Telluride CO

Ride the free gondola up to Mountain Village just for the view on the way up. NO CHAIN STORES or restaurants of any kind in town. You can walk the whole town in about one mile. The ski resort was designed to appeal to the affluent, so there are GREAT high-end (but still down to earth) restaurants and chefs all over town. Also they have just as great "cheap food" too.

Summer: Hike or jeep to Bridal Veil Falls at the end of town, stand at the bottom of the falls, and feel the refreshing spray. Go up to the top of the falls and continue on the trails above for one of the most lush, scenic hikes anywhere. I think I took a photo every five feet. The 4th of July is marvelous – there’s a small-town parade, a Blue Angels fly-over, and General Schwartzkopf leads the "Pledge of Allegiance." The kids of 9/11 fatalities come back each year to be in the parade. There’s a great BBQ and kids’ activities at the town park put on by the fire department. There are FIREWORKS in the park at dark. There are festivals ALL SUMMER every weekend -- film, wine, food, hobbies, etc. Go to Telluride website for more info.

Quick Tips:

Reserve your accommodations early. The place is small and the more affordable places book up fast. There are excellent B&Bs and resort-style places too, if you want to spend the money.

Best Way To Get Around:

WALK or take the Galloping Goose through town. Telluride is very small.

The Hotel Telluride is GORGEOUS, even if it is western themed (we get enough of that in Arizona). Think elegant, pampered Western. It's luxury but not stuffy, with a great staff, free Starbucks coffee downstairs in the morning, and a nice little breakfast kitchen with amazing French toast. I got a great massage in their spa downstairs.

The rooms have feather beds they call The Incredible Bed, Aveda products as toiletries, and thick terry robes in the closet. There's a great balcony in each room and a hot tub up top.

Cosmopolitan offers fantastic food and service, so take your time and enjoy. I love the farthest room with a table in the corner in the summer, as the windows open to screens only. I like being on a patio.

"Cocina de la Luz" = "Kitchen of the Light" -- and they are surely enlightened in how to serve some fantasic quality food! Don't overlook this place, as the food is WAAAY better than the other Mexican places everyone goes to on Colorado. This place serves healthy, regional Mexican fare. There are outdoor picnic tables, fresh food made daily with organic ingredients, and a GREAT Mexican breakfast!! It's closed Sundays, I'm sorry to say. Check out a sample menu here.

I learned to ski here a couple of years ago; everyone told me I was spoiled and they are right. Even if you don't ski, you can have a blast in the winter or just sit and take in the unparalleled scenery.

It's not just a ski resort with the usual. Mountain Village has been created as a result of the ski area up the hill from Telluride (which is where Oprah had a house before moving up the highway to Ophir. . . Mountain Village is a REALLY nice area). It’s a golf resort in the summer. Skiing Telluride doesn't include "the lodge" because there are a whole ARRAY of places to choose from to eat, drink, stay, buy ski stuff and gifts, browse galleries, etc. right there at the various lifts. The slopes wind through the village and you don't "go to" the slopes away from most things like in many other ski areas. You can ski right into Telluride down the hill (or take the free gondola down) and there you are in town again, with more pubs, restaurants, galleries, hotels, B&Bs, rental condos. . .