Mountain towns for serious skiers. Snowy enclaves where you can bask in the glow of après ski. And one spot for travelers seeking a wintry vacation without a hint of precipitation. All these and more will be explored in this wintertime all-star squad of dandy destinations in the U.S. west.
Santa Fe New Mexico
Stylish hibernating in the City Different.
Not every winter escape has to involve skiing or snowboarding. Though you can certainly partake in those activities at Ski Santa Fe ($99 for a full-day lift ticket, skisantafe.com), a 10,000-foot ski resort in the Sangre De Cristo Mountains.
Average winter temperature
High 42° F
Low 17° F
But if you have zero idea how to respond when a snowsuit-outfitted stranger with Oakley goggles asks, “How’s the mountain today?” then Santa Fe is for you: a pleasing cluster of warm-toned adobe architecture with nooks for reading, fireplaces for snuggling and hot food – in temperature and spice – for chilly days.
Start your nesting by checking into La Fonda ($246/night, lafondasantafe.com), an historic hotel in The Plaza, the center of the city and a National Historic Landmark. From here, you can walk anywhere, including to Collected Works, Santa Fe’s oldest and cutest bookstore (collectedworksbookstore.com). Wander the stacks and maybe curl up for a re-read of a favorite novel. Visit nearby shops like Nomad (nomadgetlost.com) and Lost Padre Records (lostpadrerecords.com), and if it’s Sunday, the Santa Fe Railyard Artisan Market (santafefarmersmarket.com/railyard-artisan-market), an elevated version of every other market in the country thanks to Santa Fe’s esteemed arts community.
Then head to CrashMurderBusiness (cmbcoffeeshop.com). Describing it as a coffeeshop would be a disservice. It’s an elixir lab where concoctions like espresso, gingerbread syrup, cardamom bitters and whipped cream get fun names like Celebration of Polar Bears.
1. brunch at La Fonda; by Jay Carroll/Courtesy Tourism Santa Fe 2. lunch at The Shed; Courtesy Tourism Santa Fe 3. coffee and pastries at CrashMurderBusiness; New Mexico True
For comfort sweets, check out Kakawa Chocolate House (kakawachocolates.com). Because truffles. Because chocolates and caramels. Because truffles and chocolates and caramels with chiles, even Mesoamerican hot chocolate with chiles.
Then it’s toddies by the fire at Del Charro (delcharro.com). Depending on how cozy you feel, you might make it to dinner, or you might not. Either way, don’t stress. You’re hibernating.
Where to Eat
The Shed embodies the spirt of Santa Fe: a family-owned restaurant offering New Mexican fare in a 1692 hacienda steeped in history. The Carswells opened The Shed in an old burro pen in 1953, moving it to its current location in 1960. Since then, three generations of Carswells have been serving up green chile enchiladas and blue corn burritos. 113 ½ E. Palace Ave., 505-982-9030, sfshed.com
Special Souvenir
Albuquerque’s historic Los Poblanos (lospoblanos.com) recently brought its lavender products and signature farm foods to Santa Fe. Pop into its shop north of The Plaza for a red and green chile cooking kit ($28).
Plan Your Trip
American Airlines (aa.com) offers direct flights to Santa Fe Regional Airport. Drive time from Phoenix is 7.5 hours via I-17 north to I-40 east. In Albuquerque, take I-25 north to Santa Fe.
Big Bear California
Carving California slopes in this casual crowd-pleaser of a mountain town.
For Phoenicians, there might not be a more opportune cold-weather getaway than Big Bear. You get low-hassle travel, wintry landscapes of snow-clad pines, family-friendly activities, and Bear Mountain (bigbearmountainresort.com) and Snow Summit (bigbearmountainresort.com), two ski resorts ($149 for a full-day lift ticket, one ticket works at both) that boast a combined 400 acres, 26 lifts, 55 runs and diverse terrains for skiers and snowboarders.
Average winter temperature
High 47° F
Low 22° F
Snuggled into the San Bernardino Mountains, the town of Big Bear forms a ring around sparkling Big Bear Lake. You can easily find lake-view lodging, but a singular forested retreat awaits you at Colorado Lodge (thecoloradolodge.com). Big Bear’s proximity to Los Angeles means it beckons big-city talent like L.A. landscape architect David Godshall and designer Marcus McInerney. The two stumbled upon a 1930s-era warren of cabins, which had slipped into weary vacation-town disrepair, and they reinvigorated them with an architectural concept that hews modern and minimal. Book one of six cabins (rates vary); each sleeps 3-8 and some come equipped with kitchens.
