Aspen in the summertime is, in our opinion, even better than in the winter. There is lots to explore, especially for those who enjoy hiking and biking. Our wedding weekend will also be the the final weekend of the Aspen Music Festival so there will be great concert options for those of you who enjoy classical music.
Here are some of our favorite things to do:
Hiking.
- The Maroon Bells Scenic Wilderness Area is one of the most beautiful places in the Aspen area. There are many hiking trails (from the very short to the very long) and we highly recommend a visit while you are in town. There is limited accessibility by car for environmental reasons, but there are buses running throughout the day for the summer season.
- Aspen Mountain, right in downtown Aspen, is a challenging hike, but is also our favorite thing to do during the summer. The best part is that you get a free ride down in the gondola if you make it to the top! (You can also pay to ride the gondola both ways, which we highly recommend if you are not going to do this hike. The view from the top of the mountain is well worth it.) Allison took Ehren up to the top his first day in Aspen almost five years ago -- we'd recommend waiting a day or two until your body acclimates a bit to the altitude! There are a few ways up, but we like to start at the Ute Trail (head east on Ute Ave. and across from a parking pullout for Ute Park there is a small wooden trail sign on the right). Once you reach the overlook point (about a third of the way up the mountain, where most people stop!), take the trail to the left and just head up.
Biking. There are a number of good places to rent bikes during the summer and anywhere you choose will be able to recommend some good options for trails based on your desired level of difficulty. Look here for suggestions. In the past, we have rented from Velo, which is located close to the start of the Rio Grande trail that takes you to Woody Creek. If you choose to try this, stop and have lunch (and maybe a margarita) at Woody Creek Tavern (see below). And maybe arrange for someone to pick you up to drive you home so you can have more than one!
Eating. There are many great restaurants in Aspen and we have not even begun to try them all. But here are a few of our favorites.
- At the end of Castle Creek Road is the Pine Creek Cookhouse, which is one of our most favorite places to eat. In the winter they close the road and you have to ski to get your lunch or dinner, but in the summer you can drive right to the restaurant. Allison's grandfather used to eat here many years ago (the original building burned down) and a number of the chefs at our catering company are former employees! We highly recommend stopping here for a lovely brunch, perhaps after a hike to American or Cathedral Lakes or after exploring Ashcroft Ghost Town, located nearby.
- Woody Creek Tavern is another must do, in our opinion. It is located in nearby Woody Creek, and used to be a favorite hang out for Hunter S. Thompson. It is full of local color and also happens to have some great southwestern food and margaritas. A fun option is to rent bikes and ride there for lunch.
- Main Street Bakery is a great, casual place for breakfast and lunch, and has a beautiful patio for eating outside.
- Even though Colorado is nowhere near an ocean, Takah Sushi has wonderful sushi and also has a nice outdoor area set up in the summer where you can people watch on the pedestrian mall.
- Ajax Tavern, located right on the base of Aspen Mountain, is a fun place to sit outside in the summer for a nice lunch or dinner.
- Cache Cache Bistro is a great option for a nice dinner, and also has a busy bar scene and reasonably priced bar menu.
Music. It will be the final weekend of Aspen Music Festival and we recommed you check the calendar to see what interests you. One of our favorite things to do is to take a blanket and a picnic to sit outside in the grass surrounding the tent and listen to the music. Belly Up Aspen also is a great place to see live music.
