Snowbird, a paradise in all seasons — Photo courtesy of LJWhitmire

Snowbird Resort stands high in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Just 25 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City by car, this incredible ski area boasts 3,240 vertical feet of drop – that's 61% of a vertical mile – 2,500 skiable acres, and an average annual snowfall of 500 inches (42 feet!) of the world's lightest champagne powder.

Locals love this place. But it's not just Utah residents talking about Snowbird. For years, Snowbird has won “best of” awards, including Outside Magazine's “#1 Ski Resort” nod in 2008. However, this year, it also earned praise from OnTheSnow.com. On this website with an estimated 2.3 million unique visitors every month, Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort was voted “Best Overall Resort in North America,” beating out some rather proud competition in the United States and Canada.

Those visiting in the summer needn't worry about missing out on Snowbird's fun. Offering a vast amount of hiking opportunities, scenic tram rides, top-notch lodgings, spas, and dining, as well as family-friendly activities like ziplines, a ropes course, a bungee trampoline, an alpine slide, a climbing wall, and mountain biking, Snowbird is a summer paradise. With a base elevation of nearly 7,800 feet, this is a great place to be active whilst escaping the valley heat.