Killington in the USA

Article updated every 6 months. Last update: 11th November 2008
Author: Sean Newsom (Travel Expert) Ask me a question.

More about Sean Newsom

The best ski resorts in America are all out west - in the Rocky Mountains and California. But there can be heavy snow in the hills of New England too, and lots of resorts cater to city dwellers from Boston and New York who want to take advantage of it.

Killington is the largest, and the buzziest of these resorts. Killington ski holidays offer fast lifts, vibrant nightlife and a varied package of groomed pistes, mogul fields and terrain parks. What Killington doesn't have is a reliable climate. Periods of intense cold and heavy snow can be followed by blasts of warm southern air, which can bring occasional thaws and rain. Killington has developed one of the world's largest snow-making systems to compensate, but all the same, it can struggle to provide cover in a poor winter.

As a result, most of the custom is local and last-minute. New Englanders and New Yorkers drive up when they know skiing conditions are good, and the resort is built around their needs. There are large car parks at the bottom of the ski lifts but the accommodation, restaurants and bars are scattered along a five-mile stretch of road. You need a car and a decent budget for taxis to get the best of it.

	Beginner	Intermediate	Advanced
Skiing	8/10	5/10	4/10
Snowboarding	9/10	4/10	5/10

Resort height: 323mThe mountains

Killington offers 140km of pistes, 100 of which are covered by a system of 800 snow cannons. Everything is below the tree line here - so don't come expecting the high, open bowls you find in the Alps. Anyone looking for a challenge will have to make do with tree-skiing, mogul fields or one of the excellent terrain parks.

There are lots of easy intermediate pistes here too, which are hectic on a weekend after fresh snow, but blissfully quiet mid-week. However, where Killington does best, from an international visitor's point of view, is in its provision for skiing beginners, with top-notch tuition, and lots of room to manoeuvre. Particularly good is the Burton Learn to Ride snowboard programme, which uses specially-designed snowboards for first-timers: they're not as stiff as regular snowboards so riders are less likely to fall over on them.

Getting there

Killington is a three-hour drive from Boston. Most British visitors combine a ski trip to this part of the world with a day or two in one of the big coastal cities.

Rating: 8/10Après-ski

Killington can be very quiet midweek, but on Friday and Saturday night the weekenders party hard - starting on the slopes in the Long Trail and Superstar pubs in the base lodges. Then everyone heads down to the Wobbly Barn or the Pickle Barrel on the approach road to the resort, for more of the same, and live music.

Rating: 3/10Non-skiers

If you've got a car and the will to explore, there's lots to see and do in rural Vermont - plus more than 30 discounted factory outlet stores in the nearby Manchester. Closer to the pistes, you can indulge in a luxurious spa, or try snow-shoeing and snow-mobiling.

Rating: 7/10Cost of living

The hotels are desperate to get skiers to stay for a whole week and fill their rooms, and seven-day flight-and-accommodation packages are as cheap as the Alps - and often the rooms are larger and more luxurious too. Food and drink is good value also.

Rating: 4/10Attractiveness of the resort

Scenically, Killington falls short of the Alps or the Rockies, and the car-dominated layout of the resort isn't much to look at either.

Back to top
Book now

Who do we recommend?

With so many companies to choose from, we have researched the market to find those with a wide range of choice as well as some that are more specialist. Browse our list below to find the right company for you, then click through to their web site for more information and how to book. It couldn't be easier!