A snowdome to ski in!

Have you ever wondered what it's like inside a snowglobe? Welcome to the world of indoor skiing and snowboarding. Hit the slopes in a completely enclosed snow sport park where you can ski, snowboard and enjoy other winter sports year round, day or night. Snow domes are also called ski domes, snow parks, ski halls, or just indoor ski resorts. these snowdomes use hi-tech manufactured snow and temperature controlled environments to create slopes, ramps, rails, kickers and quarter pipes. The average snow dome ski run is 650 feet, but some are as long as 1,800 feet. The UK Snowdome offers snowmobile, toboggan, sled, snowblade (mini skis) and tube rentals. They even have a Starbucks! If you visit the Alpincenter ski dome in Germany, you can relax and enjoy a brew in the Beer Garden apres-ski. Many snowdomes have theme parks, hotels and motels, and other resort facilities nearby, and all offer ski instruction and equipment rental. Many snowdomes also have party facilities to celebrate birthdays, Bar Mitzvahs, and even weddings!

Some of the best known snowdomes in the world:

Skibaan Casablanca
- Antwerp, Belgium -
Opened in 1988, this was the first snowdome and is still in operation.

Ski Dubai (also called the Dubai Snowdome)
- United Arab Emirates -

Snowdome
- Tamworth, United Kingdom -

Qiaobo Ice and Snow World
- Beijing, China -

SnowPlanet
- Auckland, New Zealand -

Xscape
- Castleford, Braehead, and Milton Keynes, U.K. -
These mega resorts also feature rock climbing, indoor skateboard park, movie theater, bowling alley, miniature golf, laser tag, and shopping.

AlpinCenter
- Bottrop and Hamburg-Wittenburg, Germany -

Shanghai Yinqixing Indoor Snow Centre
- Shanghai, China -

Chill Factore
- Manchester, United Kingdom -

A snowdome to have and hold!

Collectors call them snowglobes, waterglobes, waterballs, snowstorms, blizzards, snow scenes, or just "those shakeup things with the water and the snow..."

Snowdomes can be cheap and kitschy souvenirs or beautiful, detailed keepsakes. Vintage style plastic snowdomes come in a wonderful variety of shapes, such as domes, spheres, ovals, bottles and treasure chests. Highly valued by snowdome collectors are figural shapes such as Santa Claus, tigers, elephants, Indians, mermaids, and many more. Glass snowglobes can be elegant, finely crafted collectible gifts with special features, such as music boxes, automatic swirling snow, lights, and rotating figurines.

A brief history of snowglobes and snowdomes:

Documented snowglobe history dates back to France in the early 1800s. In 1889, a snowdome containing a replica of the brand new Eiffel Tower was produced to celebrate the International Exposition in Paris.

Snow globes became a popular gift in England during the Victorian era. Glass and ceramic snow globes made their way to the United States in the early 1920s. They became a popular promotional advertising item by the 1940s, with trucking companies, plumbing suppliers, newspapers, and pharmaceutical manufacturers promoting their products and services with giveaway snowglobes.

Plastic snowdomes first appeared in the 1950s, originally made in Germany and then in Hong Kong. Many early Hong Kong snowdomes were crude reproductions of popular German snow dome designs.

Today, many collectors seek out souvenir snowdomes from cities, states, and attractions around the U.S. and around the world, Character snowglobes (like Disney, Peanuts, The Simpsons, etc.,) promotional or advertising snow domes, and Christmas themed snowglobes. Creative folks can easily make their own customized photo snowdomes, and design and build their own snowdomes using snow dome kits.

Add to your collection of Snow Globes.