The Guide to the Best Winter Bach Party Destinations

Hot tubs, snowball fights and après ski parties. The best winter bachelor and bachelorette parties aren't for hibernating. Snowy destinations offer endless opportunities for both action and R&R. When trying to narrow down the perfect locale, consider what excites you and your friends the most.

Are you first-chair to last-chair ski fanatics who live for fresh turns, or are you all about après sessions on a sceney sundeck? Do you appreciate a leisurely mid-mountain lunch of fondue and schnitzel or are you happier eating PB&Js and Power Bars on the lift? Does your crew want a five-star hotel with a serious spa or do they prefer rustic cabin vibes? Is a lively downtown with shopping and nightlife a must? Make your wish list then match it to our list of the best bachelor party ski towns and winter bachelorette party ideas.

Aspen-Snowmass, Colorado

Aspen lives up to its ski-and-be-seen reputation. Bogner and Gorsuch ski gear dominate the slopes and champagne is popped before noon at raucous ski in-ski out restaurant, Cloud Nine. Downtown is lined with designer boutiques such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Moncler as well as outposts of celebrated restaurants like Matsuhisa and Catch Steak. Cultural venues—a rarity in most ski towns—are abundant. And the skiing is seriously great. With four different mountains to choose from—Buttermilk, Aspen Mountain, Snowmass, and Aspen Highlands—there's guaranteed to be terrain suited to every skiing ability in your group.

Where to Stay

The Limelight Hotel has outposts in the base village of Snowmass and downtown Aspen. Both have rooms outfit with microwaves and SMEG fridges, plus lively après bars. Great for groups, the Gant in Aspen has one-to-four-bedroom condos with full kitchens, living and dining areas, and wood-burning fireplaces. Slopeside, W Hotel is the party pad with an 8,000-square-foot rooftop pool area with cabanas and fire pits.

Where to Eat

The Jerome Bar at Hotel Jerome is rightly famed for its burgers. Clark's Oyster Bar is a must for seafood fans. For a European-style lunch, book a reservation at Sam's, a Northern Italian spot mid-mountain in Snowmass known for its homemade rigatoni Bolognese and Negroni spritzes. Après-ski at the Snow Lodge at the St. Regis, the sister of Montauk's famed Surf Lodge.

What to Do

Hiking the Highland Bowl at Aspen Highlands is a rite of passage for serious skiers. The 45-minute trek up is rewarded with nearly 2,500 feet of descent. Stretch out with a yoga class at Aspen Shakti or O2 Aspen. Music lovers should check the lineup for Belly Up Aspen in advance. Over the years, the legendary venue's intimate stage has hosted big-name acts ranging from the Killers to John Legend.

Big Sky Resort, Montana

The name says it all. Big Sky has seriously big terrain and designated triple black diamond runs. If you want to test your mettle you can ride the Lone Peak Tram and tackle 4,350 feet of vertical in one run. There's mellower stuff, too—2,300 acres are dedicated to beginner and intermediate slopes. Big Sky welcomed its first five-star resort, the Montage, last year, bringing luxe amenities like a fantastic spa and a fabulous cocktail program to the resort. The base area is sleepy after après, but Town Center is just a 10-minute drive away and has a handful of rowdy bars.

Where to Stay

The Wilson Hotel near Town Center has one of the best happy hours in town. If you prefer to be closer to the slopes, the newly renovated Summit Hotel has suites that can accommodate up to 10 people as well as four-bedroom penthouses. If you crave amenities, the new Montage Big Sky, located in the exclusive Spanish Peaks enclave, has ski in-ski out access, a 10,000-plus square-foot spa, and both a fine dining Italian restaurant and a casual pub with a bowling alley.

Where to Eat

You'll need a reservation for lunch at Everett's 8800, a European-inspired lunch spot at the top of Andesite Mountain (don't miss the morel mushrooms and rösti). Book a sleigh ride dinner at Lone Mountain Ranch. Prime rib, mashed potatoes and rosemary popovers are served in a historic cabin and are accompanied by live music and rounds of honey moonshine shots.

What to Do

If you didn't get your fill of turns by day, you can book a guided night skiing experience. Yellowstone National Park is less than an hour away. Book a snow coach or snowmobile tour to see why the park is even more magical dusted in snow.

Park City, Utah

Despite its Mormon majority, Utah is far from a teetotaling state. Liquor laws require drinks be low octane, and you'll be grateful as Park City has more than 7,300 acres of skiable terrain to explore. The mountain and its charming old Western town, still have traces of the areas 1800s silver mining past, like historic Mid Mountain Lodge from the Silver King Mine. The Quicksilver Gondola connect Canyons and Park City base areas, making it easy to navigate the vast ski area and find terrain (and powder) perfectly suited to your group. If you're ski snobs, nearby Deer Valley is one of only three ski-only resorts in the country.

