Where should I go for my first ski trip?

If you dont want to travel by air but want your first trip to be a good one, it is probably gonna require some long distance driving. I would avoid the closest possibilities (NC, TN...etc) poor conditions for the most part.

I have been to Winterplace Resort in West Virginia a few times and the sking is pretty good for that part of the country. It is probably your closest destination that will have somewhat reliable conditions.

While the East Coast offers some relativly good destinations(each geting better the farther north you go nothing compares to the Powder out West. Steamboat, CO is my fav for ski terrain, while Lake Tahoe is my all around favorite for scenary, sking, and night life.

Check out AAvacations for some trips out west if money is your biggest issue for not wanting to fly. I have booked with them several times and went out there just as cheap as driving to West Virginia or New York.

Hope this is usefull and good luck you will love it.

If you want to do skiing right, you'll have to fly, or drive to Colorado or Utah.

Some excellent resorts to consider:

Park City, UT

Keystone/Copper Mountain, CO

Whistler, BC

Lake Louise, AL (Alberta, not Alabama, obviously)

Vail, CO

Purgatory, CO

Telluride, CA

Check out Bolton Valley in VT, its right near Burlington so you can get good air deals, nice scenery, very friendly for beginners. I learned to ski and snowboard there. Decent prices too.