Vancouver vs Colorado Rockies

Vancouver combines a dense, walkable downtown with mountains and ocean visible from nearly every street corner. Stanley Park's seawall, the North Shore mountains for skiing or hiking, and a food scene shaped by Pacific Rim influences make it consistently ranked among the world's most liveable cities, if also one of the more expensive.

The Colorado Rockies pack big mountain scenery within easy reach of a lively city, which makes them perfect for a long weekend. Start in Denver, the Mile High City, where food halls, breweries and green-chile-smothered everything have turned neighborhoods like RiNo, LoHi and Union Station into a serious food scene. Just 30 minutes west, Red Rocks Amphitheatre sits between towering sandstone slabs and is one of the world's most famous places to see a concert, or simply to climb the stairs at sunrise. From there the mountains take over: Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park climbs past 12,000 feet above treeline, and the old mining towns of Idaho Springs and Georgetown, plus the gateway town of Estes Park, make charming bases. With more time, head to Breckenridge, Vail, Glenwood Springs' hot springs pools, Aspen's Maroon Bells and the red rocks of Garden of the Gods near Colorado Springs. Plan ahead: Rocky Mountain National Park requires timed-entry permits in summer and early fall, the Maroon Bells need a shuttle or parking reservation, and the altitude is real, so drink plenty of water and take the first day easy.