Aspen is a gorgeous town, usually associated with images of glistening snow-capped mountains and luxurious ski resorts. The red-brick downtown oozes comfort on chilly nights. However, many locals will tell you they came for the winter, but stayed for the summer.
Summer in Aspen is gorgeous. With greenery and wildflowers in every direction, the town booms with outdoor activities — hikes and rock climbing, paragliding, golfing, kayaking, whitewater rafting and horseback riding, just to throw out a few of the multitudes of options. For more low-key days, visitors can always hit the shops! Downtown offers wonderful shopping, including Boogies, a personal favorite, with the largest collection of jeans I’ve ever seen! As you walk down the brick sidewalks, passing from shop to shop, symphony music echoes down the street. Live musicians gather and play for everyone to hear, really topping off the relaxing downtown experience.
The people of Aspen only add to the welcoming atmosphere. Neighbors look out for each other like family. Doors are rarely locked. The safety of such a tight-knit community is truly inspirational. You feel right at home, no matter how far you’ve traveled.
SUMMER ACTIVITIES
As fun as downtown Aspen can be, the real draw is the town’s scenery. There’s no better way to enjoy the surrounding nature than to jump right in and explore.
HIKING — During my stay, we started our exploration with the Maroon Bells — two peaks around 14,000 feet tall, separated by a third of a mile, Maroon creek accumulating at the basin between the two mountains. The hike was awe-inspiring, filled with wildflowers and gorgeous pines. The view of the creek between the two peaks is known as one of the most photographed sites in Colorado, and once you stand at the basin, you can easily see why.
GOLFING — With such green and sprawling terrain, Aspen has quite a few golf courses. Though I had rarely golfed before my trip, Aspen’s adventurous nature was getting to me. I was ready to try something new and had the great opportunity to learn from the best. Susie Berning, three-time U.S. Open champion, taught me how to play golf during my week in Aspen! I am so thankful for her thoughtful and skilled teaching. Susie had me hitting balls like a champion… well, at least it felt that way to me! I definitely improved exponentially and I am so thankful for the experience.
PARAGLIDING — For me the most nerve-wracking, exciting and exhilarating of all the activities had to be paragliding off Aspen Mountain. It left me wanting to go again and again, and definitely warrants its own post.
FOOD AND SLEEP — That’s an activity, right? Aspen has great food, and all that adventuring can really work up an appetite. Down times were spent eating and hanging out at our hotel, The Residences at The Little Nell. I’ve stayed there multiple times and would recommend the luxurious hotel to anyone heading to Aspen, any time of year.
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