USA Today Nominates Hunter Mountain and Killington Resort

The two popular destinations are now competing in the 2026 Readers' Choice Awards.

Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Skiing

Bold vector editorial illustration of ski poles and goggles on a wooden bench, evoking the spirit of a winter mountain vacation.
Hunter Mountain and Killington Resort have secured nominations for the 2026 USA Today Readers' Choice Awards, allowing fans to vote for their favorite winter destinations. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you plan to visit a regional winter resort for your upcoming vacation this year?

Hunter Mountain and Killington Resort have earned nominations for the 2026 USA Today Readers' Choice Awards. The public can now vote for these destinations among 20 expert-selected nominees in their respective categories.

Why it matters

These awards provide a platform for travelers to highlight their favorite winter destinations while increasing visibility for the nominated resorts. The contest reflects consumer preferences in the competitive landscape of the North American ski industry.

Killington Resort features 2,000 acres of skiable terrain with 155 named trails, while Hunter Mountain offers a 1,000-foot course for snow tubing. Both sites are among 20 destinations selected for their respective categories.

The players

USA Today

This national media organization conducts annual travel awards that allow the public to vote on various leisure and tourism categories.

Hunter Mountain

Located in New York, this resort is a prominent destination for winter sports and snow tubing in the Northeast.

Killington Resort

Situated in Vermont, this location is widely recognized as one of the largest ski resorts in the eastern United States.

The details

Hunter Mountain is currently nominated for Best Place for Snow Tubing, and Killington Resort is in the running for Best Ski Resort. Fans of these venues can cast their ballots once per day through the end of the voting period.

Timeline

  1. Voting for the awards concludes on November 9, 2026.

  2. The top 10 winners will be announced on November 18, 2026.

Season Trajectory

The 2026 USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Awards series engages outdoor enthusiasts by crowdsourcing excellence in the winter sports market. This nomination process follows the annual pattern established by the contest to highlight top performers ahead of the winter season.

Resort supporters can influence the final standings by participating in the daily voting process. These rankings often serve as a key metric for travelers deciding on their destination bookings for the upcoming winter season.

The takeaway

Engaging in travel awards provides a direct way for enthusiasts to support their favorite ski resorts and tubing venues. Monitoring these rankings can also help prospective vacationers identify top-rated locations for the 2026-2027 winter season.

What happens next

Voting for the readers' choice awards ends at noon on November 9, 2026. USA Today will announce the final top 10 winners for each category on November 18, 2026.

Further reading

Learn more about the latest developments in the winter sports industry on our Skiing page.

Source note: This article includes information reported by 107.7 GNA.

Live Poll

Do you plan to visit a regional winter resort for your upcoming vacation this year?