Notes From The Road: The 5 Best Things About Colorado

I’m spending four weeks Cajuning it up in Louisiana, a week skiing in Colorado and a whole bunch of time driving between the two. You can read about some of my more international travel adventures here.

There are million reasons why Colorado is awesome.
But I won’t bore you with a million. I’ll just tell you the top five reasons that I love this high, mountainous place.

5 Best Things to do in Colorado

Traveling in Colorado
Best travel experiences in Colorado

1) Fantastic Colorado skiing (Duh.)

Despite being pretty mediocre at it, I quite like skiing. I do not, however, like hobnobbing with Snooty Snoots in fur coats or paying in first-borns for lift tickets. Crested Butte is a tiny ski town full of sweet, laid back people in technical gear with prices that are doable those of us who aren’t millionaire celebrities. And since it’s the end of the season, there are tons of great deals to be had! Forpetesake, you can  buy one/get one free lift pass when you guy 10 gallons of Shell gas!  I don’t think skiing will ever be cheap, per se, but Crested Butte makes it significantly more plausible for The Rest Of Us.

Shop dogs in Colorado
Shop Dogs in Colorado

2) Shop dogs

I love dogs. I like shopping. If you have a dog in your shop, I’m going to spend 300% more time there. If your dog is wearing a neon bandana? Well, Colorado Freeskier, I kind of want to move into your store and spend my remaining days wrestling with Po and watching her fetch things.  And I guess Hoss at Irwin is pretty cute, too.
Don’t you think every retail space would be improved with the introduction of an appropriately attired animal?

Colorado Crack Fries


3) Crack fries
(yes, that’s what they’re really called)

Now, I wouldn’t recommend that you navigate the four hours of mountain driving to visit Lobar in Crested Butte just to eat these fries.  EXCEPT, YES YOU SHOULD TOTALLY DO THAT.  Here’s what we’re talking about, guys: matchstick thin fries. tossed in Parmesan cheese, sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, truffle oil. topped with more Parmesan cheese.  Served with a side a sweet chili aioli.  What?  Yes.  That’s the sound of my keyboard filling with drool from writing about them.  I actually had to push them across the table and out of my reach so I wouldn’t awkwardly eat the whole bowl that we’d ordered for the group.

traveling in Colorado

4) Ski and snowboard friendly buses

I am weirdly enamored with public transportation in other places (remember the goats and people on top of the buses in Nepal?) In Crested Butte, there’s a free bus that shuttles between the little towns and the ski resort.  You just load your skis or snowboard onto the rack outside, hop on, and you’re good to go!

Travel in Colorado
Best things to do in Colorado

5) You can do everything, ever there

After the snow melts, there’s probably nothing to do in Colorado, right?  Incorrect, friends! Apparently, there’s actually more stuff to do!  Zip-lining!  Hiking!  Ghost towns!  Wild flowers!  White water rafting!  Cycling!  Horses!  And: eating more crack fries.

Have you ever been to Colorado?  What did you love?

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12 Comments

  1. Shannon Short

    OMG Sarah! I love that you wrote about Colorado. I found my soul back in Colorado. I absolutely LOVE the place, the people and everything else about it — even the poor, misguided snooty snoots. 🙂 I went to Vail last summer for the month of July and came home mid Sept. Oops! Or Ahhhhh! Making plans now to spend the summer there again this year too. Here's to yo, a very smart lady, for knowing God's gift when you see it — in CO that is!
    Yea! Shannon

  2. Amanda @ Click. The Good News

    YES YES YES! I grew up spending lots of time in Colorado and fell IN LOVE with it. I'd move there in a heartbeat if I could. I still have family there & try to get back several times a year. The mountains are are like music to my soul. Thanks for sharing all the awesome thing & making me miss it 😉

  3. Betsy

    As a Colorado native, it's nice to see other people appreciate our state.

  4. Kate Rowan

    I'm a Colorado transplant, and I thank my lucky stars a lot because I live in a pretty amazing place! I was actually talking to my hubby last night about dog friendly places as we walked past our local pub. There were 4 dogs hanging out on the deck outside, all wagging and happy. That's my kind of place. Colorado grows 'em happy.
    Kate
    idreamloudly.com

    PS-If you ever want to ski Telluride, let me know! We have plenty of people who would love to show you around!

  5. Amelia Jane

    Those crack fries totally look worth driving four hours for! Well done for managing to share, I am so that awkward 'what, these were everyone' person!

  6. Kristen

    I grew up in Colorado and miss it like you wouldn't believe (I'm a Washington transplant). You're spot on with your favorite things – make sure you go back in the summer someday! Rafting! Alpine slide! Lakes! Dry heat, AKA the best kind!

  7. Corey Dwan

    Sarah,
    So glad you had a great time in our wonderful little town. Quaint and friendly is what we aim for.
    Cheers,
    Corey
    CrestedButteForSale.com

  8. nova

    I wish there was a shop dog or cat in every store ever.

  9. iris

    Colorado is really awesome! I was there a couple years ago with some friends…and we found some hot springs and lots of hiking. Wonderful state, so much outdoors-y-ness!

  10. andieclark

    My dad visits Colorado every summer for water rafting. Hopefully we get to visit the whole state too and ride on shelter island yachts before I turn 30 next year.

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