Brianna HarrisonThe 5 Best Ski Resorts near Toronto
There are so many fun activities that people can do in the snow. One of the most popular is skiing, which is also widely considered as a sport and skill.
We listed down the best ski resorts near Toronto to help you discover them and what they can offer. We covered the basics such as activities, operating hours, facilities, and more.
The Best Ski Resorts Near Toronto
We examined each of the ski resorts near Toronto according to the following:
How much does it cost to go to a ski resort near Toronto?
Vacations and extra activities are planned ahead not just for the purposes of scheduling and bookings, but for budgeting as well. Here is a sample price table to give you an idea about the costs in ski resorts near Toronto.
We do note that these are only estimates and that prices vary depending on the time you visit. Promos and discounts also arrive every now and then,
1. Blue Mountain Ski Resort
| ACTIVITIES | ★★★★★ |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★★ |
| VALUE FOR MONEY | ★★★★★ |
| GOODWILL | ★★★★☆ |
Arguably the most popular ski resort in Ontario, Blue Mountain Ski Resort has grown to be a premier and luxury resort since its opening in 1941.
The best thing about this place is that it offers seasonal activities for solo, couples, families, and large groups. It boasts of luxury accommodations and even has good restaurants and shops in its vicinity.
Snowfall here reaches 340 centimeters or 120 inches once winter comes. The place has 3 terrain parks, making it a perfect resort to hold various activities.
In terms of ski activities, Blue Mountain offers well-groomed runs and skis with heavy lift capacities within its 42 trails. Night skiing is also available and is shortened to 30 runs.
The most popular pass here is the 5×7 pass, which gives customers unlimited skiing on weekdays. This also includes restaurant discounts, ski school promos, and even skiing on weekends starting at 3:30 PM.
We especially find this place recommendable because apart from ski activities, guests can enjoy other pleasures such as food crawls, live music, spas, and shopping. Being a one-stop place is really its edge.
Honestly, the only thing we find inconvenient about this place is that their ticket selling process is quite difficult. They are usually unavailable online and physical lines are long.
Because of its popularity, they are also usually fully booked during the winter. This means that you have to compete with others in securing an accommodation or even just a daily activity.
Nonetheless, we find that Blue Mountain Ski Resort’s general reputation makes it worthy of being a top pick. A drive from Toronto will take approximately two and a half hours and there are also buses that take you directly to the resort during winter.
Pros
- Offers various seasonal activities for solo, couples, or groups
- Has 42 ski trails
- 5X7 pass includes unlimited skiing on weekdays
- Has restaurants, shops, and spas within its vicinity
- Luxurious accommodations
Cons
- Ski ticket selling is quite complicated
- Often fully booked during winter
Customer Reviews
Lots of activities everywhere
“Amazing place. Lots of activities everywhere. Well organized and planned.
All kinds of cuisine available throughout the place. Will be back in winter for skiing experience as well❤️” — BORIS RUGHAS, via Google
The staff is available in the higher mountains for help quite often
“Small village but good variety of restaurants. Great place for skiing although I believe the mountains skiing level should be more clear and easier to see. The staff is available in the higher mountains for help quite often.
Some of the beginning mountains you had to walk up the mountain to get to the peek. Beautiful views of the lake!” — Nayany Cruz, via Google
2. Horseshoe Resort
| ACTIVITIES | ★★★★★ |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★☆ |
| VALUE FOR MONEY | ★★★★★ |
| GOODWILL | ★★★★☆ |
Located only 134 kilometres from Toronto, Horseshoe Resort is a definite winter getaway for people in Ontario. Aside from skiing, this place also offers activities such as biking, golfing, trekking, and more.
A few restaurants and cafés can also be found here. They also have an executive chef for those who want to explore fine dining.
Private lessons are offered here and they have their own sets of weekend programmes. For skiing, they have over a hundred instructors to accompany and teach guests.
What we like most about this place is their elevation drop that measures an average of 300 feet. This is a short drop and a good start, but is safe for beginners and even children.
You won’t miss out on snow in this resort. They have a snow tubing hill, an ice skating rink, and snowmobiling.
