Sometimes the best way to get over a truly ugly week in real life is with a long weekend in fantasy life—in other words, a weekend getaway to Telluride will help you forget all that was not good about the week! Offering adventures that will thrill, restaurants that will make your mouth water, and all the comforts of home when you choose Accommodations in Telluride for your Telluride vacation home, your weekend, be it a three-day one or a regular two-day one, will be everything you dreamed it could be. This guide to the ultimate weekend in Telluride and a stay in our Colorado retreats will help you fill every minute with fun and excitement or show you how being lazy is the best way to celebrate a weekend, one day at a time!
Friday Night Fun
Wanting to eke every moment of relaxation and excitement out of this weekend of wow in Telluride, of course you left work early, caught a nonstop flight to paradise, and are here early enough to enjoy a good dinner and the opportunity to acquaint yourself with your home sweet Telluride vacation home. There may not be much time left in the day, but you can still fill the remaining hours with deliciousness and drink at the places listed below.
Van Atta Est. 1886, 101 W Colorado Avenue, Open Daily till 11 PM or 12 AM
If you have it in you to put on some nice clothes and head out to Van Atta for an elegant beginning to your weekend in Telluride. Most restaurants in the area close rather early, but this wonderful spot offering a speakeasy flair stays open to midnight on weekend nights (including Thursday) and 11 the rest of the week. Sit at the bar sipping cocktails that will warm you from the inside out or sit at a table and enjoy an excellent steak dinner and be sure to save room for dessert. Their warm chocolate chip cookie made with dark chocolate will truly sweeten your disposition, should there be any remaining travel crankiness in your mood.
Cornerhouse Grille, 131 N Fir Street, Open Daily until 10 PM or 11 PM
Keep your first night dinner casual with a visit to the Cornerhouse Grille located inside a historic house while offering a laidback dining and drinking experience. Serving burgers and sandwiches that everyone will love, Friday nights are also burger nights and you can get a burger and fries for a reduced price, as well as any Telluride Distilling Drink, also at a reduced price. If you really want to start your getaway out the right way, however, their cocktail menu may be on the smaller side, but it does offer some of the best margaritas in town, and a drink called Chocolate Thunder, which is a White Russian made with Hershey’s Syrup!
Order Delivery and Relax at Home
A day of travel is always an exhausting one and if all you can think about is climbing into those warm new pajamas you packed and ordering delivery for your first meal of the weekend. No one knows better than us that curling up on the sofa in front of a roaring fire, eating a big old slice of cheesy pizza, as you zone out on your favorite sitcoms and our properties are made to do just that. You don’t even need to unpack on this first night in Telluride, other than pulling out those jammies you have been dreaming about over the last 12 hours of travel. We don’t know what season your weekend will take place, but in the winter months, the snow falling gently outside the windows will add to the serenity and Zen of this special night.
Saturday Adventures in Paradise
Waking up feeling refreshed and ready for a day in paradise is just another amenity Accommodations in Telluride offers, something you will be thankful for as you are about to experience that only the most rested will be able to truly enjoy. Below, we have listed a few adventures you can enjoy on your first day in paradise and because we don’t know what part of the year you will make your Telluride weekend journey, we are going to customize this guide as follows: day one will be winter, day two will be off-season, and what time you have left on day three (for those enjoying a long weekend) will offer experiences open anytime.
Breakfast at the Pick, 565 Mountain Village Boulevard #101, Open Daily 8 AM to 2 PM
You really can have it your way when you choose to enjoy breakfast at The Pick for your second day in Telluride, offering custom rolled burritos and bowls that will ensure you will be well fueled for your adventures. Choose your protein out of 4-6 options, two types of beans, a variety of toppings, and because we always save the best for last, the sauces offered will make your taste buds do a happy dance. Mango salsa, San Juan Sucker Punch—honestly, we have often considered just ordering a side of their sauces to snack on; they are that good!
A Day on the Slopes
You’ve been waiting all week to climb that mountain (ok, to ride the chairlift to the top of that mountain!) and now, feeling full and raring to go, it is time to live the dream. A day on the slopes will pretty much take up much of this first day, with the last glide down taking place around 4 PM, but we don’t think you will mind too much, especially as there are a large selection of casual restaurants on the mountain, ensuring you don’t have to leave until the end of the day. Lunch at Gorrono Ranch, located off the Misty Maiden Trail, is famous for its burgers, BBQ, and thick and rich chili that will stick to your ribs and give you energy to continue with your schussing for a few more hours. After that last run, though, don’t forget to end your perfect day with some après ski action at the Tomboy Tavern; their Bloody Marys rule, sip a Flatliner at the New Sheridan Chop House, or gulp down a Margarita at the same place you had lunch, Gorrono Ranch. And remember, this day has been a long one but there are more adventures waiting to be experienced.
