Beaver Creek or Big Bear Lake?

Neither is a swimming destination, but Big Bear Lake at least puts water at the centre of summer. There is a supervised swim beach at Meadow Park, rocky shoreline with sandy patches for a quick dip, and the lake itself for kayaks and paddleboards, even if the water stays cool.

Beaver Creek has only the tiny, chilly Nottingham Lake down in Avon, so in practice swimming means a heated hotel pool with a mountain view.

Beaver Creek eats better, though in a narrow way: refined resort cooking built on elk, Colorado lamb and trout, long wine lists, and dinners at on-mountain lodges reached by chairlift or snowcat sleigh. Taquerias and brewpubs in Avon and Edwards, plus Vail nearby, widen the choice.

Big Bear Lake is about filling up after a day outside: log-cabin breakfasts, burgers, barbecue and Mexican plates in the Village, then a brewpub. Many visitors simply cook in their cabins, and winter weekends bring queues for tables.

Both are thin on sights, and neither is a trip for museums or architecture. Beaver Creek offers a planned stone-and-timber village with outdoor art around the plaza, while Big Bear's interest is more historical than visual: a small museum on the 1860s gold rush and a dirt-road drive past old cabins and mining remains in Holcomb Valley.

Evenings end early in both. Beaver Creek's version is fireside cocktails on the plaza and hotel lounges, with Vail's winter bars a short drive away, whereas Big Bear's is more casual: a sports bar or brewpub in the Village, then the hot tub back at the cabin.

Both are true mountain bases, but Beaver Creek is the bigger outdoor proposition. Its skiing climbs to about 3,500m with steep glades and long cruisers, links to Bachelor Gulch and Arrowhead, and has Vail next door, while summer adds gold-medal fly-fishing, rafting and the Gore Range.

Big Bear Lake's two ski areas are modest and rely on snowmaking, crowded at weekends with drivers from the lowlands. Its strength is the lake, with boats and paddleboards, plus the Pacific Crest Trail, wintering bald eagles and the San Gorgonio Wilderness close by.

Beaver Creek has more within easy reach: Vail in about twenty minutes, Victorian Leadville and gold-rush Breckenridge each about an hour away, and the spa town of Glenwood Springs to the west. The towns are similar in character, but the drives are short.

From Big Bear, winding roads slow everything down. Lake Arrowhead and the Oak Glen orchards make good outings, and Riverside's Mission Inn is about an hour and a half away, but Palm Springs or Los Angeles means a long day.

Both work well with children, in different ways. Beaver Creek is the organised ski vacation: a large ski school, children's terrain, a car-free plaza where older children can roam, and cookies when the lifts close.

Big Bear Lake suits families who want snow play rather than serious skiing, with sledding hills, the Alpine Zoo for rescued bears and bobcats, and summer pedal boats and an alpine slide. Spacious cabins with kitchens make longer stays easier.

Beaver Creek is easier on the ground. Free shuttles, outdoor escalators and ski-in ski-out lodging mean you can leave the car parked, and valley buses reach Vail, with Eagle airport about half an hour away.

Big Bear Lake effectively needs a car from start to finish. The Village is walkable and a bus and seasonal trolley help, but cabins are scattered on hilly forest roads, and the steep highways up can crawl or need chains in winter.

Beaver Creek's plaza offers a small but upmarket browse: technical ski wear, luxury outerwear, western boots and galleries of bronze sculpture and landscape painting.

Big Bear's Village is more about souvenirs, with fudge shops, bear-themed gifts, a few antique stores and outfitters renting lake and ski gear. Neither replaces a proper shopping trip.

Big Bear Lake is far easier on the wallet. Shared cabins midweek or out of peak season, home cooking and free pleasures like hiking and sledding keep a trip reasonable, though winter weekends push rates up sharply.

Beaver Creek sits at the luxury end of North American vacations, with costly slopeside lodging, lift tickets and dining. Staying in Avon or visiting in summer helps a little, but there is no cheap version.

Beaver Creek has a real stage culture for a resort. The Vilar Performing Arts Center runs a season of concerts, dance and comedy, and in summer the Bravo! Vail festival brings leading orchestras to an open-air amphitheatre twenty minutes away, alongside the Vail Dance Festival.

Big Bear Lake offers community theatre, free lakeside concerts in summer and Bavarian bands at its long-running Oktoberfest, which is pleasant but local in scale.

For pampering, Beaver Creek is the stronger choice. Its big resort spas offer steam rooms and treatments for tired legs, the village stays calm in the evenings, and the historic hot springs pool at Glenwood Springs is about an hour west.

Big Bear Lake relaxes you in a homelier way: a wood stove, a deck among the pines and a private hot tub in the cabin. There are only a few day spas, and busy winter weekends break the peace.