A guide to Colorado’s most-loved ski towns

Every fall, I dread the days getting shorter. But there’s one part of the changing seasons I enthusiastically look forward to: the first snowfall, which means soon it’ll be time to ski.

Living in Colorado, I’m lucky to have my pick of dozens of world-class Rocky Mountain ski resorts within a few hours’ drive of my house. But if you’re trying to plan a Colorado ski vacation, you might feel overwhelmed trying to decide where to go. To help narrow it down, here’s a guide to the Colorado ski towns you should visit this winter, based on years of experience hitting the slopes throughout the state.

Group ski trips are a blast, but more than likely, the people in your group have different ability levels and preferences on the slopes. Solve this problem by basing yourself in Aspen, which provides access to four different ski resorts.

The main attraction of this former silver mining town is Aspen Mountain, known locally as “Ajax.” The ski area is small—just a little more than 800 acres—but it’s steep and centrally located in the heart of town.

Skiers and snowboarders can also check out three other ski areas in the area: Snowmass, Aspen Highlands, and Buttermilk. Each resort has its own personality—Buttermilk has a great terrain park and hosts the Winter X Games, while sprawling Snowmass has tons of room for families to spread out—so everyone can pick their own favorite and disperse accordingly throughout the trip.

Tip: Take advantage of the easy-to-use public transit network to hop from resort to resort. The Four Mountain Connector bus route, run by the Roaring Fork Transit Authority (which locals call “Rafta”) can take you between all four mountains for free. Many hotels also have complimentary shuttles for guests, too.

Veteran winter travelers know that skiing is just one part of the experience—and that the après-ski food and drink scene is equally important. At Beaver Creek Resort in Avon, you can have the best of both worlds. (FYI: Beaver Creek and Vail are just a 10-minute drive apart, so you can easily ski both resorts.)

With 1,800 acres of skiable terrain, Beaver Creek is known for its mellow, upscale vibe, which extends to its dining scene. The stars of its culinary world are three fine-dining cabins—Beano’s, Zach’s, and Allie’s—located at different spots on the mountain. Part of the fun is getting there: You can only reach them by riding in a sleigh pulled by a snowcat (a heavy-duty vehicle resorts typically use for snowmaking, among other things). After gliding through the snow, you’ll arrive at one of the three restaurants—all decked out in rugged decor, like antler chandeliers and huge fireplaces—and sit down to a multi-course meal. Beano’s specializes in cuisine inspired by the Rocky Mountains, while Allie’s focus is Northern Italian fare and Zach’s menu emphasizes Alsatian cuisine.

And when you’re on the slopes, make your way down to the base at 3 p.m. every day to enjoy “Cookie Time,” Beaver Creek’s beloved afternoon tradition of complimentary, warm-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookies. Also stop by the Candy Cabin, which, as its name suggests, is filled to the brim with colorful sweet treats ranging from jelly beans to chocolates to gummy worms.

Do you ever come back from a vacation feeling like…you need another vacation, just to recover? Ski trips can be busy and exhausting, but one way to ensure you return feeling recharged is to build in some wellness-focused activities, too.

“Breck,” as we locals call it, is perfect for this type of hybrid trip. Breckenridge Ski Resort has 2,908 acres of terrain to explore—with a good mix of beginner, intermediate, and advanced slopes—plus three terrain parks, lessons, and rentals. It’s situated right next to downtown, so you can easily ski a few laps, then take a break to grab an açai bowl and some avocado toast at LoLo Juice. Limber up before hitting the snow with a vinyasa yoga class at Meta Yoga, which welcomes out-of-town visitors with open arms. Or, spend an afternoon at Clairvergence, a unique multidisciplinary wellness center specializing in reiki, tarot, ear acupuncture, sound baths, and more.

Known for its light and fluffy powder, Steamboat Ski Resort was already a favorite among advanced skiers. But, this winter, it’s opening up another 655 acres of expert terrain in two adjacent areas called Mahogany Ridge and Fish Creek Canyon. (The expansion also means Steamboat is now the second-largest resort in Colorado, trailing only behind Vail Ski Resort.) The Fish Creek Canyon area, in particular, is not for the faint of heart: It’s full of extremely rugged, double black-diamond terrain (the hardest rating on the widely used ski scale) with steep cliffs. To get back to the nearest chairlift, you’ll also have to hike for roughly 45 minutes.

And while Steamboat is an experts’ playground, that doesn’t mean the beginners and intermediate skiers in your group will be left out in the cold (pun intended). The resort has plenty of wide, rolling runs for cruising around. And, if you want to work your way up to becoming a pro, Steamboat’s Snowsports School offers private and group lessons that can help you improve.