Sun Peaks is one of Canada's best-kept secrets, though the numbers alone should have given it away long ago. Tucked into the Thompson Plateau of British Columbia's interior, this is the country's second-largest ski resort by skiable acreage - 4,270 acres spread across three mountains - yet it feels remarkably uncrowded. The purpose-built village is compact, colourful, and almost entirely ski-in/ski-out, with timber-framed buildings lining pedestrian streets that open straight onto the slopes. It's the kind of place where you step out of your hotel, click into your bindings, and ski to the lift without seeing a car or a shuttle bus.

The skiing covers 122km of marked runs across Mt Tod, Sundance, and Mt Morrisey, with 117 trails served by 13 lifts including high-speed quads and a six-pack. The vertical drop is 882m and the summit reaches 2,152m, with terrain split across beginner, intermediate, and advanced pitches - plus some genuinely steep expert lines on the upper flanks of Mt Tod. The season runs from late November through mid-April, and the interior location delivers reliable dry snow with plenty of sunshine, giving the resort its name and a character that feels brighter and warmer than the coast.

Beyond the slopes, Sun Peaks has carved out a reputation as one of Canada's strongest family ski destinations. The village layout keeps everything walkable and manageable, the ski school is well regarded, and the range of non-ski activities - from 63km of Nordic trails to dog sledding and ice skating on a frozen lake - means every member of the family finds something to enjoy. It's a resort that runs on friendliness rather than flash, and that warmth carries through from the ski instructors to the restaurant staff to the locals you meet on the chair. Check out Sun Peaks ski deals to start planning your trip.