Aspen

Aspen 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 (16 km) from downtown Aspen.

By plane
(also known as Sardy Field; ). Major carriers to Aspen include American Eagle, Delta Connection, and United Express. Private jet charters are a popular method of travel to the Rocky Mountains of Aspen.

Aspen-Pitkin County Airport 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 sometimes cheaper, but extreme weather conditions can make it hard to drive.

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.

Get around
There are numerous large rental car services available at the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport.
 * Alamo
 * Avis
 * Budget
 * Go Rentals
 * Hertz
 * National

Scheduled and chartered services are available from Denver International Airport and Eagle County Regional Airport. Free buses operate within the cities of Aspen and Snowmass Village and many hotels have free shuttle service to and from the airport.

It's all about getting around on skis in the winter and mountain bikes or your own two feet in the summer!

See




Winter

 * Ski - There are four downhill ski mountains in the area: Aspen Mountain, which has the best location, Snowmass, which is the largest, Aspen Highlands, famed for its epic Highlands bowl, and Buttermilk, which provides the best experience for beginners and freestyle. They are all quite large and sprawling, and will give you one of the best skiing experiences in the country.
 * Sleigh rides
 * Sledding
 * Snowshoeing
 * Snowmobiling

Summer

 * Mountain bike
 * Hike
 * Golf
 * Gondola rides to the top of Aspen Mountain
 * White water rafting
 * Fly fishing
 * Mine exploration
 * Hot air ballooning
 * Rodeos
 * Paint ball
 * Paragliding
 * Outdoor concerts

Buy
Downtown Aspen has a plethora of shops for every budget. The downtown area also has two pedestrian-only streets lined with T-shirt and souvenir shops. Of course, Aspen is a great place to buy ski equipment and clothing with an abundance of ski shops and stores. The city also has an open air market in the summer months.

Snowmass Village also has its own shopping precinct, fitted with numerous candy shops, souvenir shops and ski shops.



Equipment rental
There are many places in Aspen Snowmass where you can rent all types of equipment including skis and snowboards in the winter and bikes in the summer.

Some of the stores that specialize in equipment rentals:

Splurge




Go next
Colorado is home to over 70 wineries and its own vineyards. Wine lovers can enjoy several scenic day trips from Aspen to many of the small towns that are a part of Colorado's Wine Country. These lovely little communities include Montrose, Palisade, Paonia and Hotchkiss, as well as the city of Grand Junction.


 * Glenwood Springs - Home to a quaint, historic downtown and the largest hot spring pool in the USA.
 * Carbondale - About 40 minutes down the valley from Aspen, Carbondale is a nice, eclectic mix of artsy, outdoorsy and earthy/hippie. It has art galleries with offerings much more affordable than you will find in Aspen, plus an astonishing range of restaurants from Chinese, Salvadoran, Mexican, Italian, Thai and Asian/Fusion. Restaurant 689, located at 689 Main Street, rivals Aspen's best offerings. During mid-summer, Carbondale's Mountain Fair is a 3-day (free!) music extravaganza and art fair. Artisans come from all over the US to exhibit and sell hand-made clothing, jewelry, toys, paintings, sculpture and home decor. The home town police - who are very low-key and friendly - wear tie-dye for this event.
 * Denver - A 4-hour drive away, Denver is Colorado's capital and largest city. Denver boasts historic buildings and modernistic skyscrapers, abundant shopping and incredible dining. Located where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains, Denver has some of the best views a city can have. It is also home to one of the last downtown amusement parks, Elitch Gardens.