From Colorado Lodge, it’s an easy walk to The Village (bigbear.com), an alpine hub of shops, restaurants and Big Bear’s signature laid-back nightlife. There’s plenty to covet at stores like All Little Cute Things (facebook.com/alllittlecutethings) or Bear Cupboards Market (bearcupboardsmarket.com), which offers a nicely curated gift selection and foods like Bub & Grandma’s sourdough, La Morra pizzas, Tony’s Belgian chocolate, natural wines and Highland Park Brewery beers.
For comfort sweets, check out Kakawa Chocolate House (kakawachocolates.com). Because truffles. Because chocolates and caramels. Because truffles and chocolates and caramels with chiles, even Mesoamerican hot chocolate with chiles.
Then it’s toddies by the fire at Del Charro (delcharro.com). Depending on how cozy you feel, you might make it to dinner, or you might not. Either way, don’t stress. You’re hibernating.
After a day on the slopes, or rolling strikes at The Bowling Barn (bowlingbarn.com), or digging for fossils (from $40) at Gold Rush Mining Company (goldrushminingco.com), bundle up for Glow Tubing ($25-$40/person) at Big Bear Snow Play (bigbearsnowplay.com). Then return to your wooded cabin for a hot tub dip under a winter sky.
Where to Eat
Stella Luna touts what many restaurants these days do: an organic, from-scratch kitchen of healthy dishes made in-house and by hand. But Stella Luna actually delivers on its promise, with the bonus that everything tastes delicious. For better or worse, the food is trendy – grilled avocado, a big ol’ butter board – but you’ll also find a solid burger. 40696 Village Dr., 909-366-0261, stellalunarestaurant.com
Special Souvenir
Buy a diner-style mug emblazoned with “I Eat (at) Teddy Bears For Breakfast” ($8) from Teddy Bear Restaurant, a buzzing greasy spoon opened in 1944. 583 Pine Knot Ave., 909-866-5415, teddybearrestaurant.com
Plan Your Trip
From Phoenix, the drive to Big Bear is 5 hours and 30 minutes via I-10 west to CA-330 north and CA-18 northeast. You can fly into Ontario International Airport on direct flights from Phoenix via American (aa.com), Frontier (flyfrontier.com) and Southwest (southwest.com), followed by a 90-minute drive. American and Southwest also offer direct service from PHX to Palm Springs International Airport.
Ketchum Idaho
World-class skiing and snowshoeing in a trendy far-north getaway.
Few ski destinations rival Sun Valley. That’s because “Baldy” is a skier’s mountain. At 3,400 vertical feet, Bald Mountain earns rave reviews for a consistent pitch and lack of lift lines. Read: You’ll get a good groove going and can return to the runs again and again in a single day. Sun Valley opened in 1936, and since then, generations of families, from recreational and Olympic athletes to celebrities who want to hit the slopes but stay low-key, have made a winter trip to Ketchum an annual tradition.
Average winter temperature
High 31° F
Low 6° F
Set up base camp at the Limelight Hotel (from $519/night, limelighthotels.com/ketchum). Not only is it situated in the heart of town, but the staff ensures you’ll want for nothing, from personalized concierge service to use of an Audi Quattro for local excursions.
After a cappuccino and sticky toast at Maude’s (maudesinketchum.com), pick one of two mountains to conquer: Baldy ($176-$214 for a full-day lift ticket, sunvalley.com) or Dollar ($109-$129 for a full-day lift ticket, sunvalley.com), a good choice for kiddos and newbies. Rent gear at Pete Lane’s (from $49, sunvalley.com) at River Run Day Lodge (sunvalley.com), where you can also sign up for lessons from Sun Valley’s top-notch instructors, as well as warm up by the fire post-slopes. Then take the gondola up to The Roundhouse, a 1930s-era lounge with old-fashioned charm and epic
views (sunvalley.com).
Or borrow snowshoes from the Limelight for a trek on 17 miles of packed, well-marked trails at stunning Galena Lodge (galenalodge.com). Then treat yourself to a salt stone massage ($225) at the luxe Spa at Sun Valley before a relaxed yet elegant dinner of wood-fired Italian fare at Enoteca (ketchum-enoteca.com).
1. Limelight Hotel; Courtesy Limelight Hotel 2. Enoteca; Courtesy Enoteca
If you’ve reached the limits of your winter-sports ambition, there’s nightly live music at the Limelight; shopping for thrift treasures at Gold Mine (facebook.com/goldminethriftstore) and outdoors wear at Silver Creek (silver-creek.com); or noshing at Ketchum’s excellent restaurants from the casual Lefty’s (leftysbarandgrill.com) to the pleasantly trendy The Covey (thecovey.com).
No matter how you fill your time, you’ll discover one thing to be true: a hometown vibe where it seems nobody is a tourist, and everybody is a friend. Guess that’s how annual traditions are forged.
Where to Eat
They say you haven’t been to Ketchum if you haven’t been to the Pioneer Saloon. Its reputation as the best steakhouse around is well earned, but more than that, the Pio is where everyone gathers, a convivial crowd spilling into the well-worn, gently scuffed space. 320 N. Main St., 208-726-3139
Special Souvenir
In the back of Moon Shine Boutique, owner-artist Leah Merklinghaus prints her retro ski-themed designs, a stylish shoutout to 1940s-era Sun Valley. Get them on T-shirts and ($45) sweatshirts ($72). 210 Sun Valley Rd. E, 208-726-6293, facebook.com/themoonshineboutique
Plan Your Trip
United (united.com) offers service from Phoenix Sky Harbor through Denver to Friedman Memorial Airport). Delta (delta.com) flies from Sky Harbor through Salt Lake City to FMA.
Patagonia Arizona
Adventure locally in this small high-desert town with big surprises.
The Santa Rita Mountains jealously guard Patagonia, so it almost comes as a surprise when the fabled trading town bursts open before you amid miles of grasslands – round a bend in the road and suddenly you come upon a leafy park holding court in a bustling burg.
Average winter temperature
High 65° F
Low 34° F
1. Patagonia State Park; Courtesy Arizona State Parks 2. Patagonia Lumber Co.; by Shannon Christine
It would be a mistake to call the Santa Cruz County town “sleepy.” Tiny, yes. Quiet, sure. But its status as a popular outdoors hub for cyclists, hikers and birdwatchers attracts all manner of folk, many who fall in love with the hamlet, move here and open businesses, including an impressive fleet of restaurants, plus artsy shops and hip hotels.
That’s Zander and Heidi Ault’s story, two cyclists beckoned over the years by the region’s stellar gravel routes. Now they call Patagonia home, and along with friends Kristi and Tim Mohn, have launched Patagonia Bikes, a cycling repair shop with rentals and tours (patagoniabikesaz.com); Patagonia Lumber Co., a beer, wine and coffee bar with an Arizona focus (patagonialumberco.com); and The Gravel House, a pair of delightful cottages for rent (small unit, $140/night; large unit, $165/night, thegravelhouse.com). The Gravel House will enjoy an expansion in February, too, with nine more guestrooms ($120/night) in an historic building around the corner.
If you stay at The Gravel House, book Zander’s chef skills for private meals (rates vary) that showcase his affinity for farm-direct ingredients. Or hit up Red Mountain Foods. Patagonia is a Gateway Community for the Arizona Trail (aztrail.org), and Red Mountain is a welcoming refueling stop for hikers. It’s also a great spot to buy picnic supplies with fresh-as-can-be produce, local meats and cheeses and a robust organic-food selection. Eat outside near the Butterfly Garden (free, located south of the town park on McKeown Avenue), then head to Patagonia Lake State Park ($15/vehicle, azstateparks.com/patagonia-lake) for a guided bird walk or boat tour, including a Twilight Cruise.
Back in town, soak up Patagonia’s cultural scene with a visit to The Patagonia Museum (free, thepatagoniamuseum.org) or a show at Tin Shed Theater (ticket prices vary, patagoniacreativearts.org) before enjoying a nightcap at Queen of Cups (@queenofcups_patagonia). Though you’ll be sleepy, you’ll agree that Patagonia is anything but.
