Beach pro: Bikini bods, scaling back on clothing
Beach con: Something scaly brushing past your leg in the water (eek!)
Mountains pro: Mother Nature in all her glory
Mountains con: Snow all up in your boots, wet socks
Put down that pros-and-cons list and let your emotions take control: Choosing a favorite between the beach and the mountains is more fun when you feed that online home-shopping addiction and compare actual homes for sale. From real estate in Salt Lake City, UT (think alpine cabins just moments from the slopes), to beachfront cottages on Cape Cod, MA, we pit five mountain properties against comparable listings by the water (and in some cases, directly on the beach).
Find your favorites, tally up your winners, and then pledge allegiance to surf or snow in the comments below!