About 70 miles north of the I-70 corridor that feeds Colorado’s busiest ski areas, Steamboat Springs seems removed from the usual luxury designer shops and rampant condo development so often seen in ski towns these days. Local craftsmen, artists, brewers and restaurant owners lend indie flare to the town’s main street, lined mostly with early-20th-century buildings. Given Steamboat’s in-town diversions, hot springs and variety of winter sports (including snowshoeing and biking), many visitors come without Alpine ambitions. The town makes it easy even for those without a car — free buses circulate nearly every 10 minutes in winter between downtown and the ski resort, supplemented by ride-sharing services . Visitors landing early at Yampa Valley Regional Airport can night-ski for free at Steamboat Ski Resort by showing their airline boarding pass at the ticket window.

Source: New York Times November 28, 2019 09:56 UTC