What does one do in Aspen, Colorado for 5 days? The real question is what does one not do? My best friend and I went for her birthday because we wanted adventure - with that being said we mainly wanted to experience skiing and snowboarding in one of the most beautiful places in America! With four mountains for skiing, hiking, fine dining, and top notch shops, Aspen offers a rich look into a perfectly crafted snow globe town.
Even if you don’t ski or snowboard, I’ve got you covered! Below I’ve listed 7 things you can do while visiting this historic Colorado town!
1) EXPLORE DOWNTOWN:
2) CHECK OUT THE ART:
3) EMBRACE THE BREATHTAKING VIEWS:
4) GRAB A BITE TO EAT:
Highlands Alehouse (located at the bottom of Aspen Highlands Mountain):
Jimmy's An American Restaurant & Bar (located in downtown Aspen):
Willow Creek Bistro (located at the bottom of Aspen Highlands Mountain):
Cliffhouse Restaurant (located at the top of Buttermilk Mountain):
Jing (located in downtown Aspen):
Global fusion cuisine sushi and raw bar, we hit them up during happy hour - it was so good and fresh! And the bartender was awesome in answering any questions we had about where to go to next. *Hint hint* if you need to go to the bathroom look at the floor first, the doors are literally hidden into the wall and the light on the floor is the only way you'll find your way in!
Red Onion (located in downtown Aspen):
Aspen's oldest historic restaurant and bar established in 1892. The most chill bar vibe, very popular and reasonably priced for Aspen’s high rates. Check out their website! It's pretty awesome with all the historical, fun pictures of its pastime.
5) SKI AND SNOWBOARD (duhhh!):
Aspen Highlands: "Of the four mountains, Aspen Highlands avoids the spotlight, which is perfectly fine with the locals and in-the-know skiers and riders who tackle its uncrowded slopes. Hike the ridge to Highland Bowl for the sweetest run of your life, or simply cruise along the mid-mountain groomers off the Cloud Nine chairlift. Views over the valley to the snow-covered Maroon Bells constantly will remind you: this is Colorado at its best."
Buttermilk Mountain: (below) "Buttermilk is one mountain with two personalities. Best known around the world for being home to the X Games Aspen, the mountain has become an icon for freestyle riders and skiers, who hit up the Buttermilk Park to see what they’re made of. But the mountain is also easy-going for beginners and families, boasting uncrowded beginner terrain and The Hideout, an innovative learning center for young skiers."
6) GO SNOWMOBILING:
This was SUCH an amazing experience - definitely a must do if you're in Aspen! We went on the 2- hour long Maroon Bells Tour. This tour took us to the Maroon Lake to view the greatly famous Maroon Bells, which happens to be North America’s most photographed peaks.
The tour guides were absolutely amazing - so down to earth and thoroughly explained the history of Ranch, the family who owns it, and the natural wonders of Maroon Creek Valley along the way! The Deane Family has been running this ranch since 1983! Its currently ran by Rick Deane, the son of one of Aspen’s founding fathers and original settlers, Josiah Deane!
On top of snowmobile tours they also offer an endless amount of activities such as horseback riding, fly fishing, and cabin tours. The mountain is also available for wedding and events of all kinds! When it comes to snowmobiling make sure to book your spot in advance, as spots do fill up quickly.
7) RENT AN SUV AND EXPLORE:
FOX Rent A Car (located near Denver Airport) This was our saving grace with getting around! Yes Uber is popular, but not when you’re staying in the mountains with on and off cell service, and not wanting strangers to know exactly where you're located. Also with having your own car you can explore anywhere and there’s nothing holding you back - when we wanted to go to the market, pharmacy, restaurant, etc. we had a car accessible and that was a huge help in making our trip much more easy going!
We got our rental from FOX Rental Cars near Denver airport and everything was pretty simple. We booked it a month in advance and made sure to call (you will be on hold for a while) to guarantee we got a Jeep with four wheel drive. They say calling and doing that on top of the reservation is best, because even then it's still not 100% guaranteed you’ll get what you asked for - it’s based off of availability. Still calling helps your chances and shows your serious interest!
If you're going to Aspen I hope these tips help you out - a beautiful must see place! Also, I will be posting about the (unreal) Airbnb we stayed in while there soon, and about our time spent in Denver! Stay tuned :)
Thanks for stopping by!
xx Ash