Kevin and I rolled into Aspen at about 9:30pm on Tuesday after a pretty quick and painless drive from Park City. The drive from Utah to Colorado is a beautiful one, full of vast desert landscapes and uniquely molded mountains, and with an awe inspiring sunset backdrop.

We are staying at a cute and quaint studio in the Snowmass Village, just outside of Aspen. The owner of the local liquor store, the Daly Bottle Shop, was kind enough to let us rent one of his vacant studios. The Daly Bottle Shop is an adorable small store located inside of the Snowmass Village Mall and offers a large variety of wine, imported and local beer, spirits, and all natural snacks, cheeses, and gourmets delights. A highly recommended first stop to get your vacation started on the right foot.

Our First Day – Exploring Aspen

We drove from Snowmass into Aspen and spent a few hours collecting travel guides, maps, and walking the streets to get acquainted with the area. We realized that driving into town was a bad idea, and quickly discovered how difficult parking was. We made a quick mental note of the free shuttle that runs to and from Snowmass, and went on with our day.

Aspen is absolutely breathtaking, and I can definitely understand why everyone wants to move here. The center of town is very posh and very hip, yet with a warm and welcoming touch. I instantly felt at home after chatting up the manager at the Tourist Center and picking her brain about the 90+ restaurants located within a few square miles. Our first stop in town was at Boogies, where we ate lunch on the outdoor patio overlooking Aspen Mountain. The service was very quick, and was exactly what we were looking for in a lunch spot that is both funky and fun. After lunch, we had to move the car from 2 hour parking, so we took a drive around the city and searched for the best spot to take some pictures.

After our photo session, we came back into town, grabbed some ice-cream at the Ben and Jerry’s in the center courtyard, and met with a few restaurant managers to collect some detailed information.

On our way back to Snowmass Village, we made a quick trip up to the Maroon Bells. The air was incredibly cool for early September, and the crisp smell made me think it was already October. The Maroon Bells are truly worth seeing! They sit nestled in a valley of their own, and appropriately, placed in front of their very own lake. Measured at 14,000+ feet in altitude, their magnitude and sheer splendor can’t be described in photos or words. Regardless, we managed to get a few good shots.

We watched the sunset turn the Maroon Bells into a bright red, a deep maroon, and then finally, a navy blue as the dark sky quickly overtook the daylight. On our drive back to our condo, we met a couple of deer who didn’t seem phased with our human presence, and posed for the camera.

All in all, our first day in Aspen was wonderful, and we are very happy to be able to travel, work hard, and enjoy all that earth has to offer us. Our next 3 – 4 days will be packed with meetings and restaurant introductions, so we will have plenty to tell you in the way of food, dining, and perhaps a scenic Gondola trip.

It’s now time to open up a bottle of local Cabernet, eat some pasta, and say goodnight . . . buenas noches.

You Might Also Like: