After a day on the slopes, you may be
wondering what there is to do for the rest of the
evening. Well, don’t use up all of your energy,
and leave the slopes early enough to get in a
short nap – you will need all of the energy you
can muster for the Aspen nightlife. No matter
how much skiing you get in or how many of
the runs you have mastered, you have not truly
experienced Aspen until you venture out after
dark!
Aspen has three basic areas: downtown, the
West end, and the East end. The town is
remarkably small, considering how many
people venture here each season – but
surprisingly, everyone and everything just fits.
The town is actually small enough to leave
your car parked at your lodge or hotel and walk
anywhere that you want to go. In fact, this is
recommended.
Not everyone pays heed to this advice, which
can make driving around and parking very
difficult. You can also take a free shuttle from
one mountain to another, take the Roaring Fork
Transit Authority Bus, or go to the Rubey Park
Transportation Center to get a ride anywhere in
the valley.
Don’t worry about getting lost. The town is well
laid out. Starting on the West end, you will find
a quiet Victorian neighborhood. While this is a
residential district, where locals live, you will
also find many hotels and condos on the West
end, particularly on Main Street. You will also
find the Aspen Meadows Conference Center
and Hotel. This is a 40-acre area where you
will also find the Aspen Institute, the Music Tent,
the Harris Concert Hall, the Paepcke Auditorium,
the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies,
the Hallam Lake Nature Preserve, and the
Aspen Center for Physics.
In the East end of Aspen you will find another
residential area, as well as the Roaring Fork
River and the Aspen Club and Spa. The East
end features more forests than the West end,
which has been developed a great deal more.
Between the West End and the East End, you
will find downtown Aspen. Downtown is where
most of the action is. Featuring old Victorian
buildings, downtown Aspen boasts pubs,
restaurants, shops, and everything else you
could ever possibly need – all housed in
beautiful historical landmark buildings.
Down the valley a ways, you will find Snowmass
Village. To the west, you will also find Roaring
Fork Valley. These two villages are
compliments of Aspen, and you should take
the time to visit them as well.
