Thanks for all the great replies!

Hopefully I can make it to all of the places mentioned. As stated, GF and I just started hiking. We both really enjoy being outdoors, and hiking seems to be a perfect fit. Obviously, as seasons change we will find different opportunities throughout the west. Right now I am focusing on Labor Day weekend.

Aspen, Tahoe, Santa Fe, Seattle, Portland (and Vancouver) are on the short list, but I really appreciate the "local" in-state alternatives and will try these on "normal" weekends sooner rather than later (August/September/October). The in-state choices probably provide us the luxury of less planning than a Labor Day weekend getaway requires, and some might even be day trips from OC.

Aspen looks like a lot of fun and offers mountain biking and rafting as well (as I'm sure other destinations do). There are good restaurants and plenty do after hiking. The prices are a little steep.

I will look at the other cities mentioned next.

Thanks for the great ideas so far...