Telluride, Colorado, is one of the most popular skiing and snowboarding destinations in the world, having been ranked the number one skiing location in North America by readers of Conde Nast. However, the town has plenty more to offer it’s visitors than just incredible slopes. Join Viewcation as we explore the 10 Best Things to do in Telluride Colorado.
Check Out a Local Festival
Telluride is home to numerous local festivals occurring at different times throughout the year. These festivals can vary in nature, reflecting the multifaceted culture of the town. There are festivals dedicated to the arts, other cultures, food and drink, and even to athletic and scientific pursuits.
A few examples of festivals held in Telluride include the Telluride Film Festival, held annually since 1974. This festival showcases important films from around the world. There’s also the Jazz Festival and Bluegrass Festival, as well as the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival.
The Telluride Blues & Brews Festival has been held annually in Telluride since 1994 and showcases exactly what its name suggests: local Colorado blues bands and beers. Since Colorado is a state that is known for it’s microbreweries, there can be a huge variety available to taste from!
Visit the Telluride Historical Museum
There are many historical attractions in Telluride, but the Telluride Historical Museum certainly stands tall amongst them. Located at the top of N. Fir St., the museum showcases heirlooms and artifacts from the region’s deep past. As well, it shares generous amounts of knowledge of the area’s rich history. These treasures are not only anthropological, but date back to a time before humans walked the earth! The museum includes everything from dinosaur bones to indigenous artifacts that archaeologists have excavated from the region over the years.
The museum also shares a wealth of knowledge about Telluride’s unique history regarding mining and transportation. The town was a popular spot along the Rio Grande Southern Rail Road due to its booming industry, and it was also the location of the first commercial use of AC, or alternating current, electricity.
Take a Day Trip to a National Park
There are numerous National Parks all within a modest drive from Telluride, and those who are staying in the area won’t want to miss out on the chance to see at least one. These National Parks all provide unique sights that you won’t find anywhere else in the country, including Anasazi ruins, ghost towns, and mines. Some of the National Parks only a few hours or less out from Telluride include Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Mesa Verde National Park. Among many other gorgeous features, these parks are named for their arches, canyons, and mesas, respectively.
Visit the Telluride Arts District
In addition to it’s rich and dense nature, Telluride is also home to a great deal of culture. Telluride is often considered an art town, and this reputation is backed up with numerous galleries and festivals dedicated to both local artists and artists from other areas. The Telluride Art Walk is a recurring event that occurs throughout the year, offering locals and tourists alike the chance to peruse art set up around the town. As well, numerous cafes and eateries in the area have small galleries showcasing local art and artists.
There are too many galleries in Telluride for us to mention, but we’ll go over some of the most renowned. The Gold Mountain Gallery is a place for local artists and craftsman to sell their work, granting customers the chance to purchase anything from a fine Colorado painting to a rustic piece of Rocky Mountain wood furniture.
The Slate Gray Gallery in Telluride offers people the chance to peruse some fine art. There are many specimens provided by artists from Colorado, but also many by renowned artists from around the world. While you won’t get to take the art home with you, you will get to keep the memories!
Try Out One of the Local Restaurants
Telluride is home to a bounty of incredible restaurants, and you can find a wide range of cuisine to match all tastes. You can find anything from craft pizza, to premium steakhouses serving meat from free-range Colorado cattle, to gourmet ahi tuna and pork belly tacos. As well, chances are that you’ll be able to wash your cuisine down with a local microbrew.
A few of the highest-rated selections when it comes to cuisine in Telluride are Brown Dog Pizza and Taco Del Gnar. As their names may suggest, they focus primarily on pizza and tacos, respectively. Brown Dog Pizza offers craft pizza and microbrews, while visitors to Taco Del Gnar will likely want to focus on the ahi tuna and pork belly tacos.
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Take a Walk Down Main Street
If you don’t have a specific destination in mind during your trip to Telluride, heading down to Main Street might be your best bet. Main Street is home to numerous attractions, from shops to restaurants. Taking a stroll down Main Street can awaken infinite possibilities, and there’s pretty much always something to do here during the town’s active seasons. Whether you’re looking to get a bite to eat, buy some souvenirs, or just take in some of the local atmosphere, you should be sure to take a slow walk down Main Street at least once during your stay.
