just a long sleeve shirt on and the temp was 28 and It did not feel that cold out. The time I was in vermont the temp at night was -15 and it was bitter cold. The coldest I have ever been was going up the lift at Sugarbush, Brrrrr. Anyway Like you said if you dress properly it is not a problem.

If you want the best snow, head to Utah.