Telluride CO is one of mine and Will's favorite places to visit and we have been coming here for the past 5 years. Either during the summer or winter, you can't go wrong. As the town always says, you come for the winter and stay for the summer. Both seasons are magical for their own reasons. If you are wondering about summer in Telluride, make sure to check out this post. But for today, I'm sharing what to do in Telluride for the winter.
Below I'm recapping everything we did, where we ate, where to stay, what to wear, etc. There are so many winter activities in Telluride, I included some that we didn't do this trip, but have in the past and are worth mentioning! If you're planning a Telluride vacation soon, definitely save this post for ideas. I also have a full post on what to pack for a ski vacation if you plan to visit Telluride in the winter and a Telluride Travel Guide.
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Where to Stay
Element 52
This is our #1 choice of property to stay at when visiting Telluride. Element 52 is located in town, which is our personal preference (instead of Mountain Village). At the base of the mountain you have more privacy than most of the hotels in town. Plus it’s the only ski-in / ski-out hotel in town during winter. The staff goes above and beyond and most of the properties are dog-friendly which is a must for us! We typically rent a 2 bed/ 2.5 bath condo which gives us (and all the dogs), plenty of room to relax and really make ourselves at home. We love having a full kitchen too so we don’t have to eat out for every meal. This is the condo we stay at for both summer and winter trips.
The Hotel Telluride
We have stayed at The Hotel Telluride in the past during ski season when we had two dogs and it was such an accommodating hotel. Lovely staff, super pet friendly, and nice amenities. It’s located at the beginning of town, so it’s walkable everywhere, just takes a little longer if you’re walking across town. They offer complimentary shuttle service to the Gondola, plus ski, bike and snowboard storage, The Hotel Telluride is the ideal setting for mountain views and a starting point for Telluride adventures. This boutique, European-style chalet is also close to local shops, dining and galleries, plus serves up on-site breakfast to start your day, fresh-baked snacks and casual American fare within a lodge-like setting.
Madeline Hotel
Framed by the majestic 14,000-foot peaks and wide blue skies of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains from its perch in Telluride’s Mountain Village, the Forbes Travel Guide five-star resort Madeline Hotel & Residences brings a new tier of luxury to the destination. A refreshed palette of earthen hues and artful details inspired by the texture and topography of the surrounding Colorado landscape infuse a renewed contemporary elegance to the property, invoking a luxurious and welcoming mountain environment, and offering a chic yet approachable respite from Telluride’s active outdoor lifestyle. Curated by our team of Adventure Guides, with over 60 years of combined Telluride residency, create personalized itineraries with insider access to an endless array of unique adventures set against the breathtaking backdrop of the San Juan Mountains.
Where to Eat
221 South Oak
This is our favorite spot for dinner! Award-winning chef and owner of 221 South Oak, Eliza Gavin, earned a spot in Season 10’s Top Chef competition on Bravo, and you’ll know why after dining here. 221 South Oak prepares fresh, quality ingredients together skillfully and there is always something new. What is so impressive is the FULL vegetarian menu 221 offers as well! Make sure you get the soup duo (this is Eliza’s specialty) and any of the desserts offered at the time. You won’t be disappointed.
There Bar
There is a must if you like good food, drinks, ambiance, and a relaxed/casual vibe. This tiny restaurant seats just 30 people at a time and reservations are required. Here, dinner is not a moment in time each day; it is a creative, dynamic experience. From their menu to the handcrafted cocktails, fun and adventure are at their core. The brussels, shiitake buns, patatas bravas, tuna tostadas, waygu and greens are a few of my favorites. Make sure to try a jam drink, but the diablo is my favorite.
The National
We always make sure to grab dinner at The National when visiting Telluride. An elevated gathering place that offers unconventional yet approachable dining experiences. The menu is artistically crafted while working closely with the farms and surrounding communities. Our favorite dishes were the cauliflower soup, short rib, and any of the desserts.
Siam
We came to Siam (in town, not Mountain Village), our first night in Telluride. Sadly, they only offer to-go food and a fraction of the menu they had before, which was incredible. It's still SO good, but we missed out on a lot of our favorites. We ordered to-go and just sat on the patio and ate about 30 min later. The spring rolls and tofu Pad Thai are my personal favorite.
Wood Ear
This is somewhat of a newer restaurant, I think it opened 2 years ago and I feel like its gets better every time! Wood Ear is a noodle bar and whiskey lounge and it does not disappoint. Think Texas smokehouse classics meets Asian cuisine. The ramen bowls, rice plates, edamame, its all mouth watering and the ambiance is so cool. This is a must when visiting Telluride!
Rustico
I ate here my first visit to Telluride years ago and not again until our last summer trip. Rustico is an Italian restaurant which is normally pretty busy. Since we eat a lot of pasta at home, it's not normally top of our list, especially since there are so many other amazing restaurants in town. However, we revisited for dinner and it was SO good. We split two pastas and a pizza and had to crawl home (kidding), but it was worth it and I'm so glad we gave it another shot! Will had the ravioli and I had the mushroom fettuccini special. We also got the white pizza and added mushrooms and peppers. Very good!
The Coffee Cowboy
There is no Starbucks in town. I repeat there is no Starbucks in town and that’s 100% OK, because Coffee Cowboy is the only place you need! Located on Main Street in an airstream you’ll have the BEST coffee your entire stay. TRUST ME. Of course I always get an iced almond milk dirty chai. They also have fresh smoothies and a few grab and go pastries, should the line at Butcher be too long. Don’t forget to pay it forward and buy a drink for the next person in need!
