Landing at Aspen/Pitkin County Airport in Aspen puts you right in the middle of things, with ski slopes, mountain passes, and small Colorado towns all close by. Aspen pairs a Victorian silver-mining downtown with four ski mountains and some of the most photographed peaks in the Rockies. The feel is upscale but outdoorsy, where fleece and ski boots are welcome in nearly every restaurant.

Standout experiences around Aspen: - Ski or ride Aspen Mountain, Snowmass, Aspen Highlands, and Buttermilk on one lift ticket - Hike or shuttle up to Maroon Lake for the classic view of the Maroon Bells - Ride the Silver Queen Gondola to the summit in summer for yoga, concerts, and disc golf - Catch a show at the Wheeler Opera House, open since 1889 - Drive Independence Pass in summer, a 12,095-foot crossing of the Continental Divide - Fly fish the Frying Pan River near Basalt, a gold-medal trout stream - Attend the Aspen Music Festival, which fills summer evenings with free lawn concerts - Bike the Rio Grande Trail downvalley toward Carbondale - Stop by Woody Creek Tavern, a longtime hangout with Hunter S. Thompson history - Soak at the hot springs in Glenwood Springs, about an hour down the valley

Aspen sits at the top of the Roaring Fork Valley, and the towns below it each add something. Snowmass Village brings family-friendly slopes and summer bike parks, Carbondale offers a laid-back arts scene under Mount Sopris, and Glenwood Springs delivers hot springs, caves, and canyon rafting. Fall here means the aspen groves turn gold all at once, usually in late September.