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Steamboat Springs is a small town, but packed within are a surprising amount of opportunities to eat out, shop, and of course, recreate. Also known as Ski Town U.S.A., Steamboat is home to more Olympians than any other city on Earth, thanks to Carl Howelsen who created one of the first ski mountains in the western hemisphere on a small hill behind downtown. It’s fitting that beneath this hill is now the rodeo arena, which has rodeos Friday and Saturday nights throughout the summer. These two attractions capture Steamboat in a nutshell: the old ranching valley, and the new destination resort for skiers. I must also mention the Yampa River, which flows right next to these two attractions, as it brings in a summer crowd bent on fly-fishing, tubing, and drinking beers on its banks.

Downtown is the heart of Steamboat, and it has a plethora of restaurants to choose from, some of my favorite are Mahogany Ridge, a dipping grill, and Cottonwood Grille, a pan-American fine dining experience serving up delicious Peking Duck. A locals spot is Sunpies, right on the river, but get there soon, it’s only open during the warmer half of the year.

Housing is abundant in town, and behind the commercial district, houses sprout up the hill. The middle school and high school are both back there as well, catering to the majority of Steamboats resident children. There is also a private school in town, Lowell Whiteman, which is quite good. Skiing is a class there, fitting for a town with this history. Also, the Perry Mansfield compound is nestled in the woods, teaching all aspects of art, performance and otherwise, to those interested.

There is certainly no shortage of hiking, biking, and other outdoor activities to be had year-round. One of my favorite place to go it the Strawberry Park Hot Springs, about 15 minutes outside of town. This little getaway was built up just enough to have stone walls cobbled together to keep the hot waters from spilling downstream too quickly. A great way to experience the mountains and take in the beauty that is Steamboat Springs.

Steamboat Springs is a great town, mellow and outdoorsy, with friendly locals that are a mixture between cowboy and ski-bum. The mountain area neighborhood is focused around one thing—the mountain. This has its plusses and minuses, but overall, it’s a nice place to buy or rent a home.

Winter is definitely the busiest season around the mountain, but in Steamboat this is a relative term. I have never waited more than five minutes in any lift line. Many condo/townhome developments offer free transportation to and from the mountain and downtown throughout the winter, and sometimes year-round. I often walk home from the mountain after a day of skiing, which takes less than five minutes as well. Also during the winter, there are often concerts at the base of the ski hill and all the bars and restaurants are hopping.

Summer is a great time to be on the mountain, as well. It is quieter on the hill, but there are still occasional concerts and the establishments remain open year-round. Recently, Steamboat finished a large construction project to redirect Burgess Creek during the summer months so it flows at the base of the ski hill. They’ve built a nice little creek bed perfect for kids and dogs to play in.

The neighborhood itself is pretty low-key, at least in action. There are some gigantic homes being built, but they are rarely occupied. Every vacant lot is quickly being filled, and it seems as though a new complex rises every year. On the south side of Walton Creek Rd, there are some apartment complexes that house many young ski-bum locals. And like most everyone else in Steamboat, they just want to ski.

There are not limitless options for restaurants and bars, but there are enough to allow one to stay out of downtown for a while. On the mountain, Slopeside and Tugboat are great pub and grills. Sakitumi is a good sushi restaurant, and Café Diva offers delectable fine dining. As I said, in the winter, there are more options as the action in Gondola and Ski Times Squares is heightened.

Overall, for the family coming in for vacation, the mountain area is unbeatable. For someone looking to call Steamboat home, I might look more towards the downtown area.

University Hill is the place to be . . . if you are a college student. If not, only visit for the spectacle of young people newly released from the chains of parental domination. They are definitely amusing (I was once one myself) but mature . . . no. I assume I am writing for an older crowd here, people looking to settle, but for any student that is reading, let me tell you why the Hill is awesome, for you.

Campus could not be any closer, from nearly any part of the Hill you can get to it within 10 minutes of walking, less if you have a bike or longboard. Many places are equidistant between campus and Pearl Street—a mirror of priorities in my college-aged mind. Nearly everyone you see on the streets is a student, and it is usually pretty easy to find your way into a random party and meet new friends. Rent is pretty overpriced, but there are some hidden gems that exist.

