If you’re familiar with the classic movie Dumb & Dumber, chances are that you may remember a now-famous quote about the little mountain town that we recently visited. According to Jim Carrey/Lloyd, he and Harry need to travel to “A place where the beer flows like wine. Where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. I’m talking about a little place called Aspen.” There is zero chance that I could write this post without quoting those hilarious lines.
Patrick and I flew to Colorado (I wrote about it here), and we spent a week seeing family and enjoying Snowmass Village and Aspen. We tested out the “flowing” beer, recalled the familiar “pizza” and “French fry” movements of skiing, and sampled lots of delicious food at local restaurants. In typical Colorado fashion, we had summer-weather-like days and also some snow. We were in town to celebrate my brother’s and Patrick’s birthdays (they are just a day apart), so we spent a good amount of time relaxing, hot tubbing, and, of course, cheers-ing. Read below to see the travel, activity, and restaurant details of our seven-night stay.
For the first part of our trip, we stayed in Snowmass Village (about twenty minutes from Aspen). We didn’t rent a car since we were visiting my brother and his fiancé and we could use theirs, but there is an easy, free shuttle bus system in Snowmass and Aspen. While we were in Snowmass, we focused on skiing, and once we were in Aspen, we spent more time walking around, shopping, exploring, and relaxing.
Travel:
Our flights were changed for our departure and return flights (thanks, United lol), but I think the easiest way to get to Aspen from Santa Barbara is to fly from Santa Barbara Airport to Denver International Airport and then to Aspen Airport. You can also fly to Denver and drive to Aspen (about a four-hour drive). We didn’t want to have to deal with driving in case there was a snowstorm, so we chose to fly directly into Aspen. As a bonus, the flight from Denver to Aspen was absolutely stunning.
Ski:
Snowmass Mountain: This mountain has the most vertical feet in the entire country. We skied here our first day. You could spend the entire trip just skiing this mountain if you wanted to explore all 4,406 vertical feet.
Aspen Highlands: If you are an expert skier, this is most likely going to be your mountain. There’s backcountry skiing at the Highland Bowl too. I skied this one day and it was wayyy out of my league. I did achieve my dream of dining at Cloud Nine (see below in post) at long last.
Buttermilk Mountain: This is a terrific mountain for beginners, and we spent our third day of skiing checking out lots of the green and blue runs here. This is also where the Winter X Games are held. Every closing day, Buttermilk Mountain has Bacon Day, so we were able to ski and eat some delicious bacon on the mountain (a very random but welcome surprise).
Aspen Mountain (a.k.a. Ajax): I personally did not ski here this trip, but it’s a mountain for intermediate and advanced skiers, so probably not my cup of tea lol. It is known for having complex runs.
Visit:
Aspen Art Museum: This is a free, on-the-small-side contemporary art museum. The building itself is beautiful and there is a stunning rooftop complete with a cafe. I enjoyed the exhibits (one was closed for turnover), and the museum is nearby and very walkable from the main Aspen area.
John Denver Sanctuary: I am a huge John Denver fan. I walked down the aisle to Annie’s Song, and John Denver and his poetic lyrics will always hold a special place in my heart. This sanctuary is free, gorgeous, and very walkable. It’s adjacent to a stream and there are large rocks that line the pathway that are engraved with song lyrics and quotes. The sanctuary is very serene and is located next to the Rio Grande park.
Dine (Snowmass):
The Stew Pot: My husband’s favorite place to go. Casual spot with comfort food.
Fuel Cafe: Great for a to-go breakfast burrito before you hit the slopes.
The Artisan: Located within The Stonebridge Inn, this restaurant/bar has a fabulous happy hour.
Il Poggio: Delicious upscale Italian restaurant.
Venga Venga Cantina & Tequila Bar: Great drinks and Mexican food.
New Belgium Ranger Station: We (shockingly) didn’t go here on this trip, but this is a convenient beer stop since it’s slope side.
Dine (Aspen):
Home Team BBQ: Inside the Inn at Aspen, this restaurant is at the base of Buttermilk. Amazing barbecue.
The Lounge: Located within The Limelight hotel, this restaurant/ bar has a fantastic happy hour.
Cloud Nine Aspen Bistro: Ski-in (or snowcat) restaurant on Aspen Highlands Mountain. Known for lots of champagne drinking and delicious fondue.
Caribou Club: This is a private member’s club, but if you have an invite/chance to go, do it! It’s a very formal, classy, and charming place to dine.
Aspen Public House: Gastropub with wonderful food and drinks.
Aspen Tap: Relaxed taproom and brewpub.
White House Tavern: A sister restaurant to our beloved Honor Bar in Montecito, the Tavern has a very similar (and equally delicious) menu.
Meat & Cheese Restaurant and Farm Shop: Very cute restaurant and marketplace for food and drinks.
Su Casa: Laid-back Mexican restaurant and tequila bar.
J-Bar: Located within the Hotel Jerome (gorgeous, historic hotel), this saloon setting offers terrific cocktails and a lively atmosphere.
Mezzaluna: Italian spot with a nice happy hour.
The Red Onion: This was unfortunately closed when we visited, but we have been to this bar before. It’s Aspen’s oldest historic restaurant and bar and has a very fun vibe.
Pine Creek Cookhouse: We went here on a previous visit – read this post that I wrote all about our experience.
Wherever you go in the Snowmass/Aspen area, I’m sure that you will enjoy the views, shopping, food, and skiing. If you visit during the off-season, Aspen also offers fantastic biking and hiking trails as well. If you need additional inspiration, you can always rewatch Dumb & Dumber ;).
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