Looking for the perfect winter vacation? Try your hand at skiing! This past Christmas, we travelled to Telluride, Colorado, to ski for the first time in nine years.

Skiing is an inherently socially distanced sport, and Telluride has done a great job with enforcing protocols to keep everyone safe. Masks are required in lift lines, restaurants are at 25% indoor capacity (only outdoor seating when we went), hotels are at 50% capacity, and of course, social distancing is encouraged. Here are the details of where we stayed, skied, and dined during our trip:

Stay

We opted for the residence hotel, Lumière with Inspirato, in Mountain Village. Since we were gone over Christmas, we wanted a little more space to celebrate the holiday as a family. Plus, we knew we’d be ordering in a lot, so we wanted a kitchen, eating area, and family room. In fact, the hotel also brought in a chef from Napa Valley to prepare delicious three-course meals for in-room dining. Our particular 2 bedroom residence actually came with 3 bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms, a huge plus! The hotel also offers Black Tie Ski Rentals and is ski-in/ski-out, very convenient! I would definitely stay here again.

Mountain Village is just a 12 minute gondola ride from downtown Telluride. We chose Mountain village over Telluride because it is ski-in/ski-out and more accessible to beginner skiers (only black and blue trails lead into Telluride). Telluride has more restaurants, but Mountain Village has a lot of great options too. By no means did we feel isolated, even with limited dining due to Covid. Here are some pictures of Mountain Village:

Ski

Though I was a beginner skier upon arrival in Telluride, I was still able to enjoy the beautiful views from runs across the mountain. With a lot of practice (and extensive lessons), I progressed to double blues by the end. We used the Telluride Ski School, and every instructor we had was excellent. While I cannot offer recommendations on black and double black runs, here are some of my favorite beginner and intermediate runs:

Green & Double Green

Ute Park (green) – Located off of lift 11, Ute Park offers an easy trail that runs beneath the chairlift, as shown below. Though it does turn into a double green, this run is relatively flat and very pretty.

Galloping Goose (double green) – Beginning at lift 12, Galloping Goose starts high up on the mountain and goes all the way to Mountain Village, eventually turning into Lower Galloping Goose. It is a great run for beginners and is super pretty.

May Girl (double green) – Located off of Galloping Goose (lift 12), this short and easy run is a fun one, and you can take it to Madison (see below) for some nice skiing.

Little Maude / Madison (double green) – From lift 11, take Little Maude into Madison for a fun run through an open stretch scattered with trees and small hills.

Blue & Double Blue

See Forever (blue) – Starting at approximately 12,000 feet at the top of the mountain (just off lift 14), See Forever offers beautiful views of the whole region. It has narrow bits, but if you come in the morning, it’ll be much less crowded and even more gorgeous.

Enchanted Forest (blue) – Just off of lift 10, Enchanted Forest lets you ski through the trees and choose from a number of paths and fun off-shoots along the run.

Boomerang (blue) – For a quick and fun run where you can gain some speed, Boomerang (located off of lift 4) is great.

Sandia (blue) – Located off lift 12, Sandia begins as either a double blue or blue (Magnolia), depending on which path you take. The double blue stretch is a great run to test out your skills, as it is wide and never too crowded.

Henry’s (double blue) – Try your hand at moguls on Henry’s, off of lift 5, or stay to the left for a simple double blue. Either way, this run is great.

I could go on and on, but these runs are my stand-out favorites that you should be sure to check out. Although honestly, you cannot go wrong. Feel free to leave a comment if you’d like more suggestions.

Dine

There are loads of amazing restaurants in Telluride and Mountain Village, but here are the seven spots we dined at while there.

Black Iron

Located in Mountain Village at the Madeline Hotel (an Auberge hotel), Black Iron Kitchen and Bar is a great option for a midday break from skiing or a fun dinner. We came here for lunch and dinner, and both meals were amazing. Even during Covid times, the atmosphere was vibrant, and the food was delicious. I would definitely recommend this spot.

221 South Oak

Situated in downtown Telluride, 221 South Oak offers a creative menu with delicious items ranging from “Grilled Maitake with Goji Berry and Walnut Jam” to “Braised Bison Short Ribs with Pepita Crumble.” No matter what you pick, you will not be disappointed. We came here for Christmas Eve dinner, where we sat in a heated (though still quite chilly) yurt outside, per Telluride’s Covid-19 guidelines. We all raved about our meal.

Tomboy Tavern

Located right next to the slopes in Mountain Village, Tomboy Tavern is a great pick for lunch (or dinner). We came here on Christmas and were expecting decent food but a fun atmosphere, and we were pleasantly surprised by how good our meals were. My shrimp tacos were delicious.

Brown Dog Pizza

In downtown Telluride, Brown Dog Pizza is known for its amazing Detroit-style pizza (among other styles), and with reason. After a half day of skiing, we took the gondola to town to pick up some pizza, and it was well worth the trip. Though we are spoiled with New York pizza, we all agreed that Brown Dog Pizza certainly knows what it’s doing.

Telluride Pizzeria

We ordered in from Telluride Pizzeria in Mountain Village, once for pizza and once for pasta. The pizza is decent, but nothing notable. I preferred the pasta. If you’re looking for an easy take-out option or something more casual and good for families, this restaurant is it.

Tracks

Located in Mountain Village, Tracks is perfect for a quick lunch during a busy day of skiing. It is super casual, but offers good food. It may not compare to the more formal restaurants in Mountain Village, but it is certainly a great option.

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That concludes my blog post on Telluride, Colorado, and don’t forget to like this post and subscribe to my blog below. If you have any questions or comments, leave them below, and check out my related posts for more travel itineraries and reviews!