Colorado Springs or Vail?

You can't go to either of these mountain towns for a beach. In Colorado Springs, swimming means a public pool or a cold reservoir, and many visitors choose a rafting day on the Arkansas River instead.

In Vail, people sunbathe beside small alpine lakes in summer, but the water stays cold even in July and the hotel pool is the realistic option.

Neither town is a reason to travel for food, but they eat very differently. Colorado Springs is casual and cheap to moderate: brewpubs with food trucks outside, green chile, barbecue and Mexican food, in the brick blocks of Tejon Street, Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs.

Vail serves polished resort dining: fondue rooms, steak, elk and trout, and on-mountain lodges for lunch between runs. It has almost nothing at the cheap end, and in the shoulder seasons many kitchens close.

Colorado Springs gives you a few real sights to fit around the outdoors. The aluminium spires of the Air Force Academy's Cadet Chapel, the Olympic and Paralympic Museum, the Southwestern collection at the Fine Arts Center and the Gold Rush story in the old courthouse each make a good morning out.

Vail is a 1960s ski resort built to look like a Tyrolean village. Beyond the Snowsports Museum, with its history of the Tenth Mountain Division, and the alpine gardens in summer, there is very little to visit.

Neither town offers much of a night out, and the difference is in when it happens. In Colorado Springs the nights stay much the same all year: Tejon Street sports and cocktail bars fill with students and young soldiers at weekends, and brewery taprooms close early.

Vail goes with the seasons. Its slopeside bars are packed at après-ski in winter and a small club runs late on winter weekends, but outside the ski season the village is nearly silent after dinner.

Both are strong outdoor bases, and Vail has the edge for the sheer scale of mountain on its doorstep. Its huge ski area, the Gore Range and Holy Cross wilderness, gondola-served biking trails and fly fishing on Gore Creek put you deep in high country from the moment you step out.

Colorado Springs balances that with variety and easy access. The red sandstone fins of Garden of the Gods, the Manitou Incline, the waterfalls of North Cheyenne Cañon and Pikes Peak are all just above town. The drier, milder climate also keeps its trails usable for more of the year.

Colorado Springs has the better spread of outings. Manitou Springs is right next door, Denver's museums are a little over an hour away, and you can reach the mining towns of Cripple Creek and Victor or the Royal Gorge in about an hour each.

From Vail the choice is mostly other resorts: Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and the silver town of Leadville. Glenwood Springs, down the canyon, is the most rewarding day. Aspen and Denver are each about two hours away.

Colorado Springs gives children more to do. The mountainside zoo with its giraffe herd, the caves at Cave of the Winds, the cliff dwellings, the cog railway and a small Christmas amusement park make easy half-day outings, though you will spend plenty of time in the car.

Vail is excellent if the family has come to ski, with big ski schools and a safe, car-free village. Away from the slopes and the summer coaster and ropes courses, there is little aimed at children, and winter with toddlers is hard going.

Vail is far easier on the ground. Vail Village and Lionshead are pedestrian, the lifts start in town, and a free bus runs the length of the valley, so a week without a car is normal. You will still need a shuttle or a car to get there.

Colorado Springs needs a car almost from the start. The zoo, the canyons and Pikes Peak are spread along the foothills, and buses are thin. Only downtown, Old Colorado City and Manitou are pleasant to explore on foot.

The shopping is modest in both places, and it suits different wallets. Colorado Springs has rock and gem shops, Western wear and galleries in old storefronts, plus outlets and big-box stores along the highways. Vail's pedestrian lanes sell upmarket ski clothing, fur, jewellery and mountain art, which is good for a luxury souvenir but has almost nothing inexpensive.

Colorado Springs is the far cheaper trip. It has reasonable chain hotels, normal American restaurant prices and free access to its best parks and trails. Hiring a car is the one cost you can't avoid.

Vail is among the most expensive places to vacation on the continent. Slopeside lodging, lift tickets, ski school and dinners all cost well above the norm, and they rise further in peak winter weeks. Summer rates and staying down the valley help, but only a little.

Vail has the stronger programme, though only in summer. Bravo! Vail brings resident orchestras to the open-air Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, with lawn picnics and peaks behind the stage, and the dance and jazz festivals fill the rest of the season.

Colorado Springs offers a modest year-round mix instead: the Philharmonic at the Pikes Peak Center, plays at the Fine Arts Center and summer arena concerts. You may catch something on the right night, but it is rarely worth planning a trip around.

Vail is better for being looked after. The big hotels in the village run full spas with outdoor hot tubs under the peaks, and the large mineral pools and vapour caves of Glenwood Springs are an hour down the canyon.

Colorado Springs has an older story. Manitou Springs grew up as a health resort, and you can still drink from its carbonated springs and soak in a small spa there. The Broadmoor's spa is the most complete option, but the region's well-known hot springs are a long drive away.