I have confirmed that I will continue on to Denver and then Santa Barbara after my upcoming ski trip in and around Salt Lake City.

I’ve never officially been to Denver (only flown through), but the city has long been on my radar. In addition to boasting the nearby Rocky Mountains, it’s one of the sunniest cities in the United States. I will spend the second half of the trip downtown at the Hotel Teatro, which has been voted one of the top 500 hotels in the world by readers of Travel and Leisure (every year since 2009).

Then it’s on to Santa Barbara, the birthplace of Wake and Wander and #3 on my list of the best happy hour spots of 2011. I lived there for two and a half years, and I look forward to returning and seeing things with a fresh pair of eyes after relocating to the east coast in December. Visiting all my old friends and favorite spots will be an obvious bonus.

Santa Barbara Photos: