Fort Collins or Scottsdale?

Neither city is anywhere near the sea, so neither suits a beach trip. Fort Collins swims in Horsetooth Reservoir, right at the edge of town, which has a designated swim beach and paddleboarders in July and August.

In Scottsdale the hotel pool does most of the work. For open water there are the desert lakes in the Tonto National Forest, under an hour away, or tubing on the Salt River in summer.

The two are evenly matched but strong in different ways. Fort Collins is a drinking town first. Its big breweries and dozens of taprooms can fill several days, while the food is mostly gastropubs, tacos and the odd farm-to-table kitchen.

Scottsdale is built for eating out rather than drinking beer. It has steakhouses, sushi, long brunches and patio happy hours, and its most local food is Sonoran-style Mexican with green chile and giant flour tortillas. Both send ambitious diners to the nearest big city.

Scottsdale has more to see. Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright's desert studio, is a sight of real stature, and the western art museum, the small contemporary art museum and the nearby Musical Instrument Museum fill a couple of days. The Heard Museum in Phoenix adds deep Native American collections.

Fort Collins is more about atmosphere than sights. Its red-brick Old Town is a pleasant place to wander, and the Museum of Discovery and the Victorian Avery House take up a single unhurried day.

Scottsdale is the place for a big night out. Its Old Town entertainment district fills with dance clubs, rooftop lounges and bottle service on weekends and through the spring season, and it stays loud until closing time.

Fort Collins is livelier than its size suggests but stays casual. Its nights out are pubs, patios and taprooms with a large student crowd, there are only a few clubs, and it goes quiet during summer breaks.

Fort Collins has the edge, mainly because of its range and its climate. Within an hour or two you can go from foothills summits and the wild and scenic Poudre River to alpine lakes and elk in Rocky Mountain National Park, and its comfortable summers keep the trails open.

Scottsdale's desert is striking. The McDowell Sonoran Preserve has saguaro and granite trails, and Camelback Mountain makes a short, steep climb. But for four months of the year the heat confines hiking to the early morning.

The two are equally well placed for days out, and both need a car. Fort Collins sends you south to Boulder, Denver and Golden, up to Estes Park, or north into Wyoming for Cheyenne's frontier museum.

Scottsdale's best outings are longer. Sedona's red rocks, the cliff dwelling at Montezuma Castle and hillside Jerome are about two hours north, and the Grand Canyon is better with an overnight stay.

Scottsdale is the more rewarding choice with children. Resort pools with lazy rivers and kids' clubs, an aquarium, a butterfly house, a railroad park and the Phoenix Zoo nearby add up to more ready-made fun, although every outing involves a drive and summer afternoons have to be spent indoors.

Fort Collins is gentler and simpler. It has flat river paths for small cyclists, a petting farm and a hands-on science museum, but families wanting big attractions have to drive to Denver.

Fort Collins is far easier without a car. Its flat Old Town, rapid bus line and protected bike lanes make cycling between taprooms, campus and parks the natural way to get about, though the foothills and day trips still need wheels.

In Scottsdale the light rail does not reach the city, and resorts, trailheads and shops are spread along wide arterial roads. Beyond Old Town and its free trolley, almost every trip means a hire car or ride-hailing.

Scottsdale is a real shopping destination. It has a luxury mall with the major fashion houses, and its gallery district sells southwestern art. Specialist dealers offer high-quality turquoise jewellery, Pueblo pottery and western boots.

In Fort Collins shopping means a pleasant browse. Old Town has bookshops, vintage clothing, outdoor gear and Colorado-made gifts, and there is little to justify a dedicated trip.

Fort Collins is the somewhat cheaper stay. It has middle-of-the-road chain hotels and reasonable taproom meals, and its trails and river paths are free, though rooms jump on graduation and football weekends.

Scottsdale is costly in its winter and spring high season, when resorts, golf and spa treatments all add up. The way to save is to come in the hot summer, when resort rates fall sharply.

The two offer much the same amount, with regional rather than major programmes. Fort Collins leans on the Lincoln Center and the university's arts centre for its theatre, opera and symphony, and small Old Town stages book bluegrass and indie bands.

Scottsdale has a performing arts centre for jazz and comedy and an excellent run of world music at the Musical Instrument Museum. Phoenix's opera and ballet are only half an hour away.

Scottsdale is in a different league here. Pampering is one of the main reasons people visit, and its large resort spas offer desert-inspired treatments, steam rooms and outdoor pools, many of them open to day guests.

Fort Collins has only ordinary day spas and yoga studios. Its restful side lies in quiet streets and shaded river paths, and the nearest hot-spring soak is almost two hours' drive away.