Spring has Sprung, Live Like a Local in Mud Season
Posted by Kim FillerSpring has sprung in Steamboat and with that comes Mother Nature’s seasonal whims. One minute we are basking in sunshine, the next we’re diving for cover as darkened skies dump rain, hail, or snow. For those who are happy to snag off season prices and accept a little unpredictability with the weather conditions, Steamboat Springs has plenty to offer. Hike and bike when the sun shines and savor a taste of town when the heavens open. Here are some of our favorite things to do during springtime in the “Boat.
- Bud Werner Memorial Library. Find a comfy chair or snuggle up on a window seat with a book or a magazine. Public-access computers are available for use and kids have access to a play area, which is perfect for stretching out.
- Take a class at the Old Town Hot Springs in downtown Steamboat. Guests have the option of everything from Pilates to the hot pools.
- Drop into the Yoga Center of Steamboat on Yampa Street and stretch tired muscles to the sound of runoff in the river.
- Step back in time with a tour inside a Queen Anne-style Victorian home built in 1901 at the Tread of Pioneers Museum, 800 Oak Street. Discover how the Ute Indians and early pioneers came to settle in the Yampa Valley and how Steamboat became Ski Town USA.
- Steamboat is home to thirteen art galleries including the Steamboat Art Museum. Entry is free to all and visitors. Find a list of venues and special events at steamboatcreates.org
- Tickle the taste buds on a beer tasting tour of town. Start with the longest running brewery in the ‘Boat at Mahogany Ridge Brewery, then stop by The Barley, Mountain Tap and Storm Peak. Sample local made brews and find your favorite stout or hoppy pale ales.
- Shop until you drop in downtown Steamboat, where local offerings range from Stetsons and boots at F.M. Light to home furnishings at the recently opened Rumor Design + ReDesign. Shoppers will find high street favorites including Lululemon, Marmot and the North Face, along with a whole host of locally owned boutiques and outfitters.
- If you want to mingle with locals, drink coffee. Pick a customized brew, pair with a freshly made pastry and pull up at chair at Beard and Braid on 9th Street, Big Iron Coffee on Lincoln Avenue, Dusky Grouse Coffee Shop on the west of town and Off the Beaten Path on 9th Street (Be Warned- an incredible selection of books awaits within this family-owned bookstore, so you are forgiven for feeling antisocial).
- Read the local paper The Steamboat Pilot and Today for daily deals on mud season specials at restaurants, shops and spas around town.