Where to Stay

The new Pendry is in the heart of Canyons Village and boasts the only rooftop pool in Park City, plus the coolest restaurants, including a Japanese steakhouse and pizza joint. In nearby Deer Valley, the Bavarian-inspired Goldener Hirsch is fresh off a renovation that added 40 residences with gas fireplaces and private balconies. Dedicated "snow angels" handle everything from pre-arrival services to ski outfitting and reservations.

Where to Eat

You can ski straight to the front door of High West Distillery + Tasting Room where whiskey is the drink of choice and the hot chicken and house-made pretzel shouldn't be missed. Silver Star Café is a crowd-pleaser with American-style fare like elk burgers and hearth-fired pizzas. The Vintage Room at St. Regis Deer Valley, a 1,600–square-foot clear tented aprés lounge features champagne service and a raw bar.

What to Do

Park City Yoga Adventures hosts standup paddleboard vinyasa on the Caribbean blue warm waters of nearby Homestead Crater. White Pine Nordic Center has around 15 miles of groomed trails for cross-country skiing. Spend a day strolling historic Main Street's boutiques, like Prospect and Olive & Tweed.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Cowboy town meets ski mecca, you'll need two styles of boots for this themed trip. Jackson Hole straddles the line between rugged and refined. The mountain is home to some of the most challenging skiing in all of North America, like infamous run Corbet's Couloir, and the nearby town of Jackson offers big city-worthy boutiques like Mountain Dandy and Grit, fantastic restaurants, like worth-the-wait breakfast spot Persephone, seriously luxe hotels, and plenty of honky tonk après ski diversions. And if you need a nature fix, Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks are just next door.

Where to Stay

For an unbeatable location, splurge on the Caldera House. Located tramside its eight suites feature two to four bedrooms and are designed like chic New York penthouses. Continuum has the best hot tub and heated pool on the mountain and its bar screens classic Teton Gravity Research ski films. In town, the historic Virginian Lodge is fresh off a modern makeover that includes four-guest adventure bunkrooms, plus a bar that hosts weekly karaoke nights. The new Cloudveil, is the only hotel on Jackson's historic Town Square and its concierge team can arrange everything from yoga at the National Museum of Wildlife Art to park visits.

Where to Eat

Dust off your cowboy boots for a trip to the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. King Sushi is a local favorite. For tapas and wine, visit Bar Bin 22. An attached shop has a deep selection of wine as well as snacks, like artisanal cheeses.

What to Do

JH Ecotour Adventures offers snowshoe and cross-country ski adventures in Grand Teton National Park. Crave more adrenaline? Book a fat bike tour of the National Elk Refuge with Teton Mountain Bike Tours.

Stowe, Vermont

The alpine Ski Capital of the East, Stowe is best known for its rugged, high-elevation terrain and charming, Norman Rockwell-worthy downtown. Home to the highest peaks

in Vermont, Stowe has runs that will even impress snooty West Coast skiers, and more than half of the resort's runs are intermediate, making this the ideal spot for occasional skiers and riders to find their snow legs. Off the mountain, plenty more adventures await, from snowmobiling tours around Mount Mansfield to Nordic skiing and ice climbing. Après ski is all about beer here. Vermont's prized craft brews are poured at every pub on the mountain and off and the storybook town's restaurants are firmly rooted in a farm-to-table ethos, even in winter.

Where to Stay

Stowe's only ski-in-ski-out hotel, the Lodge at Spruce Peak offers a range of group-friendly accommodations ranging from three-bedroom suites to a four-bedroom penthouse, all recently refurbished. Downtown, Field Guide is a Scandi-inspired boutique hotel with rooms and suites (many with gas fireplaces and marble soaking tubs) spread between two buildings. Groups should request two-bedroom bunk rooms or suites that sleep up to six. There's also a heated pool and firepit for S'mores, plus the area's hottest new post-ski hangout, Après Only, which channels 1980s ski New England ski culture and has a menu of charcuterie boards and local craft brews.

Where to Eat

You can ski directly to the Matterhorn Bar and Grill, an iconic bar where the party always runs late and the food menu has everything you might crave: sushi, burgers, pizza. Beer snobs shouldn't miss a visit to the Alchemist Brewery, famed for its cult Heady Topper double IPA. Doc Ponds, an elevated gastropub from the chefs behind Vermont's acclaimed Hen of the Woods restaurant, has a serious beer list and comfort foods like house chips with onion dip and a crispy chicken sammy.

What to Do

Indulge in a down day at the spa at Spruce Peak or Topnotch Resort's spa, which features a 60-foot solarium with an indoor pool. Explore the countryside on a dog sledding excursion with a local outfitter like Eden Dog Sledding or Peace Pups. City Brew Tours offers a 4.5-hour Sip of Stowe tour that makes three brewery stops and includes a designated driver.