Off-season, ski resorts are less expensive and less crowded—and the perfect destination for healthy travel
Hit Up Healthy Festivals In Telluride, Colorado
Whether you’re into yoga, music, food, or wine, Telluride has a festival for you. The Telluride Yoga Festival in July offers four solid days of yoga, hiking, meditations, SUP yoga, workshops, and more. Come August, you can forage for your supper during the annual Telluride Mushroom Festival. Stay at the Madeline Hotel and Residences, where the hotel staff will guide you on a hunt for wild onions, edible flowers, and a variety of mushrooms, and then let you enjoy the bounty at a four-course mushroom dinner. (They also have special deals and rates during these and the town’s myriad other festivals.)
Paddle and Kayak In Maine
When you visit the Maine ski and golf resort Sugarloaf in the summer, you’ll pay up to 50 percent less than you would in wintertime—and still have tons of fit activities to choose from. In addition to golfing, you can rent kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, which you’ll use on serene Flagstaff Lake, just seven miles from the resort. (Before you go, check out our Beginner’s Guide to Stand-Up Paddleboarding.)
Hike National Parks Near Big Sky, Montana
Big Sky Resort, which costs 30 to 50 percent less in summer than in winter, has more than 40 miles of chair-lift accessible hiking and mountain biking trails right at their Mountain Village, which then connect to the U.S. Forest Service National Trails System. You can also use the resort as a basecamp to Yellowstone National Park, which is just an hour drive away. (Been there? Check out 10 More Picturesque National Parks Worth Hiking.)
Go Whitewater Rafting In Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Whether you’re into major rapids or a more scenic float, or prefer a day trip or an overnight one, Barker-Ewing Whitewater has a river ride to suit you. The company, which meets you for trips right near the major ski resorts in Jackson Hole, will take you on rides down the Snake River, complete with riverside picnics.
Take a Wellness Getaway In Beaver Creek, Colorado
When you want to recharge in a healthy way, head to The Osprey at Beaver Creek, where you can book one of three wellness-oriented retreats. Their “Trek to Table” package sets you up with all the gear you need, as well as an après-hike chef’s plate and glass of wine, while the “Adventure to Après” adds a hiking guide. And if you want to add a post-hike rubdown, book the “Wellness & Wilderness” package, which also includes a massage treatment. (Climbing doesn’t just benefit your body; read How Hiking Can Help With Depression.)
Go Fly Fishing Near Park City, Utah
Spend a day perfecting your cast while wading into the Weber or Provo River, just 25 minutes from downtown Park City. All Seasons Adventures will hook you up with a fishing license and gear, pick you up at your hotel, and take you out with an experienced guide who will help you make your first catch.
Explore the Tree Tops In Vermont
On a TreeTop Adventure at Stowe Mountain Resort, you’ll zipline, walk suspended bridges, climb nets and rope ladders, and more. With six levels of courses and 68 different challenges, it’ll just keep getting more and more challenging—and thrilling.
