Aspen, Off-season

If you are curious about the giant construction project surrounding Keystone’s River Run gondola, it’s a village-sized resort that will change the look of the main base area. Kindred Resort, set to open in the spring of 2025, is touted as “the most luxurious new slopeside property in the Colorado Rockies.” Part of Vail Resorts’ RockResorts brand, the property consists of 107 high-end hotel rooms, 95 one-to-four-bedroom residences, a private club, spa, ski valet, the new headquarters for Keystone’s Ski & Snowboard School, upscale retail shops and three restaurants, all within steps of River Run Gondola. “Kindred is going to be a game-changer,” says Ken Riley, the first mayor of Keystone, which became an incorporated town last February. “It does feel like this is a missing link to what a top family-friendly resort can offer.” While Keystone has long since boasted fine dining haunts like the Ski Tip Lodge and (located on one of its two world-class golf courses) Keystone Ranch, as well as a massive conference center and upscale spa at Keystone Lodge, it has always positioned itself as a more affordable family destination than surrounding ski resorts. Despite the upscale developments starting with Kindred, Keystone still offers free parking within walking distance of lifts at River Run and Mountain House, family amenities, and lodging packages, including free lift tickets for kids. Incorporating the town was crucial to Keystone’s journey toward improved infrastructure and offerings.

Looking for crowded pool bars, over-sunning, booming bass-heavy hard rock, inflated prices and endless huge hotels? If not, read on. Those are the images many have of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, particularly of the southern tip, known as “Los Cabos.” But “Los Cabos” means Two Capes, and all of the above is abundant in one of those capes, Cabo San Lucas.

A new nonstop United Airlines flight from Denver International Airport will carry travelers 5,563 miles to Rome, the latest route to expand Colorado’s global connections. This seasonal flight starting May 1 marks the first nonstop flight scheduled between Denver and Rome. It will operate daily on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner through Sept.

Editor’s note: This is part of The Know’s series, Staff Favorites. Each week, we offer our opinions on the best Colorado has to offer for dining, shopping, entertainment, outdoor activities and more. (We’ll also let you in on some hidden gems) Awakened in the middle of the night recently in a backcountry hut on Shrine Pass, I glanced out a window and saw stars, so I threw on a jacket and went out on the deck of Jay’s Cabin, three miles northwest of Vail Pass at 11,223 feet. The moon had set, so the stars stood out in the deep black of the sky above.

Sometimes, due to schedules or budgets, it’s impossible to plan a big vacation in the winter or during the holidays, or maybe you want to stay close to home and not travel a long distance. It can be a thrill to play tourist in your city or take a short excursion within an hour’s drive, especially when places are decorated for the festivities of the winter months. The mountain towns have the draw of the slopes and likely more snow, but Colorado’s Front Range cities offer big city amenities.

Picture this: Daylight is petering out behind the snow-capped Rockies, and it’s getting cold — really cold. You’re comfortable, though, sipping loose-leaf tea from a pot, nibbling on delicate, scratch-made pastries. Afternoon tea is a delightful ritual that Anna Maria Russell, Duchess of Bedford — one of Queen Victoria’s besties — improvised in England in the 1840s. According to the tale, the Duchess complained of a sinking feeling in her stomach between her midday meal and late-night dinner.