Steamboat Springs has grown immensely popular in the last twenty years as a tourist town for the outdoorsy adventurers. The summer it hosts bikers, hikers, and watersports. The winter snows bring the skiers and snowboarders out to play. Steamboat Springs is home to 88 Olympians and counting, so you’re guaranteed winter sports galore.
If you don’t want to read all of my posts about Steamboat Springs, Colorado, (although, you should; I’m a great writer writing about great places) here’s a quick look at all of the places you need to go! I’m linking all my posts, so feel free to click and read on.
OUTDOORS
Mount Werner
Mount Werner is the mountain in Steamboat. In the summer it is a hub of bikers and hikers. In the winter, strap on your skis or snowboard and head up the mountain. You can ride the gondola up, but I highly suggest embracing your adventurer and hiking up the mountain. It’s beautiful. If you can, the peak is where the best views in town can be seen.
Fish Creek Falls
Fish Creek Falls has become an iconic destination. It’s $5 to park, and then off you go! There are several trails of varying difficulty. There are two different falls. The first is less than half a mile down hill from the parking lot. It is absolutely gorgeous. Between mid-morning and mid-afternoon, it is pretty busy. It clears out after 6:00. If you’re up for a long and sometimes tricky hike uphill, there’s a pretty bridge over the water. Further up, you’ll find the second falls, which are amazing. Few people venture this far. Passed that is Long Lake. It is definitely worth a trip to any of the sites and trails.
Tubing
Due to weather conditions, I wasn’t able to go tubing. The river conditions were not suitable the entire time I was there, unfortunately. There are several shops along the Yampa River in downtown Steamboat. The price is $20 for tube rentals and includes a shuttle ride back to the shop at the end of your trip.
Alpine Slide
I have done this in the past, and it is so much fun! I wasn’t able to do it during my last trip because of construction. It’s closed this summer, but next summer have at it. It’s like a summertime luge on wheels. Not the cheapest activity, but you could spend way more on other things. It starts at $12, but the more rides you buy the better the deal.
SHOPPING
Downtown Steamboat is as close to idyllic as I have ever seen. When people think of Colorado, this is what comes to mind. A cozy downtown filled with lots of little shops of all shapes and sizes nestled into the valley of mountains. No matter where you look, you’ll find mountains as far as the eye can see.
Ruby Jane Boutique
Ruby Jane is a cute store filled with clothes, jewelry, accessories, and more. I bought a purse I have been using constantly. Instagram @rubyjane.valleygirlboutique
Fringe Boutique
The exterior is blue with white trim. I would have gone broke buying everything I loved in this store. I got a few presents for friends, necklaces, and quippy cards. Instagram @fringeboutiquesteamboat
Steamboat Art Company
My go to for cute, funny, and unique art in Steamboat. Instagram @steamboatartco
Off the Beaten Path
This bookstore is adorable. I love that there menu items are named after famous books and iconic characters. They have a great section. I settled in to get some work done a few times on vacation. Instagram @steamboat_books
FOOD
Bésame
I fell in love with this new restaurant. It is an unexpected flavor bomb in the middle of Americana. Latin food in small town Colorado. It’s pretty amazing! Instagram @besamesteamboat
Lyon’s Corner Drug & Soda Fountain
I have loved this place my whole life. A traditional drug store with a traditional soda fountain. Grab an ice cream and a phosphate. Heaven!
The Shack
It’s an institution in my family. Open in the morning to mid-afternoon, it’s a diner with a lodge flare. Once on the outside patio when I was young, there was a tiny bat napping, and it was the highlight of that trip.
Salt + Lime
Great Mexican food and a fun, modern decor. I love the rooftop seating with views of downtown and mountains. The tacos are amazing, and they have a mocktail menu! Instagram @saltandlimesteamboat
Kaboom is located in the Woodland Heights area of Houston – very close to downtown. It is so beautiful surrounded by cute houses and a few neighboring stores. When you pull up, the entrance is between two large picture windows. The store takes up three more store fronts because who can have enough books? When you enter through the front door, you’re immediately greeted with that familiar book smell and wood from the countless shelves. The big windows let in tons of natural light and are home to a few bright green plants. Right inside the door is a counter and a chair usually occupied by one of the owners and sometimes the store cat.
The first space you’re in is a nonfiction area. The next area holds a lot of their fiction, children’s books, and more. The third space is smaller and holds more nonfiction. The shelves line the walls and create mazes within the middle of the rooms. There is no wasted space here. They have filled it to capacity with books. Around 100,000 books! Holy wow. With 76 different sections ranging from fiction to art to science to poetry to a whole lot more you can find popular contemporary books to books out of print. There are comfy reading chairs and sofas calling you to have a seat, look at the books in your pile, and enjoy the beauty of this bookstore. If it weren’t so warm and cozy, the amount of books would be immense and intimidating. The bookshelves are tall, so there are ladders scattered throughout to help you reach the books even I can’t reach easily. Behind the store is a lovely seating area. They use this area to host events. I haven’t been able to make it to one… yet! One of these days, I will.
