Steamboat Springs, What an Interesting Town

Destinations, Personal Travel Stories

For being a place I have never heard of before, turns out Steamboat Springs is a big tourist destination due to its ski powder during the snow season. This little town is rocking with great culture.

Strawberry Hot Springs, a popular destination you can’t go wrong visiting

I ended up meeting up with a college friend who is basically family from Wisconsin here, Hunter. Quite the wild friend who moved here ironically for the hunting and great outdoors (Hunter hunts) who was able to show me all around Steamboat and surrounding areas. Plus a free place to stay, I think I will stay a while despite I start a new job soon..

Speaking of jobs, I decided to have a job interview here. I love this little town. Things were going great, until I checked the housing market, YIKES! This place is far more expensive than California was, I was not expecting that. Probably a good thing, everyone would move to places like this if it was affordable. Onward we go.

I spend the next few days hiking, boating, wheeling, enjoying life. Turns out, Hunter is a great tour guide. We are equally as crazy and enjoy all things adrenaline and beating our body up. It’s an odd thing to enjoy, but if you haven’t experienced pushing your mental and physical capabilities and accomplishing “the impossible” I don’t expect you to understand.

Alpine lake somewhere middle of nowhere after hours of hiking. We found a snow cold Pabst Blue Ribbon, unopened. Of course we drank it silly.

I never knew so much of this even existed, where have I been my whole life and why at age 28 am I just seeing this now for the first time? If I had any advice for my younger self, it would be to get out more. There is just SO much out there and my few months of exploring doesn’t even cover the tip of it.

Again, with the time flying. How does this happen? One week has already flown by and now I need to book it back to Wisconsin and start working for everything I said I wouldn’t do again. No dealerships, no 50+ hour weeks, no customer service and yet here I am, going back to the only thing I know. How disappointing Stephanie.

Anyways, I will post more about that non exciting stuff later. In the mean time…

Some of my Favorite Spots in Steamboat Springs

Food – Unlimited options for everyone, but here were my favorites

  • Back Door Grill – so delicious I ate here twice. Solid choice of American food and tasty beer (or spirits)
  • Vaqueros Mexican Restaurant & Taqueria – For not being in California, this is some pretty spot on Mexican food. I had to add some cheesy rice though, that’s the Wisconsin in me.
  • Johnny B’s Good Diner – Bomb breakfast and shakes, plus the environment is so retro
  • Steamboat Whisky Company – If you’re like me, whisky can be dinner to. This spot was epic environment and some killer whiskey.

Workout – If the hiking, skiing, boating doesn’t beat you up enough

  • CrossFit Steamboat Springs – They were so welcoming with drop ins. Just be aware, cardio and weight lifting when you are not used to altitude will really freak you out first workout haha

Coffee – again, coffee everywhere but here were my favorites

  • Mountain Brew Coffee – Very small hidden gem, plus they have a secret upstairs hide out
  • Big Iron Coffee – Located right on the main drag, hard to miss! If you love Instagram worthy coffee, this is the place to go

The list of things to do here does not stop. From shopping, eating, boat rentals, relaxing hot springs, hot balloon rides, off road adventures, public lands, clubs, wine, beer, parks, all things outdoors YEAR ROUND this is the one stop destination for it all. I want to try white river rafting when I come back, I know I will be back!

Hans Peak