20 Ski Towns That Are Just as Spectacular in the Summer
There is a familiar story you hear from the locals in every ski town you visit: "I came to work for the winter, stayed for the summer, then I stayed for the winter, repeat, and here I am 10 years later.” The draw of the mountains and legendary powder turns might hook you initially, but it is when they thaw and reveal their limitless warm-weather splendor that a lifetime bond is forged. Trails transform from black diamond carves to mountain-bike byways and weekly events and festivals replace the après ski scene.
Here are 20 ski towns that will have you rethinking your summer plans.
Can't Miss:
Kings and Corn: Every June one of the most unique and original ski experiences imaginable welcomes a lucky few groups. Guests fly via seaplane 45 minutes north of Anchorage to Tordrillo Mountain Lodge where 20 hour days, glacial peaks, and inaccessible rivers teaming with King Salmon and Rainbow Trout await.
Guests are in great hands as the resorts is owned by Olympic Gold Medalist, Tommy Moe, and Alaska heli-ski pioneer, Mike Overcast.
The Calendar:
July - August: After Kings and Corn ski program finishes for the season the lodge remains open for heli-fishing, heli-hiking, water sports on Judd Lake, and Alaska's first and only via ferrata just opened this summer.
Can’t Miss:
Getting to Sheldon Chalet is just the start of the adventure in Denali National Park. The 45-minute helicopter ride from Talkeetna takes guests over lowland rivers, lakes and forests before crossing onto the winding Ruth Glacier. Passengers get a bird's eye view of ice fields where they’ll see some of the deepest shades of blue before flying to the south face of Denali. Upon arrival, the welcoming staff greet guests with a sampler of fresh Alaskan seafood delicacies and champagne.
The Calendar:
Every Friday evening through August 31, enjoy a free concert in Talkeetna Village Park while relaxing under Alaska’s midnight sun. Head to the historic Fairview Inn for a drink after.
The Northern Lights, in September:
Experience the highlight of aurora season by witnessing the spectacular northern lights from the comfort of your own bed in the Chalet, with wall-to-wall windows providing a stellar view for the epic light show.
Where to Stay: Sheldon Chalet in Denali National Park BOOK NOW
Can’t Miss:
Summer Shredding! Due to record snowfall this winter, Mammoth's legendary pistes are open daily through August with some of the best "spring" conditions in the country. 2019/20 IKON Pass holders even get to use their pass early and ride free.
For those non-skiers, last summer marked the opening of the Via Ferrata and (now famous) Mammoth Mega Zip Line, the longest top-to-bottom zip-line in North America. This pulse-raising ride takes thrill-seekers from the summit to the base in minutes.
The Calendar:
July 6: Freedom Bash Fireworks: North America's highest fireworks celebration. Hop the gondola to witness the fireworks extravaganza being launched from 11,053 feet.
August 1-4: The Mammoth Festival of Beers & Bluseapalooza: Entering its 24th year and features more than 60 craft breweries and cideries pouring their finest offerings while listening to some of the world's finest blues musicians.
Where to Stay: Westin Monache Resort BOOK NOW
Can’t Miss:
Aspen: Aspen's newest hotel project downtown in 25 years opens this August, with the W Hotel's first mountain escape.
Snowmass: Following a record-breaking ski season, Snowmass Village debuts a variety of new events, improvements, restaurants, summer camps, and much more for Summer 2019. Including the first summer for the new Limelight Hotel and be sure not to miss the 23rd Annual recognition Dinner at Anderson Ranch Arts Center, July 18th, honoring Nick Cave with the International Artist Award.
The Calendar:
July 31-August 2: Celebrating its 15th year, ArtCrush is the Aspen Art Museum’s annual three-day summer fundraiser.
August 30-September 1: The JAS Labor Day Experience featuring headliners, Weezer, John Mayer, and Portugal. The Man
Where to Stay:
Hotel Jerome, Auberge Resorts CollectionBOOK NOW
The Little Nell (Aspen) BOOK NOW
The Viceroy Snowmass BOOK NOW
Can’t Miss:
Beaver Creek’s Wine Excursions involve just you, your guide, and a 4x4. It's a tour like no other through wildflower meadows that culminates in a wine and cheese pairing at world-renowned Beano’s Cabin.
