The Whitecap Mountains, Mercer

Golf clubs aren't typically the first thing people pack when heading out to a ski resort, but The Whitecap Mountains' distinctly Midwestern environment manages to harmonize skiing, lodging, and golfing on its bucolic grounds. Spread across three mountains and 400 acres, the facilities feature 43 ski runs catering to all experience levels. Beginners' areas are carefully distanced from tougher runs, preventing newcomers from accidentally wondering into the complex terrain and traffic circles of the double-black-diamond trails.

In the valley of the Penokee Mountains, golfers play 18 holes designed by Midwest architect Garrett Gill. It's a course where a golf cart is not a luxury but a necessity. The first tees lie 200 feet above Weber Lake, setting the pace for 18 holes of mountainside golf distinguished by tricky elevation changes that give way to challenging lies as well as expansive views of the surrounding wilderness.