Seven Springs, Pa.

Seven Spring’s stands primarily on three pillars: phenomenal freestyle terrain, top-notch après (No. 5 in Nightlife, No. 6 in Après), and a variety of off-hill activities for the whole family (No. 8 in Down-Day Activities). While COVID-19 may nix the possibility of partying at the Foggy Goggle or gunning for mini-golf glory, the resort still has plenty to offer visitors this winter. Updates to the resort for the upcoming season aren’t too sexy, but there is a ton of lift maintenance in the works that will make trips up the hill more efficient. And between the resort’s convenient location (No. 3 in Travel Ease) and variety of rental accommodations, Seven Springs is a great choice for a worry-free pandemic getaway. Readers love the atmosphere and practicality of the resort, with many noting that Seven Springs makes good use of every inch of its small Mid-Atlantic mountain: “Might not be a big resort like out West, but it’s so accessible and has great snowmaking, so it’s a long season considering it’s in PA!” 

Lodging (No. 9) is pricey but diverse, with hotel rooms, townhouses, cottages, and chalets to choose from. Some rentals even include full kitchens. But don’t worry if a fully loaded condo isn’t in the budget—there are more than 10 restaurants scattered across the resort offering everything from chicken-bacon-ranch pizza to lobster tails. One reader sums it up: “Seven Springs is a great ski resort for the region. In this part of the country, to have a ski resort with such variety of terrain and skill levels, and friendliness of staff, is wonderful.” — Andrew Guckes

2021 Reader Resort Rankings for Seven Springs: No. 16 in the East

• APRÈS: Missing the Foggy Goggle? Located just a couple hundred feet up the hill is Helen’s Restaurant, Seven Springs’s fanciest spot. Drown your sorrows with a bottle from Helen’s Wine Spectator Award-winning wine list.
• MANDATORY RUN: Turtleneck Glades, located on the mountain’s North Face, offers some solid tree skiing. True to the resort’s freestyle-loving nature, Turtleneck has been known to host some great homemade jumps, and even the occasional tree jib.

Seven Spring’s Website

Check out No. 17 in the East: Mount Snow, Vt.

No. 15 in the East: Snowshoe, W. Va.

Seven Springs’s 2020 SKI Magazine Reader Resort Survey Rank: 16th in the East

Any East Coast skier will tell you that a winter trip to their neck of the woods will be whatever you make of it. Perhaps no resort on the East Coast does more with less than Seven Springs. 

What the southwestern Pennsylvania resort lacks in natural gifts, it makes up for elsewhere. Of the resort’s 285 acres, 200 are open for night skiing (until 9 or 10 p.m.) and all are maintained by snowmaking. Green trails are positioned well, so there’s no threat of some hot-dogger taking out beginners at 85 mph. The mountain is close to a variety of nearby lodging (No. 5) and offers enough amenities to keep everyone happy (No. 6 in Down Day Activities), even through uninspiring Mid-Atlantic winters. 

But these amenities come at a cost. “Great resort, the only complaint I have is that it’s a bit expensive,” opines one reader. But at the end of the day, this little resort offers something many of the big dogs can’t: A quick escape (No. 6 in Travel Ease). “Great getaway from city life. The people are friendly and welcoming.” That’s not too shabby. — Andrew Guckes

• DOWN DAY ACTIVITY: Seven Springs houses an outdoor pool, bowling alley, and game room to keep the kids happy while you lounge at one of the many bars within shouting distance. For those looking to ditch the resort completely, famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s magnum opus, Fallingwater, is located just a half-hour southwest of the resort.
• APRÈS-SKI: Live music and strong drinks have made The Foggy Goggle a hot spot for decades, but the joint saw further improvement in 2014 with the addition of Foggy Brews. Accessible through an unmarked door in the Goggle, Foggy Brews features a 100-foot bar and 50 brews on tap.

Read More:

2020 Resort Guide: East Overall 

2020 Resort Guide East: Spring Break Destination