Colorado

Colorado’s resorts sit high in the Rocky Mountains, and this is American ski life at its most polished. Aspen, a former silver-rush town of Victorian houses, galleries and restaurants, has four mountains, the largest of them Snowmass, with broad runs and easy ski-in, ski-out living. Vail is famous for the vast Back Bowls, while neighbouring Beaver Creek is quieter and more intimate, its pedestrian village set right at the lifts.

The season runs from roughly late November to mid-April, with dry, light snow and plenty of sunshine. In summer the same valleys turn to hiking, mountain biking, fly-fishing and music festivals. The region suits strong skiers, families and anyone who expects the mountains to come with good food and culture.