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5 Days
Travel + Leisure: The Perfect 5-Day Colorado Vacation Itinerary

We’ve partnered with Travel + Leisure to help you plan the perfect sophisticated Rocky Mountain adventure. The sights along your commute to work have got to be getting old — so how about trading them for the vistas along a route that’s been coined “The Most Beautiful Drive in America”?

Swap out the strangers in your sardine-can-esque train car for a family SUV, your gray cityscape for snow-capped peaks and dark green forests, and your tired eyes for a fresh outlook as you hit the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway. On this massive loop taking you through some of Colorado’s most picturesque luxury destinations, you’ll see all the grandeur of the Old West without sacrificing modern comforts — and we’ll even provide the itinerary. Here’s how to make the most of your Skyway visit.

Day 1

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breakfast

College Drive Cafe

Fresh and local food doesn't have to be expensive. Breakfast, lunch coffee, Wi-Fi, freindly staff and relaxing atmosphere.

activity

Animas Chocolate Company

Award-winning Animas Chocolate & Coffee Company handcrafts a variety of chocolate confections in the heart of Durango. Visit us for a taste of our…

Insider's Tip

Take a Detour

On your one-hour drive west from Durango to Cortez, you have optional opportunities to explore the artists’ colony of Mancos or check out Mesa Verde National Park.

lunch

The Farm Bistro

The Farm Bistro is a casual yet elegant farm to table restaurant in the heart of historic downtown Cortez, Colorado. The lunch and dinner menus are…

activity

McPhee Reservoir

Just a quick jaunt north of Cortez is Dolores, which sits on the edge of both San Juan National Forest and is home to McPhee Reservoir, the second-largest…

dinner

Dolores River Brewery

Every community should have a comfortable place to hang out with somebody!

Insider's Tip

Soak It All In

Head to your home for the evening — swanky Dunton Hot Springs, where you can revel in a post-dinner soak in one of their six natural hot springs.

lodging

Dunton Hot Springs

This meticulously restored 19th century ghost town and mineral hot springs are tucked deep in the mountains of southwestern Colorado. Rugged buildings…

Day 2

Insider's Tip

Fuel Up

Dunton Hot Springs provides a full breakfast every morning at its saloon, using a variety of local and regional ingredients. After getting your fill, hit the pavement again and follow the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway northeast to Telluride, a quaint mountain resort town.

activity

Gondola to Telluride Mountain Village

Perched on the slopes above Telluride is Mountain Village — a dizzyingly beautiful (free) gondola ride up the cliffs makes for a supremely laid-back…

lunch

La Piazza Del Villaggio

Take a spectacular gondola up from Telluride, or a slow stroll within the core of the Mtn. Village, the Sunset Plaza boasting incredible views and an…

activity

Hike the Boulevard Trail

The 2.5-mile Boulevard Trail traverses both the town and the surrounding landscape and provides new perspectives of mountain life.

Insider's Tip

Sunset Vistas

Once dusk approaches, make sure to hustle back to the gondola to descend with the sun — as it settles behind the mountains, you’ll settle into a table at La Marmotte in Telluride, where you’ll enjoy French delicacies like coq au vin in an intimate atmosphere.

dinner

La Marmotte

For over 20 years La Marmotte has provided elegant bistro fare in the mountain town of Telluride, Colorado. It is set in one of the oldest buildings…

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activity

Telluride Brewing

Adventure brought us to these mountains. Friendship made us stay. Community made Telluride our home. These beers brings the best of these to you. Our…

lodging

The Hotel Telluride

The Hotel Telluride is the premier Telluride hotel for the foremost in hospitality and comfort. Nestled in the heart of historic Telluride, Colorado,…

Day 3

breakfast

The Butcher & Baker Cafe

Our bakery and cafe specializes in handcrafted, fresh and local cuisine. We feature handmade breads and artisan pastries, fresh salads composed of local…

activity

Tomboy Ghost Town

Whether you’re hiking or taking a guided ATV tour, you’re going to need something to warm your soul as you head up to the eerie ghost town of Tomboy…

Insider's Tip

Be Prepared

The route to Tomboy ghost town can be strenuous and daunting, so if you’re not feeling up to it, there are plenty of other activities in Telluride, like shopping or museums.

lunch

Brown Dog Pizza

Come to Brown Dog Pizza and try our award winning Detroit Square Pizza. Our regular customers love the new addition to our menu. The pizza is made with…

