Mammoth Mountain

Mammoth Lakes can be pretty quiet during the week, but really gets going at weekends as Southern Californians drive in to ski and party. Après-ski options include live music in bars and restaurants, or you can go and soak in a natural hot spring with panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.

The new Village at Mammoth offers a variety of dining and drinking establishments. The Yodler Bar and Pub, across from Main Lodge, is a Swiss chalet with California atmosphere for après-ski cocktails, a casual dinner or snacks at lunchtime, but it shuts at 9:00 pm. Thunder Mountain Bar is a warm and cozy upstairs lounge at Main Lodge, where you can get hot drinks, beer and a variety of delicious appetizers, plus fantastic views of the Unbound Main terrain park and the blue Broadway trail.

If you want some retail therapy, there are plenty of sports stores and factory outlets for the big names, where you can get designer labels at a discount. In fact, the streets of Mammoth Lakes are lined with gift stores and galleries.