2. FREE CONCERTS My wife, Ellen, and I take our kids (with a picnic basket and blanket in tow) to enjoy the Snowmass Free Concert Series at Fanny Hill (snowmassvillage. com). With family, friends and the mountains in the background, this is the perfect summer respite. For a special treat we stop by The Sweet Life (thesweetlifeinc.com) for ice cream and other goodies.

3. LOCAL THEATER I love taking the kids to Jayne Gottlieb’s children’s theater productions to see the valley’s most talented young actors and singers. This summer’s performances include Evita and The Sound of Music. Visit jgptheatre.com.

4. MCCLURE PASS TO PAONIA Drive this mountain pass during the fall and enjoy the brilliant scenery: aspen groves and scrub oaks, as they change from green to bright yellows, vivid oranges and eye-popping reds. Before returning to Aspen, stop at the local farm stands to pick the last of the season’s harvest. Visit paoniachamber.com.

5. RIDE FOR THE CURE There are few things like Komen Aspen’s 100-mile Ride for the Cure. The gorgeous views and crisp mountain air help ease the pain as you cycle your way through Snowmass Village, Maroon Bells, Woody Creek, Lenado, the Monastery and back to Snowmass Village. With breast cancer affecting one in eight women, this is a great ride for an important cause. Visit komenaspen.org.

6. RIO GRANDE TRAIL I bike the Rio Grande Trail from where I live, in Carbondale, to Aspen and back. It’s a little challenging on cold, early-summer mornings, but the ride home is always a joy as I gently descend 2,000 vertical feet. Visit aspenchamber.org.

7. AJAX TAVERN I love having dinner on Ajax Tavern’s (thelittlenell.com) outdoor patio. My favorite items include the raw-bar selections and the Ajax double cheeseburger with their signature truffle fries. I work off the extra calories—and a bit of guilt—with a cross-town stroll to the Music Festival’s tent (aspenmusicfestival.com) to listen to Bach’s Brandenburg concertos.

8. BOOGIE’S BASH At this outdoor celebration on July 3, you can enjoy wine-paired samplings from the area’s best chefs, bid on incredible silent-auction items and then dance the night away. Visit buddyprogram.org.

9. THE UTE TRAIL With 19 switchbacks and an 1,160-foot vertical rise, this grind is just under a mile long. Catch your breath at the top of the steep rock outcropping and catch eagle-eye views of both Independence Pass and the entire town of Aspen. Visit aspenchamber.org.

10. CAPITAL PEAK OUTFITTERS Taking the kids horseback riding or fly-fishing on high alpine lakes—both with views of Capital Peak—is an experience like no other. It reminds us of exactly why we live here. Visit capitolpeak.com.