Architectural Digest: 7 Mountaintop Destinations Perfect for a Summer Getaway

The beach is fun, sure, but for a certain breed of outdoor enthusiast, nothing beats the dry, temperate climes and recreational largesse on offer in the mountains. Hiking? Cycling? Kayaking? Wildlife encounters? These mountaintop destinations are celebrated for alpine adventures and sophisticated lodging.

Here, culture is taken as seriously as outdoor pursuits. In a day, it is par for the course to enjoy a hike through wildflower-laced meadows, pop into a lecture by an artist of Venice Biennale fame and attend a late afternoon concerto, before dining at the Aspen outpost of Japanese hot spot Nakazawa.

In a day, it is par for the course to enjoy a hike through wildflower-laced meadows, pop into a lecture by an artist of Venice Biennale fame, and, perhaps, attend a concerto before having dinner at Matsuhisa’s Aspen outpost. The town is jubilant with the return of the Aspen Music Festival, Jazz Aspen Snowmass JAS, and Theatre Aspen. Also on tap: new exhibits at the Aspen Art Museum (specifically Precious Okoyomon, who will transform the rooftop into a garden installation where invasive and indigenous plants cross-pollinate to music); workshops on sculpture, printmaking, photography, and fine art; lectures at the iconic Anderson Ranch Arts Center; and the opening of new galleries, such as Almine Ruiz-Picasso’s Almine Rech and White Cube.

Stay: Rent a tucked-in-the-trees house, or book the Little Nell, known for its glamorous restaurants and adventures such as “Ride and Dine,” a 15-mile trek to a ranch in Old Snowmass for a stylish alfresco meal.

Read the full Architectural Digest article here.