Salt flats (a.k.a. salt pans) aren’t meant for swimming but are worth a visit nonetheless. The Bonneville Salt Flats are the largest ones you can find west of the famous Great Salt Lake. In prehistoric times, this was a big lake.
If you visit in the winter, the pan actually contains almost one inch of water. It gives it a glassy, ethereal look. Scenes from many motion pictures are shot here specifically because of its intense, otherworldly sheen.
Vail, Colorado is a quaint mountain town with a European feel. Built to resemble a European mountain resort, it is said by some travel bloggers to look like a pedestrian-friendly village square complete with restaurants and boutiques. Visit in the summer and you can go canoeing in the numerous surrounding lakes such as Booth, Gore or Piney Lake. You can go hiking and ride the gondolas and take in the mountain views and in the winter ski the back bowls.