A Night on the Town
Dining in Telluride is an experience that you will remember forever, perhaps discovering the need to return again when you have more than a weekend to spend here. Our first choice for your first full day in town is the Smuggler Union Restaurant & Brewery, offering creatively prepared comfort foods, and oh, how we love Mama P’s Crawfish Mac & Cheese and Wild Mushroom & White Truffle Burger. Their signature beers are brewed in house and we dare you to find a better chick drink than the Bride on Main, made with prosecco, pomegranate liqueur, and spring44 gin. Go ahead. We dare you! In any case, after dinner you can choose to go home or you can take the party out on the town, partying till last call at the Last Dollar Saloon, located at 100 E Colorado Avenue. Offering a Wild West Vibe and known as Telluride’s Favorite Watering Hole, closing down this spot will make sure that your first full day in Telluride will be a memorable one, even if you don’t remember much of the evening after!
Sundays in the Summer
We chose to make your first day adventures winter ones, so its only natural that your second full day in Telluride should be filled with summer ones, so pack your bags for the season and prepare to fully enjoy your second day in Telluride.
Breakfast at the Butcher & Baker, 201 E Colorado Avenue
Outdoor adventures take a lot of energy and the breakfasts at the Butcher & Baker will provide the fuel for them, no matter what time of year you are visiting. Creating meals with ingredients grown in their own farm, guests can start out the day with a breakfast burrito, a breakfast sandwich, or (this is our favorite breakfast) with a freshly baked pastry that will sweeten a day that is already sure to be a wonderful one. Vegetarians love this restaurant as it offers a large variety of vegetarian meals, including the Mushroom & Swiss Breakfast Sandwich made with farm fresh eggs, roasted mushrooms, kale, and Swiss cheese served on a made from scratch English muffin.
Take a Hike on the Bridal Veil Trail
Now that breakfast is over, our first order of business is an exploration of the Telluride countryside with a hike along the Bridal Veil Trail perhaps best encompassing all that makes this area special. A hike that is ideal for hikers of moderate skill levels and physical abilities, it should only take about an hour and a half to complete the in-and-out 2-mile hike, but that is only if you hike straight through and don’t stop to absorb the awesome beauty of Bridal Veil Falls, and we know that is not going to happen. Water tumbles over rocky cliffs that stretch 365 feet into the sky, and as you feel the spray against your face, pose for your annual family photo at its base, or just enjoy a picnic somewhere along the way, we can assure you that Telluride will become a permanent part of your soul.
Explore a Summer Festival
The best way to get to know the area you are visiting is by attending one of the festivals that locals love and in the summer in Telluride, there will be a large selection of festivals to choose from, including food and wine, art, yoga, a strange and wacky festival (the Telluride Mushroom Festival held in August) and multiple music fests. There is no better summer adventure than one that includes outdoor music, food, and a plethora of like minded music lovers and your choices will amaze. Summer starts with the Bluegrass Festival, occurring the first weekend of the summer solstice, next we move on to the middle of July which brings us the Telluride Americana Music Festival, and finally, summer ends with one last hurrah, the Telluride Jazz Festival in mid-August. Depending on how you look at the seasons, however, according to the calendar there will be one more outdoor music festival in summer, Telluride Blues & Brews Festival, which is held in September, the last official week of summer. If you have spent any time in Telluride however, you already know that fall has pretty much officially begun by this time.
Fly Fishing by Day, Arts and Culture by Night
The dichotomy of Telluride is what makes it so special, and as you spend your day hiking, biking, or fly fishing (Telluride Fly Fishing offers half day and full day guided trips if that is something that interests you) you can also spend your last night in town exploring the cultural side of our mountain town. The National Telluride, located at 100 E Colorado Avenue Suite B, is acclaimed for its Mediterranean small plates and craft cocktails while the historic Sheridan Opera House has been offering live entertainment for well over 100 years, providing a thought provoking, sometimes humorous ending to a day that has brought joy in so many ways.
Returning Home on Monday After an Unforgettable Weekend in Telluride
There are still so many things you can explore any time of the year, including the shops of Telluride, offering cozy boutiques, fun souvenir stores, and a large selection of outdoor shops. Spend your last morning shopping or exploring all the amenities our luxurious Telluride condos for rent have to offer. Hot tubs, fireplaces, game rooms, swimming pools, gourmet kitchens; are you beginning to see that you need to start planning a return visit so that you can stay and play more at home? Reserve your favorite weekend vacation rentals in Telluride today and maybe start planning for your next, longer Telluride vacation as well!
