Breckenridge or Tucson?

Neither has a beach: Breckenridge lies high in the Rockies and Tucson in the Sonoran Desert, with the Gulf of California four hours away. What differs is what a swim means. In Breckenridge the lakes are cold and swimming happens in the recreation centre pools or a hot tub, while in Tucson the resort pool is a real refuge from the heat, and Sabino Canyon has passing creek pools after rain.

Tucson is the far better place to eat. Its Sonoran Mexican cooking, from mesquite-grilled carne asada and near-translucent flour tortillas to the bacon-wrapped Sonoran hot dog, has deep roots in the barrios and along South 12th Avenue, and desert ingredients such as tepary beans and prickly pear turn up on menus.

Breckenridge feeds skiers well, with steakhouses, pizza, Colorado elk and trout, and good local beer and whiskey, but there is no tradition behind it. Food there is a comfort at the end of the day rather than a reason to come.

Tucson has more to see. Mission San Xavier del Bac, with its painted and gilded interior, is a sight of national stature, and the adobe houses of Barrio Viejo, the Native American collections of the Arizona State Museum and the vast Pima Air & Space Museum fill two or three days.

Breckenridge's culture is its gold-rush streetscape of Victorian storefronts and miners' cabins, plus a mine tour with gold panning. It makes a pleasant afternoon, with no museums of any weight.

Both are small scenes without clubs of note, but Tucson's is broader and less tied to one season. Fourth Avenue's dive bars and patios and the cocktail bars and rooftops of Congress Street sit within walking distance of each other, lively on term-time weekends under warm night skies.

Breckenridge peaks at après-ski, with brewpubs and saloons on Main Street full of people in ski boots and a couple of late dance bars on winter Saturdays. In spring and autumn it goes very quiet after dinner.

Both are excellent outdoors, but Breckenridge is the mountain destination proper. Its ski area spreads over five peaks right above town, with Keystone, Copper Mountain, Arapahoe Basin and Vail close by, and in summer the trails through aspen and wildflower meadows begin at the edge of town.

Tucson's landscape is entirely different: saguaro forests in the national park, desert canyons at Sabino and Catalina State Park, and the drive up Mount Lemmon from cactus to pine. It is at its best from autumn to spring, and in summer the heat pushes outings to dawn or up the mountain.

Tucson has the more varied list of outings: the steep Victorian mining streets of Bisbee, Wild West Tombstone, the artists' village of Tubac with the Tumacácori mission ruins beyond it, the Sonoita wineries and Biosphere 2, all within an hour or two by car.

From Breckenridge, Leadville over Hoosier Pass and the old mining towns of Georgetown and Idaho Springs make good days out. Beyond them the choices are mostly other ski resorts, and winter weather can stretch any drive.

Both work for families, in different ways. Breckenridge revolves around ski school, the free gondola and gentle beginner slopes, with an alpine coaster and climbing walls in summer, though altitude and cold-weather gear make small children hard work. Tucson has more variety away from any mountain, from the mountain lions of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum to the giant aircraft, but only between October and April, and with a car for everything.

Once you arrive, Breckenridge is much easier. The historic centre is walkable, the free gondola reaches the ski base and free buses run to Frisco, Keystone and Copper Mountain, so a car is optional for a week in Summit County.

Tucson is spread out and built for driving. The Sun Link streetcar covers only downtown, Fourth Avenue and the university, and the national park, the mission and Mount Lemmon all need a hire car. The roads are calm and parking easy, whereas reaching Breckenridge means two hours from Denver's airport over I-70, with snow a real factor.

Tucson gives shoppers more to look for: Native American jewellery, Tohono O'odham baskets and Mexican folk art in old-town galleries, vintage shops on Fourth Avenue, and each winter a gem and mineral show that draws collectors from around the world. Breckenridge's Main Street is a pleasant evening browse for ski gear, Western landscape art and sweets, with resort prices and the Silverthorne outlets for anything more.

Tucson is by far the cheaper stay. Mid-range hotels cost less than in the larger Southwest cities, and taquerías and family restaurants make eating cheaply easy. The main extra is the hire car, and the summer heat brings real bargains.

Breckenridge in ski season is as expensive as ski vacations get, with lift tickets, lessons, equipment hire and slope-side lodging adding up, and the Christmas and spring-break weeks dearest of all. Summer and the shoulder months are much kinder, and free transport and trails help.

Tucson has a real season from autumn to spring: the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Arizona Opera, the Arizona Theatre Company and touring Broadway shows at Centennial Hall, plus small live-music rooms on Congress Street and a deep mariachi tradition.

Breckenridge concentrates its offer in summer, when the open-sided Riverwalk Center by the Blue River hosts the festival orchestra and the national orchestra academy. In winter it narrows to bar bands and après sets.

Tucson is the place to slow down. It is one of the original homes of the American destination spa, with long-established foothills resorts offering desert walks, massage and meditation, and the wide skies and quiet winter evenings do the rest.

In Breckenridge relaxation means a hot tub in the snow or a hotel spa after skiing, and the early starts and thin air tire more than they restore. Neither has a public bathing culture, though Breckenridge is about an hour from the hot springs at Idaho Springs.