All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Some 200 miles west of Denver, Aspen, Colorado, is nestled in the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. It’s a peaceful retreat in every season, alive with colorful wildflowers in the summer and golden-yellow aspen leaves in the fall. But in the winter, this mountain town feels especially magical—fresh snow glitters on the trees, and downtown comes alive with twinkling strings of lights.
With four ski resorts and expansive terrain to explore on snowshoes or cross-country skis, Aspen is a major winter outdoor recreation hub. Plus, after you come in from the cold, you can warm up at the chicest après-ski scene in the country and immerse yourself in the city’s sophisticated arts and culture. At 8,000 feet in elevation, Aspen sees chilly temperatures in the winter, but thanks to Colorado’s abundant sunshine and dry climate (and the right jacket and gear), you’ll hardly notice. Here’s how to plan a weekend trip filled with the best things to do in Aspen.
Getting there
Fly into the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, which offers nonstop commercial flights this winter from Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Atlanta, Houston, San Francisco, and Denver, plus hundreds of connecting flights. There are also many charter and private jet options for traveling to Aspen, including new semi-private flights from Los Angeles aboard Aero.
Aspen’s leaders and residents are incredibly passionate about limiting greenhouse gas emissions, so once you arrive, consider getting around via the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority’s robust bus system. Many of the routes are completely free, and the maps and schedules are intuitive and easy to navigate, even for first-time visitors. Because the city is also highly walkable, and most hotels have free shuttles, skipping the rental car is totally doable. In the spring, summer, and fall, the nonprofit WE-cycle bike-share network offers free, unlimited, 30-minute rides on both pedal and electric bikes.
To explore more of the Centennial State, fly into Denver International Airport, then rent a car and head west on I-70. On the scenic, four-hour drive you’ll pass by charming mountain towns like Idaho Springs, Silverthorne, Frisco, Glenwood Springs, and Carbondale. (Fair warning, if you’re traveling during the winter: Prepare for the possibility of snow and ice, as well as traffic backups and road closures—storms and general ski traffic can bog down I-70.) There are also daily passenger shuttle options from Denver International Airport to Aspen.
Things to do in Aspen, Colorado
Travelers head to Aspen during the warmer months for patio dining, world-renowned concerts and festivals, and warm-weather activities like hiking, mountain biking, and fly fishing. But from December to early April, Aspen is all about the downhill skiing and snowboarding at four Aspen Skiing Company resorts—Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk, Aspen Highlands, and Snowmass—which have varying terrain types and difficulty levels (and appear on our Readers' Choice Awards list for the best North American ski resorts 2022).
You can ski right into downtown from Aspen Mountain (known locally as “Ajax”) which has 64 miles and 3,267 vertical feet of terrain. Sprawling Snowmass offers tons of family-friendly runs and amenities. Aspen Highlands is known for its steep, rugged terrain (and is especially popular among locals), while Buttermilk has a world-class terrain park. You can easily hop around and try all four mountains, as they're all accessible via the same lift ticket. Aspen Snowmass' four mountains are also on several multi-mountain season passes, including Ikon and Mountain Collection. If you’re new to skiing or snowboarding (or you just need a refresher), enroll in a group or private lesson—Aspen’s instructors and guides are incredibly knowledgeable and experienced.
Beyond downhill skiing, Aspen offers a wide variety of other winter outdoor activities, like snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, up-hilling, birding, hiking, and ice fishing, to name a few. There are experienced guides and instructors who can show you the ropes, too, including Sun Dog Athletics, Blazing Adventures, and Ashcroft Touring and Adventures.
More experienced mountaineers can take advantage of the region’s backcountry skiing areas (out-of-bounds, ungroomed, and unmonitored terrain), but be sure to go through avalanche training or tap a guide to be safe—Aspen Alpine Guides, for example, offers regular avalanche courses and guided backcountry excursions. For a backcountry-esque adventure that stays in-bounds, try hiking up to the 12,392-foot summit of Highland Bowl, then skiing the double-black-diamond terrain down—you’ll want to be in peak physical shape and be an experienced skier for this one.
To learn more about Aspen’s unique high-alpine plants and animals, book a guided tour with a naturalist from the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) or spend a few quiet, reflective moments in nature at the organization’s 25-acre nature preserve and environmental learning center, Hallam Lake. Bring your binoculars; Hallam Lake is a great place to observe colorful waterfowl and other birds.
