Durango, Colorado travel: Places to visit, lodging and accomodations, and things to do while vacationing in Durango.
Durango, Colorado is what vacations should be all about: a place of rest as well as entertainment. Also, Durango has managed to maintain its "Old West" charm while keeping up with the times. Here's what you'll discover if you decide to come.
A Little History
Founded in 1881 in the Animas Valley River and at the foothills of the San Juan Mountains, Durango prospered as a smelting town where ore from the nearby mines was processed. The smelter closed, but the people stayed, likely held captive by the beautiful landscape.
Fun Ways to Enjoy Your Stay
Durango is a year-round playground. For every season, there are many options for fun activities. Durango seems to have been built to entertain: take a stroll down historic Main Avenue, go to the Shakespeare Festival on the campus of Fort Lewis College, attend a rodeo at the fairgrounds, or go to an arts festival that closes Main Avenue to car traffic for three days. Read on for a larger sample of what else you can do.
Biking
Some call Durango the Mountain Biking Capital of the World, but people from Durango don't waste time trying to prove it. That would cut into their biking time. No one questions, however, that the surrounding mountains are perfect for the sport. You can get trail information at the Visitor's Center southeast of town on US 160 or by visiting any of the bike shops on Main, where you can also rent cycling equipment. If you prefer a smooth ride, the town has a bike path along the river, and most streets have bike lanes.
Skiing
Usually from November through April, you can ski downhill at Durango Mountain Resort. The area has 2,500 acres, 11 lifts, 40 miles of groomed trails, and an average of 20 feet of snowfall each year. According to Outside magazine, the resort's weather is "among the best of any ski resort in the country," and Ski magazine rated Durango as "one of America's Top 10 ski towns."
Riding the Train
The Durango & Silverton Narrow-Gauge Railroad takes you by steam train on a 50-mile trip to Silverton. Take the opportunity to enjoy the wildflowers, waterfalls, and rock formations.
Exploring Ancient Ruins
The ancient ruins in Mesa Verde National Park, 36 miles west of Durango, date as far back as AD 500 and represent the largest concentration of Native American cliff dwellings in the United States. Some of the sites are open for visitation.
Gallery Walking
The town has over a dozen art galleries. Enter them with an open mind and allow yourself to be surprised by the unusual, unique, and original. In a healthy, natural environment such as Durango, minds can't help but create.
Restaurants
Durango has attracted many gifted chefs. The food options are Mediterranean, authentic Mexican, French, Italian, Southwestern, and American. Here's a sample of what awaits to delight your palate.
Tequila's is a Mexican restaurant serving a much better version of what you'll find in Mexican-American restaurants in addition to exquisite octopus and prawn dishes. Don't spoil your appetite by having appetizers and don't go in if you're just a little bit hungry. The servings are huge.
Henry's is inside the historic Strater Hotel. The menu leans towards Italian and is prepared with great care; the staff couldn't be friendlier and more accommodating; and the food is a delectable feast.
Before you go into Chez Grand-Mere, make sure you clear the balance on your credit card. The food is expensive, but it is money well spent if you enjoy French cuisine.
Accommodations
Durango has a large collection of vacation rentals, hotels, camping grounds, resorts, and bed and breakfasts. The historical hotels (for example, Strater, Jarvis, and Rochester) always offer the best treats, but they also tend to be very costly. Another option is to stay in one of the chain hotels, which also offer very good accommodations, and take a tour of the lobbies of the historical hotels. Also, keep in mind that the stars are beautiful in this part of the country, and sleeping under them is always re-energizing. There are several campsites in the San Juan National Forest as well as private campgrounds.
