30th Birthday in Aspen, CO
What’s a better place to celebrate turning 30 during winter than Aspen, Colorado? From the restaurants to the mountain views, Aspen is a must-see destination. We visited this beautiful ski resort town in the middle of February, which is a peak time to visit during the winter.
Here are my favorite places to stay, dining spots you can’t miss, and activities.
Where to Stay
We had a large group, so we stayed in an Airbnb that was closer to downtown and had a lot of space to relax. Although there were some parts of the house that needed an update, I would recommend staying here or a similar Airbnb close to downtown with your group of friends!
If you aren’t staying with a large group, here are the best hotels to stay at:
Where to Dine & Drink
I loved the fun variety of restaurants we visited for dinner, lunch, and drinks. From different cuisines and atmospheres here are the must-see restaurants in Aspen.
Steakhouse 316- This is the spot to have dinner. My favorite dishes were the onion rings, oysters, and steak of course. The atmosphere feels likes a vintage 20’s restaurant with a chic, cozy feel at the same time.
Matsuhisa- If you’re looking for exceptional Japanese seafood, you’ll need to come here. We loved their tasting menus created by Chef Nobu. His signature dishes are inspired from all around the world and include Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeno, Black Cod Miso, and Whitefish Tiradito.
French Alpine Bistro- This charming candlelit hideaway is a perfect stop for lunch and drinks. There is a wide variety of lunch items to choose from, but you can’t go wrong with the Truffle Gnocchi-flette and a French 75 house cocktail.
Element 47- This restaurant is located inside of The Little Nell, a year-round destination hotel with luxe guest rooms located at the foot of Aspen Mountain. We went here for breakfast and loved the breakfast enchiladas!
Hotel Jerome- The J-Bar is a fun quick stop for drinks and appetizers, it was a lively western vibe for an après-ski drink. For a lounge and cocktail vibe, The Living Room is perfect.
Hooch- We loved visiting this adorable underground bar! With heavenly cocktails and atmosphere, I recommend stopping here for the winter cocktail menu.
What to Do
Aspen is so much more than skiing and snowboarding, which is why I chose to go here for my birthday. Here are some of my favorite activities that we did.
Snowboarding at Snowmass- I personally did not join, but a few of our friends went and loved the views and trails.
Snowmobiling with T-Lazy-7 Ranch- We loved our private tour with our group, it is a great adventure through the White River National Forest.
Massage at the Viceroy- I cannot say enough great things about this! We went a little early to grab breakfast and mimosas inside the hotel at Toro. This is a little drive from where we were staying in downtown Aspen, but if you were looking to stay close to this area I recommend booking a night at St Regis.
SHOP!- We loved that Downtown Aspen had some of the nicest shopping including Dior, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Valentino, and all the classics.
Relax- We stayed in one night, played games and ordered pizza!
What to Wear
I have never seen so many cute snow outfits as I did in Aspen. We even saw Steve Harvey and his wife (who looked extremely extra). Everyone was decked to the nines and looked fabulous, so bring your cutest snow gear!
Obviously, it depends on the time of the year you visit. I recommend checking the weather prior.
It was 37 degrees when we went, which meant lots of layers! I brought a lot of long coats, turtle necks, and boots. Don’t forget to bring a bikini, the jacuzzi in the snow is a magical experience (once you get all the way in, lol).
Links to a few outfits