Aspen is also a high-end shopping hub, with fashion brands like Prada, Gucci, and Ralph Lauren lining downtown’s pedestrian-friendly brick streets. To round out your shopping trip, browse for unexpected treasures—like a vintage Louis Vuitton suitcase or a pair of World War II binoculars—at Daniel’s Antiques, then head over to Explore Booksellers to grab your latest read. And those chic cowboy hats you see everyone wearing around town? Those come from Kemo Sabe, a downtown spot where you can customize a trendy Stetson and pick up other Western accessories.
Immerse yourself in Aspen’s rich arts and culture scene by strolling through the free Aspen Art Museum, which puts on rotating contemporary art exhibitions. With an exterior finish reminiscent of a woven picnic basket, the 33,000-square-foot, three-story museum building—designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban—is a work of art in its own right. We recommend timing your visit to align with lunch so you can grab a bite at the bright, airy rooftop cafe.
The stunning 133-year-old Wheeler Opera House—an elaborate, lovingly maintained Victorian-era gem—has a full calendar of comedy shows, dance performances, festivals, concerts, and other events. The Wheeler is also part of the new Colorado Historic Opera Houses Circuit, an initiative to drum up support for the five remaining historic opera houses located around the Centennial State, so even if you don’t have time to see a show, it’s worth stopping by just to appreciate its grande 1889 architecture. The Aspen Historical Society also offers guided tours of the iconic building, which has maintained its status as the community’s artistic hub for decades.
Carve out time to visit the newly opened Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies, which opened at the Aspen Institute earlier this year. The new, 7,000-square-foot museum contemplates the life and legacy of Herbert Bayer, an Austrian-American polymath who studied and taught at the famed Bauhaus art school that operated in Germany from 1919 to 1933. Bayer lived in Aspen from 1946 to 1974 and helped shape the then-burgeoning city’s overall look, feel, and post-World War II growth. Notably, he designed the 40-acre grounds of the institute—which hosts an array of important annual events, including the Aspen Ideas Festival and the longstanding Aspen Music Festival and School—and he developed the Aspen Skiing Company’s original, instantly recognizable leaf-shaped logo. The center offers guided tours, as well as rotating exhibitions; the current show, Herbert Bayer: An Introduction, explores Bayer’s work as a painter. You can also stay on-site at Aspen Meadows Resort, which offers an up-close view of Bayer’s distinctive style and legacy. The hotel is undertaking a multi-million-dollar renovation, starting with its 98 spacious guest suites.
If your trip allows, try to catch a show at Belly Up Aspen, a small but renowned live music venue that’s hosted well-known musicians ranging from Lil Wayne to Jimmy Buffett. It’s also worth it to make the quick drive or bus ride over to Anderson Ranch Arts Center, founded in Snowmass 1966, to explore its outdoor sculpture exhibition and attend a variety of lectures and workshops.
Where to eat
Taste the flavors of the Roaring Fork Valley with a dinner of the senses at Bosq, where chef and co-owner Barclay Dodge creates dishes and cocktails from local ingredients he forages himself in the surrounding wilderness. Bosq’s seasonal, multi-course tasting menus feature Rocky Mountain-inspired fare like Colorado lamb with grilled escarole, grilled plums, and horseradish. There are just 35 seats at Bosq, which is located downtown across from the popular Wagner Park, so try to make a reservation as early in your travel plans as possible.
Duck into Hooch for an exquisite hand-crafted cocktail and speakeasy vibes. Linger over a bubbling vat of cheese fondue and perfectly prepared crepes at French Alpine Bistro. For lunch, stop by White House Tavern and order the locals’ favorite crispy chicken sandwich, made with Swiss cheese, tomato, and spicy coleslaw. Other upscale spots to bookmark include Matsuhisa for sushi, Ellina for contemporary Italian cuisine, and Bear Den Aspen for brunch. Before you leave, stock up on artisanal cheeses, cured meats, and pickles from Meat and Cheese, a hybrid restaurant and specialty food store.
