Things To Do In Aspen, CO

Since its humble beginnings in the 1800s as a boom-and-bust silver mining town, Aspen has grown from an austere, rugged alpine town to chic, modern vacation destination rich in arts and culture, recreation and history. Aspen provides visitors with a wide range of things to do, including visiting historical sites, embarking on a Western-themed adventure at the T Lazy-7 Ranch, or experiencing some of the town's quality performing arts venues.

Historical Sites. The Wheeler/Stallard House Museum should be mandatory for all first-time Aspen visitors, because it gives a thorough and comprehensible history of the town of Aspen, from its silver mining days all the way up to the present. This 1888 Queen Anne-style home features the 'Spirit of Aspen' exhibit, with reconstructions of natural environments, interactive displays, audio-visuals and artifacts. The displays are imaginatively designed and pleasing to the eye; artifacts are displayed in unique cases and cabinets, and signs are colorful and artistic. Another historic site that really shouldn't be missed is the Holden/Marolt Mining & Ranching Museum off of Castle Creek Road. This historic site houses the unique combination of former silver refining artifacts, as well as the remains of a family ranch. Built in 1891 as a 22-acre mill, the Holden Lixiviation Mill only had a 14-month life before Congress repealed the silver act, and the mill went bankrupt. Then in 1940, Mike Marolt bought the land and remaining structures as his family's farm and ranch. The grounds were used for cattle ranching, raising pigs and chickens, and growing crops ' alfalfa, timothy and brome grass for hay, as well as potatoes, oats, barley and wheat. Mrs. Marolt also kept an extensive vegetable garden to feed the family. Today, visitors can learn about the Russell Lixiviation process, which could refine silver from ore as low grade as 10 ounces per ton. Visitors see the Sampling building and the Stamp Mill, as well as structures from the ranch including the home/office building, granary, barn and sheds.

T Lazy-7 Ranch. No trip to Colorado is complete without the opportunity to experience life in the Old West. As one of Aspen's oldest working ranches, the T Lazy-7 Ranch, run by the Deane family for over 60 years, invites visitors of all ages to come and live the life of a cowboy at the base of the Maroon Bells. No matter what time of year, the Ranch has special activities going on. In the summer, there are trail rides and 2- or 3-day pack trips on horseback. One tour goes to the Maroon Bells, and all longer tours feature meals cooked by the staff. In the winter, the Ranch features snowmobiling near the mountains through a specially-granted usage permit from the National Forest Service. There are also Western Dinner Dances at Maroon Bells Lodge in the winter, and at the Chuckwagon Grounds outside in the summer.

Performing Arts. Aspen has no shortage of performing arts centers, offering a wide range of shows for all ages to enjoy. From mid-June to mid-August, there are symphonies, operas and chamber music performances every night of the week, mainly at three venues. The Bayer-Benedict Music Tent is the quintessential Rocky Mountain way to experience a performance; relaxing and enjoying a picnic in a huge tent, surrounded by grassy fields and aspen groves, visitors experience Aspen's magnificent scenery as well as brilliant performances at the same time. The historic Wheeler Opera House and the Harris Concert Hall are indoor venues offering similarly pleasant experiences. Three more great performing arts venues include Aspen Theatre in the Park, an outdoor theater used for summertime festivals, as well as the Anderson Ranch Arts Center and the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet.

Things to do in Aspen are plentiful and unforgettable; from visiting interesting historic sites to taking in the town's performing arts sites, Aspen has the vacation experience you've been waiting for! So get ready to experience all the beauty and fun you've been dreaming of in Aspen, Colorado.