Salida, Colorado

Salida is one of the more relaxed and better-value towns here, a river town whose downtown sits inside the state's largest historic district. The Arkansas River runs right past the brick blocks, and the whitewater park's man-made waves draw kayakers, river surfers and people who just sit on the bank with a beer and watch. Mountain bike trails climb out of town, rafting trips run on the Arkansas through the summer, and Monarch Mountain is the low-key ski hill for winter. It works well for a group with mixed energy levels: some on the river, some on the trails, everyone back downtown for dinner.