China is still on its week-long National Day holiday when many choose to travel abroad with their families and friends. But for some Beijing residents, getting away from it all doesn't have to be a long and tiring journey. I packed my bag and headed two hours north of the Chinese capital, to discover a whole town that's on vacation, every weekend.

Nestled between the Taihang and Yan mountain ranges is a little piece of paradise. Trickling streams meander through lush gardens; expensive cars stand outside beautiful wooden houses. Flowers beam proudly from every nook and cranny of this carefully created heaven. 

Jackson Hole China is an almost exact replica of Jackson Hole Wyoming which itself is inspired from the American Wild West.

US architect Allison Smith was charged with creating an entire resort community from scratch. What she came up with is a breathtaking 900-hometown, part Wild West, part playground for the super-rich, sprinkled with an intoxicating dose of Chinese characteristics.

This place is certainly quirky, and it's true the architecture does have a "wild west" thing to it. You are surrounded by the mountains but these aren't the only reasons that people flock to Jackson Hole. They come here for a reason that's whole more human than that.

I've come to the Orenda Tribe Drama Club for a rehearsal of their latest offering, "Thunderstorm," a dizzying tale of intrigue, scandal and human foibles. They rehearse at weekends, under the watchful eye of professional actress Xu Songzi. And they always begin with a good old-fashioned warm-up.

She's starred in many Chinese epics, but Xu Songzi is now devoting her talent to leading this merry band of amateurs to glory in front of the foot-lights.

"The residents here love art, and they all had dreams when they were young. Some can play the violin, some can sing. All dreamed about being actors or actresses. But they didn't engage in this field, and the dreams were put aside. Unexpectedly, I came to this community and call upon them to join the drama club. There is no selection process. Anyone can join us," said Xu.

That spirit of inclusiveness pervades everything here. It's a place to live your dreams, and hundreds of Beijingers decamp at weekends to learn to act, arrange flowers, climb mountains, whatever takes their fancy.

And what better hobby to indulge to your heart's content than the love of good wine? This is Jackson Hole's famous wine-tasting competition. Once a week, they gather, with their noses sharp and their taste buds keen to guess the grape and the vintage.

"I came over, on most occasions just by myself. I didn't really cook. At dinner time, I just pack up several bottles of good wine. Then I will find the best place for dinner. If you knock on someone's doors, they would say: 'You can join us, we have sufficient food.' So that's really impressing. It's something I can't find anywhere else," said a Jackson Hole resident.

And that's where I ended my first night in this creative paradise, breaking bread under the mountains. I've been invited to join the Jackson Hole residents, and it's here, with plentiful wine and fresh food and smiling faces, that I truly fell in love with this place – and fell in love with China all over again.

(Top image from Orenda.com)