#5 Park City

Given that it’s ranked fifth, one might assume Park City is a skiers’ mecca—a place where hardcores let it all hang out.

But the fact is, Park City ranks so high because it’s a skiing family’s paradise —where there is an activity to satisfy almost every skier’s or rider’s taste.

For some it’s all about the skiing: “awesome blend of groomers, bowls and trees,” says a reader. For many others it’s the fact that PCMR is connected to one of the best ski towns in the world. “Walking distance to a fantastic downtown. Great music, great bars, art and entertainment.” Important additions to an already rich entertainment core include the High West Distillery and Saloon and the Silver Star development, complete with its own lift, restaurants and lodging.

But don’t underestimate the alpine goodies. One attraction is the multiple terrain parks and pipes, which are like flypaper for buzzing teens. There’s nothing better than a playground that occupies your kids while you head up to the double-black diamond steeps of Jupiter Bowl to make laps in the fresh powder.

Add a top-notch ski school where the class size is a miniscule maximum of five, and you’re starting to get the big picture. Literally. The place is big, with 3,300 acres and 16 lifts spread over seven peaks and nine bowls.

Another big plus: As readers note, all of this is easy to get to. It’s ranked No. 2 in Access, with the Salt Lake airport an easy 40-minute drive or shuttle away.

So, if you’re looking for a single resort to make nearly everybody in your family happy (we make no claims about your 15-year-old daughter), consider a place ranked No. 4 in Off-hill Activities, No. 7 in Family Programs and No. 5 in Après. And whatever you do, look both ways when leaving the saloon.