So you find yourself with an extra week’s vacation time and an urge to explore the mountains of Telluride but it all fell into place at the last minute and you just aren’t sure that you will be able to enjoy all our town has to offer? We at Accommodations in Telluride beg to differ, and because there is nothing we love more than sharing our town with people from all over the world, we want to share with you all the fun you can have during your visit, even when you didn’t plan it far ahead of time. Today, we offer these tips, tricks, and hints for planning a joyous and fun-filled last-minute vacation in Telluride, keeping you busy from the first minute you arrive until it is time to leave and also showing you ways to save money while you play!
Let’s Pack for a Vacation in Telluride
Because you won’t have a lot of time to ponder your clothing choices during this last-minute escape to Telluride, we figured we would help you out with some tips to packing for your adventure. Divided into the seasons, you will feel comfortable knowing that you will be ready for whatever occasion that arises.
Winter Wear and More
Obviously, winter is the prime season for most travelers, and as the snow begins to fall on an adventure you will never forget, thinking warm is the key to your packing success. Our first hint is not so obvious, however, as we are going to tell you to SKIP packing ski pants, boots, and goggles. You can rent all the equipment you need here for pretty reasonable prices, so there is no real need to use up all the space those items take. We do suggest you pack insulated undergarments, thick socks, warm sweaters, pants, and gloves, as it will be cold—very cold. If you are visiting during Gay Ski Week (end of February, beginning of March) you may want to pack something fancy and glittery for the Glitter Ball, something all in white for the White Party, and your favorite club clothes for all the different events that take place during the week. Swimsuits are recommended as well, since your Accommodations in Telluride serene seasonal sanctuary will more than likely offer a hot tub.
Spring Sensations
Spring in Telluride is a lot of more of the same, with the snow continuing to fall and the ski resort staying open through about mid-April. By May or June, however, you may want to start filling your luggage with clothes you can layer; temperatures may drop to the high 20s and top out in the low 70s, so you can see there is a big range in degrees. Hiking begins to be popular in the spring, so a good pair of hiking boots are a must. We recommend wearing them on the plane, saving room and weight in your luggage, as you will probably be doing some shopping during your visit to Telluride and will need the extra space. Again, swimsuits are a necessity and although we didn’t mention it above, sunglasses are always a good idea in our mountain town as you will be surprised at how bright the sun can be and a good pair of sunglasses will ensure that you continue to enjoy all your adventures, sans headache and vision problems.
Savoring Summer
Summer packing is going to be similar to your late spring packing, as it can still get pretty cold at night while warming up quite nicely in the daylight hours. You might want to pack shorts, or if you are hiking those very dorky but completely useful pants that zip off at the knees. Hiking boots, jackets, sunglasses, hydration packs, and sunscreen could be very useful as well as swimsuits for that hot tub. Some of our Accommodations in Telluride sanctuaries may also offer community pools, so swimming during your summer journey may also be on the itinerary. Fly fishing is extremely popular this time of year, so if you are partial to any of your gear, we suggest you add that to the mix.
Falling for Autumn
The latter part of fall will feel like winter again, with the Ski Resort opening for business around Thanksgiving, so you can pretty much just repeat your wardrobe we recommended for winter. Heavy coats, warm sweaters, hiking boots, and thick socks are always a good idea, and yes, we are going to remind you not to forget the sunscreen, sunglasses, and your trusty swimsuit. The hot tub, no matter what time of year you are visiting, is always one of our most popular amenities and you may even want to consider packing two swimsuits so you can have one in the wash and one to wear every evening of your stay in Telluride.
Seasonal Events
We don’t know when your last-minute vacation in Telluride will take place and you might even not be aware yourself as of yet, so we are going to continue divide up our categories by season, with our next guide offering a selection of events and festivals that will take place throughout the year. When you do make the final decision, just scroll down to the season in which you are traveling and have fun!
Winter Events and Festivals in Telluride
We’ve already mentioned one of the bigger winter events in Telluride, Gay Ski Week, offering a judgment free zone in which to ski, party, and celebrate everything that makes you unique. Held the last week of February, the long list of events include pool parties, drag shows, a ski parade, hoe downs, historical walking tours, brunches, Gay Sleighing events that slay, and the AIDS Benefit Fashion Show. If you are visiting for the winter holidays, however, just know there will be all manner of festive events and activities, and on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, a torchlight parade down the mountain offers a romantic glow to these two beautiful holidays.
