Today, I’m highlighting what to see and do in Aspen, Colorado. We went in the off-season which means it wasn’t ski season or summer peak season. It’s called off-season because the weather can often be unpredictable. More about that in a moment.
Just a few days before this photo was taken it was in the 70s in Aspen. It started snowing the first evening we were there. It ended up snowing so much that they opened the skiing back up through June. We definitely were not prepared clothing wise.
HOW TO GET THERE:
We flew into Denver and got on a short 20 minute flight to Aspen. The runway is extremely short and only a few pilots are certified to fly into here. We got to Aspen above the airport and had a mechanical issue and had to go back. Apparently this happens a lot because of weather or winds that the plane can’t land and gets rerouted. Just keep this in mind if you fly in. We were supposed to arrive Thursday at 7 pm and did’t arrive until Friday at 9 am which was fine for us because we didn’t have a hotel to cancel or plans set in stone. The drive from Denver is 4 hours if that is something you’d like to opt for but the roads can be difficult at times.
WHERE TO STAY:
We stayed at a family member’s place but if we hadn’t done that I would recommend using http://www.airbnb.com or http://www.vrbo.com to find a condo rental. The St. Regis Hotel is another great option although can be pricey depending on the season you choose.
HOW TO GET AROUND:
We took a taxi from the airport and scheduled a car to pick us up for our departure. We walked everywhere we went. Ubers are almost nonexistent in the office season. Bike rentals are also available. If you stay in downtown you won’t need a vehicle.
WHAT TO DO:
Visit Maroon Bells. Unfortunately, there was an avalanche the week we traveled to Aspen on the road going out to Maroon Bells so it was only accessible by bicycle and you’d have to carry your bike hundreds of yards over the snow mass. We decided against that since we’re not in that great of shape. I highly advising calling the local park rangers before you visit to see current conditions. If I had done this before the day we actually wanted to visit I’d have known we couldn’t. That was a huge bummer but honestly all on me since I didn’t check before we got into town. During the summer you can actually take a bus out t
Visit shops and museums in downtown Aspen. There are so many places to explore and are an easy walk. The plus about off-season? You have virtually the entire town to yourself.
See a show at Belly Up. We saw Boombox perform one night. The reserved tickets allow you to sit in assigned seats and a waitress will come and serve you food and drinks. This is such a cool venue because literally every famous person has performed here. Their pictures are all over the walls and the date they performed.
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK:
*Matsuhisa Sushi was good! We made reservations via the Open Table app before and shared everything we ordered.
*HOPS Culture was a lunch stop one day. They have tons of local beers on tap and great bar food. The wait staff here was very nice and enjoyable to visit with!
*Jimmy’s Bar & Restaurant was a stop one evening for crab cakes and drinks before dinner. We sat in the front part in the bar area. Great view of the mountain! (Pictured a few photos above with the drink)
*Mi Chola was dinner one night. Great Mexican food and Prickly Pear Margarita’s!
*Ryno’s Pub & Pizzeria was recommended by a local. We had lunch here one day and played games in the arcade. A fun place to hang out and eat. They do pizza by the slice here and it’s huge!
*Silver City is probably our favorite bar in the town. We accidentally happened upon it too! We were leaving the concert and heard country music playing from underground and discovered it. There’s pool tables in the back and country vibes all around. We actually came here two nights because we liked it so much!
*St. Regis Hotel Bar for appetizers and drinks. It has the coziest ski lodge vibes with couches and fireplaces everywhere! The boys enjoyed an old fashioned while the gals sipped on St. Germain Spritzers. Such a nice place to relax and keep warm while it continued to snow outside!
Hope you got some great ideas for your upcoming Aspen trip! Questions about anything we did? Feel free to leave a comment so I can answer! Safe travels!
Love,
Megan