Aspen Travel Guide for Non-Skiers

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Last week I attended the inaugural Future Leaders in Travel Retreat hosted by TravelAge West in Aspen, Colorado. I applied and was accepted into the Retreat along with 40 other millennial advisors and 25 suppliers from across the country ages 22-37. You can read more about my experience at the Retreat here.

It was my first time in Aspen and it exceeded my expectations. The area’s beauty is breathtaking with mountains everywhere you turn and an adorable downtown area filled with cute shops, incredible restaurants, and fun bars.

You may think of Aspen just for skiing, but it’s truly a year-round destination. I’m not a big skier or snowboarder, so I was pleasantly surprised to learn about all it has to offer off the slopes.

What to Do

Aside from the plethora of winter activities you expect in Aspen, including one I just learned about called skinnin g, it’s a very outdoorsy and artsy city with amazing food and hotels you can enjoy throughout all seasons.

Here is what I did during my early fall visit as well as other ideas for how to personalize your trip depending on when you go.

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Adventure

As a part of the Retreat, our first morning we ventured to Lost Forest, located on nearby Snowmass Mountain. After an eight minute enclosed gondola ride up the mountain, we were able to explore the grounds which is packed with activities. I tried out rock climbing for the first time. It wasn’t hard to get up the wall, but my descent was less than graceful!

I also loved the Breathtaker Alpine Coaster, which is a rollercoaster with cars that fit one or two people and you control the speed. I followed the advice of the attendants and went full speed the whole time and I can vouch for the coaster living up to its “breathtaker” name. Unfortunately, it started to rain pretty hard by the time I got to the front of the line, but it was so much fun it was well worth getting soaked for, which is a bold statement because I really despise the rain.

Lost Forest also has tons of other activities you can participate in such as an extensive ropes course, zip line, two disc golf courses, and plenty of hiking and fishing opportunities.

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The Great Outdoors

The next morning I went on a hike to picturesque Maroon Bells Lake with a group of seven other retreat participants, which was lead by the expert guides of Blazing Adventures. It was approximately a five mile, fairly easy hike (no major elevation change). Thankfully the weather was absolutely perfect to stroll through the forests filled with Aspen trees and along bubbling brooks that day. We finished our hike at the crystal clear lake and were treated to the sweeping views of snow capped mountain peaks. I wish I could start every morning that way!

Others chose to go on a bike ride through the mountains, also guided by Blazing Adventures, which got rave reviews. Another group took part in a very zen-looking outdoor yoga session near Maroon Bells Lake. I wish I could have done all of the activities, but it’s just an excuse to return!

In the spring, summer, and fall, there are tons of hiking and biking opportunities with trails everywhere around Aspen. You can go white water rafting nearby in the summer as well. Since we visited the first week of September, it was a few weeks too early to see the fall foliage, but we did spot a few trees starting to change colors. I can imagine the beauty of the bold yellow, orange, and red leaves contrasting against the pine trees stretching all along the mountainside.

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Foodies

We tested our culinary skills on evening at the Aspen Cooking School. I learned how to make cacio e pepe, my favorite Italian pasta dish, from scratch. They have a huge kitchen and offer a wide variety of cooking classes, demonstrations, and special events. I highly recommend checking their schedule to see what may be going on during your stay in Aspen or reaching out to coordinate a private class with them.

The owner of the cooking school, who is a sommelier, guided us through a wine tasting and food pairing at Rustique Bistro located conveniently upstairs from the Aspen Cooking School. Unfortunately, due to the retreat’s packed schedule, we didn’t get to try a lot of restaurants, but I suggest referring to EatAspen.com and the Eater for up to date restaurant and bar recommendations.

If you’re visiting during the summer or early fall you can also visit the Aspen Farmer’s Market which takes place on Saturday mornings – I’m such a sucker for a good local market.

If you’re a big foodie, then you should definitely plan a trip around Aspen’s Food & Wine festival every June. Be sure to book accommodations early to avoid disappointment!

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Source: Aspen Chamber of Commerce, www.AspenChamber.org