Things to do in Aspen. Photo: Stephanie Be (Me) on AJAX Mountain, Aspen by Michael Hodson, Go, See Write
For all you skimmers out there, I’m going to give you a heads up: the moral of this story is that…
1. It’s up to us to challenge ourselves; 2. It’s up to us to define what ordinary really is ; and 3. Aspen is pretty spectacular whether or not you seek snow adventures.
If you can get past the spoiler alert, I’m going to tell you about my winter week in the extraordinary Aspen, Colorado. It goes a little something like this:
“Do you ski or snowboard,” Michael first brought it up, via email.
“Not actively, but we can figure something out,” I said, masking what was really going through my head:
I’ve always wanted to properly learn to ski or snowboard, but I’m currently more of a roll-down-the-mountain kind of girl. I don’t do cold. Sorry, I’m not sorry.
But I sure wasn’t going to miss out on exploring Aspen, Colorado, nor was I going to pass up collaborating with Michael Hodson, the founder of Go, See, Write . And I do enjoy a nice glass of wine at a saloon style bar, a dog-friendly vacation spot, aerial views, adventure sports, contemporary art, live music, and hot tubs… who doesn’t like hot tubs?
And like a marshmallow topping a hot chocolate, the opportunity coincided with a new technology: a 360 degree camera, aka Immersive Media, that films six cameras at the same time, so as the viewer, you can choose what to look at, not just a single camera perspective.
Sound exciting? Of course it was.
However, there was a catch: not only do I not do cold, I don’t do video.
What’s fascinating about our comfort zones is that fear is relative. Norms are also relative.
Scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef and snowboarding in Aspen, Colorado were both terrifying in my perspective, but I’ve been skydiving, bungee jumping, shark diving, running with bulls, and of course, I quit corporate America for a one-way ticket to Sydney without flinching (a bit of an exaggeration, of course I flinch). Regardless, my fears are relative, but that doesn’t make them any less valid. Mind you, there were definitely children tackling the slopes better than myself. Whatever, I was going to do it. I was going to snowboard in Aspen. Bucket list “check.”
Not surprisingly, I loved it. I adore Aspen. Aspen is still calling me, and it’s a dirty little player because it’s calling you too.
Here are some photos of the city that defies ordinary:
Photos by my amateur self: Follow @StephBeTravel
Things to Do in Aspen and Snowmass:
Aside from skiing, snowboarding, puppies, hot tubs, and drinking, winter in Aspen is both family friendly and in millennial favor for:
Tubing, ski-hang-gliding, dog sledding, luxury shopping, Maroon Bells, the Aspen Mountain Gondola, and the ten minute scenic drive between Aspen and Snowmass.
During the summer, check out their music festivals, white water rafting, biking, hiking, paddle boarding, yoga retreats, wine festival, and hot air balloon festival. I haven’t tried it, but I would suggest a picnic in the summer.
Highlights from my trip:
– The darling Aspen Meadows Resort
– The luxurious ski-in-ski-out Westin Snowmass Resort
– The spiked ice cream drink at “J Bar” at Hotel Jerome
– The rooftop view from the new Aspen Art Museum
One more warm thanks you to Michael Hodson of Go, See, Write for letting me bring some Southern California sunshine to Aspen and Snowmass, Colorado.
Learn more about Aspen and Snowmass directly on their sites.
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Disclosure: Please note that some partnerships include affiliate links. I use all of the companies listed and am more than happy to inform you about them — because they’re awesome! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask! Cheers, Steph[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
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