telluride, colorado
This idyllic mountain town is one of my all time favorite destinations. The remote location makes it difficult to access, but upon arrival you are immediately rewarded with breathtaking views, charming streets and a friendly welcome from the (lucky) locals. Wandering around town (and window shopping for a mountain home!) is a fun way to spend an afternoon before indulging in some hearty Colorado speciality of lamb, elk or bison at one of the fabulous steakhouses in town.
Pack... Hiking shoes. And don't forget your layers. It gets chilly fast when the sun goes down at night. And always throw in a bathing suit - hopefully your hotel has a hot tub!
Stay... Lumiere is a fabulous hotel up on the mountain. We stayed in the off season and took advantage of a great special they were running. I truly enjoyed the hot tub and pool each day after hiking. I can only imagine how wonderful this set up is in the winter.
{ eat }
Butcher & Baker Cafe - Must go here for breakfast or lunch. Cool spot and good, casual food.
La Marmotte - Adorable French restaurant in a cozy old building. We enjoyed a nice dinner here.
Brown Dog Pizza - Your standard pizza & beer scene. Recommend if you are in the mood for a casual meal.
Sheridan New Chop House - Amazing steak, as the name implies, but definitely a bit of a splurge
Allred's - Didn't eat here but heard its one of the best meals. It's halfway to the mountain village so you take the gondola to get there. I'm sure they have amazing views.
{ wander }
Hike as much as you can!
Ride the gondola up to Mountain Village (or down to town, depending on where you are staying) for spectacular views
Hike up to Bridal Veil Falls at the end of the box canyon. at 365 feet hight, these are the tallest falls in the state.
Ouray - This is actually a X minute drive from Telluride that we tacked on during our drive home. A cool town that was the home of ice climbing.
And don't forget to come back in the winter to ski!
{ October 2014 }