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What to do in Durango, Colorado?

J

jchouston

Well-Known Member
Howdy, AKers!

My wife and I are heading to Durango next week for a wedding and I want to hit the highlights while there.

We arrive mid Thursday and leave Sunday midday.

I'll have some freedom on Thursday afternoon and night, all Friday and early Saturday to explore.

Things I'm interested in:

1. Art galleries,
2. Interesting shopping (non-gentrified stuff; looking for more indigenous, local items),
3. Outdoor activities (probably won't have time to ski, but maybe take a snowmobile trip or a hike? A mountain bike ride? Maybe too ambitious...),
4. Good restaurants/bars,
5. Cool music shops,
6. Museums,
7. general sightseeing...

And so on and so on....

We're staying in the middle of town at a hotel so I imagine we'll be walking or cabbing most places.

Durango and Chicago, but maybe there are a few people here who can guide me to a few places!

Thanks in advance!

John
 
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2526 said:
Ski at Purgatory!
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+1, even for half a day.
skiing07.gif
 
I was wondering if skiing was feasible! How far is the lodge from downtown Durango? In other words, would I be able to get there and back before 1 or 2 in the afternoon?

I haven't skied in 20 years, but I'm relatively fit so it shouldn't be too difficult.....right?! :scratch2:
 
Take the narrow gauge railroad train to cascade! Pretty cool!
Sounds like you will be near downtown, perfect! Thats where all the shops, bars and places to eat are anyway! Great food almost anywhere! Bars and places to eat are literally place after place after place all up and down downtown Main st.

Eat at:
Ken and Sues
The Seasons
The Oar House
Randy's
Mutu's
East by Southwest
Sushitarian
Jean Pierre "The "French" French Baker"
Steamworks Brewery
Lady Falkenbergs Barley Exchange
Tequilas
Carver Brewing Co

Bar hop to:
Joel's
The Irish Embassy
Lady Falkenbergs Barley Exchange
The Office
Steamworks
The Diamond Bell Saloon
Moe's
Carver Brewing Co
The El Rancho
Or have a drink at any of the above mentioned eaterys

All these places are downtown and all within a block or two of each other
 
jchouston said:
I was wondering if skiing was feasible! How far is the lodge from downtown Durango? In other words, would I be able to get there and back before 1 or 2 in the afternoon?

I haven't skied in 20 years, but I'm relatively fit so it shouldn't be too difficult.....right?! :scratch2:
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Time will probably be too tight. Check out the town, relax, and go back another time to ski.
 
CKeeler, thanks for the list! Wow, that is exhaustive and informative. I can't wait to research them and pick and choose.

We are downtown so we will be close to all those places.

2526 and Tedrick, I haven't even left for Colorado and I'm already thinking about a second trip there! Would love to take a scenic train ride and also do some skiing. Purgatory this go around (and renting skis and arranging transportation) may be too bold for such a short trip this go around.

THANKS for recommendations so far!
 
Take the train to Silverton if its operating this time of year. And you can get tickets
 
Mark W. said:
Take the train to Silverton if its operating this time of year. And you can get tickets
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It does operate, but it does not go all the way to Silverton in the winter. It stops in Cascade and returns. I mentioned it in my first post.....
 
If you don't mind the drive, Telluride is a couple of hours to the north. GREAT skiing, snowmobiling, hiking and general sightseeing there. You also have Four Corners an hour or so to the SW if that's something that floats your boat.
 
Make sure to notice one or more large piles of slightly radioactive mine tailings piled here and there. :D Or are they just full of heavy metals? But I seem to remember there was a uranium mine up in there.
 
The Durango Diner, a hole in the wall type of place down town serves wonderful breafasts for those not on a diet. Also there is a great bookstore to be found there.
 
I haven't been to town for years, but there was a great restaurant downtown that had a lot of vegetarian and funky stuff before that was popular. I remember a veggie sandwich called the Compost Pile. And drinks were served in Mason jars.
 
Durango is situated in a county that has placed a moritarium on licensing regulated retail marijuana sales, something that becomes legal statewide on January 1, 2014. This will be a serious competitive penalty for tourism in Durango, which is a pretty cool town, one that depends heavily on tourism for it's tax base. It will eventually change, but, who knows when?
 
kneeOhFight said:
Durango is situated in a county that has placed a moritarium on licensing regulated retail marijuana sales, something that becomes legal statewide on January 1, 2014. This will be a serious competitive penalty for tourism in Durango, which is a pretty cool town, one that depends heavily on tourism for it's tax base. It will eventually change, but, who knows when?
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Really? But tourists have been going there for years. They are going to stop now because they can't buy pot? :scratch2: Maybe it's just me but it's not even on the list when selecting a destination.

A steam powered train through the mountains though... :thmbsp:
 
toxcrusadr said:
Really? But tourists have been going there for years. They are going to stop now because they can't buy pot? :scratch2: Maybe it's just me but it's not even on the list when selecting a destination.

A steam powered train through the mountains though... :thmbsp:
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Lots of people enjoy vacationing in ski towns, and lots of people in the 48 states that have declined pot legalization will gravitate to other destinations if they want to have the option of enjoying both. Not all of course, perhaps not quite a majority, but significant numbers all the same. It is most definitely considered a potential tax and tourism windfall to the localities that have the liberty to do so, and the localities that don't are expected to lag behind. Only time will tell.
 
Haha, thanks, y'all. Smoking the cheeba is a non-issue for me so its legality is not germane to this here situation.

Loving the recs thus far, tho. Thank you again.
 
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