Traveling to Durango, CO at the end of August with the family (5 + 1 toddler), staying for a full week at a property on Coon Creek.

Does anyone have any recs for food/drinks or outdoor activities?

We spent 9 days in Durango in early July with 9, 7 and 3-yr old kids. We have an RV so did most of our meals there but did eat at Steamworks Brewery downtown one night - great food and drinks.

For activities, we do a lot of hiking and stuff but below are some options with younger kids (we did all of these):

• Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Train - note the train was only running to Cascade Creek then turns around and heads back to Rockwood (departure location). But on a positive front with young kids it's about 2.5 hours round trip and views are great so we were happy to not spend the full day on the train if going to Silverton. Highly Recommend.
• Train museum downtown Durango - free and cool way to spend an hour
• Dept Wildlife & Fisheries Trout Farm - free and can see thousands of young rainbow trout before they are released into ponds/lakes/rivers
• Purgatory Ski Resort - about 20 min north of Durango, mountain coasters, sleds, ride gondola, panning for gems, etc. You buy a half day pass (morning or afternoon) and get unlimited use during your time slot. They are limiting number of people so buy tickets in advance.
• Mesa Verda NP - about 40 min west of Durango, great views, some short walks to see cliff dwellings, canyon overlooks, etc.
• Downtown Durango has some great playgrounds for kids - Santa Anita Park is awesome so have a picnic there and let the kids play. It's right next to the river on south side of downtown.
• Rafting - if the 5-yr old is up for it, do the short 2-hr rafting trip down the Animas River through town. A few fun bumps and nothing serious. Puts in on north side of town and finishes at Santa Anita Park. It's only about 1.5 hrs on the water. I did it with my 9 and 7 year old and they loved it. Wife and 3-yr old hung out at Whitewater Park and watched us raft by.

Let me know if any questions. We loved our time in Durango.

DP

DP

DP - sorry for the quadruple post!

Also looking for food/drink recs in Durango. Not to derail, but also for telluride.

A large group of us all enjoyed a great lunch at Steamworks Brewing when we drove through on spring break this year.

Oh yeah we also had a very good breakfast at the College Drive Cafe.

Grassburger was quick and good.

bayouaggie's list is a good one.

Chimney Rock National Monument is about 45 minutes away. It's smaller than Mesa Verde, but was surprisingly great. Aside from the archeological points of interest, we also got to see a couple of peregrine falcons doing their thing from the top of the mountain, which was a nice treat.

Tell me more about this "panning for gems" please.

it's a little bit cheesy but good for kids between maybe 3-8.

(this may have changed in the past year since i went, but I doubt it)

they give you a bag that has rocks/sand/gems in it at the ticket office, and you proceed outside where they have a conveyor belt with running water and some pans for sifting the bag's contents. the kids then find the gems and other little rocks and stuff.

it's a cute activity. probably takes 10-15 minutes.

Just got back from a week split between Telluride and Durango with 12 and 10 year olds.

Day 1: Drive from Amarillo to Telluride, lunch in Westcliffe; route to Salida, Gunnison, Montrose and then Telluride. Supper in Telluride.
Day 2: Family 5 mile round trip hike up Bear Creek Falls (trailhead was at our condo); San Miguel River flowed by the condo balcony so lots of kid time in the river (frigid). Picked up pizza at Brown Dog Pizza
Day 3: Key Notch (?) falls hike. 3.6 mi round trip. Supper at Smugglers Union
Day 4: Depart Telluride and drive the "million dollar highway" to Durango. Lunch in Ouray and short walk to Cascade Falls. Lunch a Telluride Brewery. Arrive Durango and ate at Nayarit Mexican.
Day 5: Bought 4 hour pass to base of Purgatory Ski Resort that morning. Mountain coaster, alpine slide and then take lift to top of resort to hike around. Ended up in Durango, shopping in historic district afternoon and ate lunch at Fired Up Pizza. Ate supper at T's BBQ by rail station.
Day 6: Went on 2 hour rafting on he Animas River. Then spent the afternoon on the Durango / Silverton steam train. Ate dinner in Durango at Mutu Italian.
Day 7: Depart Durango and drive through Pagosa Springs and Alamosa to Great Sand Dunes NP for 4 hours. Then drive to Trinidad for hotel.
Day 8: Drive from Trinidad to Dallas.

