Bear Creek Mountain Resort, Pennsylvania

Distance from Baltimore: 143 miles, about a two-hour drive

Why it's cool: A 9,000-square-foot outdoor rock garden. The resort also offers 21 trails for skiing and snowboarding, six lifts and three progressive terrain parks, all spread over 330 acres. Indoor and outdoor hot tubs and pools are open year-round.

Don't miss: The snow-tubing park - it's billed as the region's longest.

Information: Bear Creek Mountain Resort & Conference Center, 101 Doe Mountain Lane, Macungie, Pa., skibearcreek.com, 866-754-2822

December 28, 2011