Steamboat Springs- A ski village summer-style
Written: Jun 13 '02 (Updated Jun 22 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Yes, it IS possible to have fun in a ski village in the summertime
Cons: No, I cannot give you my arm in exchange for a gallon of milk
The Bottom Line: Trek up the mountains in the summertime for a peaceful and relaxing vacation. Just remember to watch your budget.
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| xxskagirlxx's Full Review: Steamboat |
I realize that there may be people out there who are having a hard time imagining visiting a ski village in the summertime. However, I've found that for a non-skier/snowboarder like me, the summertime is the best time to go. You can usually catch good off-season deals, meaning that the lodging is just over-priced rather than horribly over-priced. A lot of these villages have also realized that earning income in the winter seasons is pretty easy, but they have to have a way to make ends meet during the summer. Fortunately Steamboat Springs is one such village that does a nice job of luring tourists year round.
Location:
If you watched the Winter Olympics this past year, you'll think that Steamboat Springs sounds pretty familiar. That's because a lot of the ski and snowboarding competitors are from this area! Steamboat Springs is the home to about 10,000 people and is located approximately two and a half hours from Denver. It can be reached by going up I-70 and turning at Silverthorne (you may want to stop here to pick up some deals at their awesome Outlet Mall). The drive itself is beautiful and an easier one, with the road being straighter than other mountain roads. Of course, you ARE going up into the mountains so there is bound to be some twists and turns. However, I am the queen of car-sickness and I've never had a problem when driving to Steamboat.
You can also access Steamboat from Laramie, Wyoming but I wouldn't recommend this. Wyoming is just too bleak and depressing. And I thought South Dakota was synonymous with Hell. My apologies to anyone actually living in Wyoming.
Lodging:
I'm fortunate enough to have an aunt and uncle that own a place up in Steamboat Springs. What a lot of people do is they buy an apartment/condominium for their own use. However, most people are unable to get away to Steamboat enough during the year to make owning over-priced property worth it, so they go through Lodging agencies to rent their places out during the times they are not there. My aunt and uncle, having three boys, are more than happy to have a place that they can call their own, and the check they receive for renting it out makes them even happier. During this trip, my family and I went through my aunt and uncle's Lodging Agency (Mountain Resorts) and were able to secure a one bedroom apartment in their building for $100 a night. You will pay more for more bedrooms and bathrooms or a nicer furnished place. This is the way to go if you want to feel like you're actually living in Steamboat.
There are also many hotels/motels located throughout the town such as Hampton Inn, Ramada Inn, etc. We've never stayed at one so I'm not sure how high the prices are, but I'm guessing they can be quite high.
The Climate:
Everytime I've been to Steamboat Springs, it's been in June. Since Steamboat Springs is not that high elevation-wise, the temperatures can easily reach up into the 80's. However, at night the temperatures can still be quite chilly so packing a sweater or light jacket is recommended. I also recommend bringing plenty of water as the air is quite dry. Unfortunately, our condominium was on the third floor meaning each trip up and down left me feeling as if I had ran a marathon. However, toward the end of the trip my body had grown accustomed to the high altitude. Another recommendation is to bring plenty of sunblock! It can be difficult to feel the effects of the sun due to the pleasant temperatures and lack of humidity, but that doesn't mean your skin isn't roasting! (I'm still peeling from an outdoor excursion that lasted only an hour.)
And did you notice something? No mosquitoes or gnats. Yes, it's possible to spend the entire day outside in Steamboat Springs and not get bitten once by any sort of bug. I'm in heaven!
Unfortunately, while I was in Steamboat the Colorado wildfires were just beginning so we did experience a little bit of soot and ash falling from the sky along with some smoke in the atmosphere but otherwise the town was unaffected.
Also:
You'll want to pack a little extra dough as the cost of living runs higher up in the mountains due to all the extra work it takes to get products to Steamboat Springs. Grocery shopping seemed to cost twice as much in Steamboat than in South Dakota, making a gallon of milk seem like a rare treat.