Spring Events and Festivals in Telluride
The temperatures are starting to rise and Telluride begins to offer more outdoor festivals and events in the spring, but first there is Mountainfilm. This documentary film festival held for 5 days in May, ending on Memorial Day (so you can do the math to determine when it starts the year you are visiting.) take place in a variety of indoor venues all over town. Screening over 100 documentaries that cover topics that extend from environmental ones to sports ones, Mountainfilm has fast become one of the most popular film festivals in the nation. If you are a foodie, any time of year is a great time to visit, but the late spring may be your happy time as mid-June Telluride Food & Vine offers epicurean adventures that are made even finer when paired with the best wines. For four days, the best restaurants in town offer up their best chefs to prepare meals that you will dream about long after you return to real life.
Summer Events and Festivals in Telluride
Our summer event schedule is a long one, so we are just going to briefly touch on some of our favorites, starting with the Telluride Bluegrass Festival that welcomes summer to our mountain town. Starting just a day or so before summer, this four-day fest is all about music, sunshine, food, and fun, do we need to delve any deeper? Next up on the festival list, the Telluride Plein Air Festival is a celebration of art with all the artists painting their hearts out in various locations throughout the town, before ending with an awards ceremony. Better yet, all the work you have watched them create throughout the week will be listed for sale so you can purchase your favorite piece if you like. Foodies may want to come back to sample and savor the delights of Telluride Table, another food and wine festival held in July and offering celebrity chefs and master sommeliers, plus cooking demonstrations, wine classes, and live music. And finally, the wild and wacky Mushroom Festival held every August will provide a new way to look at your favorite fungi, offering a parade, talks on psychedelic research, artistic performances and more.
Fall Events and Festivals in Telluride
Honestly there were about half a dozen more summer festivals, but we needed to move on to Fall, which of course leads into ski season. But before the snow falls, the season starts strong with the Telluride Film Festival ending summer with a bang (End of August, beginning of September) and the Telluride Blues and Brews Festival giving us one more chance to enjoy an outdoor music festival, this one held in September and featuring three days of music, food, beer, kid’s activities, so much more. The Telluride Autumn Classic (October) celebrates classic cars and leads into the Corvettes & Colors festival, before ending the season with yet another film festival, Telluride Horror Show. Celebrating the scary, the gory, the chilling, and the downright freaky and frightening, this festival may be our favorite!
Prepare to Eat Well
The restaurants of Telluride are amongst the best in the world, and although you may need reservations for some of the fancier ones, they are easily made and can even be done from the airplane if you purchase the Wi-Fi package many airlines offer.
The Grand, 100 W Colorado Avenue, Open Daily 3PM to 10 PM
One of the newer restaurants in town, the Grand, has rapidly become one of our favorite places to eat, offering elevated meal options and the feeling of an old gentleman’s club. This is where you can order Wagyu Steak or their espresso elk loin, or a butternut squash lasagna, ensuring that everyone will find something that makes their taste buds dance with joy. Their cocktail menu never lets you down, offering a drink for every occasion, and although our favorites change regularly, a winter daquiri made with rum and pomegranate puree is always a good idea.
LIZ, 200 W Colorado Avenue Unit 1, Open Daily for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
When we find a restaurant we like, we really like it when said restaurant offers all three meals so we can go back and explore how well they handle each type of meal, and we can tell you that LIZ handles all with equal skill and talent. Serving healthy food that doesn’t taste like healthy food, we especially love their bowl/burrito/ pressed croissant options they offer for breakfast. When we are trying to eat healthy their Black Iron Bowl, made with almond granola, peanut butter, and honeycomb is the perfect example of a healthy meal that tastes decadent. And when we want decadence, we can’t resist their Green Tea White Chocolate Truffles!
Last-Minute Deals with Accommodations in Telluride
We mentioned that we could possibly save you some money during your last-minute vacation in Telluride, and the easiest way to do that is to click on the link that says Specials & Discounts on the top of our Accommodations in Telluride page. That link will tell you whenever we are offering discounts; for example, in the summer months, our slower season, you will often see a 10% discount available for all our rentals. We know that a Telluride vacation isn’t the cheapest vacation experience around, and we love that we can help in many ways, leading you to restaurants that charge less, shops with great sales, and a variety of other discounts and deals that will make you happy.
Plan to Live the Luxe Life
Whether you started planning this Colorado vacation six months ago or six minutes ago, choosing Accommodations in Telluride for your accommodations will ensure that you live the luxe life you always knew you could become accustomed to. Offering luxury amenities that include hot tubs, fireplaces in living rooms AND bedrooms, and chef kitchens that will make you WANT to cook a meal, our Telluride vacation homes are designed to be an integral part of your vacation experience. Reserve your favorite property today!
