Aspen Travel Guide
From Wikitravel
Aspen [1] is a ski resort in the state of Colorado in the Rocky Mountains region of the United States of America. Its little sister is Snowmass Village, which is about 10 miles from downtown Aspen.
Contents |
Get in
By air
- Aspen-Pitkin county airport, [2]. Major carriers to Aspen include United and USAir. ASE is a small airport for small planes only, and traffic tends to stop in any inclement weather. Flying into Denver Airport and driving up to Aspen is more reliable and often cheaper.
By car
The drive to Aspen is about 4 hours from Denver. There are two major routes from Denver - through Glenwood Springs or through Independence Pass. Independence Pass is only open in the summer months, but provides spectacular views and can be a bit faster than the longer route through Glenwood. To take this route, travel south from Copper Mountain exit off I70 through Leadville.
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Altitude Sickness For those prone to altitude sickness, it is recommended that you fly into Denver and spend a day or so getting used to being mile-high and then driving the next 3,500 or so feet up. |
Getting Around
Most major car-rental firms are located in Denver and Aspen airports.
Limo/Van Service:
Scheduled and chartered services are available from Denver International Airport and Eagle County Regional Airport:
- Colorado Mountain Express, Toll Free: 800-525-6363 or Phone: +1 970 926-9800.
- High Mountain Taxi/Limousine, Toll Free: 800-528-8294 or Phone: +1 970 925-8294.
- Lightning Limousine Service, Toll Free: 888-925-7505 or Phone: +1 970 925-7505.
- Ute City Limousine Limited, Toll Free: 800-754-5466 or Phone: +1 970 925-2674.
Free buses operate within the cities of Aspen and Snowmass Village and many hotels have shuttle service to/from the airport for free.
It's all about getting around on skis in the winter and mountain bikes or your own two feet in the summer!
See
John Denver Park - this Aspen park is a pleasant place to take your dog or your kids for a splash in the creek in summertime. The park is named after the famous Country and Folk singer who resided in Aspen. Lyrics from his most popular songs are inscribed in the creekside boulders. John Denver Park is on the creek trail on the north side of Aspen, near the Rio Grande Ball Field and park at N. Mill St. and Rio Grande Pl.
Maroon Bells - a short drive outside of Aspen, the Maroon Bells are one of the most photographed mountain scenes in Colorado. The lake and views of the 14,000 ft range are spectacular. A very short trail leads to the lake from the parking lot, and continues onwards approximately a mile to a 2nd higher lake and then through a u-shaped glacier carved valley. To get to the Maroon Bells, turn south on Maroon Creek Rd from Hwy 82 approximately 8 miles. In summer, it is not always possible to drive directly to the parking lot during daytime hours (8am-5pm) and visitors must take a shuttle bus from Aspen.
Do
Winter
- Ski - four ski areas in the area: Aspen Mountain, Snowmass, Ajax, and Buttermilk.
- Hobnob with the jetsetters.. or not.
- Sleigh rides
- Sledding
- Snowshoeing
- Snowmobiling
Summer
- Mountain bike
- Hike
- Golf
- Take chair lifts for scenic views
- White water rafting
- Fly fishing
- Mine exploration
- Hot air ballooning
- Rodeo
- Paint ball
- Paragliding
- Outdoor concerts
Music
- Belly Up - Small venue hosting some impressive artists, downtown Aspen [3]
- Jazz Aspen Snowmass - Thursdays 6-8 p.m. Fanny Hill Snowmass Village [4]
- June Festival - June 22nd - 25th, 2006
- Labor Day Festival - September 1st - 4th, 2006, Snowmass Town Park
Golf
- Snowmass Golf Course, Phone: +1 970 923-5600, [5]. Ten minutes downvalley of Aspen in Snowmass. The Snowmass Club's new 18-hole, par-72 Snowmass Club Golf Course. The 6,986-yard semi-private course designed by award-winning golf course architect Jim Engh includes a learning center, practice area and new golf clubhouse with Black Saddle Bar & Grille, a full-service restaurant and bar. With five sets of tee boxes at each hole and a truly unique design, golfers of all abilities will enjoy play that is as fun as it is challenging
- River Valley Ranch Golf Club, Phone: +1 970 963-3625, [6]. Eighteen holes, slope 73.2, rating 125, 7,348 yards. 30 minutes downvalley in Carbondale,River Valley Ranch Golf Club. Good bang for buck.
Buy
Downtown Aspen has a lot of quaint shops for unique and upscale shopping. Snowmass Village also has a multi-tiered outdoor shopping center where you can buy sporting goods, clothes, art and any number of knicknacks. There are regular open-air markets in each of these towns.
Eat
- The Artisan Restaurant in Snowmass in the Stone Bridge Inn has a fresh menu [7] and many off-menu options.
- Have lunch at Woody Creek Tavern, in "downtown" Woody Creek. This is the former haunt of the late great Hunter S. Thompson. It's about 15 miles from Aspen. Go Slumming.
- A la Car of Aspen, [8]. A lifesaver! They deliver great meals all over town -- even Snowmass. Delivery from the finest restaurants of Aspen and Snowmass. Grocery delivery also available.
- Crystal Palace Theatre Restaurant, [9]. Well worth a visit. They serve a gourmet dinner followed by cabaret revue of political satire which is quite a hoot. The Cabaret is fun, even for Dinner Theater Skeptics.
- The Pine Creek Cookhouse is 20 minutes south of Aspen on Castle Creek Road. It is worth the trip down a beautiful valley to the elegant log cabinesque building. Their food is very fresh, on the gourmet side, and not overly expensive. Reservations recommended. Highly recommended to stop in for lunch after a morning hike to one of the many great trails in the area such as Cathedral Lake. [10]
Drink
Head mid way up Snowmass mountain (on the 2-seater chairlifts that go from the bottom of the mtn) to the ski resort's cafe for a beer or soda. Great view of the valleys and nearby mountaintops.
Sleep
- Aspen Square, 617 East Cooper Avenue, [11]. Boutique condominium hotel located right next to Gondola.
- The Gant, 610 West End, Toll free: +1 800 549-0530, [12]. Aspen's finest condominium resort.
- Liitle Red Ski Haus, Phone: 866-630-6119. Turn of the Century Victorian Inn on 118 East Cooper Avenue with Apres-ski speicals and a fun little wine bar.
- Silvertree Hotel, Phone: +1 970 923-3520, [13]. Downtown Snowmass Village hotel and conference center. Self-contained and central in Snowmass.
- Sky Hotel, 709 East Durant Avenue, Phone: +1 970 925-6760, [14].
- Snowmass Lodging, [15]. Beautiful Vacation Rentals right on the slopes at Snowmass ski area. Variety of property types.
- Aspen Ski Trips, Phone: 800-845-7157, [16]. Discounted ski vacations including lodging, airfare and lift tickets.
Get out
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