We visited Durango, Colorado once before on our Southwest road trip and always remembered it fondly. Now, nearly 3 years later, it was just as wonderful as we had remembered.
Durango has one of our FAVORITE main streets. Several blocks long and filled with tons of shops that you just HAVE to check out. Our particular favorites are Urban Market and Maria’s Bookshop. We love old Main Streets but especially adore when they’re filled with lively shops with things that just tempt you to buy. There are also several breweries and restaurants. In fact, we loved 11th Street Station so much we ate there twice (!!) in just one week.
A visit to Durango is best when you adventure outdoors during the day and venture into town for some shopping or a bite to eat. Here’s our perfect weekend itinerary:
DAY ONE
Start your morning with a delicious bagel from Durango Bagel. Go with a basic bagel or try one of their specialty sandwiches to fuel yourself for the day ahead!
Ready to explore? Stroll the Animas River Trail. Check out the map here to see the various access points. This urban trail runs along the Animas River (which is my favorite name for a river, by the way). The mountains cape along the river is stunning. During the summer, the greens are so purely green. During the winter, the snowcapped mountains match the foaming river beautifully.
Along the river you can also find the Animas Brewing Company which could make for a nice pitstop (though the trail isn’t strenuous you can always treat yourself).
Afterwards, drive onto Main Street. Parking can be found easily. We suggest parking at one end or the other (the main attractions are with N College Drive and 11th Street) and walking one way and coming back on the other side of the street.
When you work up an appetite, check out 11th Street Station which has several permanent food trucks to chose from. Shane loved the pizza and I could eat the poke bowl here every day.
For an after-dinner treat, check out Cream Bean Berry for an ice cream cone.
DAY TWO
If you’d like to start your morning with a cup of coffee, we highly recommend Durango Coffee Company. The interior aesthetic is totally my vibe and the coffee was so tasty.
When you’re ready to explore the outdoors, you can hike the Animas Mountain Trail or Falls Creek Trail if you’d like to stay local. If you’re up for a drive, take an hour trip to Mesa Verda National Park.
For dinner, you can head back into town and enjoy Steamworks Brewing and enjoy some good pub food and a flight of their beer.
CONCLUSION
WARNING ABOUT MILLION DOLLAR HIGHWAY ⚠️ If you have a strong stomach and driving confidence, we’ve heard Silverton and Ouray make for a beautiful day trip. You can visit by driving U.S Route 550 which has made USA Today’s list of the World’s Most Dangerous Roads. With the trailer, we weren’t able to drive this stretch, but we’ve heard the route and Silverton are beautiful.
If you have extra time in town or want to visit Silverton via train vs. driving, we’ve always wanted to try the Durango Train. The train is 3.5 hours each way so it’s a full-day activity. The train has been in continuous operation since 1882. Adult tickets are $69.
We loved our stay at the Strater Hotel last time we visited (without our travel trailer). It’s a step back into time and it made for an authentic experience. Downstairs, you can enjoy a drink at The Office Spiritorium or hear some ragtime music at the Diamond Belle Saloon.
Interested in a Southwest road trip? Head to Arizona and check out Sedona.