Aspen (Summer)

When the skiers take off in roughly April, Aspen calms down and transforms into an easygoing little mountain town geared to hikers, cyclists, rock-climbers, fishers and wandering tourists. It's an irresistible place to visit because it gets the best of everything in Colorado. No single hotel in the state, and almost none in the country, is as luxurious as the Little Nell; the country's best chefs and sommeliers have migrated to restaurants of incredible diversity and quality, from the sushi-specializing Matsuhisa to the Asian-and-Southwestern Syzygy; the bars are inviting; the town square centers on the serene Aspen Fountain; and there's no ...

When the skiers take off in roughly April, Aspen calms down and transforms into an easygoing little mountain town geared to hikers, cyclists, rock-climbers, fishers and wandering tourists. It's an irresistible place to visit because it gets the best of everything in Colorado. No single hotel in the state, and almost none in the country, is as luxurious as the Little Nell; the country's best chefs and sommeliers have migrated to restaurants of incredible diversity and quality, from the sushi-specializing Matsuhisa to the Asian-and-Southwestern Syzygy; the bars are inviting; the town square centers on the serene Aspen Fountain; and there's no better place to wander, whether it's through the town square or in the surrounding Maroon Bells, with its multiple 14,000-foot mountain peaks. The nearby alpine valleys, including Maroon Creek, Castle Creek and Hunter Creek, include hundreds of miles of trails, all of which are excellent for cyclists and hikers of all experience levels. Fryingpan River, outside Basalt, a tiny mountain town northwest of Aspen, is famous for its dry-fly fishing, and adventurers can take a break at nearby Woody Creek Tavern, onetime haunt of the late Hunter S. Thompson.

About the Expert

Steve Knopper is the Denver-based author of Moon Handbooks Colorado as well as a contributor to numerous Fodor's city guides.