Autumn Mountain Getaway

The last week of September my family enjoyed a little mountain escape to Beaver Creek during the peak of the aspen trees changing. We had our fun exploring Beaver Creek, Vail, Avon, and Edwards. The landscape was a cheerful sight in every direction. Having a whole week off to explore these towns in the fall was a much needed time away from the mundane routine. I think autumn is an important time to get away so you can take a step back, recharge and reflect. There is no better way to do that than an escape to the mountains.

Beaver Creek

There are so many mountain towns to explore in Colorado and every one of them is so different. Beaver Creek is very much like Aspen. It draws in a high-class demographic, with high-end shops, restaurants, and hotels.  The atmosphere is not very down to earth compared to places like Breckenridge or Crested Butte, but it still has a lot to offer for everyone.

Exploring Beaver Creek

The hardest thing about Beaver Creek was getting around because all of the roads are private access, which meant you have to do all your exploring on foot. So this was a good and a bad thing. Every morning I woke up and picked a different direction to explore. There are some really amazing trails on Beaver Creek Mountain. I wanted to get lost among the yellow aspen trees as often as I could while I was there. Luckily our condo at the Park Plaza was perfectly located in the center where all the main shops and restaurants are on the base of the ski slopes. Which made everything you needed accessible by foot.

A Quick Stop in Vail

Our first official full day in Beaver Creek was on a Sunday so we headed to the Vail farmers market to stock up on fresh food for the week. Vail has a huge farmers market during the summer and fall with the most vendors I have ever seen. Everything from art, crafts, gifts, farm-fresh foods, food vendors and more. It was one of my favorite experiences during our trip. I highly recommend that you check it out during the warmer seasons.

When staying in a nice condo in the mountains I prefer to prepare home-cooked meals most nights. There is nothing better than a cozy night in with the fireplace roaring with a warm batch of soup ready to eat in the crockpot. But my favorite thing to go out for when on vacation in the mountains is pizza. Lucky for us there was a great pizza place steps from our door called Blue Moose pizza. We enjoyed the pizza so much we stopped here a second time after a long morning of hiking.

Our Go-To Coffee Shop

With fall in the air, we had a serious craving for pumpkin spice lattes. So we were on a coffee hunt as soon as we got there. We tried a few different shops during our stay and the best option we came across was a place called Yeti’s Grind in Vail. It was a quaint little shop that is good for coffee on the go. Not so much a good hang out spot. But they had a good selection of flavored coffees and had a good pumpkin latte with oat milk. However, we thought the coffee in the Beaver Creek area was nowhere near as good as our mountain favorites. Like the Cabin Coffee Co and Clints Cafe & Bakery in Breckenridge.

A Day Trip to Edwards

A surprising town was Edwards! I had never been to Edwards before. And didn’t really expect there to be much there. But I loved it more than Beaver Creek and Vail. It had a great vibe that felt like more of a place for the locals to get away from the high-end tourist spots. Edwards has a great area for shopping right along the river. With some hip boutiques, flower shops, bookstores, and second-hand stores.

We headed over there on our last day and had breakfast at Hovey and Harrison. We indulged in a seasonal citrus french toast paired with an invigorating spicy golden latte. This restaurant was the coolest spot and it is a must-eat place if you are ever in the area. They make most everything from scratch. They even have a fresh market with locally grown produce. Plus lots of delicious baked goods made in-house. We bought a loaf of bread and a big bunch of the most beautiful basil I have ever seen. We made a wholesome homemade dinner with tomato basil soup and grilled cheese. The fresh ingredients really made it a memorable dinner.

An Exciting Discovery in Edwards

I happened to stumble across an amazing yarn shop in Edwards called Maker and Stitch. I walked in not really knowing what the shop was. But once my eyes inspected all of the yarn inside I was instantly inspired. Lately, I had been going back and forth for months thinking about learning how to knit and sew. So when I was in a yarn shop out of happenstance. I knew I had to take advantage of the miraculous opportunity to start knitting! I bought the most beautiful autumn orange skeins. And I was set to start something I am very excited about. The first step in building my wardrobe from scratch. Where I eventually want every stitch in my wardrobe to be sewn by me. Well, maybe most stitches. I am almost done with my project and I can’t wait to share it with you soon!

Where are your favorite mountain towns in Colorado? Do you have annual getaways in the fall? Let me know in the comments and thanks for stopping by today!