Allred's
If you're visiting Telluride for the first time, Allred's should be on your list of places to stop by whether for a drink, dinner, dessert, or just to enjoy the sunset. Take the gondola to the top of the mountain and enjoy the elegant rustic ambiance. We have been a handful of times so we usually don't go anymore because there are so many places we want to visit, but it's still a great experience with great food!
Petite Maison
Most recently this was known as LittleHouse but has since updated the menu and name to Petite Maison. Truthfully we loved it as LittleHouse for lunch AND as Petite Maison for dinner. We loved the French Onion soup and truffle fries to start. Truthfully you can’t go wrong with any of the mains. Will had the elk (and loved it), I had the gnocci which was pretty dry, but I’m hoping they were just having an off night. The drinks and desserts were incredible and we will definitely be going back the next time we’re in town.
The Butcher & The Baker
Another local & popular favorite for breakfast/brunch. The Butcher & The Baker specializes in handcrafted, fresh and local cuisine offering a farm-to-table approach. You really can't go wrong with anything you order here. The pastries are incredible and breakfast sandwiches are savory. Try to get there early to miss the weekend rush or you'll wait about 30-45 min before ordering. We always grab a few dishes to get to-go and snack on during the longer visits. The Udon noodles and chicken tortellini...YUM
What to Do
Dunton Hot Springs
Dunton is about an hour away during the summer months and 2 hours away during the winter months due to certain road closures. It is such an amazing experience, I highly recommend it. There are so many options for activities during the winter months; snowshoeing, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, ice skiing, sleigh rides, enjoying the numerous hot springs, or just relaxing by the fire. There are options to go out for a day and make use of the facility, but we usually just spend the night so we get the most out of it! The staff is incredible and it’s truly one of the best places I’ve ever stayed/experienced.
Telluride Sleighs & Wagons
Will surprised me with this for my birthday a few years ago and it was an experience I will never forget. There was a shuttle bus that picked us up in town, took us to the top of the mountain and then we started the experience. There is a sleigh ride, maybe 15-30 min (I really can’t remember how long), that takes you to a large tent where we have the most amazing family style dinner. Everyone sits at one big dining table, and enjoy a 4-course dinner. It was such a magical experience.
Telluride Ski Resort
This goes without saying, but Telluride is known for their skiing and most people who visit for the winters, come to take advantage of the ski resort. It’s truly the best mountain I have ever skied and I have heard from numerous travelers who are from Europe, that its their favorite destination in the US. The advantage Telluride ski resort has are the incredible runs and trails with exceptional views. Beginner skiers can still take advantage of going up to the top of the mountain and working their way down. I have been to so many resorts where the green runs are limited and it can get boring. Here, there are plenty of green run options for beginners. I love to ski the blues and double-blues, but find some double-blues can be similar to blacks at other resorts. My favorite run is See Forever which I believe is the longest run on the mountain with the best views on a clear day. We normally start in town and take chair 7 to the top of San Sophia and then ski down to 4. From there take 4 to 5 to 14 to get to the start of See Forever. We also love doing Prospect Bowl off 12. The Enchanted Forrest of 10 is fun to ski through the trees – just be careful bc its easy to go fast and there are tons a little jumps. Telluride Trail off the front of the mountain is so fun to ski back into town. Will is a MUCH more advanced skier than me, and he loves doing Rev Bowl, Milk Run and really anything off chair 9 which they just reopened the day we left!
We normally rent our skies from Boot Doctors or Telluride Sports. They have locations both in town and Mountain Village and you can normally return to any location, so its really convenient.
Alpino Vino
Alpino Vino, the highest elevation restaurant in North America at 11,966ft, is an exclusive and quaint European hutte offering leisurely lunches and evening dining experiences like no other! Located off See Forever Trail, Alpino Vino is a favorite for lunch. Alpino Vino offers fantastic views of the famed Wilson Range with an appropriately themed Alpine Italian lunch menu featuring handmade pastas, panini, and antipasti. The Waygu panini and tomato soup are my favorites to warm me up after a long morning of skiing. They don’t take lunch reservations, so stop by early in the day to request a table. Open from 11am-2:45pm for food service and last call for alcohol is at 3:15pm.
Bon Vivant
My favorite spot on top of the mountain, Bon Vivant, stands as Telluride’s premier on-mountain dining venue. The menu is classical French cuisines with incredible french onion soups, crepes, cheese boards, etc. It is this combination of luxury and authenticity that creates an ambiance that is second to none. Bon Vivant is located at the top of 5. They serve sit down lunch Thursday – Monday and Tuesday/Wednesday is just walkup with limited options. On a clear day, it’s such a great spot to take in the beauty of the mountain.
Tomboy Tavern
Located in Mountain Village at the bottom 4, Tomboy Tavern is the perfect spot to begin your Après Ski experience. Sit inside or outside, the ambiance is always nice. I normally grab the mac & cheese with short rib, truffle fries, and a glass of rosé.
What to Wear
Telluride is definitely a casual mountain town, and everyone is VERY relaxed in what they wear. I still like to dress true to my style, but I definitely take it down a notch. I never bring nice shoes (especially because of the snow/slush) so I pretty much wear the same winter boots from day to night. My Moncler jacket was PERFECT for walking around town and chilly nights keeping me so warm. Plus it has a hood so if its SUPER cold or starts snowing, I have the extra layer of warmth. 99% of the time I'm wearing a beanie, sweater, jeans, boots, and Moncler jacket. Every now and then it's fun to bring a more statement coat, but just remember, its a super casual town.
Check out What to Pack for a Ski Trip post!
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