Playgrounds: Big Bear Mountain Resort

California has produced what some view as one-plankers' greatest gift to snowsports in general: The first terrain parks, formerly called snowboard parks. The first was built in 1989, and since then they've become ubiquitous around the globe. California will always be ground-zero for freestyle snowboarding, though, and for good reason: The state is home to some of the world's finest terrain parks, such as those at Big Bear Mountain Resort, located a mere two hours from Los Angeles.