We also like how this place is only 20 minutes away from the party in the city, so venturing into other activities and visiting other places during your vacation wouldn’t be a hassle.
One thing we can note about Horseshoe is that there are several complaints about the cleanliness of their facilities. There are times when they fail to put things in tidy immediately, which could be a bad reflection.
There are also reports of them charging the tiniest of things such as inflatables, towels, and others. We find that these should be inclusions in their packages already.
On the bright side, Horseshoe offers unlimited ski passes during winter. Just make sure to watch out and secure yours right away.
We recommend Horseshoe for its proximity to Toronto and its great offers for ski and other snow activities. They opened in 1962 so their experience accounts for them.
Pros
- Only an hour and a half drive from Toronto
- Has more than 100 ski instructors
- Elevation drop is safe for beginners and children
- Operating since 1962
Cons
- Sometimes fails to keep facilities tidy
- Charges extra for items that should be package inclusions
Customer Reviews
They have great downhill trails
“Been coming here since Blue Mountain closed its downhill biking. They have great downhill trails, it’s never too busy even on weekends, and the rental bikes are always in pristine condition. Definitely recommend.” — Kevin Sloan, via Google
Really impressed with their online ticket system for skiing
“I was really impressed with their online ticket system for skiing this winter. Purchased my tickets the night before online and they have a great self serve hut to scan the QR code and print the ticket. Took 5 min.
The hills are also always well maintained and the food at the Kicking Horse never disappoints!” — Tracy DeGrow, via Google
3. Hockley Valley Resort
| ACTIVITIES | ★★★★★ |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★☆ |
| VALUE FOR MONEY | ★★★★★ |
| GOODWILL | ★★★★☆ |
Hockley Valley Resort was established in 1985 and is a 300-acre property. Over the years, it has developed its ski, golf, outdoor activities, and even accommodations.
It has also become a popular wedding destination given its stunning views. The place is also a little over an hour away from Toronto, making the visit convenient.
For skiing, its vertical drop measures 375 feet and is serviced by four lifts. It also offers two beautiful extensive terrain parks, with obstacles that include rails, table tops, boxes, park benches, and picnic tables.
Packages are the best at Hockley Valley Resort. We especially like how it is very specific with their season passes and programmes, listing down the number of people, inclusions, and even schedules.
The staff are also very attentive in terms of safety. They specify the age limits in their tickets and have packages designed for children.
For those who want to try other activities, this place is also a 20-minute drive from the main city, so it will be easy to find shops and restaurants.
Many of its rooms offer stunning balcony views. Its accommodations are located at the base of a hill and they have larger suites for families.
We do note that bookings here are reported to have mishaps. Some groups often get located in rooms that are on different floors, which can be a dealbreaker.
Some of its facilities seem to be outdated as well, so we hope it can improve on those as soon as possible.
Still, we recommend Hockley Valley Resort for the affordable and great packages it offers for skiing.
Pros
- Affordable packages
- Has packages specifically designed for kids
- Offers beautiful ski hill views
- Over an hour away from Toronto
Cons
- Bookings can sometimes get mixed up
- Some facilities seem to be outdated
Customer Reviews
Great network of trails and very easy to get from one lift to another
“The skiing is really fun for a hill of this size! Great network of trails and very easy to get from one lift to another with more than reasonable line-ups.” — Daniel, via Google
The prices are reasonable for a day lift ticket
“Great place to spend the day skiing! The prices are reasonable for a day lift ticket. The staff is very friendly and go out of their way to ensure you have a good day.” — Kristian Smith, via Google
4. Glen Eden Skiing & Snowboarding
| ACTIVITIES | ★★★★☆ |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★☆ |
| VALUE FOR MONEY | ★★★★★ |
| GOODWILL | ★★★★☆ |
Glen Eden Skiing is a small resort for skiing and snowboarding that offers 12 trails. It is located on the Niagara Escarpment, making the views really breathtaking.
What we like most about Glen Eden is how it separates skiing enthusiasts and beginners by designating proper areas for them.
While its vertical drop is only 240 feet, it runs on a steep slope, so it can be challenging. This is why they particularly only allow regulars and those trained in skiing here.
