5 Best Mountain Towns To Visit During the Spring — and How Much It Costs
Written by
Nicole Spector
Edited by
Molly Sullivan
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We still haven’t (officially) faced winter yet, but now is a great time to start getting your spring travel plans in order, if you haven’t already. One of the most significant ways to save on travel is to book early, and we’re already in December!
Where will you go this spring? If you’re thinking about a domestic getaway that won’t break the bank, you should consider a mountain town, which can be just as fun as, but often cheaper than, a booming beach city where all the spring breakers are heading.
Let’s look at five mountain towns in the U.S. (cited as the best by U.S. News & World Report). What are they like and how much does a trip there cost?
Aspen, Colorado
Aspen is one of the most famous mountain towns in the U.S. Tourist traffic to this town spikes in winter and spring, when the snow allows for related recreational activities like skiing and snowboarding. But, weather permitting, you can also enjoy fly-fishing and paragliding. As a tourist hotspot, Aspen isn’t a particularly cheap place to visit, but it’s still less expensive than a trip to, say, Miami. According to BudgetYourTrip.com, you can expect to spend $355 per day on your vacation in Aspen. A one-week trip for two costs, on average, $4,970.
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Ever heard of Jackson Hole, Wyoming? This mountain town, with a population of under 11,000 people, is an ideal place to explore Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park. And outdoor fun isn’t the only experience you’ll have here; you can also find cute restaurants serving up bison burgers and bars boasting elegant cocktails. The average hotel cost for one week here is $2,292, and the average hotel cost for two weeks in Jackson is $4,584.
Telluride, Colorado
Ranked as the third best mountain town in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Telluride is a fairly small city, with a population of just 2,500 or so people. Whether you’re an adventurous skier, hiker or just someone who loves a long stroll in breathtaking nature, you’ll find plenty to vibe on in Telluride. According to BudgetYourTrip, the average hotel cost for one week in Telluride is $6,124. That’s significantly pricier than Aspen, so you’ll want to ensure you have an extra ample travel nest egg for this trip.
Breckenridge, Colorado
The second-best mountain town in the U.S. is Breckenridge, also in Colorado, where a little over 5,000 people reside. There are plenty of activities to take advantage of here in spring. For example, you can mountain bike, go dog sledding (all gear and canines provided), hike to Mohawk Lakes, mine for gold and, of course, go skiing. This is the most affordable mountain town to visit for hotel-stayers. According to BudgetYourTrip, most visitors spend between $900 and $4,373 for a one-week trip to Breckenridge, with the average being $2,110.
Mammoth Lakes, California
Mammoth Lakes, a picturesque place in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, is ranked as the No. 1 mountain town in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Tourists from all over head to Mammoth to experience its 150-plus ski trails and tubing parks. And it’s not far from Yosemite National Park. Mammoth Lakes is less expensive to visit than many lesser mountain towns: a hotel for one week here is $2,965, according to BudgetYourTrip.
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