Estes Park, Colorado

Estes Park is the town at the eastern entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park, and the park is why you come: Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous highway in the United States, climbs west from here to 12,183 feet. Back in town, a river walk runs between Elkhorn Avenue and the Big Thompson River, the historic Stanley Hotel, open since 1909, sits on the hill above, and elk wander through town on their spring and fall migrations. It sits at 7,743 feet and gets very busy in summer, so check the park's current entry rules before you go. The high stretch of Trail Ridge Road closes from fall into late spring, and the quieter winter town suits snowshoeing more than skiing.