The People:
This town can be quickly filled with many tourists. Unfortunately, there tends to be a large income gap between full-time locals and part-time locals and tourists. This is evident by the large and fancy ranches located outside of Steamboat and the luxurious condominiums located inside the town. This can be a source of animosity between citizens but the full-time locals are still pretty easy going when it comes to tourists. They've always been more than friendly toward us. You'll also find that many of the locals bike or rollerblade to get around town. This is a very active and healthy town!
Stuff to do:
Downtown:
In Steamboat Springs there is plenty to do. Their downtown area is quite established with plenty of shops full of everything from designer clothes to specialty knick-knacks to places to dine. Downtown is where you'll find the local movie theater and a community center where the mineral springs can be enjoyed (for a small fee, naturally).
Bike Trail:
Another highlight of Steamboat is their bike trail that leads through the entire city. My fiance and I jumped on the bike trail at the south end of town and headed toward the downtown area. All in all it was about a 3.5-4.0 mile walk. The bike trail follows the river which also follows Highway 40, the main district that runs through Steamboat. Basically, you can get almost anywhere by following the bike path and you won't have to worry about contending with the heavy traffic that sometimes crowds Highway 40. The bike path is heavily used by many of the locals and visitors to Steamboat Springs and they are more than happy to share it with you. It also goes right past the Botanic Gardens which are absolutely beautiful and free to the public. Another option besides walking is to rent a mountain bike or rollerblades, which can be acquired through many of the ski rental shops along Highway 40 or in the downtown area.
Free bus:
My fiance and I were lucky enough to meet up with my family in downtown Steamboat, but for those of you who do not wish to make the trek back on the bike trails you can always catch the free bus that runs on an established route through the entire city.
Gondola:
Steamboat Springs also makes good use of Mt. Warner during the summer by implementing a gondola for visitors to ride. The price is reasonable and once there you can dine at Hazie's, known for their great Sunday brunch, or you can set off on a day-long hike.
Alpine Slide:
And what mountain village would be complete without an alpine slide? For those of you who are scratching your head, allow me to explain. An alpine slide is a track built into the side of a hill or mountain. Visitors take a chair-lift up (usually the same chair-lift that would be bringing skiers up during the winter) and slide back down on a sled type contraption that allows you to control your descent. Steamboat's is appropriately named The Howler and accessed through the downtown area at 5th Street and Howelsen Parkway.
Steamboat Lake:
Another great way to spend the day is to rent a boat. Steamboat Lake is located about 45 minutes away from Steamboat Springs and has a marina located there for boat rentals. Considering we were a rather large group, we rented a Pontoon boat that seated up to twelve people and set out on the lake. The lake and the surrounding scenery were both absolutely beautiful. It's not every day I get to enjoy boating on pristine lake surrounded by mountains (in South Dakota most lakes are man-made and surrounded by cows). We also had a great lunch supplied by the gas grill already located on the boat. Talk about the ultimate in laziness!
Music:
Steamboat is also home Strings in the Mountain, a weekly series of outdoor concerts that run from late-June to mid-August.
Other:
There is also plenty of mountain-type stuff to do such as horse back riding, rafting, hiking, and kayaking. Unfortunately my family is not adventuresome (I'm blaming it on living in South Dakota) so I've never tried any of that stuff out but it is easily accessible.
My recommendation:
Steamboat Springs is a wonderful summer getaway for both the adventure-seeker and relaxation-seeker alike. Both the drive to Steamboat and the scenery in Steamboat is beautiful and there is plenty to do. Returning to South Dakota after visiting Steamboat Springs is always so very depressing, so I try to limit myself. It's not fun being depressed year-round.
Recommended Websites:
www.steamboat.com
www.steamboat-chamber.com
Recommended:
Yes
Level of Experience Needed: All
Best Suited For: Families
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Epinions.com ID:
xxskagirlxx
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Member: Stevie
Location: South Dakota
Reviews written: 152
Trusted by: 87 members
About Me:
I dress up my dogs and then force my husband to take them for walks.
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