Insider's Tip

Ridgway Bound

Hop back on the scenic byway to make your way to Ridgway, a historic mountain town surrounded by the rugged San Juan Mountains and Cimarron Range that got its start as an 1800s railroad hub.

activity

Fly-Fishing on the Uncompahgre River

Partake in one of Colorado’s time-honored leisure activities at Ridgway State Park, where the Uncompahgre River is a favorite spot for hooking hard-fighting…

Insider's Tip

Coffee for the Road

Grab a cup of joe at Ridgway’s Cimarron Coffee & Books before you hop back on the San Juan Skyway toward Ouray, known as the Switzerland of America.

dinner

Outlaw Restaurant

Tthe Outlaw Restaurant still has the same sign hung in 1969. Those who return come back with happy memories of the past, while newcomers take away experiences…

activity

Ouray Hot Springs Swimming Pool

Nearly one million gallons of clear hot springs water, without the sulfur smell common in many hot springs. There are 3 pools ranging from 80 to 105…

lodging

Beaumont Hotel & Spa

The historic Beaumont Hotel & Spa is the only luxury hotel in Ouray, Colorado. Modern amenities include wireless high-speed internet & outstanding…

Day 4

breakfast

Artisan Bakery & Cafe

Come enjoy breakfast, lunch, or just a pastry and coffee, in a cozy little restaurant on main street, Ouray CO. Located at the south side of town, right…

activity

Ouray Alchemist

Ouray Alchemist Museum was pieced together by a lover of pharmacological history and chock full of artifacts from previous eras of medicine — the passion…

Insider's Tip

Million Dollar Views

After touring the Ouray Alchemist Museum, drive from Ouray to Silverton. The canyon-clinging stretch of the San Juan Skyway between the towns is called “The Million Dollar Highway” either because it cost so much to build or the amount of gold ore that remained in the roadway’s fill. Ouray is also close to Yankee Boy Basin, one of the area’s best places for incomparable mountain views. The best (and only) way to get here is to hire an ATV or an off-road vehicle tour. Once there, you’ll see waterfalls, wildlife, and a whole lot of sky.

lunch

Kendall Mountain Cafe

A hidden treasure off the beaten path. Good homestyle food!

activity

Llama Hike with Redwood Llamas

Trek across the mountains with your furry friends to engage in some interspecies bonding and learn the natural history of the area (not from the llamas,…

dinner

Thee Pitts Again

Unfortunately, the llamas can’t accompany you to dinner afterward at Thee Pitts Again, Silverton’s premier barbecue destination.

activity

Golden Block Brewery

Fresh and bursting with flavor is the experience Golden Block Brewery provides. Serving Silverton, CO we offer great tasting craft beer brewed on premise…

lodging

Inn of the Rockies at the Historic Alma House

We are a traditional and historic Bed and Breakfast located in Silverton, Colorado.

Day 5

Insider's Tip

Made-From-Scratch Deliciousness

Your final day begins with a home-cooked meal away from home, courtesy of Silverton’s Inn of the Rockies. Your hosts are accommodating and skilled, so indulge in some French toast and freshly brewed coffee before you join a horseback ride with Bears Ranch in Durango.

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activity

Trail Rides at Bears Ranch

Offering horseback rides and sleigh rides in the heart of the San Juan Mountains.

Insider's Tip

Après-Ride Bites

Your lunch is down the road at Harvest Grill & Greens at James Ranch, 10 miles north of Durango, where you can nosh on sandwiches made with organic produce and locally raised meats and cheeses.

lunch

James Ranch Grill

Our delicious meats, cheeses and vegetables are produced on the James Ranch using organic, sustainable, grass-based practices and have been for over…

Insider's Tip

Journey Back to Durango

Durango is the final stop on your San Juan Skyway loop tour. Once you arrive, stroll the town’s National Historic District, lined with shops, eateries and hotels housed in perfectly restored 19th-century buildings.

dinner

Eolus Bar & Dining

Majestic Mt. Eolus is the namesake of our dining establishment.  We offer rooftop dining year round on our warm heated patio or an interior dining area…

activity

Diamond Belle Saloon

If you're standing in the Diamond Belle Saloon, located in Durango, Colorado, you just may have stepped back in time. Revered as one of the most famous…

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lodging

Gable House B&B

Listed on the National and State Historic Register, is an elegant Queen Anne Victorian home in the heart of historic Durango, Colorado. Enjoy the charm…