I went to North America's only indoor ski and snowboard park with real snow, and it was an artificial winter wonderland inside a giant warehouse

Meredith Cash/Business Insider

• Big Snow is the first indoor ski and snowboard park in North America where visitors can shred on real snow.
• The park, located in American Dream Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey, boasts 5,500 tons of man-made snow over its more than four acres of skiable terrain.
• I'm an avid snowboarder, so I strapped in and tried out the park on Big Snow's opening day.
• While experienced skiers and riders may get bored of Big Snow's limited options quickly, the park is a great spot for beginners or shredders looking to escape the heat on a summer day.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Welcome to Big Snow, the first indoor ski and snowboard park in North America that has real snow.

Located at the American Dream retail and entertainment complex in the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Big Snow is just six miles from midtown Manhattan and a 28-minute non-stop bus ride from Port Authority Bus Terminal.

I had the opportunity to check out the new human-made "mountain" on its opening day, and — as an avid snowboarder — I was excited to try riding indoors for the very first time.

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