Aspen Nightlife – Getting Around

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.

(word count 423)

PPPPP
