The Great American Price Gouge: Ski Resorts, Beaches, and the Price of Living in the U.S.

The Great American Price Gouge: Ski Resorts, Beaches, and the Price of Living in the U.S.

It’s wild how we love to talk about tariffs and how other countries are “ripping us off,” but somehow forget that Americans have been price gouging each other for ages.

Let’s break it down:

If you want to go skiing in Okemo, New Hampshire, just for one day? You’re looking at $174. And if you’ve got a kid between the ages of 7-12? That’ll set you back $132.

Now, I know what you’re thinking—skiing is a luxury, right? But let’s take a quick trip back in time to 1982—back when a lift ticket in Okemo was just $20 for an adult and $15 for a kid. You could also grab a ski lesson for just $11. But fast forward to today... and suddenly it’s $174.

Sure, inflation and all that, but $20 in 1982 doesn’t translate to $175 today—not even close.

And don’t even get me started on food. A $20 burger at a ski resort? Are you serious? Imagine the good ol' days when it actually cost less. But hey, that’s how it is now.

It’s not just ski resorts though—this price gouging happens everywhere. I was in Italy last summer, sipping a $2 Aperol Spritz at the beach. You couldn’t get that in the U.S. for under $25 if you tried.

It’s wild how we’re so quick to blame other countries for ripping us off when we’re getting gouged in our own backyard every single day. So yeah, maybe it’s not just tariffs we should be worried about.