Apres-ski revs up at the Day Lodge every afternoon. On Fridays and Saturdays only, end up at the Eagle’s Eye at the summit for drinks and starters, then ride the gondola back down. Corks at the Copper Horse Lodge gets chatty with local beers and wine with contemporary music playing in the background. Try some of the tasty appetizers to tide you over.

For some raucous nightlife, head into Golden to The Lodge. Locals refer to it as a “peeler” bar and tell us that “fresh meat” Mondays are the rowdiest since that’s opening night on the circuit for the new “peeler” of the week (if you don’t know what a “peeler” is, think “better than a wet T-shirt contest”).

Mad Trapper is a pub with pool tables and lots of locals. Packers, a dance bar, spotlights live bands on weekends, djs on Thursdays and Fridays, playing danceable rock and Top 40 tunes. If you hate to dance, vie for the pool tables. Otherwise, downtown Golden hasn’t grown into its apres-ski and nightlife britches. Yet.