Big Bear Lake or Sedona?

Neither is a place for a beach vacation, but Big Bear Lake gives swimmers a little more. There is a whole lake, a supervised swim beach at Meadow Park for children, and water of around 19°C in high summer, though most people spend their time on the water in kayaks or on paddleboards.

Sedona's swimming is in Oak Creek, and it is more an outing than a swim: riding the sandstone chute at Slide Rock, or dropping into the pools at Grasshopper Point below red cliffs. The spots are small and get crowded on hot weekends.

Sedona eats better, though neither town is a food destination. It has resort terraces facing the red rock, Southwestern cooking built on chilli and corn, plenty of vegetarian choice, and the Verde Valley tasting rooms close by.

Big Bear Lake means diner breakfasts, burgers, barbecue and a pint at a brewpub, with most of the choice in the Village. Many visitors simply cook in their cabins.

Sedona has more to see, though nobody visits either town for its sights. The Chapel of the Holy Cross, built into a butte, is a real piece of architecture, and the Sinagua cliff dwellings at Palatki and Honanki and the V Bar V petroglyphs reach back many centuries. Its galleries of Western and Native American art fill an indoor afternoon.

Big Bear Lake has the Discovery Center on the forest and its wildlife, a small history museum, and the remains of the gold rush along the dirt road through Holcomb Valley, and little more.

Both towns go quiet after dinner, and neither has clubs. The difference is in season and setting: Big Bear Lake has winter après-ski in bars near the slopes and pubs in the Village. In Sedona the evening is a glass in an Uptown wine bar or resort lounge, then stargazing under a very dark sky.

Both are outdoor towns first, but Sedona's landscape is the more remarkable. Red sandstone buttes rise straight from the edge of town. A dense network of trails reaches Cathedral Rock, Devil's Bridge and the West Fork of Oak Creek, mountain bikers have the slickrock singletrack, and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is within reach.

Big Bear Lake's strength is variety across the seasons. Two ski areas run in winter, and in summer there are the pine forests, the Pacific Crest Trail and the San Gorgonio Wilderness for hiking, plus a lake for fishing, sailing and paddling. Sedona has no skiing at all.

Sedona is far better placed for outings. Jerome's hillside mining streets, the Verde Canyon Railroad, Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot are all within an hour, with Flagstaff and Walnut Canyon a little further.

From Big Bear Lake, winding mountain roads slow everything down. Lake Arrowhead and the orchards of Oak Glen make pleasant drives, but Palm Springs or Los Angeles means a long day, and most visitors stay on the mountain.

Big Bear Lake is the more natural fit with children. Snow play and beginner ski lessons draw lowland families in winter, and in the warmer months there are the alpine zoo, the alpine slide, mini-golf and pedal boats. Cabins give everyone room.

Sedona works for active families, and Slide Rock and the jeep tours are the clear favourites. Its hotels lean towards couples and spa guests, though, and summer heat on exposed trails calls for care with small children.

You need a car for both. Big Bear Lake is a little easier once you are there: the Village is walkable, and a local bus and a seasonal trolley link it to the ski areas. In winter you may need snow chains on the steep roads up.

Sedona is spread along two highways that meet at the Y, and only Uptown is easy to walk. A shuttle serves some of the busiest trailheads, and car parks at the popular trails fill early. Most visitors fly into Phoenix, about two hours away, and drive up.

Sedona gives shoppers far more to do. Tlaquepaque has courtyards full of galleries and craft studios, the main road sells Native American jewellery, pottery and rugs, and the crystal and metaphysical shops are worth an afternoon on their own.

In Big Bear Lake shopping is a short browse through the Village's fudge shops, bear souvenirs and outdoor gear rental.

Big Bear Lake is the cheaper of the two, as long as you avoid winter weekends and school vacations, when cabin rates and lift tickets climb. A shared cabin midweek, with your own cooking, is fairly economical.

Sedona is expensive all year. Hotels are resorts, restaurants charge resort-town prices, and jeep tours, balloon flights and spa treatments all add to the bill. The trails cost little, and staying in Cottonwood or Flagstaff is the usual way to save.

Neither has a real stage scene, so this should not decide the trip. What there is differs in flavour: Big Bear Lake has free summer concerts by the lake and an autumn Oktoberfest with Bavarian bands. Sedona has chamber music, a long-running film festival in late winter and Native American flute players at some resorts.

Sedona is built for this. Destination resort spas look out over the red canyons, yoga, meditation and breathwork are easy to find, and sunrise walks to the vortexes set a slow rhythm, though treatments come at resort prices.

At Big Bear Lake, unwinding means a cabin with a wood stove and a private hot tub on a quiet midweek day. There are a few day spas, and busy winter weekends are anything but restful.