Colorado offers some of the best skiing in the world, and its renowned resort towns bring people from across the country and round the world to enjoy the high, dry snow of the Rockies and the delectable restaurants, galleries, and culture to be found off the slopes.
The first of these resort towns is Vail. Vail is proudly located on I-70 in the heart of the state and is undoubtedly in the top two or three most popular resorts in North America. The Vail resort is more than 7 miles across and is divided into three areas. These areas are known as the Front Side, the Back Bowls, and the Blue Sky Basin. Among the most popular runs at Vail are the renowned Black Bowls. This area consists of more than 3,000 acres of wide open space that dwarf skiers within them. The land ranges from moderate to extremely difficult and can be a considerable challenge for an amateur skier who finds themself in the middle of a run after the sun has damaged the fresh snow. Vail has beautiful lodgings right off of the ski runs so you are able to ski in and ski out of your cabin rental.
The Front Side area consists of wide and easy going trail skiing along with advanced runs and Blue Sky Basin is a more remote area which consists of three more bowls. It can take up to 45 minutes to work your way over to Blue Sky, though, so it can be thought of as a bit of a time commitment.
Breckenridge is a very different kind of resort town. Initially founded as a gold mining town in 1859, the village had wild swings of prosperity throughout the century that followed. Breckenridge is the oldest consistantly occupied town on the western slope of the Rockies and is spectacularly scenic. The town itself sits at 9,603 feet and is surrounded by dramatic peaks that rise thousands of feet more.
The skiing and snowboarding at Breckenridge is specifically prevalent with young people. The price is a bit less expensive than other Colorado resorts, and the facilities for snowboarders are more developed. There are a number of terrain parks and a freeride area.
Silverthorne is another popular option for families looking for a Colorado ski vacation. The town itself has the charm and history of an old Colorado mining town with the added ease of access to four great ski resorts including Arapahoe Basin, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain and Keystone. These resorts possess a wide range of difficulties so that everybody in the family, at every skill level, will realize a fun and rewarding day of skiing.
Finally, Colorado Springs is a town on the geographic border between the high Rockies to the west and the extensive plains to the east. The climate is mild and sunny and presents a great opportunity for folks who look forward to the outdoors. Skiing is popular, but so is rock climbing, hiking, and even whitewater rafting. Colorado Springs prides itself on offering guests every chance to discover nature and make the most of their winter romantic travel plans.