Highlights: 400 lb bear around our condo in Telluride. Rivers outside our condo in Telluride and hotel in Durango. So lots of wading and playing in the rivers. Rafting was awesome for family. Million dollar highway drive was amazing. Ouray was really cool. Telluride was breathtaking. Sweatshirt weather each morning in both places. Low 48 in both. High was 71 in telluride and 85 in Durango.

Breakfasts in Telluride were always picking up from: The Butcher and the Baker and Baked in Telluride
Breakfasts in Durango were Durango Doughworks and Starbucks.

Let me know if you have questions. Awesome trip.

Carver's in downtown Durango was the best food we had while in Durango last winter. It was across the street from where we stayed so we ended eating a breakfast and a dinner there. Both very good.

Grassburger, Steamworks, and Animas were also good.

In Telluride, most restaurants are take out only, but here are some recs:

The National is a great place for dinner in Telluride - dine in.

I think High Pie is better than the better known Brown Dog Pizza.

Siam for great Thai food but may be pick up only.

Sheridan is a good steak/chop house type place that is doing dine in.

Smugglers is always really good and is doing dine in (on their patio at least).

Cosmopolitan (Columbia Hotel) is always good and they've got these cool individual tents set up across the street by the gondola for outdoor dining.

Best sources for late August, last-minute accommodations in the Durango area? Small cabin or condo by a river would be wonderful. Thanks for any recommendations.

If you are willing to go off grid a bit, it looks like there are still a few dates available at Oleo Ranch Https://www.oleoranch.com We will be there for 3 nights in the last week of August before heading to Telluride for the rest of the week.

Telluride: We did have drinks two nights at the Sheridan. My wife's old boss lives in Telluride half the year and met us for drinks there. Great little place. Smugglers did have dining inside but we ate outside since the weather was amazing. Siam was closed the night we tried to pick up there but heard it's great. As far as Durango, we stayed at the Doubletree. It was right on the Animas river. So we opened our balcony door and listened to the river all night. The kids ran down and waded in the river for hours. The hotel is about 2-3 blocks from the historic main street, which is convenient. The rafting guide we used headquartered out of the albertson's grocery parking lot, across the parking lot from the Doubletree. That was convenient. Bottom line, if a hotel is an option, this is the place to be. We had a condo in Telluride. Right on the river there.

Rent a jeep or utv and spend a day in the canyon or on alpine loop. Thats some of the best scenery there is.

Perfect timing! I booked an Airbnb for the end of August. Have a 7 and 9 year old. We plan to do a lot of the stuff mentioned and hit up a few mountain passes as well.

I owe this thread a follow up after spending time in Durango and Telluride.

Bottom line, the dining experience was just not enjoyable with the restrictions in Colorado. It is mostly outdoor seating, which means it's hot. The limited seating meant long wait lines. Places with service in the shade were highly coveted.

The Italian place in downtown Telluride was by far the best meal, as they had a great shaded patio with good service. Never found a good spot in Durango. Went to several places mentioned above, but the lines were too long.

Still had a great time. Just know to lower your dining expectations if you go.

Also - really enjoyed Apple Orchard Inn in Durango. Nothing fancy, just quant and good people.

Sorry to hear your experience with dining. We didn't have that experience. And we missed any hot weather. So that probably made a difference.

Don't get me wrong, we still had a great time and enjoyed some great takeout food. Precisely the restaurant dining experience left much to me desired.

Conversely, we enjoyed some great BYOB picnics in the shade.