Mammoth Has it All: Skiing, Dining, Dancing

For skiers and snowboarders in the know, there's no better spring getaway than a weekend at Mammoth Mountain, one of America's top ski resorts.

Sierra Nevada's glitzier resorts, Heavenly and Squaw Valley, get more attention, but Mammoth Mountain boasts some of the largest snow accumulation in the lower 48 states. The Mammoth Lakes, California, site also offers more skiable space, shorter lift lines and a ritzy new village at its base.

Mammoth Mountain boasts one of the longest ski seasons in U.S.

How to get there: From Los Angeles, the five-hour drive takes you through desert towns like Mojave and Bishop. The drive from San Francisco, which also takes five hours, is more monotonous with its outlet malls and fast-food restaurants. For a faster connection, try the new direct flights on Horizon Air, a unit of Alaska Air (ALK Quote), from Los Angeles Airport. The daily flights cost $89 to $119, and get you there in an hour.

Friday check-in at 4 p.m.: Mammoth has never been known for luxury. There have been several attempts to lure the fur-trimmed crowd from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, including the construction of the Ritz-Carlton Residences, which are scheduled to open next year. Until then, check into the nearby Westin Monache Resort, run by Starwood Hotels (HOT Quote), which offers condo-style rooms with kitchenettes, gas fireplaces and granite bathrooms.

Dinner at 7 p.m.: Petra's Bistro & Wine Bar, inside the Alpenhof Lodge, is within walking distance of the mountain's main village. The restaurant's wine list offers more than 100 selections for $26 to $380 per bottle. New Jersey-born chef Kerry Mechler serves a tapas menu of tuna tartare with coriander chips, short ribs on jasmine rice and venison strip steak with wine reduction. Larger parties can request oversize cheese plates, pizzas and oyster platters.