Where to Eat
Breakfast: A chai latte and Green Machine Bowl at Gathering Grounds (319 McKeown Ave., 520-394-2009, gatheringgroundsaz.com). Dinner: El Timido, an herbed cream cheese and mozzarella stromboli, baked and braided to perfection at Velvet Elvis at la Misión. 335 McKeown Ave., 520-394-0069, velvetelvislamision.com
Special Souvenir
An avian-inspired ink drawing ($39) by Hereford artist Mary Lametti at Global Arts Gallery (315 McKeown Ave., 520-394-0077, globalartsgallery.com) or an upcycled Gap jean jacket with a shearling lining and a Patagonia patch ($50) at Patagonia Trading Post (317 McKeown Ave., 520-394-2100, patagoniatradingpost.com).
Plan Your Trip
From Phoenix, it’s 2 hours and 45 minutes to Patagonia. Drive I-10 east to AZ-83 south. In Sonoita, take AZ-82 south to Patagonia.
Steamboat Springs Colorado
Wild West meets mountain-modern in northwestern Colorado.
The Yampa River gurgles through Steamboat Springs, ferrying kayakers in summer, ice floes in winter. It lends its name to the Yampa Valley, where Steamboat nestles high in Rabbit Ears Pass, about 100 miles north of Aspen on the fringes of the Rocky Mountains. This is ranch country, and even though the hallmarks of a ski town now stand where cowboys once drove cattle, Steamboat’s Western heritage infuses everything in ways both traditional and new.
Average winter temperature
High 30° F
Low 5° F
It was a rancher who helped engineer the Steamboat Ski Resort ($200 for a full-day lift ticket, steamboat.com) on Mount Werner. To celebrate its 60th anniversary, the ski area is debuting the initial phase of a multimillion-dollar redevelopment of the base into an epicenter of winter fun: a concert stage, après beach, ice rink and the first leg of a base-to-peak gondola. Stay at Steamboat Grand (from $437/night, steamboatgrand.com) across the street.
The other local ski spot, Howelsen Hill ($43 for a full-day lift ticket, steamboatsprings.net), traces its roots to 1915. The oldest continually operating ski area in North America and a premier training ground, Howelsen has produced nearly 100 winter Olympians. Take advantage of Ski Free Sundays for alpine and Nordic skiing, ski jumping and tubing.
For peak Western culture, don’t miss Steamboat’s Winter Carnival (Feb. 8-12, $10, steamboat.com). Cheer on ski joring competitors (horse-pulled skiers) and donkey jumpers (horse-pulled skiers catapulting off a ramp) and watch fireworks over Howelsen Hill. For the warmest seat in the house, book a table at Aurum, whose Howelsen-facing windows offer unobstructed views of the fireworks (aurumsteamboat.com).
1. Saddleback Ranch; Courtesy Steamboat Springs Chamber 2. Strawberry Park Hot Springs; By Jessica Dunham 2. Steamboat Hatter; Courtesy Steamboat Hatter
Find another fresh take on the West – this one indoors – at Steamboat Art Museum (free, steamboatartmuseum.org). The exhibit, The New West: The Rise of Contemporary Indigenous and Western Art (through April 15), traces the genre from its 1960s inception to the groundbreaking work of today’s artists, several from Arizona.
Of course, you can always indulge in a throwback Western experience like Strawberry Park Hot Springs ($20/person, strawberryhotsprings.com), an off-the-grid oasis of mineral springs that 1900s settlers trekked to by snowshoe, or Saddleback Ranch, which hosts horseback rides ($135/person, saddlebackranch.net) through the snowy terrain of their 8,000-acre property. The latter is a chance to gaze at Yampa Valley’s vast expanse from the perch of a horse – not unlike how Steamboat’s early ranchers once did.
Where to Eat
Laundry Kitchen & Cocktails’ pow pow shrimp will change your life. On one end of the plate, a fluffy mound of sesame powder. On the other, thin shards of pickled ginger. In the middle, crispy rice-flour shrimp coated in spicy aioli. Spear a wedge of ginger, add the shrimp, dab a light dusting of sesame, then savor. 127 11th St., 970-870-0681, rexsfamily.com/the-laundry-restaurant
Special Souvenir
Kay McKenzie and Sam Daniels craft Western hats using old-school methods in on-trend styles. Instagrammers first discovered them on social media, and the online hubbub inspired the duo to open Steamboat Hatter. Visit the store for a custom hat (from $450) and to watch the artisans at work. 111 11th St., 970-291-1380, steamboathatter.com
Plan Your Trip
United (united.com) and Southwest (southwest.com) offer service from Phoenix Sky Harbor through Denver to Yampa Valley Regional Airport.
