Can’t decide between snow, adventure, and the finer arts? We’ve got you covered. This weekend, pack your skis or board and head off to Park City, UT, for their opening day, or explore the hidden rocks of Jewel Cave, SD, to experience some natural beauty. For those with a more refined taste, jet off to London where movie buffs can bid for rare and vintage film posters.

By Diane Kahng and John Cookson

Park City Mountain Resort, Nov. 21
Park City, UT

It’s a good weekend for those of us who dream of powder. This Saturday is opening day for Park City Mountain Resort in Utah. With two lifts and the beginner and main trails ready for action, you can be one of the first to in Park City Summit County to hit the resort’s 3,300 acres of terrain. No special parties are planned since Park City wants to get down to business with some serious skiing and riding. The lift starts operation at 9am, but the line starts forming at 8am, and typically the resort tries to do a small guest-appreciation for their early-risers, giving away lift tickets and other goodies.

Once the entire mountain opens in a few weeks, you can tear up eight bowls of gladed terrain. Carefully designed tree placement has opened up more of the mountain through wooded areas and thirteen of the black diamond and advanced runs are groomed almost every day.

Day tickets usually hover in the low $80 range, although the price will vary about with demand.

Travel and Accommodation

Just 40 miles away from Salt Lake International Airport, this mountain is ideal for those who don’t want to waste any daylight traveling. Check out these deals if you’re planning to stay overnight or think you’ll be coming back for some more Park City powder.

Jewel Cave, Nov. 20-22
Black Hills, SD

Deep in the Black Hills of South Dakota lies the second longest known cave in the world. With 147 miles to explore, Jewel Cave is perfect in the fall and winter when you can avoid the crowds and discover the beauty of this natural rock formation in peace, exploring the eerie fissures filled with brilliant calcite crystals, threads of gypsum, and sheets of calcite.

Tours are offered twice a day right now at very modest prices. It’s recommended that people have some caving experience, but the walking tour is open to the general public. If you are an experienced caver, the wild cave tour is open for five people a tour and lasts for 3-4 hours. Airflow studies prove that most of the cave has yet to be mapped, so if you’re ready to truly descend into the depths, you can volunteer for a survey trip. Just be sure you can go without sunlight for a stretch — the surveys require folks to remain underground for multiple days.

You might think South Dakota is at frigid temperatures these days, but inside the cave is a comfortable 49 degrees Fahrenheit all year round. Pack a light jacket or sweater with some comfortable walking shoes because there are 723 steps to climb.

If you’re feeling a bit claustrophobic after some caving, check out the nearby hiking trails that range from easy to steep.

Travel and Accommodation

Rapid City Regional Airport is approximately 54 miles away from Jewel Cave. If you plan to hit up some other historic sites such as Mount Rushmore, check out these lodging options.

Vintage Film Posters & Film Memorabilia, Nov. 24

London, UK

Cross the Atlantic for cinema and sport during a long weekend in London. On Tuesday, Christie’s in South Kensington is auctioning off an impressive collection of vintage film posters and memorabilia ranging the genres from cult horror and sci-fi to the golden era of the silver screen. Highlights include original posters from James Bond, Hitchcock, and McQueen films, an authentic Superman costume, Disney and Star Wars sketches and props, and the event’s centerpiece, a rare King Kong armature figure from the 1933 classic, which is expected to draw between $160,000 and $250,000. (View online catalogue here.)

Go early to catch some footy on the pitch. On Saturday, Chelsea hosts Wolverhampton at Stamford Bridge in a Premier League match. On Sunday, get a quick meal at Borough Market then head to the O2 Stadium for the start of Barclay’s ATP World Tour Tennis Finals. Of course, London also has museums, more museums, theater, a monarchy, a cathedral, and a glut of pubs to take a pint.

Travel and Accommodation

British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Delta, and Iceland Air are offering flight specials now into Heathrow and Gatwick. Check out the hotels south of the Thames or on the outskirts of the city for more affordable options.