Go Golfing at the Telluride Golf Course
Despite the main sports attractions of Telluride continuing to be skiing and snowboarding, golf has also become increasing popular in the area. Perhaps this is because golf balls fly further when they’re at a higher elevation!
The Telluride Golf Course was opened in 1992, and has provided locals and residents with premium golfing since it’s inception. The course lives up to the standards of this mountain resort town, offering nearly 7,000 yards of playing space at a 9,300-foot elevation. For those that have never had such an experience, it can be a once in a lifetime sensation. It is said that the thin air of Telluride’s elevation can make balls soar up to 15% farther, but you’ll have to see for yourself to make sure!
In addition to the unique opportunities provided by Telluride’s high elevation, the mountain geography also offers interesting twists and turns that you won’t find in other locations. The courses meander through the local aspens and pines alongside winding streams, providing interesting obstacles and a constant supply of beautiful sights.
The Telluride Golf Course is open to tourists, but there is also a private club for locals. Guests are relegated to the public course, while members are given full access to everything that the Telluride Golf Course has to offer.
Ride the Mountain Village Gondola
For those that don’t know much about Telluride, the Mountain Village Gondola may prove to be a bit of a mind-blowing concept. The sole public transportation of it’s type in the United States, the Mountain Village Gondola offers visitors and locals alike an efficient and interesting way to get through the town. Those that have been skiing before will be familiar with gondolas, but it’s surprising and fun to see it being used as a form of public transportation.
The Mountain Village Gondola was built for the purpose of keeping the town’s air from getting too polluted, minimizing emissions from cars on the road. It was built in 1996, and stands as both a useful feature and a charming fixture of the town. Visitors may find themselves riding the gondola up and down the mountain just for the purpose of taking in the incredible views, and kids can’t get enough!
Hike Bear Creek Falls
There are numerous incredible hiking trails surrounding Telluride, with the most popular one arguably being Bear Creek Falls. The various trails each provide something unique, and feature terrain and inclines of varying difficulty for hikers with different levels of experience.
The main draw for visitors will likely be the incredible sights of the mountain environment, from wildlife to waterfalls, local fauna to sparkling lakes. There are trailheads sprawling the entire area, and one can hike the day away without every seeing the same sight twice. Due to the immense and complicated nature of the trails, one should be sure to consult a map before venturing out on their quest, especially if they’re beginners! Books and brochures can give you tips on which trails are the best for your interests, and what tips you might want to keep in mind while hiking them.
Go Skiing and Snowboarding!
Of course, the main draw of Telluride is always going to be the skiing and snowboarding. The Telluride Ski Resort has been rated the best ski resort in the content by readers of Conde Nast, and it’s truly not hard to see why. Telluride is the ideal location for winter sports with it’s weather and terrain, and the culture that has been built around this resort town only amplifies the charm of it’s slopes.
Telluride typically receives over 300 inches of snow per year, and it’s slopes offer skiers and snowboarders over 2,000 acres of skiable land for visitors of all different skill levels. There’s generally 300 days of sunshine a year, and there aren’t any lift lines. Because of all this, the skiing and snowboarding experience offered in Telluride is one-of-a-kind, and continues to drawn in both tourists and new residents from around the globe that want to have access to some of the best skiing there is.
There are areas for experts, intermediate skiers, and beginners, allowing visitors to find the slopes that suit them the best. There’s also heli-skiing for more advanced skiers. Heli-skiing is short for helicopter skiing, and provides a unique thrill for those that like adrenaline rushes.
There’s certainly no shortage of incredible things to do in Telluride, Colorado, whether you’re interested in snow sports or not! From the culture, to the nature, to the history, to the cuisine, Telluride is an incredibly beautiful location with a rich heritage. Comment down below to tell us what you’re most looking forward to doing in Telluride, or if we missed out on your favorite Telluride activity! As always, like this video to show your support, and subscribe and hit the notification bell if you’d like to be among the firs to know when more informative videos are coming your way!