The buzz around the Winter Olympics seems to intensify with every Games. From America’s ice hockey win over Canada to Alysa Liu’s comeback on the ice, Lindsey Vonn’s return to the slopes, and even biathlete Sturla Holm Lægreid’s viral affair confession, cold-weather competition once again sparked conversation across the globe.
Beyond the medal tables and national rivalries, Milan and Cortina’s Winter Games also cast a spotlight on sports most of us rarely encounter, like biathlon, ski jumping, and speed skating, each equal parts terrifying and exhilarating.
With the Paralympics ahead and snow lingering across mountain ranges worldwide, for those interested, there’s still time to swap spectating for participating. For something beyond a standard ski lesson, these destinations offer access to some of the Games’ more unexpected disciplines – from skeleton to curling.
See more: The Most Elite Ski Chalets to Rent For Your Next Vacation
Deer Valley, Utah, US
When Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics, Deer Valley was at the heart of the action — and in 2034 it will once again take centre stage as the venue for freestyle moguls and aerials. Today, guests at The St. Regis Deer Valley can connect directly to that Olympic legacy through an exclusive partnership with the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation.
The hotel’s bobsled experience takes visitors onto the very same 2002 Olympic track, with guidance from Olympic silver medalists Valerie Fleming and Shauna Rohbock. After a tour, safety briefing, and practice, guests can ride the track themselves, reaching speeds up to 70 mph and pulling 3Gs through ten curves. Like true Olympians, the experience ends with a medal ceremony, with an autographed photo and a keepsake souvenir to take home.
For sharpshooters, the St. Regis Deer Valley’s Olympic Biathlon experience combines a lesson in cross-country skiing or snowshoeing with target shooting under professional supervision. Instructors run competitions on snow in winter or on foot during summer, with award ceremonies to mark each session.
Lake Placid, NY, US
Few American towns carry Olympic history like Lake Placid, which hosted the Winter Games in 1932 and 1980. Check into Mirror Lake Inn for an Adirondack base within easy reach of the town’s still-active venues.
For adrenaline seekers, the Lake Placid Bobsled Experience lets you ride with a professional driver, while the Olympic bobsled and luge tracks are both open for tours. For an Olympian-led experience, former biathlete Andrea Henkel Burke offers training sessions in cross-country skiing, shooting, and fitness, from one-off clinics to longer programs.
For hockey fans, there is also the chance to step onto the ice at the legendary Herb Brooks Arena, scene of the unforgettable ‘Miracle on Ice’ during the 1980 Winter Olympics, when the US men’s hockey team stunned the Soviet Union in one of sport’s greatest upsets.
If you’re not quite ready to dive headfirst into a new sport but still want a hit of Olympic adrenaline, at the Ski Jumping Complex, the SkyRide gondola whisks visitors to the base of the 394-foot jump, before an elevator carries you to the summit, delivering a vertigo-inducing athlete’s-eye view from the very top.
Courchevel, France
For aspiring ski jumpers, Le Praz in Courchevel offers the Tremplin ski jumps, ranging from 82 ft to 295 ft. Beginners start with gym-based training and coaching before stepping onto the ramps, learning take-off, landing, and balance with guidance from local coaches – many of whom are trained French Olympians.
Luxury accommodation options in glitzy Courchevel are aplenty. For a hotel stay, Rosewood Courchevel provides a stylish base with a particularly impressive spa for post-training recovery. For a chalet experience, L’Amarante, connected to L’Apogée Hotel, is a five-bedroom chalet with ski-in-ski-out access, a private spa and cinema, and full staff, including a chef and butler.
St Moritz, Switzerland
The Cresta Run in St. Moritz, built in 1884, is one of the world’s few natural ice tracks dedicated entirely to skeleton. It hosted skeleton events at the 1928 and 1948 Winter Olympics and remains a destination for thrill seekers.
Guests at Kulm Hotel St. Moritz can take beginner lessons on the Cresta Run, guided by former athletes who will share tips on steering and timing, while the nearby Bob Run St. Moritz–Celerina offers 75 seconds of high-speed sledding.
St. Mortiz’s Badrutts Palace offers access to some of the town’s more untraditional winter programming. With its own rink, guests can take to the ice or test their aim by sliding curling stones. Cross-country skiing is also available across the groomed tracks in the Upper Engadin.
Stranraer, Scotland
Despite being a small town, Stranraer’s curling legacy attracts enthusiasts from around the world. The North West Castle Hotel is the only hotel in the UK with its own dedicated indoor curling rink. The rink has been a hub for Scottish curling for more than 50 years, producing multiple European, World, and Olympic champions.
Beginners are welcome, and the hotel hosts national and international competitions throughout the winter season. Spectators can watch from the hotel’s bar and lounge, offering insight into the ‘Roaring Game.’
For a luxury stay, Trump Turnberry is an hour’s drive south along the coast and sits on an 800-acre estate on the rugged Ayrshire coastline. The restaurants and bars have spectacular views of the Scottish coastline, including Ailsa Craig, fittingly the home of the curling stone, and the Isle of Arran, with views of Ireland on a clear day.
