Breckenridge or Sedona?

Neither town is a swimming destination, but Sedona at least has somewhere to get in the water outdoors. Oak Creek's natural pools at Slide Rock, Grasshopper Point and Red Rock Crossing make a cool, scenic break on a hot hiking day, even if they are small and crowded on summer weekends.

In Breckenridge, Lake Dillon and the alpine lakes are for paddling and looking at, being far too cold for a swim, so swimming means the recreation centre's indoor pools or a hot tub.

The two eat at a similar level, comfortable resort dining rather than a food destination, but in different styles. Breckenridge leans towards hearty après-ski food, with steakhouses, Colorado elk and bison, green chile breakfast burritos and a long brewing and distilling habit.

Sedona's kitchens trade more on the view from the terrace, with Southwestern menus, plenty for vegetarians and health-minded diners, and Verde Valley wine tasting rooms just down the road.

Culture is a side dish in both towns, though of a different flavour. Breckenridge's strength is its gold-rush streetscape: one of Colorado's largest historic districts, with painted Victorian storefronts, miners' cabins and a gold-mine tour.

Sedona has fewer buildings to look at but a deeper past around it. The Chapel of the Holy Cross is set into the rock, and the Sinagua cliff dwellings at Palatki and Honanki and the V Bar V petroglyphs are within a short drive into the backcountry.

Breckenridge has much more going on after dark. On a winter Saturday the après-ski crowd moves from the lift bases to Main Street's brewpubs and old saloons, and a couple of dance bars stay open past midnight, though it remains a small-town scene with no clubs and goes quiet out of season.

Sedona barely has a nightlife at all: a drink in a wine bar or resort lounge after dinner, then bed before a dawn hike. Its best evening activity is stargazing.

Both are outstanding outdoor destinations, and the choice comes down to landscape and season. Breckenridge is high alpine country: ski runs above the treeline, Nordic trails through lodgepole pine, then summer hikes up Quandary Peak and bike trails through aspen and wildflowers, all at an altitude that takes a day or two to adjust to.

Sedona is desert sandstone, with Cathedral Rock, Devil's Bridge, Boynton Canyon and the West Fork of Oak Creek, famous slickrock mountain biking and the Grand Canyon's South Rim about two hours away. It is a spring and autumn landscape rather than a winter one.

Sedona has the richer choice of outings. Within an hour lie the hillside mining town of Jerome, the Verde Canyon Railroad, the cliff dwelling at Montezuma Castle, the Tuzigoot pueblo, wine country and Flagstaff, with the Grand Canyon as a longer day.

Breckenridge has Leadville's silver-boom streets and mining museum, Georgetown's narrow-gauge railway and the hot springs at Idaho Springs. After that, the options are mostly other ski resorts, and winter weather on the passes can stretch any drive.

Breckenridge is better set up for children. It has ski schools for the very young, gentle beginner slopes, a summer activity park on the mountain, an ice rink and pools in town, and free transport that makes getting about simple. Altitude sickness and the hard work of winter gear with small children are the real drawbacks.

Sedona suits outdoorsy families for a few days, with Slide Rock, easy paths around Bell Rock and jeep tours. Much of the hotel offer is aimed at couples, though, and the summer heat and exposed trails call for care.

Breckenridge is far easier once you arrive. The historic centre is walkable, a free gondola links Main Street to the slopes, and free town and county buses reach the trailheads, Frisco, Keystone and Copper Mountain. Getting there from Denver's airport, though, is a long road trip over I-70.

Sedona is car country. Uptown is walkable, but Tlaquepaque, West Sedona, the trailheads and every day trip are spread along the highways, a shuttle serves only some trails, and parking at the popular ones fills early.

Sedona offers the more interesting browsing. Tlaquepaque's courtyard arts village, galleries of Native American jewellery, pottery and rugs, and the town's crystal and metaphysical shops give it a distinct character.

Breckenridge's Main Street is mainly ski and outdoor gear, Western landscape galleries and souvenirs, which is useful for technical clothing but little more. Neither has fashion or department stores: from Breckenridge you would go to the Silverthorne outlets, and from Sedona you would go to Phoenix.

Both are expensive, but Breckenridge in ski season is the harder hit, with lift tickets, equipment hire, lessons and slope-side lodging all adding up, especially over Christmas and spring break. Summer and the shoulder months are far cheaper there, and the free buses help.

Sedona is somewhat gentler, with free trails beyond a parking pass and picnic lunches, though resort rooms, jeep tours and spa treatments push up the bill. In both places, staying in a neighbouring town such as Frisco or Cottonwood saves money.

Breckenridge has the stronger summer programme. At the Riverwalk Center by the Blue River, a festival orchestra and a national orchestra academy give symphonic and chamber concerts through July and August, and a local theatre company stages plays for much of the year.

Sedona's offer is a handful of occasions: chamber concerts, local theatre, the Sedona International Film Festival in late winter, and acoustic and Native American flute sets in resorts.

This is where Sedona pulls well ahead. It is a true retreat town, with destination spas facing the canyons, yoga, meditation and breathwork, alternative therapies and a slow pace shaped by its vortex walks, quiet nights and clear air.

In Breckenridge, wellness mostly means an outdoor hot tub in the snow or a massage after skiing. The natural hot springs are an hour away at Idaho Springs, and the altitude often leaves visitors tired rather than rested.