The Calendar:
The Beaver Creek Rodeo is held every Thursday from June 20 through August 15 (except July 4 and 25th). Break out your Stetson and head down to the Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa for summer family fun.
August 8-11: 13th Annual Wine & Spirits Festival: Local culinary talent combining the abundance of the Vail Valley with top wine and spirits producers from around the world set the stage for four days of fun and feasting.
August 30 – Sept. 1, 2019: Rooted in the resort's relationship with Austrian sister-cities Lech-Zuers, Beaver Creek is transformed into a Bavarian-inspired village featuring traditional music, family-friendly activities and (of course) plenty of beer.
Where to Stay: Park Hyatt BOOK NOW
Can’t Miss:
Alpine Camp, the hub of Breck’s newest Epic Discovery activities, combine scenic and thrill-seeking outdoor adventures, featuring the Alpineer Challenge Course, Gold Summit Climbing Wall, Interpretive Hiking Loop and Observation Tower, and Expedition Zipline Tour. Embark on a full-day Expedition Zip Line Tour for an adventure that takes you and your loved ones soaring high amongst the trees on a series of 8 ziplines and a 200-foot aerial bridge.
The Calendar:
July 13: The 14th Annual Breckenridge Summer Beer Festival, assembles more than 40 breweries for tastings, live music and delectable mountain cuisine.
August 9-18: The Breckenridge International Festival of Arts brings together a mix of music, dance, visual arts, and family entertainment.
Where to Stay:
One Ski Hill Place BOOK NOW
Mountain Thunder Lodge Book Now
Can’t Miss:
River Run Art Festival: July 27-28 - This outdoor, gallery-style juried art festival will showcase a variety of handmade art, unique gift items and rare finds that appeal to all styles. Explore diverse exhibits and learn more about the artists and their creative processes.
The Calendar:
July 13-14: Wine & Jazz Festival: Enjoy free music from national Jazz musicians, including Dotsero, Selena Albright, Stanley Jordan, and Jackien Joyner. You can also sample more than 300 varieties of wine—red, white, bubbly and everything in between.
August 17: The 6th Annual Mountain Town Music Festival: Celebrate the waning of summer by squeezing in one last mountain adventure and topping it off with a weekend of live music, local food vendors and signature fireworks.
Where to Stay: Hyatt Place Keystone BOOK NOW
Can't Miss:
Every week in the summer Telluride brings out too many incredible performers to list for its summer concerts. To highlight just a few: The Ride Festival (July 12-July 14), Sunset Concert Series (Every Wednesday from July 3- Aug 14), 13th Annual Telluride Americana Music Festival (July 17-20th)
The Calendar:
August 31 to September 3: The annual Telluride Film Festival is a buzz machine that helped launched films like Shape of Water, Brokeback Mountain, and Slumdog Millionaire.
September 26-29: Cars & Colors is a world-class celebration of automotive heritage set against the unparalleled foliage of the San Juan Mountains.
Where to Stay:
Madeline Hotel and Residences, Auberge Resorts CollectionBOOK NOW
New Sheridan Hotel BOOK NOW
Can’t Miss:
Epic Discovery (located in both Vail and Breckenridge) is a unique, connected-with-nature, on-mountain summer experience that immerses visitors in an array of outdoor activities that are thrilling, challenging, and in touch with nature. From zipline tours through the tree-tops to a mountain coaster, tubing hills and climbing walls, there are no shortage of activities for visitors of all ages to enjoy. They’ve teamed up with The Nature Conservancy to create eco-discovery experiences that promote education and awareness of the area’s unique mountain environment, and is donating 1% of all Epic Discovery activity revenue to local forest health restoration projects.
The Calendar:
July 21-23: The Vail Craft Beer Classic - Colorado’s highest-altitude beer tasting featuring hundreds of craft beers to sample, paired tastings, and mountain biking excursions with brewers. All situated in the heart of Vail village.
July 26-August 10: Vail Dance Festival - The 31st anniversary season assembles the best of international dance and ballet for two weeks in the heart of the Rockies. August 30-September 2, 2019: Gourmet on the Gore - A unique culinary festival offers an open-air tasting with world-class wine, beer, and spirits paired with culinary delights from Vail’s top culinary experts.
