Awesome Aspen: The Scene

Flying to Aspen with Jet Linx is as easy as that: our dedicated, local teams take care of every detail and make sure your travel is as relaxing as your trip. From the catering to a bottle of champagne for celebrating a special occasion, our Client Services Specialists work to anticipate your needs and provide our signature level of customer service on every flight. And with our Elevated Lifestyle partner Ship Sticks and Ship Skis, taking your ski gear on vacation has never been easier. Take a look at Awesome Aspen: today, explore the city’s scene, with its trademark charm.

The Aspen way of life is different than in other cities, but Darcy Conover, Aspen local and entrepreneur, counts that a bonus. “The people who have chosen to call Aspen home for the long term are a special breed,” she said. “The locals are very loyal and consider themselves lucky to live here.” A perfect day in Aspen, she said, would include going to Aspen Mountain to ski – and accidentally running into friends on the way there, catching up for an hour or so before heading to work. The friendly atmosphere is noticeable from the start of each visit to Aspen. “My mom says it every time she’s here: ‘Everyone is just so nice.’ It genuinely affects the quality of your visit because the people you’re dealing with on a daily basis love being here, want to be here and want to share it with everyone else,” Conover laughed.

The variety of activities offered in Aspen goes far beyond skiing, if you know the right places to look. The St. Regis Aspen is home to in-house Aspen Outfitting, run by a father and son who take guests to nearby private ranches for upland bird hunting experiences in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. They also offer clay shooting instruction and practice at a local range, and can arrange winter fly fishing for guests.

The balance of life keeps Conover happy. “I love that I can play in the mountains all day with friends, hiking the Highlands bowl and skiing powder, and then change into my high heels and have a world class dinner or go to the ballet,” she explained. Socializing après-ski is as important as hitting the slopes in Aspen, and it’s no different for visitors. “Visiting the 39 Degrees at The Sky Hotel and having a couple of cocktails out in the sun would be the ideal finish to the day,” Conover said. Aspen Kitchen by David Burke Group and its new subterranean nightclub, Rec Room Aspen, are also prime nighttime destinations. The restaurant features a three-sided rooftop patio with incredible views of both Aspen Mountain and downtown Aspen, while the lounge features over 5,000 hand-selected vintage vinyl records for an intimate, approachable-yet-cool vibe. The club revives and reminisces that unforgettable era, recreating a funky house party by fostering an ambiance that is equal parts high energy dive bar and glamorous lounge, making for a truly unique nightlife experience.

Aspen’s night scene offers plenty of choices, with options to suit any mood. “We have incredible restaurants with local chefs and with well known chefs from across the country. For a night out, you can get dressed up or go out in your ski clothes and be perfectly comfortable,” Conover explained. The opportunities for events and entertainment go far beyond the mountains, with Aspen truly offering something for everyone.

“With The Aspen Institute, we have speakers come in from the Dalai Lama to Bill Clinton,” Conover advised. “You can be intellectually stimulated, go to the ballet, see incredible concerts – and for a town of 6,700, that’s really special.” The Wheeler Opera House, Aspen’s community performance venue since 1889, is home to entertainment that spans genres and audience taste in a beautiful setting. And for a night sans schedule, a stroll through downtown Aspen’s snow-covered streets is always a classic.

During the warmer seasons, Aspen still has plenty to offer. “It’s absolutely gorgeous here year round,” Conover exclaimed. “The summers are incredible here!” Horseback riding and fly fishing rank highly on the list of summertime activities. “We have several different rivers that are gold medal rated,” she advised. “And the amount of hiking trails you can start in town is huge. You can go up for half an hour, or go up for all day, stay within the grove or go up high.”

Both road biking and mountain biking are becoming more popular in Aspen. “Snowmass has been focusing on mountain biking and they are really competitive with other resorts around the country,” Conover said.

This article originally appeared in SOAR’s Winter 2016 issue.

Read more on Awesome Aspen:

• The Slopes
• The Stay
• The Shopping (and Spas!)