Albuquerque or Colorado Springs?

Neither city is a place to swim. Both sit high on the plateau, a very long way from any coast, so the water on offer is a pool or a reservoir. The difference is the alternative: from Albuquerque a summer afternoon at Cochiti Lake is about it, while Colorado Springs has rafting on the Arkansas River, a livelier day than a dip.

Albuquerque has a real regional cuisine to travel for. New Mexican cooking is built on the state's own chile, served in family places in the South and North Valleys and along old Route 66. In late summer the smell of roasting chile fills the city.

Colorado Springs puts green chile on its menus too, but here it is one item in a casual American spread of burgers, barbecue and brewpub food. Its strongest point is local beer, and the nicest places to eat are around Tejon Street, Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs.

Albuquerque has more history to explore. The adobe plaza of Old Town and its 1793 church are here, along with the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, the National Hispanic Cultural Center, Route 66 neon on Central Avenue and the rock carvings of Petroglyph National Monument. Together they make two solid days.

Colorado Springs has fewer sights, and they are spread out: the aluminium spires of the Air Force Academy chapel, the Olympic and Paralympic Museum and a good regional art collection. Most visitors end up spending their days outdoors instead.

Neither city is a reason for a big night out, but Albuquerque goes on a little later. Downtown has a few dance clubs that fill at weekends, and Nob Hill has calmer cocktail bars and taprooms. In Colorado Springs, going out mostly means sports bars and brewpubs on Tejon Street, plus a few relaxed bars in Manitou Springs. Many of the taprooms close well before midnight.

Both cities have mountains on their doorstep, but Colorado Springs has the bigger outdoor offer. Pikes Peak rises above 4,300m with three ways to the top. Garden of the Gods and Red Rock Canyon add climbing on red sandstone, and North Cheyenne Cañon has waterfalls. Mountain biking, rafting and skiing are all within reach.

Albuquerque has its own strengths. The tramway climbs to the forested crest of the Sandias, the cottonwood bosque along the Rio Grande draws wintering cranes, and volcanic cones lie to the west. The range of activities is narrower, though, and the low ground gets hot in summer.

Both cities have a good choice of day trips, almost all by car, but the themes differ. From Albuquerque the trips are about Native and Spanish history: Santa Fe's plaza and Canyon Road, Acoma's Sky City on its mesa, the cliff dwellings at Bandelier and the church at Chimayo.

From Colorado Springs the trips lean towards the Old West and the big city. There are gold-mining towns such as Cripple Creek and Victor, the Royal Gorge Bridge, and Denver's museums a little over an hour north.

Colorado Springs suits active children slightly better. There is hand-feeding of giraffes at the zoo on Cheyenne Mountain, the cog railway, the Manitou Cliff Dwellings, cave tours and flat paths among the red rocks, all short outings.

Albuquerque has the indoor options its rival lacks: an aquarium within the BioPark, Explora's hands-on science and the dinosaur halls. The October Balloon Fiesta is also a memorable dawn for any child. In both cities, expect long drives and strong sun at altitude.

You will want a car in either city, since both spread across wide, low-rise areas. Albuquerque has a little more public transport: a bus line along Central Avenue links Old Town, downtown and Nob Hill, and a commuter train runs to Santa Fe. Colorado Springs has thinner buses, but downtown, Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs are each pleasant to stroll once you have parked.

Albuquerque has something specific worth buying. Turquoise and silver jewellery, Pueblo pottery and Navajo weaving are sold around the Old Town plaza and the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, and dried chile ristras make easy gifts. Colorado Springs is more modest: galleries, Western wear and rock and gem shops in Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs, then malls and outlets.

Costs come out much the same, and in both cities car hire and tipping are extras nobody escapes. Albuquerque's hotels are fairly priced for most of the year and its casual New Mexican plates are generous. During Balloon Fiesta week in October, though, rooms become scarce and expensive.

Colorado Springs runs from chain hotels and motels along the interstate up to its historic resort below Cheyenne Mountain. Free sights help in both cities: Old Town, the petroglyphs and the Sandia foothills cost little or nothing in Albuquerque, while Colorado Springs has Garden of the Gods and the canyon parks.

Albuquerque has the stronger stage. Popejoy Hall brings touring Broadway shows and the philharmonic, and the Pueblo Deco KiMo Theatre is a draw in itself. Add a long tradition of flamenco and weekend Pueblo dances at the cultural center, and it gives you evenings you won't find elsewhere.

Colorado Springs has a respectable programme with its philharmonic, the Fine Arts Center's theatre company and summer concerts. On most nights, though, live music means a small room or a brewery stage.

Colorado Springs is the better choice for relaxing, mainly because of Manitou Springs, a town founded as a health resort. You can still fill a cup from its carbonated fountains or sit in an outdoor tub facing the mountains. The city's century-old grand hotel also has a full resort spa.

Albuquerque has no bathing culture of its own. Its mineral pools are at Jemez Springs, over an hour's drive away, and around Santa Fe, so a soak there takes most of a day.