Steamboat Springs

Steamboat is Colorado magic. The area delivers big on adventures, family fun and some of the best champagne powder skiing in the world, and yet the people here are delightfully direct and unassuming.

On the edge of Colorado's Western Slope, Steamboat got its roots a hundred years ago as a railway hub, and in the well-preserved Old Town area you'll have the chance to mix with real-life cowboys, dirt-bag ski bums and millionaires as you cruise past tony bistros, historic bars and take summer walks along the Yampa River.

The ski area and its base area around Steamboat Village is one of the best in the West, offering terrific riding for the whole family. Summertime is almost as popular, with hiking, backpacking, balloon rides, white-water rafting, mountain biking and a host of other outdoor activities. And as the name suggests, there are also a few choice hot springs to heal your bones after a day exploring the mountains.