8 Colorado Resorts: Year-Round Escapes From Aspen to Vail and More

Separated by about 20 minutes drive, Aspen and Snowmass resorts are owned by the same company so you can ski both on the same lift ticket in winter. The town of Aspen has existed since the 1800s and is known for its celebrity scene as well as luxe shopping, dining and skiing at the adjacent Aspen Mountain.

Snowmass Village was constructed around the ski mountain itself and does not have the same historic ambiance as Aspen. But it does host a slew of restaurants, bars, and slope-side lodging.

To play on the mountain in summer, you’ll want to head to the Elk Camp Gondola at Snowmass as this is where most of the resort activities take place. Here you’ll find the recently completed Lost Forest, where you can ride an alpine coaster, fly along zip lines or try out one of the rope challenges. The Snowmass Bike Park is also here and boasts 2,897 vertical feet of downhill biking trails. Although there are definitely some gnarly steep runs you won’t want to do without experience, there’s also plenty of beginner terrain for families or first-time riders.

Like Aspen and Snowmass, Vail and Beaver Creek are partner resorts that are easy to access from each other. Located just off I-70 about 2-1/2 hours drive from Denver, Vail offers a similar range of on-mountain activities as Snowmass through its Epic Discovery Center. You can pick up an Adventure Pass for unlimited, all-day access to everything in the park, which includes zip-lines, a mountain roller coaster, tubing hills, a climbing wall and bungee trampoline among other options, all spread across Vail’s multiple peaks. The program is especially popular with families.

Vail’s Eagle Bahn and Gondola One gondolas also run in the summertime, and from the top, there’s access to hiking and biking trails for all levels. If you’re traveling with a pup, however, note that unlike Aspen Snowmass, dogs are not allowed to ride up gondolas in Vail (although they can come down the mountain if you hike up).

Remote Telluride is pure joy in the summer. Tucked away in a stunningly beautiful and isolated box canyon in southwest Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, the Wild West town dates back to the 1880s silver mining boom days. In winter it offers world-class skiing, but in summer, you’ll find fields of wildflowers to bike and hike through, blue ribbon streams to cast a fly fishing rod and lakes for SUP. There are also opportunities to ride horses through the mountains or raft kid-friendly Class II and III rapids on the San Miguel River.

The town is home to an impressive line up of festivals. Its most famous is June’s Telluride Bluegrass Festival, now in its 46th year. Other June festivals include the Telluride Wine Festival and Telluride Yoga Festival; while July sees the Telluride Americana Music Festival and the dog-focused Bow Wow Film Festival.

One of the closest ski resorts to Denver, Breckenridge is absolutely lovely in summer. It’s an authentic Wild West town—its history dates back to the 1860s gold rush—and a ski resort with year-round activities. For an adrenaline rush, head up to Epic Discovery at Breckenridge Ski Resort. (The on-mountain offerings for summer are very similar to the ones offered in Vail.)

If you’d rather just spend an afternoon strolling and shopping, then head to Main Street in the town, which sits at a lofty 9,900 feet elevation at its base. Here you’ll find multiple blocks of shops selling everything from active wear to children’s toys and oxygen and dozens of restaurants (Downstairs at Eric’s is a favorite for pub grub including excellent hot sandwiches and pizza) and old school bars like the Gold Pan Saloon, in operation since 1879.

For something different, check out the Breckenridge Creative Arts District in the center of town. One of the most unique activities offered here is a glass blowing workshop where you can create your own pendant.