Where to Stay:
The Collective BOOK NOW
Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail BOOK NOW
Can’t Miss:
An 18-hole, par-72 Jack Nicklaus-designed "Signature" course, "The Reserve" at Moonlight Basin could possibly be the Pebble Beach of the Rockies. The massive, 8,000-yard course is as much a nature preserve as it is golfer’s paradise. Carved and crafted into the countryside the elevation can vary up to 1,000 feet from tee box to pin, averaging out at 7,500 feet above sea level. Although it opened in 2015, it remains one of the best kept secrets in golf, catering only to a few dozen members and guests each day.
The Calendar:
July 13: For the 14th year, Brewfest pulls together the best of breweries from Montana and the nation.
August 9-11: Big Sky Classical Music Festival is an annual showcase of some of classical music’s top talent assemble at the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center.
August 15-18: The 6th Annual Vine and Dine Festival serves epicurean delights from regional and national talent gather.
Where to Stay:
The Wilson Hotel Book Now
The Silvertip Cabins BOOK NOW
Can't Miss:
Montage Expeditions aim to provide some of the most exclusive experiences in the region. Guests of the Montage Deer Valley have the opportunity to embark on one of five unique excursions to Arches, Canyonlands, Yellowstone (Upper or Lower loop) and Grand Canyon National Parks for an unforgettable one-day hiking tour for up to seven friends and family. Roundtrip private air transport via a Pilatus PC-12 whisks you away to see our parks like few others. Guides and chef-prepared gourmet in-flight breakfas and catered lunch included.
The Calendar:
Always attracting top talent, this year’s lineup for the Summer Concerts at Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater includes everyone from Jenny Lewis (July 11), Kristin Chenoweth (August 3), and the John Butler Trio (August 17)
Where to Stay: Montage Deer Valley BOOK NOW
Can’t Miss:
Endless outdoor adventures are in store at the Park City Mountain Adventure Park including Utah’s longest Alpine Coaster, a 3,000 ft long Alpine Slide, the ZipRider and Flying Eagle Zip Lines, scenic lift rides, hiking, mountain biking, mini golf, climbing wall, gem panning, kids ropes course and more.
The Calendar:
August 2 - 4: The Kimball Arts Festival, one of the great art fairs in the Rockies, celebrates it 50th year.
August 12-18: Two stages of the 477 mile Tour of Utah pass through Park City at Canyons Village and on Main Street, an amazing chance to get up close and personal with one of North America's premier cycling events.
Where to Stay: Waldorf Astoria Park City BOOK NOW
Can’t Miss:
Soar above the iconic Teton Mountains this summer with Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole and the latest addition to its celebrated Artist in Residence program. Take flight with aviation outfitter, Fly Jackson Hole for an "elevated" trip with renowned contemporary fine art photographer (and Jackson local), Tuck Fauntleroy. Guests get a bird’s eye view of the region as Tuck helps guides lenses in search of the perfect shot.
The Calendar:
The 10th Annual Concerts on the Commons will take place in Teton Village starting July 14 and continue every Sunday at 5 PM through August 25. This years' series is heavy on the horns, from swing jazz to New Orleans second line. Featuring world-class performances by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (July 14), Sneaky Pete and the Secret Weapons (August 18) and the New Orleans Suspects (August 25).
Where to Stay:
Four Seasons Resort and Residences BOOK NOW
Teton Mountain Lodge and Spa BOOK NOW
The Anvil Hotel BOOK NOW
Can’t Miss:
For one of the best chances to see grizzly bears in their native environment (from the safety of the Grizzly Express chairlift), Lake Louise Ski Area is the place. Dine at the new and improved mid-mountain Whitehorn Bistro, with epic views of the Bow Valley.
The Calendar:
Throughout the summer, the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity puts on a series of musical and theater performances at its Shaw Amphitheater—undoubtably among the highlights of summer in Lake Louise.
Where to Stay:
The Post Hotel & Spa BOOK NOW
Rimrock Resort BOOK NOW
Can't Miss:
Summer skiing high in the Andes. Carve alongside some of the top ski teams in the world as they train, and new for 2018 is the 1000+ vertical-foot El Gaucho run.
The Calendar:
August 3-10: Chilean Wine Week features different Chilean vineyards every day, each of which will be personally presented by the winemakers. Special events throughout the week also include a Peruvian afternoon at world famous Tio Bob’s mountain restaurant and a special Sol de Portillo ski race.
