Telluride Summer Series Part 2: Our Trip Itinerary
Welcome back to my Telluride Summer Series! Don’t forget to read Part 1, which is all about preparing for our trip. In this post, I’ll be taking you day-by-day through our entire trip: where we visited, what we ate, and which activities were our favorites.
Sunday
For our travel day, we kept it easy with dinner right in Mountain Village at Black Iron Kitchen + Bar. Almost every single person at our table ordered the BIKB Wagyu Half Pound Burger, and it absolutely did not disappoint. After a long day of traveling, it was the perfect treat to get our protein up and prepare our bodies for the work of acclimating to 9,000+ feet.
Monday
On our first day, Ben (my husband) and his friends went on a guided fly fishing excursion with Telluride Outside. Due to fast-running waters from the melting snow, the group drove down to Pa-Co-Chu-Puk State Park to fish for rainbow and cut throat trout on the Uncompahgre River.
While the boys cast their lines, the girls took their time getting ready, and boarded the Gondola for our first trip into Telluride. While in town, we scoped out some of our favorite shops, including The Telluride Toggery (pictured right), Cross Bow Hats & Leather, and Hook home goods store.
After shopping and fishing, the group met at the New Sheridan Hotel for brunch.
That night, we got all dressed up and hopped on the Gondola to the top of the mountain for Allred’s. Allred’s offers a three-course tasting menu with choice of starter, entree, and dessert. Bourbon marinated Elk Loin was a favorite among the group. Personally, I’ll be thinking about the Lobster Bisque for a long time.
Tuesday
Day two began early in the morning with a guided 4WD Tour. The best way I can describe 4WD is that it’s an open-air, off-road jeep that can hold up to 10 people, and oh yeah – scale mountains. Originally, our plan was to traverse the Imogene/Tomboy Pass, but because the snow hadn’t sufficiently melted yet, we detoured through the Ophir Pass and stopped by the Alta Ghost Town.
Then, we came back down into Telluride and headed to Bridal Veil Falls for an up close view of Colorado’s biggest waterfall.
After the tour, we met back in Telluride for lunch at Brown Dog Pizza. Folks scattered after lunch, some choosing to stay in town or try their hand at mountain biking, while others went back to the condo for some extra oxygen or relaxing in the hot tub. I chose to stop at the Telluride Truffle for a hand-crafted sweet treat.
That night, we returned to the New Sheridan Hotel for dinner at The Chop House. This was probably my favorite meal of the trip. The Chop House is home to the best steak in Telluride, if not all of Colorado. Even though it’s a fancy dinner, you’ve still got to order the Truffle Fries – totally worth it!
Wednesday
Day three was the day I had ear-marked as my major shopping day for the trip. As I was fully acclimated to the altitude, I could carry as many shopping bags as I needed to up the steep hill into Downtown Telluride! I started off in Mountain Village at the Market on the Plaza, which takes place every Wednesday in the summertime from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. The market features nearly fifty local produce, food, and craft vendors. I bought several turquoise pieces from Moon Bear Jewels, including a lightning bolt that I just had to have for my growing collection. In Telluride, I visited Between the Covers Bookstore and Shirt Works for the more typical souvenirs.
That night, I experienced quite possibly the most magical evening of my life, (aside from my wedding day… maybe)! Telluride Sleighs and Wagons offers private dinner sleigh rides on the family-owned Aldasoro Ranch. After boarding the sleigh and riding through stunning views, you will be greeted by friendly staff at a luxurious tent with tapas, beer, and wine. Dinner includes family-style vegetables, choice of entree, and choice of dessert. I got the Lamb Meatballs with Panchega Polenta and it was delicious. This was truly an experience I will never forget!
Thursday
We started our morning on day three with an RZR side-by-side tour with Telluride Outfitters. A side-by-side is an off-road vehicle, with at least two seats side-by-side that are enclosed within a roll cage structure. On the tour we saw crisp views of mountains, wildlife, fields of flowers, and drove through lots of mud. The side-by-sides were really fun to drive through the mountains! Ben’s favorite part of the tour was witnessing the impressive beaver dams across the river. He values hard work and craftsmanship!
Friday… Our Bonus Day!
On our last day, we woke up early and hustled to Telluride for one last Gondola ride and a pastry at The Butcher & The Baker. Little did we know, our flight was delayed for nine hours. This meant a long travel night, and a chance to visit the Telluride Farmer’s Market. The Telluride Farmer’s Market takes place every Friday during the summer months. It is similar to the Market in Mountain Village, but on a much larger scale. At the market, I fell in love with beautiful handmade pottery from Ah Haa School of the Arts and purchased a piece for my in-laws as a thank you for watching our daughter while we were away.
That’s the end of our big Telluride Summer Vacation! We had an unforgettable time. Any questions about Telluride? Where are you traveling this summer? Let me know in the comments!