While skiing or snowboarding at Aspen Mountain, refuel with a stack of pillowy pancakes at Bonnie’s or a cone of crispy truffle fries at Ajax Tavern (which also offers some of the best people-watching in town). Spending the day at Snowmass means treating yourself to a long lunch at Sam’s, an upscale Italian restaurant with awe-inspiring mountain views from nearly every seat. And if you don’t mind getting sprayed with a little champagne, end your day at Aspen Highlands with lunch and apres at Cloud Nine, the lively ski-in, ski-out cabin where travelers and locals alike love to let loose.
Strap on a pair of snowshoes or cross-country skis and make your way across Ashcroft Ski Touring’s snowy trails to Pine Creek Cookhouse, a log cabin-style restaurant in the scenic Castle Creek Valley with unobstructed views of the towering Elk Mountains. Offering wild game, fresh seafood, and other alpine-inspired dishes for lunch and dinner, it's is one of the most beloved eateries in town—meaning reservations are a must. You can also ride in a horse-drawn sleigh, take a private cross-country ski lesson, or tap a guide to explore Ashcroft, which is home to the remains of an 1880s ghost town.
Where to stay
An Aspen landmark since 1889, the 133-year-old Hotel Jerome opened amid the city’s silver-mining boom as a model of class and elegance, offering guests tantalizing new amenities like electric lighting and indoor plumbing. The stately, three-story brick building survived Aspen's subsequent silver bust and the Great Depression, then tracked the city's rise to become an elite mountain destination among intellectuals, skiers, movie stars, and artists. Centrally located in downtown Aspen, the historic hotel—now part of the California-based Auberge Resorts Collection—offers an ideal blend of modern luxury and historic Old West charm in its 99 guest rooms, complete with mounted wooden deer heads and burnished leather bed frames.
After soaking up the mountain views from Hotel Jerome’s heated outdoor pool and hot tub, head to the J-Bar—where gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson hung out while campaigning (unsuccessfully) to become Pitkin County’s sheriff in 1970—for an “Aspen Crud,” a boozy, Prohibition-era milkshake made with bourbon and vanilla ice cream. When the sun sets behind the mountains, wind down while sharing stories of the day’s adventures over an old fashioned or a glass of red in the sultry, lobby-level bar, The Living Room. Hotel Jerome is also home to Felix Roasting Co.—the company’s first location outside of New York City—as well as Prospect, an innovative New American bistro, and Bad Harriet, a sexy, subterranean, speakeasy-style watering hole located next door in the basement of the historic Aspen Times building.
For a more intimate stay, check into Aspen Street Lodge, an exclusive luxury home rental that opened in December 2020. Nestled on a quiet, tree-lined street just steps from downtown, the high-end lodge has nine guest rooms and a two-bedroom penthouse suite available for total buyouts. Gaze at Aspen Mountain from the heated rooftop pool and hot tub, then retreat indoors for a cozy movie night in the plush media room. With room for up to 26 adults and six children, the expansive property also has a dedicated experiences manager who can arrange just about any adventure your travel crew can dream up—from a refined spirits tasting to a private painting lesson taught by Aspen artist Kelly Peters to a thrilling paragliding adventure.
Families feel right at home at the recently refreshed Limelight Hotel Aspen, which has a casual yet sophisticated contemporary vibe across its 126 rooms and suites, two rooftop terraces, and inviting lounge. Luxury New York design firm Stonehill Taylor led the hotel’s top-to-bottom renovation last year, which reinvigorated the Limelight’s status as Aspen’s cozy community living room. Designers used pops of bright color, earthy natural materials like walnut and white oak, metallic accents, and plush fabrics to create a warm, homey atmosphere with a touch of elegance. For groups with skiers and snowboarders of varying ability levels, sister property Limelight Hotel Snowmass—which opened at the base of Snowmass’s slopes in late 2018—is an ideal home base for exploring the friendly ski area’s wide blue groomers and dispersed trees.
For ski-in, ski-out access to Aspen Mountain, book into one of the 92 slopeside rooms at The Little Nell, which has been a luxurious Aspen icon since 1989. And even if you don’t stay, at least stop by for a glass of wine at the new Wine Bar at The Nell or a steaming mug of their popular hot chocolate, made with rich Dutch cocoa. Everything on the menu at The Nell’s on-site restaurant, Element 47, is also delicious.