August 10-17: Friends Week includes cocktail parties, a black and white party, afternoon events at Tio Bob’s, movie selections from the Telluride MountainFilm festival, wine tastings, a visiting master chef, and a guest ski race.
Where to Stay: Ski Portillo BOOK NOW
Can’t Miss:
The resort is celebrating its 31st anniversary, with the 2019 season having opened on June 28. Skiers and snowboarders can expect a season filled with events, live music, and wine events, all organized to celebrate Valle Nevado's major milestone.
The Calendar:
August 9-15: Enjoy spectacular wine and food from top Santiago chefs, who will also host seminars, cooking classes and other food-related events.
Where to Stay: Hotel Valle Nevado Book Now
Can’t Miss:
Spend a night in the smallest refuge in Vanoise National Park. With only 14 beds, the Lacs Merlet Mountain Refuge is off the beaten path and lets you spend a night in the heart of the French Alps at an altitude of 2,417 meters.
The Calendar:
July 27: Catch the 20th stage of the Tour de France (131km), which passes right through the region the day before the final sprint to Paris. Starting the morning in the Olympic Venue of Albertville and ending in the ski resort of Val Thorens, this stage is one of the most technically difficult on the tour.
Where to Stay: Hotel Les Airelles BOOK NOW
Can’t Miss:
Hike and climb the legendary massifs and spires that made this region famous worldwide.
The Calendar:
August 3-4: World War I Reenactments: Brush up on your history in the open-air museums of Cinque Torri (5 Towers) and Lagazuoi, two integral sites of "The Great War." Witness and interact with talented military re-enactors in full period uniforms as they complete maneuvers and explain the historically significant lives these soldiers led.
Where to Stay: Cristallo, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Cortina d’Ampezzo. BOOK NOW
Can't Miss:
Since the 1940s the Pizzinini family has been welcoming guests to their hotel, The Rosa Alpina, situated in the magical hills of San Cassiano, Alta Badia in the Dolomites. Their time-honored ideal of alpine luxury has become renowned the world over. The 3-Michelin starred restaurant, St. Hubertus has been helmed by Chef Norbert Niederkofler for 25 years. If 51-individually designed rooms feels too crowded for you may we suggest the exclusive Trugnei Mountain Cabins, one of the Rosa Alpina’s two private luxury cabins located 500 meters above San Cassiano. A rustic “mountain hut” with a pre-industrial twist, limited electricity and no hot water. Not to worry, while you might be living off the grid, hotel's staff is very much available and attending to your every need.
The Calendar:
August 25-October 5th: The Ranch at Malibu Pop-Up: The famed hiking retreat resumes its late summer / early fall residency from August 25th through October 5th inviting guests on a one week program that promises all who are up to the challenge to return home mentally transformed. Expect daily guided hikes and massages, yoga and meditation classes, and plant-based custom menus prepared by The Ranch’s chefs. ($8,700 pp)
Where to Stay: Hotel Rosa Alpina BOOK NOW
Can’t Miss:
July 4-August 4: The month-long Jazz Festival welcomes a variety of international acts including Chick Corea, Gilberto Gil, and Helge Schneider.
The Calendar:
July 5-7: The 26th British Classic Car Meeting is the perfect combination for classic auto lovers and alpine enthusiasts alike. Hundreds of history's most impeccable British-made vehicles gather for a Concours d'Elegance in the heart of St. Moritz.
Where to Stay:
Badrutt's Palace BOOK NOW
Kulm Hotel BOOK NOW
Brandon Perlman is the creator of Mr. Luxury Ski
20 Ski Towns That Are Just as Spectacular in the Summer
There is a familiar story you hear from the locals in every ski town you visit: "I came to work for the winter, stayed for the summer, then I stayed for the winter, repeat, and here I am 10 years later.” The draw of the mountains and legendary powder turns might hook you initially, but it is when they thaw and reveal their limitless warm-weather splendor that a lifetime bond is forged. Trails transform from black diamond carves to mountain-bike byways and weekly events and festivals replace the après ski scene.
Here are 20 ski towns that will have you rethinking your summer plans.
There is no such thing as "off-season."
Solve the daily Crossword

