In winter, Aspen's snow-blanketed streets transform into a runway show with lavish après-ski attire paired with serious timepieces and designer cowboy hats. In a place where “more is more,” fashion is as much a reason to visit the jetset Colorado mountain town as the world-class skiing. But ask any local, even the ones who are part of the 100 days club (the Roaring Fork Valley badge of honor meaning they’ve hit the slopes that many days out of the nearly 160 the lifts are up and running), and they’ll say summer is Aspen’s best-kept secret.

Lilac- and scarlet-colored wildflowers line hiking and biking trails throughout the valleys of Aspen Snowmass’s four mountains, which are also the backdrop for performances and live music by big-name acts like Kacey Musgraves. On the region’s Gold Medal Waters-designated waters, anglers can sport their Rolex Submariner or Panerai Luminor Submersible fly fishing for trout or floating with Wild Willow Outfitters, pausing riverside for a catered picnic. 

Celebrity chefs herald in the start of summer at the annual Food & Wine Classic, but Colorado produce is celebrated all season long at the Aspen Saturday Market and the city’s growing number of restaurants, which include locally loved institutions like Michelin-starred Bosq, as well as transplants like Milan-born Sant Ambroeus, whose new cocktail bar, Il Baretto, debuts this summer in a neighboring wooden cabin. “By far, the most exciting thing about cooking in Aspen and our area is the abundance of produce and meats that come from our local farmers,” says Bosq’s chef-owner Barclay Dodge, who looks to the surrounding forest to bring edible finds to his tasting menus. “We have such an amazing group of small farmers that take great pride and intention in what they do.”

This season, the city will welcome another newcomer, underground izakaya Hai Sí, helmed by Kyoto-born chef Yoshi Okai, previously of Austin’s Uchi and Uchiko. Infusing Spanish touches into traditional Japanese, the multi-course menu ranges from spruced up nigiri to patatas bravas with tomato miso and tofu crème fraîche and pan con tomate with uni, boquerones, and pata negra jamón ibérico.  From the city’s best burger to splurge-worthy shopping, dive into our guide to Aspen.

The brick facade housing Aspen's Hotel Jerome was built back in 1889, when Colorado's silver boom was in full force, and it was the only one in town to survive both the silver crash and Great Depression. Rooms embrace the city’s historic western charm through modernized touches like sumptuous, chocolate leather headboards and sleek oak stag heads. J-Bar—whose 7X Ranch wagyu burger is said to be the best in town—is where everyone from cowboys and miners to journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson once held court. Snag a seat at one of the leather studded stools and sip Colorado craft beer before dining next door at the hotel’s seasonally driven Prospect, whose flower-filled courtyard features a roving bar cart that serves up crisp martinis and caviar tastings.

At family-owned Bosq, Dodge and his wife, Molly, have helped redefine Colorado mountain cuisine by championing the flavors, local farmers, ranchers, roasters, and foragers of the Aspen Valley. The tasting menu-only restaurant is the sole in the city to carry a Michelin star for its refined take on rustic cuisine with plates like puffed grain-encrusted lamb grilled on oak branches and juniper-grilled lobster with buttermilk-mussel emulsion. Dessert nods to childhood campfire fare with a s’mores-inspired take while drinks look to the forest with cocktails crafted from locally foraged blue spruce. The wine list also follows the restaurant’s philosophy of sourcing from small, family-owned wineries, with the majority of the bottles certified biodynamic or organic.

Discreetly tucked between downtown’s designer boutiques and galleries, Hooch is easy to miss if you’re not looking for it. Descend the staircase to the den-like space that feels equal parts saloon and speakeasy with its brick-clad and wooden walls, worn-in leather couches, and crystal chandeliers hanging overhead. Craft cocktails riff on classics, like the Old Fashioned-inspired “The Gentleman,” a blend of bourbon, Lillet Blanc, and génépy herbal liqueur. If you prefer to sip your drink neat or on the rocks, you’ll also find an impressive collection of rare spirits.

You can’t say you’ve been to Aspen until you’ve shopped western wear at the flagship Kemo Sabe, whose customizable hats have become a staple at après-ski. Go for the iconic Kemo Sabe Grit, the shop’s own line of beaver and rabbit felt hats produced by hand following a century-old process. If you want to embrace the full spirit of the west, you can also custom design a pair of boots—which take about 18 weeks to craft at the Kemo Sabe Grit Boot Ranch in Texas—or pick up a hand-engraved sterling silver buckle designed by expert silversmiths.

Aspen Mountain may be a winter favorite for its unparalleled après-ski scene at Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro, but in summer, the popular spot for an al fresco lunch is the Sundeck—especially on Sundays when some of the top bluegrass bands in the state are playing at the 11,000-foot-high perch. Hike to the top along the steep Ute Trail, which starts downtown and climbs nearly a thousand vertical feet in under a mile to the namesake Ute Rock. Catch your breath while taking in sweeping shots of Aspen before pushing another 2,000 vertical feet to the top, where you can linger over a long lunch and relax on the way back down to town in the comfort of the Silver Queen Gondola.