Breckenridge or Flagstaff?

Neither town is a place to swim in open water, but Flagstaff at least has a summer dip within reach. The creek pools of Oak Creek Canyon, Slide Rock among them, draw families on hot days, though the water is cold and the rocks slippery.

Breckenridge has Lake Dillon close by, but it is for sailing and paddling, too cold to swim in, so swimming there means the recreation centre's indoor pools or a hot tub.

The two eat at much the same level, and both are best for beer. Breckenridge has more of a resort table, with steakhouses, sushi and a few chef-led kitchens cooking elk, bison and trout, plus whiskey distilled in town. Those tables are hard to get on winter weekends.

Flagstaff is more casual university-town fare: diners, coffee houses, barbecue and the Southside brewery patios. Navajo frybread and Navajo tacos give it a regional flavour that Breckenridge lacks.

Flagstaff has much more to see. The Lowell Observatory on Mars Hill, where Pluto was found in 1930, offers night viewings. The Museum of Northern Arizona holds a serious collection of Hopi, Navajo and Zuni art, and the Riordan Mansion and the Route 66 railroad downtown round out a day or two.

Breckenridge's offer is its gold-rush heritage: painted Victorian storefronts, miners' cabins, a mine tour with gold panning and the old dredges in the Blue River valley. It makes an attractive walk, but there is no museum to build a day around.

Both towns go out on a similar small scale, but on different rhythms. Breckenridge peaks in winter, when après-ski crowds pack the bars at the lift base and Main Street saloons, and a Saturday can run past midnight. In spring and autumn, though, the town goes very quiet.

Flagstaff's evenings follow the university calendar rather than the snow. The taprooms, cocktail bars and Route 66 saloons downtown and in the Southside are livelier in term time, and most close well before the small hours.

These are two of the strongest mountain bases anywhere, but the landscapes differ. Breckenridge is high alpine: ski terrain above the treeline right over town, Quandary Peak to climb and aspen and wildflower trails from the edge of the streets. It sits at almost 3,000m, so arrive gently.

Flagstaff offers more variety within a drive. It has the volcanic San Francisco Peaks, vast ponderosa forest and the lava flows of Sunset Crater, and the red rock of Sedona and the Grand Canyon's South Rim are within reach. As the first International Dark Sky City, it also has stargazing that Breckenridge cannot match.

Flagstaff has the richer choice of outings. Sedona and the hillside town of Jerome lie southwest, and there are cliff dwellings at Montezuma Castle and Sinagua ruins at Walnut Canyon and Wupatki. The historic railway runs from Williams to the Grand Canyon, and the Hopi mesas are a longer drive east.

Breckenridge's best days out are the old mining towns: Leadville over Hoosier Pass, and Georgetown with its narrow-gauge railway. Vail and Denver are also within range, but beyond those most nearby places are other ski resorts, and winter weather can stretch any drive.

Both work for children, in different ways. Breckenridge is built around the mountain, with ski schools taking young children, wide beginner slopes and an alpine coaster and climbing walls in summer. Away from the slopes there is little for them, and winter gear makes for hard work.

Flagstaff suits curious children more than sporty ones. It offers telescope evenings, dinosaurs at the museum, sledding in winter and the train to the Grand Canyon, though outings involve long drives. Altitude tires small children in both, more so in Breckenridge.

Breckenridge is far easier once you are there. The walkable centre, a free gondola to the slopes and free town and county buses to Frisco, Keystone and Copper Mountain let many visitors skip the car entirely. The catch is the drive of around two hours from Denver's airport.

Flagstaff has a downtown station on the long-distance rail line and a local bus network, but its motels are spread out. The mountain, the monuments, Sedona and the Grand Canyon are all beyond public transport, so plan on a car or tours.

Neither is a shopping destination, but they sell different things. Breckenridge is good for ski gear, technical clothing and galleries of Western landscapes, with outlet malls at Silverthorne for anything more.

Flagstaff has the more distinctive souvenirs: Navajo rugs, Hopi kachina carvings, pottery and turquoise jewellery from galleries, the museum shop and trading posts. Buy from established dealers to be sure the work is genuine.

Breckenridge is by far the more expensive stay. In ski season, condos near the slopes, lift tickets, equipment hire and lessons cost as much as skiing anywhere, and the Christmas, New Year and spring-break weeks cost the most. Summer and the shoulder months are much cheaper, and the free buses and gondola keep local transport costs at zero.

Flagstaff is moderately priced by American standards, with chain motels along Route 66 and casual brewery meals, though summer weekends push room rates up. Budget for a hire car, fuel and park entry fees, which visitors to Breckenridge can often do without.

Breckenridge saves its music for July and August. That is when a festival orchestra and a national orchestra academy of young professionals play the open-sided Riverwalk Center by the Blue River. A small theatre company stages plays in the arts district, but in winter, evenings out mostly mean bands in the après bars.

Flagstaff's calendar runs right through the year. Its symphony and the university music school play the campus concert hall, and the restored Orpheum downtown brings in touring folk and indie acts. Community theatre fills the gaps, and in summer there are outdoor concerts in the pines.

In Breckenridge, relaxing means sitting in an outdoor hot tub while the snow falls, or booking a resort spa after a day on the slopes. The nearest natural hot springs are an hour away at Idaho Springs. Winter days are active, though, and the thin air leaves many visitors tired rather than rested.

Flagstaff offers the quiet of a pine forest instead: a slow mountain town with cool evenings, but no springs and only a handful of day spas. For proper treatments, yoga or a retreat, people drive about an hour down to the resort spas of Sedona.