While Wasatch Front skiers can sample great skiing by driving less than an hour from home, some enjoy comparing their home turf to other resorts.

There are advantages to that.

First, exploring new terrain in scenic locations can break the monotony of skiing the same runs again and again.

More importantly, simply getting out of town for a weekend or even a week can be a refreshing change of pace in winter. The ski hill offers one reason to travel. But the chance to stay at a nice lodge, try new restaurants and enjoy the local nightlife makes time away from home a nice vacation.

And there are some excellent and interesting out of state downhill resorts within a day's drive of Salt Lake City.

For example, the venerable Sun Valley near Ketchum, Idaho, is a 294-mile drive. It has a reputation for some of the smoothest runs in the West. This resort features 18 lifts, 75 runs and 2,054 acres to explore as well as a fun town to visit in Ketchum. For information, log on to www.sunvalley.com.

Grand Targhee near Driggs, Idaho, is another resort that markets heavily along the Wasatch Front and offers some excellent package deals, especially for families. While this resort is smaller than some with two peaks, 72 trails on two mountains and four lifts, the beauty of the Grand Tetons' back side is a major draw. For information on the resort, which is 298 miles from Salt Lake City, visit www.grandtarghee.com.

Jackson, another Teton resort about 275 miles from Salt Lake City, is larger with 116 runs on two mountains as well as an aerial gram, two gondolas, two high speed quad lifts, four fixed quads, two triple chairs and one double chair. This Wyoming resort (www.jacksonhole.com), offers fun nightlife and shopping as well as the possibility of taking a snow coach or snowmobile into nearby Yellowstone National Park.

Then there are Vail, Colo., and Mammoth Mountain, Calif., two of the West's "mega resorts" that would be difficult to explore in less than a week.

Vail (www.vail.com), is about 430 miles from Salt Lake City and has the advantage of not only a huge mountain but being almost next door to Beaver Creek, another large ski area. Vail features seven back bowls, 31 lifts, three terrain parks, 5,289 acres of skiing and an interesting base village with some world-class restaurants.

At 543 miles, Mammoth Mountain in California is a bit farther to drive and can be crowded. Still, it is huge, offering 3,500 skiable acres with a drop of 3,100 vertical feet and 28 lifts. There is excellent variety to challenge skiers of all ability.

The Reno-Lake Tahoe area also offers good variety with Squaw Valley, Sierra at Tahoe, Alpine Meadows, Heavenly, Kirkwood, Mt. Rose and Northstar all near each other. Casinos and resorts with top notch entertainment add another layer of fun to a ski vacation.

If you're planning a family or couples ski trip, Christy Sports offers these money-saving tips:

» Purchase all-inclusive packages that include airfare, lodging, lift tickets and even lessons.

» Avoid peak holiday periods around Christmas, New Year's and President's Day.

» Look for kids' discounts.

» Book early, especially if you plan to fly.

» Negotiate with lodging properties, especially in this economy when some property managers seem more willing to negotiate.

» Purchase lift tickets from a local ski and snowboard retailers for greater discounts.

» Use rental equipment instead of buying your own gear.

» Don't forget airline baggage fees and pack accordingly or, again, rent gear on site.

» Try to find accommodations with a kitchen or at least a microwave and fridge.