Stowe gets a shout-out in the weekend New York Times as "the grande dame of Green Mountain ski resorts, with a Main Street that is as folksy as a yellowed New England postcard." Interestingly, Stowe is owned by AIG, which the NYT points out could explain the $400 million recent makeover, "with a shiny gondola and a new pedestrian village with a private club and outdoor fire pits galore." Can't make it to the Rockies this winter? The "quaint Vermont town" of Stowe offers an excellent East Coast ski destination with top lodgings, to boot. Our pick? Topnotch Resort for its stellar spa (recently renovated) and outdoor hot tub, not to mention the warm cookies and crackling fire that greet guests on arrival.