Snow in Florida? Yes, it is a thing, thanks to SnowCat Ridge in Dade City. They have a 60-foot tall, 400-foot-long tubing hill with single, tandem and 10-person tubes! At night, there is a music and light show on the hill. Want to build a snowman? Check out their snow play area, complete with a snowball target area and a bunny slope for little ones under 42” tall. They also have an outdoor skating rink. Bring your own skates or rent a pair. There is even an area for beginners. Food, firepits and a gift shop are also available. Only a 2-3 hour drive from our area. Check them out and reserve your lift tickets at https://snowcatridge.com/.

The closest places for skiing and true winter conditions from Florida are the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina – at least an 8-hour drive. 

  • Sapphire Valley Resort, North Carolina:
    Main run is 1,600 ft. Learning slope, tube park, instruction available, quad lift and firepit and park at the bottom of the slope. For more information, visit https://sapphirevalleyresorts.com.

  • Cataloochie Ski Area, Maggie Valley, North Carolina:
    18 trails and 5 lifts, lessons and lodging available. Day and night skiing.  https:\\cataloochie.com.

  • Sugar Mountain, North Carolina:
    Great variety at Sugar Mountain – skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing, tubing, ski school, kids events and child care. They also have lodging, dining and shopping. 18 trails and 8 lifts.

  • Appalachian Ski Mountain, North Carolina:
    Skiing, terrain park and ice skating, as well as lessons and kids programs. They also have lodging, dining, a nursery and RV hookups.

    Want to stay on the east coast and see a bit of Olympic History? Head to Lake Placid (a 19-hour drive, a flight into Albany, New York, followed by a 2-hour drive or fly into the Adirondack Regional Airport.)

  • Lake Placid and Whiteface Mountain:
    Ice Skating, Snowshoeing, Cross country Skiing and Whiteface Mountain for downhill skiing. 94 Trails and 12 lifts. Check out the Olympic Ski Jump facility while you are there.

Denver has direct flights from Jacksonville or Orlando and is a great place to ski (and see museums if you want to add to your trip). Ski resorts within a 2-hour drive from Denver are:

Eldora Mountain Resort   https://www.eldora.com

Winter Park   https://www.winterparkresort.com/

Keystone Ski Resort   https://www.keystoneresort.com/

Copper Mountain   https://www.coppercolorado.com

Echo Mountain   https://echomntn.com/

Loveland Ski Area  https://skiloveland.com/

Arapahoe Basin Ski Area   https://www.arapahoebasin.com/

Beaver Creek Ski Resort   https://www.beavercreek.com/

Vail Ski Resort   https://www.vail.com/

Breckenridge Ski Resort   https://www.breckenridge.com/

Granby Ranch    https://granbyranch.com/