1. Eat up

Head for breakfast in Old Town, referred to by all as "downtown" Steamboat Springs (remember, the Main Street in Steamboat is Lincoln Avenue, a.k.a. U.S. Highway 40). Once you hit the street, it's hard to say no to the Frisbee-sized homemade cinnamon rolls that billow off the plates at Winona's Restaurant and Bakery (617 Lincoln Ave.). Although owner Jamie McQuade will not reveal any top-secret bun specifics, she does hint that cream cheese and sunflower seeds are at play in the recipe.

2. Hit the trail

With the hum of Lincoln Avenue construction, one could argue the merits of the Yampa River Core Trail as Steamboat's true summer Main Street. This seven-mile, multi-use trail parallels the Yampa River through Steamboat from Walton Creek Road on the east to the James Brown Soul Center of the Universe Bridge on the west.

3. Stop and smell the roses

"Every week it's different, with the flowers constantly progressing and changing," Yampa River Botanic Park supervisor Gayle Noonan said, noting the array of hearty plants and flowers that can thrive in a mountain climate with only 60 frost-free days. The park features 30 gardens and a variety of ponds. "It provides a nice place for people to go and do what they want, plus it's free."

4. Look back

Revel in downtown Steamboat's historic past. The Tread of Pioneers Museum (on the northwest corner of Eight and Oak Streets) in conjunction with Historic Routt County offers a pair of free, weekly walking tours throughout July and August, focusing on the historic buildings and the architecture of downtown or exploring Steamboat's Olympic heritage centered around Howelsen Hill. Call 879-2214 for details.

5. Go for a ride

Take a lift up and a ride down Howelsen Hill. Head to Howelsen for the Howler Alpine Slide. Ride the Barrows double chairlift 440 feet up Howelsen, hop on a plastic sled and see if you can break the 43-second record down the 2,400-foot open tube.

6. Get a lift

The Steamboat Ski Area gondola takes you to the Thunderhead Peak at more than 9,000 feet. From there, choose from the network of hiking trails to the 50 miles of mountain biking trails at the ski area, whether you decide to cruise back down on a mountain bike, one of the Diggler mountain scooters available for rent in Gondola Square, or the old fashioned way on foot.

7. Scope the Falls

If you have time for only one physical site to size up, make it Fish Creek Falls, the iconic, cascading 283-footer originally pictured on cans of Coors beer. Fish Creek Falls is a three-mile drive from downtown (off Lincoln Ave., go one block north on Third Street, turn right and go east out Fish Creek Falls Road) and an easy, wide and smooth 1/4-mile walk down to the bridge at the base of the falls. The ante can be upped by extending the hike. Remember the Forest Service charges $5 per vehicle per day.

8. Eat again

You're on vacation, right? As long as you're working calories off by walking along the Core Trail, you should indulge in the most hedonistic riverside fare. No appetite will be forgotten with the culinary conquest of finishing either the pulled pork delight of a Cochon De Lait at Sunpie's Bistro (735 Yampa St.) or the hot-link infused legendary Z-Burger at Double Z Bar & Bar*B*Q (1124 Yampa St.).

9. Tour the springs

There's a reason the town is named Steamboat Springs. If you're still on the Core Trail outside Bud Werner Memorial Library, cross the Yampa River to see the original Steamboat Spring. Head back to West Lincoln Park, where Soda Spring and Sulphur Spring come bubbling out of the ground. Cross Lincoln Avenue to see the rusty Iron Springs. Each spring is clearly marked with information and a map to help you get to the next stop.

10. Time to soak

Now that you've soaked Steamboat in, it's time to soak in Steamboat. Old Town Hot Springs, at Third Street and Lincoln Avenue, provides the most convenient soaking option in town and recently remodeled pools and pair of 230-foot slides (www.oldtownhotsprings.org). If you have time, the seven-mile trip to the Strawberry Park Hot Springs north of town on Routt County Road 36, with the final two miles on rustic dirt road, is well worth the trip. To get there, head east on Fish Creek Falls Road and take a quick left at Amethyst Drive to connect to C.R. 36.