For everyone else, who don’t attend the University of Colorado at Boulder, think twice before renting or buying on the Hill. You will have drunken students walking around your house all the time, so don’t complain about it. This may lead to a broken side mirror or window, but not typically. Some brave families have staked their claim and keep it mature amongst the heathens. I have even seen kids riding their tricycles on the side streets.

Honestly, once you get west of 9th street, it’s not so bad. Most of the older student move that direction and with their wisdom comes a higher degree of maturity. However, remembering my time as a senior, that relative maturity does not mean a whole lot.

Commercially, there are some great stores and restaurants to visit on the Hill. The Sink is a classic Boulder establishment, on the corner on Pennsylvania and 13th. The Fox Theatre has been dishing out incredible live music for twenty years now, and brings in internationally touring acts. And there is no shortage of sub-sandwich, pizza, burrito, and Chinese food to pick from.

If anything, the Hill is a place to reminisce about younger days.

Because Denver is located right in the heart of the country, it gets influence from everywhere. That leads to a diverse culture, where everyone can find a scene that suits them. Overall, the city has a laid-back feel, and while some areas have their far share of hustle and bustle, most people prioritize enjoying life—being outside playing in the parks and walking their dogs, and enjoying a vibrant music and nightlife.

The park system in Denver is the most extensive of any big city, with over 400 to choose from. Washington Park is full of volleyball nets on the weekends, and City park is home to the zoo, two museums, and during the summer months, Jazz in the Park every Sunday. There is also the Cherry Creek that runs through the city and has a running/walking/biking path that flanks its banks the whole way. It is a great way to get some exercise and get the feeling nature in the heart of a major metropolitan area.

Cherry Creek Mall is also in Denver, which believe it or not, is the number one attraction drawing tourists to the state, despite all the mountains. Paired with the 16th Street Walking Mall, any kind of shopping can be easily accommodated. For some more eccentric shops, South Broadway offers record stores, vintage clothing, and coffee shops that have a hipster kind of vibe.

Colfax Avenue also runs horizontally through the city, and has lots of things to do. Not too long ago, the street was infamous for drugs and prostitutes, and while remnants of that age can still be found, it has largely been gentrified and is always exciting, if sometimes unpredictable.

Being just 20 minutes from the mountains, Denver is full of active people who like to take advantage of the scenery, and there is often a mass exodus to the ski mountains in the winter. Pretty much anywhere people strike up conversations about their latest mountain pursuits.

Overall, the Mile High City is a solid combination of urban ambition and mellow mountain life. Within it, hundreds of neighborhoods offer even more specific culture to suit anyone’s interest.

Boulder has well-defined identity, the citizens are progressively-minded, idealistic, into the outdoors and eating local, and physically and intellectually very fit. All of this leaves visitors either loving or hating the town of 100,000, which sits nestled in the base of the Rocky Mountains. When you take in the righteousness with a grain of salt, it's easy to enjoy Boulder and everything it has to offer. Rising up behind town are the Flatirons, a trio of giant sandstone slabs, and the de facto symbol of town. Hundreds of hiking and biking trails criss-cross the mountains, which are easily accessible from nearly any part of the city—a great jumping off point is Chautauqua Park, originally built in 1989 for the movement of the same name. Displaying their love of the outdoors, the citizens of Boulder have purchased thousands of acres of open-space grassland to protect the town from the urban sprawl of Denver and its suburbs.

However, it may also serve to contain the culture found within Boulder’s city-limits. The epicenter of Boulder is downtown’s Pearl Street, an outdoor walking mall lined with shops and restaurants of all flavor. Despite being ethnically homogenous—88% white—there is some incredible international cuisine: Sherpa (Nepali), Khow Thai (Thai), Pupusas (El Salvdorian), Ras Kassas (Ethiopian), amongst many more. There are truly too many great restaurants to name. Twice weekly, Wednesdays and Saturdays, there is a local farmer’s market downtown, with a host of produce and prepared treats that runs through October. For nightlife and drinking, there are also many options. There are over a dozen breweries in town, and many bars to choose from, with the highest concentration being located on Pearl Street.

In the art world, the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art has rotating exhibits and the Boulder and Fox Theatres have national acts playing nearly every night. There is also no shortage of street performers entertaining on Pearl.

While the cost of living is quite high, due to the limited space, Boulder is a great place to live and has not lost the feeling of community that so often escapes from towns of its size. There are dozens of distinct neighborhoods with cultures of their own, but more on that in the neighborhood reviews.