'Most expensive' US vacation spot located in Colorado

For outdoor recreation lovers planning a visit to Colorado, there's plenty of free adventure to be had in the Centennial State. That being said, costs can tend to stack up quickly in resort towns if they're allowed to do so. For those familiar with mountain town vacations, it may come as no surprise that data shows one of the most expensive – if not the most expensive – American getaways is located in Colorado.

A data analysis conducted by Optimos Travel recently sought to determine which American vacation spots cost the most (and least) money, taking a look at more than 100 popular vacation spots across four categories of criteria – meals, transportation, accommodations, and attraction fees.

The company determined the country's most expensive vacation spot was Aspen, Colorado, with a week-long vacation costing $5,329.72 for an individual traveler or $13,691.61 for a family of four. For an individual, the daily cost ends up being around $761 per day.

"Here, indulgence is in every detail," wrote the publication about this Pitkin County mountain town. Meals end up costing about $100 per day and accommodations can cost around $500 per night. The only place where savings really occurs, in fact, is with local transportation, which tends to cost a low $7 per day.

To put that $5,329.72 cost for an individual on a seven-day Aspen vacation into perspective, the cheapest vacation spot in the country was determined to be Outer Banks, North Carolina, with a seven-day cost of only $1,237. Other mountain destinations were also much cheaper, with Gatlinburg, Tennessee and Bend, Oregon costing costing the individual $1,350 and $1,499 for seven days of travel, respectively.

Of course, there's a big loophole when it comes to the high costs of Aspen, and that's to escape into nature. Camping remains cheap, if not free, in many places and pre-planned campsite meals are a great way to save on food costs. Plus, camping allows for an up-close way to experience the natural setting that makes this world-renowned spot so noteworthy.

Whether you're willing and able to spend big bucks for an in-town experience or prefer to 'rough it' in a tent, there's no doubt that Aspen is a spot that belongs on any outdoor recreation lover's bucket list.

Find the full breakdown from Optimos Travel here.

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