What To Do In Colorado Besides Skiing

Colorado is a great place to ski, but what if you don’t like it or want to and still love to experience the snow/mountains? I love the snow (in doses ha), mountain views, sipping hot chocolate or wine by the fire, etc. But I have seen way too many of my dancer friends or Pilates clients come back from skiing with knee injuries. That’s why I decided to stay away from it. Because if I can trip and roll my ankle in the dark in Bali, I’m pretty sure I could injure myself in daylight on skis. Here’s a list of some of the activities you can do in Colorado without having to hit the slopes!

Snowshoeing

Snowshoeing aka hiking in the snow is an easy alternative to skiing. Depending on the snow fall you might not even need the tennis rackets strapped to your feet. (I know that’s not what they are called but they look like it) When I was in Silverthorne we didn’t need them but  found a shop for $10/day rentals. Most shops in those ski town will have supplies that you can rent.

For $10 /day that’s worth it and right on budget. Popular trails are Lily Pad Lake, Boreas Pass, Sapphire Point Outlook, McCullough Gulch Trailhead, to name a few. Honestly, there are so many so depending on your activity level that will determine which is best for you.

Altitude is no joke especially if you are at or below sea level and go straight to the mountains. Make sure to drink PLENTY of water and take it slow. I am physically fit, exercise regularly but anything uphill was a challenge. Lily Pad Lake is supposed to be considered an easy hike but because of the altitude I would rate it medium.

Explore Town

Explore neighboring towns like Breckenridge, Frisco, Silverthorne, Dillon, Vail, if you have a car. If not then there is a bus service  that goes to and from towns in Summit County. Each town has something a little different to offer. Change in viewpoint, shops, food, activities offered, etc. Breckenridge has a gondola that you can ride up to the resorts and see the view from up top.

Free Rides

Like I said there is a bus that runs from town to town in Summit County. Summit Stage is the name of the FREE bus service just check the stations in the town you’re staying in to see times/pick up/drop off spots.

The gondola in Breckenridge is FREE so that means that you can ride up to the resort and down for a free view! If you want to get off at the resort, eat at the cafe and lodge that could be another activity to enjoy.

Hot Springs

Indian Hot Springs and Caves in Idaho Springs were great! Don’t waste time going to the pool unless you have kids and want something to do. If not, then I would just opt for the caves. Fair warning they are EXTREMELY hot, the air is so humid you could swim, and they have the caves separated into men/women because you can go in the nude.

Inside the caves they want to create a peaceful environment so it stays pretty quiet in there for people to meditate before almost passing out from the heat ha.

Shopping

There are plenty of little shops, thrift stores, book stores, one just for hats, nick knacks, etc. Whatever little trinket or new item of clothing you might be looking for can be found. Plus even if you don’t want to buy anything it’s always fun just to look around at all of the unique stores.

Ice Castles

In Dillon you have the opportunity to feel like Elsa in an Ice Castle! Reserve your spot online and pay for the tickets ahead of time (it’s cheaper). They are only open in the afternoon to evening because at night they light the ice with different colors. It’s so beautiful and there are many different caves, tunnels, and formations to explore all while enjoying the colorful lights glowing in and on the ice.

Tickets were $12 with a coupon but adults are usually $15 when you purchase them online. It’s not a huge savings but you can still think of traveling on a budget. It will be dark so for the best picture opportunities use the light blue colors that shine on the ice for lighting (they rotate colors in the tunnels and some make it darker). You can also use flash but that can take away from the aesthetic a little in my opinion.

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I hope this helps you plan your trip to Colorado! Have a good one…Cheers!

*Photo Credit: All The Side Roads