Three Western Destinations Beckon Nature Enthusiasts and Adventure Types with Activities and Natural Beauty

Victoria, British Columbia

Affectionately known as the Garden City, Victoria is a pristine, fairy-tale locale poised on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. It evokes a real-life Hallmark movie set with numerous manicured parks, gardens and ocean views.

Founded in 1904, The Butchart Gardens stretches 55 acres with five distinct gardens and a working carousel. For a comprehensive sampling of local fare, from dumplings to street tacos (while walking off the calories), opt for a culinary tour with Off the Eaten Track, led by local expert Bonnie Todd. Take a stroll down Fan Tan Alley—a very narrow road known for its mix of art galleries and small boutiques, such as Saltspring Soapworks, a family-run skin care company featuring hand soaps and hair products made with naturally sourced ingredients.

Offload luggage and hunker down at the ultra-glam Fairmont Empress, situated directly across from the dreamy Inner Harbour waterfront. For 117 years, the legendary 431-room hotel has played host to countless Hollywood luminaries and notable guests including Queen Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill and Katharine Hepburn. Don your best fascinator for traditional afternoon tea featuring honey culled from the on-site apiary and lavender plucked from the property’s garden. Or indulge in a Coastal Retreat treatment including a full-body exfoliation, massage, hair treatment and facial massage at the Fairmont Spa. This summer, the hotel debuts a refresh of its storied lounge, The Bengal.

Vail, Colorado

Consider Vail the Rocky Mountains’ version of Bavaria, decked with Tyrolean architecture, cobblestone streets and wooden footbridges reminiscent of storybook villages. Known for some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the world—with an average elevation of 8,150 feet at the base of the mountains—Vail is also a popular spring and summer destination for mountain biking, golf, fly-fishing and hiking.

Above: Montage Big Sky

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At the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, visit the Alpine House with a tufa rock garden (a type of po-rous limestone) and approximately 200 species of plants. Take in the scenery from 10,000 feet on the Eagle Bahn Gondola, or venture on a guided backcountry jeep excursion with Timberline Tours.

Situated in Vail Village and a quick walk to the base of Vail Mountain, Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail  sparkles with 133 sophisticated modern mountain guest rooms, suites and residences layered in tranquil tones of gray, caramel and creme with gas fireplaces, soaking tubs, and balconies or terraces boasting views of the mountain, garden or village. Hit the slopes (the season typically runs until April 20) with help from experts at The Chalet , a new standalone building at the base of Gondola One replete with a lounge stocked with refreshments, concierge services, equipment rentals, and locker rooms housing boot and glove dryers. Check in for a total reset at the resort’s reimagined spa, with menu options including the 80-minute Grounded Rest Ritual designed to alleviate excess tension in the back and feet. Post-spa, replenish with handmade pasta and signature cocktails at the newly opened upscale Italian eatery Tavernetta Vail.

Big Sky, Montana

Located 45 miles south of the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport, Big Sky has long been a preferred destination for skiing and snowboarding. Big Sky Resort is fun for skiers of all levels thanks to 5,850 skiable acres and a season that extends into late April. The resort is home to the new Madison 8, an eight-place chairlift featuring ergonomic, extra-wide heated seats and fully enclosed weatherproof bubbles. Big Sky Resort’s highly anticipated 73-room lakefront property, One&Only Moonlight Basin, opens this summer. TheLanding at One&Only Sky Lodge, with direct gondola access from the Madison Base Area, is now open for dining and après-ski.

At Lone Mountain Ranch, homesteaded in 1915 as a cattle and hay-cutting ranch and trans-formed into a guest destination in the 1970s, tap into summer camp days with archery and guided horseback riding. In the walking village called Town Center, ponder works by contempo-rary Western artists Miles Glynn, Ben Pease and Kenneth Peloke at Courtney Collins Fine Art.

The ski-in/ski-out Montage Big Sky, surrounded by the Spanish Peaks mountains, has seemingly everything needed under one roof including a pub and a bowling alley. Distinguished by locally sourced wood and cozy modern décor, the property is the epitome of luxury, with 139 rooms and 39 residences with features such as full gourmet kitchens, and laundry, media and game rooms.