The area for beginners is located on lower slopes, making it safer. They also allow children, provided that they come with a guardian.
We find it impressive that this place has its own snow school, where people of all ages can learn about snow activities such as skiing. Private lessons are also offered here.
There isn’t much to dislike about this place, but it has its flaws. It can do a lot in terms of improving its equipment, since some have displayed signs of wear and tear.
The admin is also pretty strict in terms of safety and sometimes requests for medical records. We find that safety is really important, but unnecessary procedures usually lead people to shy away.
Overall, Glen Eden is a great place to enjoy skiing and have a relaxing and affordable stay during the winter.
Pros
- Offers breathtaking views given its location
- Has designated slopes and ski areas for beginners and skiing experts
- Has a snow school that offers skiing and snowboarding lessons
- Over an hour away from Toronto
Cons
- Needs to upgrade some of their equipment
- Requests medical records unnecessarily
Customer Reviews
A lot of good options for skiing
“Glen Eden Ski is the perfect, local ski hill. Just big enough to make up an actual ski experience (with chairlifts, several runs of varying difficulty, snow school, lodge, etc).
For families and kids wanting to learn, there is no better place. We took lessons and the instructors are great, there are bunny hills so it’s safe.
Right on the Escarpment, the views are actually decent and the vibe is just right with fires burning and everyone having fun!” — Ivan Sandoval , via Google
A lot of good options for skiing. The resort is small but well maintained and for Southern Ontario, it does have really good slopes. — Bartosz Scheller, via Google
5. Lakeridge Ski Resort
| ACTIVITIES | ★★★★☆ |
| FACILITIES | ★★★★☆ |
| VALUE FOR MONEY | ★★★★☆ |
| GOODWILL | ★★★★☆ |
With a very historical location, Lakeridge Ski Resort is one of the most recognisable ski resorts near Toronto. The place can be reached through a one hour drive from Toronto, making it a top choice in people’s list in terms of proximity.
The story of Lakeridge’s location traces back to as early as the 1800s, but we applaud how it has been developing its amenities and features since. A large lodge has been put up as of writing and it includes a rental shop, ski school, and gear storage.
We find it convenient that they have coin-operated daily lockers, perfect for those who just want a skiing day out. Their ticket prices are within the usual range as well and usually cover at least 3 hours of activity.
This place is moderate to hard in terms of its vertical drop, which measures 300 feet. It covers 23 runs and covers a total of 70 acres.
We do note that customers complain that they have encountered a particularly rude staff member, who ruined the entire experience for them. Hopefully the place addresses this, because it will take a toll on their clientele and reputation.
Since the place is small, it can also get very busy on certain days and lines can take long.
Lakeridge Ski Resort would make a good visit, just make sure to book tickets in advance to avoid long queues and maximise your purchase.
Pros
- Up to date amenities and facilities
- Ticket prices are within the usual range
- A one hour drive from Toronto
Cons
- Lines can take long given the place’s size
- Customers complain about a rude staff member
Customer Reviews
Overall a nice place to ski and snowboard
“Really nice experience. Lots of parking spots, be careful with all the potholes, but overall a nice place to ski and snowboard. There is also a nice tubing hill that will make you go really fast! It is well maintained so just have fun!
The staff are also friendly and there to help.” — Alberto Rodriguez, via Google
Lift tickets are reasonable and the staff are excellent
“This ski hill is located 30 conveniently from my Toronto residence.
There are 21 runs here with a good mix of beginner to advance runs; they also have terrain parks and snow tube hills.
It is a small hill but excellent if you are learning or want to work on developing your skill. There is just enough variety of runs to keep you both interested and entertained.
Lift tickets are reasonable and the staff are excellent!
There are no issues with parking and their canteen is more than enough.”
— Chris Nadavallil, via Google
FAQs about ski resorts near Toronto
This concludes our review of ski resorts near Toronto. Do you know any ski spots within the city itself? Let us know in the comments!
While having fun in the snow is always a good thing, having bulks of snow near your home can be inconvenient. We recommend reading our review of the best snow removal services in Toronto.
