It's no wonder that Canada, a mountainous country with heavy snowfall, is one of the world's top ski destinations. If you've never skied before, you've got a basic choice between the speed and thrills of downhill skiing and the more Zen-like pleasure of cross-country skiing. Both sports are open to all ages, though downhill skiing is less forgiving of older bones and joints and carries a higher price tag: A day on the slopes, with rental gear and lift ticket, can easily top C$90 (US$56).

For downhill skiing, the Canadian Rockies and Whistler-Blackcomb resort near Vancouver are the primary destinations. The 1988 Winter Olympics were held at Nakiska, just outside Banff National Park, and the park itself is home to three other ski areas, including Lake Louise, the country's largest. If you're just learning to ski or are skiing with the family, then the easier slopes at Banff Mount Norquay are made to order. Readers of Condé Nast Traveler repeatedly award Whistler-Blackcomb the title of Best Ski Resort in North America. At all these ski areas, instruction, rentals, and day care are available, and world-class lodging is available at Banff, Lake Louise and Whistler. The slopes are usually open November to May.

The dry, heavy snows of eastern Canada make this the best destination for a cross-country skiing vacation. The Laurentians, north of Québec, are a range of low mountains with many ski trails and small resort towns with rural French-Canadian charm. The best skiing is January to March.