Best of the High Country
Best of Travel 2004
Readers’ choices and editors’ picks of the very best of the high country

Best Luxury Resort

The Lodge at Ventana Canyon - Tucson, Arizona
This Wyndham-affiliated luxury resort offers two championship golf courses designed by Tom Fazio. Nestled within Arizona’s canyon terrain, with 50 private suites featuring Mission-style furnishings and old-fashioned footed bathtubs, the lodge is as intimate as it is stylish. (520) 577-1400 or www.wyndham.com. 

Inn of the Anasazi - Santa Fe, New Mexico
This award-winning luxury hotel’s sandstone walls and sculpted stairways are reminiscent of prehistoric ruins, and the resort’s art and textile collection represents artists from New Mexico’s current cultures: Native American, Hispanic and Anglo. (800) 688-8100 or www.innoftheanasazi.com.

The Wyndham Peaks Resort - Telluride, Colorado
Nestled within the 14,000-foot peaks of the San Juan Mountains, the Wyndham Peaks Resort is home to North America’s highest 18-hole championship golf course and the famed Golden Door Spa. With ski-in/ski-out access to the Telluride ski area, the resort provides a one-stop vacation. (800) 789-2220 or www.thepeaksresort.com.

The Ritz Carlton-Bachelor Gulch - Avon, Colorado
Designed after grand lodges of the West, the resort offers year-round entertainment, including world-class skiing and snowboarding, mountain biking, hiking and music festivals. Indulge in spa treatments, gourmet dining and top-notch skiing on Beaver Creek Mountain. (970) 748-6200 or www.ritzcarlton.com.

The Wyndham Carmel Valley Ranch - Carmel, California
This 400-acre countryside estate is surrounded by the lush forests of the Santa Lucia Mountains. In-room spa treatments and continental breakfasts are just a few of the resort amenities. (831) 625-9500 or www.wyndham.com.

Photo Courtesy National Park Service
Best Historic Site

Mesa Verde National Park - Colorado - Mesa Verde National Park has preserved cliff dwellings, elaborate stone villages constructed from 600 through 1300 by the Ancestral Pueblo people, in sheltered alcoves of the canyon walls. (970) 529-4465 or www.nps.gov/meve/.  

Bodie State Historic Park - Bridgeport, California - You don’t have to like spooky stories to appreciate the history of Bodie, a gold-mining mecca turned ghost town. Legend has it that at least one man was killed daily. (760) 647-6445 or www.parks.ca.gov. 

Taos Pueblo - Taos, New Mexico Taos - Pueblo was recently named to the World Heritage Society as one of the most significant cultural landmarks in the world. Over 150 people live within the fully functioning pueblo. (505) 758-1028 or www.taospueblo.com.

Manzanar War Relocation Center - Independence, California - One of 10 camps at which Japanese American U.S. citizens and resident Japanese aliens were interned during World War II, Manzanar is a somber reminder of Pearl Harbor’s aftermath. (760) 878-2932 or www.nps.gov/manz/.

Dinosaur National Monument and Quarry Visitor Center - Colorado and Utah - This monument straddles the northwest and northeast borders of Colorado and Utah, and has become a favorite road trip destination for families. (435) 781-7700 or www.nps.gov/dino/.

Best Weekend Getaway

Napa Valley, California The region boasts some of the country’s best vineyards, restaurants, day spas and resorts. With a winery at every turn and enough fine dining establishments to make you dizzy, Napa Valley is a delectable destination. (707) 226-7459 or www.napavalley.com. Telluride, Colorado, during the Telluride Film Festival  Film enthusiasts should travel to town over Labor Day weekend. Passes to the festival can be purchased in advance, and a variety of packages is available to please your pocketbook. (866) 287-5015 or www.tellurideskiresort.com. Albuquerque, New Mexico, during the International Balloon Fiesta One of the most photographed events in the world, this festival attracts hundreds of thousands of people from all over the globe. (888) 422-7277 or www.aibf.org. Black Hills, South Dakota With attractions like Mt. Rushmore, Black Hills National Forest and Badlands National Park, Black Hills has earned a reputation as a popular sightseeing destination. (800) 732-5682 or www.travelsd.com. Yosemite National Park, California  Considered the crown jewel of national parks, Yosemite features giant sequoia groves, pristine alpine lakes, thundering waterfalls and a ski resort. (800) 436-7275 or www.yosemitepark.com.

Editor's Pick

Best Film Festivals

Sundance, Park City, Utah. Founded by Robert Redfort, this is the undisputed granddaddy of western film festivals. The Wait List Line (it’s the only way to see “sold out” screenings) is the best place to meet cool, hip people. www.sundance.org.

Banff, Banff, Alberta, Canada. Looking for a big screen mountain adventure? This festival, sponsored in part by National Geographic, brings you the world’s best mountain films. www.banffcentre.ca.

Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico. This four-year-old festival is a relative new comer but has already gotten rave reviews from both filmmakers and filmgoers. www.santafefilmfestival.com.