Though it's named after the latitude of Aspen, come 3 o'clock in the afternoon, 39 Degrees feels like it's the center of the universe. Located inside the Sky Hotel, this is the most happening après scene in town for the youngish crowd. The lounge is retro, with spiky silver Sputnik chandeliers, low-slung sofas, and a fireplace. For après eats, try the Italian meatball sliders or the bruschetta with spinach and fontina cheese. Don't miss a peek at the pool area out the window—and bring your swimsuit if you'd like a piece of the action. The hotel hot tubs are open to all those with a 39 Degrees tab.

Open daily noon to 1:30 am.

The place to go for live music, period. With long lines that sometime wind around the block, the club can seem like a scene from another city. But once you get inside the large, tiered room, with rich wood chairs lined up along the low bars overlooking the stage and round bar tables huddled into cozy booths, you'll know you're far from a dingy city club. And the acoustics are amazing, too. Go to the Web site for upcoming shows.

Opens nightly at 8 pm.

This isn't your boss's Beaver Creek. The slope-side Coyote Cafe, a fave of the mountain staff, is a refreshing alternative to the swank that's been steamrolled across the village. Inside, you'll find a Corona logo–bedecked kayak and a disco ball hanging from the ceiling, and a buffalo head mounted on the brick wall. The clientele can be as colorful as the decor: Lift operators, ski school instructors, and snow bunnies stream in at 4 pm and again after 10 pm for late-night action until 1 am. The tap selection includes Dos Equis and Fat Tire along with the standard Bud and Bud Light, or you can try your luck with a $58 pitcher of Cougar margaritas made with Corzo Añejo tequila.—Sarah Tuff

Open daily 8 am to 1 am.

A chain bar and restaurant with three other locations in Colorado, the Boot is kicking from 3 to 5 pm, when for just $6 patrons can get some pretty decent grub (quesadillas, fish tacos) along with a draft beer. Like the Coyote Café, it's got an over-the-top margarita (the 46-ounce Platinum for $200). But mostly it's an island of good value—where mostly regular Joes tip back cans of PBR and shots of tequila—in a sea of Veuve Clicquot and caviar. Though the blond wood and bright lights don't scream Alpine coziness, the tin ceiling and cowboy posters are nice touches, and there are 16 beers on tap.—Sarah Tuff

Open daily noon to 10 pm.

With its enormous deck at the bottom of the Eagle Bahn gondola, the bar is an après-ski people-watching magnet—especially during the March–April spring season. ("Is she wearing a bikini?") It's also known for its daily drink specials and overall kicked-back vibe.

It only seems like the Last Dollar Saloon exclusively sells Budweiser longnecks. A scruffy (but fully stocked) spot with a pool table, fireplace, and Clapton's "I Shot the Sheriff" on the jukebox, it shouts a happy dive vibe. Beware the nickname: The Last Dollar is usually called the Buck by the same unintentionally misleading locals who call Colorado Avenue "Main Street."

Open daily at 3 pm.

You can't throw a stein in the Sheridan without hitting a Realtor, but they're generally convivial these days (Telluride's in the midst of a record real estate boom). Besides, the bar's usually too loud for them to hard-sell much. Telluride's oldest watering hole (inside the New Sheridan hotel), the Sheridan retains a 19th-century elegance with mahogany paneling, a hand-carved bar, and a giant, vintage painting of a Rubenesque nude.

This elbow-to-elbow packed bar, where ski-boot-clad revelers gather in Vail Village after a day on the hill, has a great selection of local microbrews. There's also live acoustic music nightly—expect to hear some Elton John and the occasional Goo Goo Dolls riff. Beat the crowds by reserving a table in advance on the website.

Owned by three young guys, this is party central in Vail Village, complete with $15 cocktails. The nightclub draws a young, sexy crowd gabbing on their Razr cell phones. The gimmick is themed rooms—including a 1950s jukebox room, disco dance floor, and a smoking lounge.

If Austin Powers were in town, there's one place you'd find him here, pinky in the air, at the Lucite bar. Opened in 2007, Social restaurant and lounge has candy-colored chairs and funky flowered wallpaper stuck to every flat surface. The menu is global tapas and the cocktail list reads like a pretentious travel guide, from the San Tropez (with absinthe, cognac, champagne) to the Hong Kong (iced green tea with Chivas). When it gets late and the restaurant clears, head upstairs to the cozy wine bar.

Let's face it: Few things taste better after a long day of skiing, at least to carnivores, than a heaping bucket of chicken wings. That's why Monday nights at the Bavarian-themed Tap Room, when all-you-can-eat wings are just $7.95, are packed with anyone who might be pinching pennies around Vail. The $3.50 Colorado lagers from 3 to 6 pm every day are a big draw, too. The best spot in this bar is at one of the deck tables: Skip that last run to stake out a spot with a view.—Sarah Tuff