5 Things To Do in Aspen, Colorado in the Summertime
Pausing for a moment with all this Europe talk, I’m REALLY excited to share pictures from a vacation Dan and I took with my family a little while back. Yes, Europe has SO much to offer – yummy food, amazing cities, castles, beautiful landscapes- but heck, so does the good ole USA. Sometimes the most beautiful and interesting places aren’t all that far from our front doors.
My sister, Liz, lives in Denver, Colorado and absolutely loves it. Conversations with her revolve around her busy schedule of mountain biking, attending beer festivals and lots (and lots, and lots) of skiing. Interested to check out her new home state, we met up in Aspen, Colorado for a week of hiking and biking in the Rockies. What I didn’t anticipate was for Aspen to completely knock my socks off.
My favorite things to do in summertime in Aspen:
1 | Hike Maroon Bells
One of the premier trails in the area, the trail opens up to a breathtaking view of Maroon Lake, with a close embrace by the Rockies. GORGEOUS.
2 | Hike Aspen Mountain
A challenging hike (I literally sat down on the ground and refused to proceed at one point) we hiked UP a double black diamond ski run to the ski lodge at the top. In the end, I was exhausted but very proud to have done it, rewarding myself with a huge beer at the ski lodge.
3 | Explore the Grottoes, or ice caves, along Roaring Fork River
The cavernous grottoes are a blast to climb and wander through. As light pours in from above, I felt like it was almost like grown-ups PlayPlace. Once we reached the end we made bets on how long we could hold our feet under the water. I failed miserably while Dan proudly turned his feet blue.
4 | Bike the Rio Grande Trail from Aspen to Woody Creek
Follow up this beautiful ride with a stellar Mexican feast at Woody Creek Tavern – perfect day.
5 | Stroll downtown Aspen
This place is known as a haven for the wealthy outdoors-men and woman, and it’s no wonder. It’s SUPER clean, charming and a tab bit hippy. Dan and I stayed one extra night before departing and loved feasting at the local restaurants and soaking in the vibe. It’s so more than just a place to drop in and grab rental equipment. Be sure to stop by Big Wrap en route to a hike for an amazing sandwich to-go.
Have you been out West? Did you love it?! I sure did!