Welcome back to the final session of saving some dough. We’ve really enjoyed the feedback we got so far. Please keep those comments coming! To recap our last four posts, we have saved time and/or money by shopping for lift tickets early, locating lodging while the getting is good, opting for season rental, and having some tasty snacks at Aprés Ski. To cap your trip off, let’s settle in for a good eats and maybe some good music.
Dining in a ski area can be hard and often expensive. The top splurges are booked our months in advance and even then may not be worth the expense. The remaining places to choose from are even harder to sort out the good from the bad. However, look a bit further out of town to the locals actually live, the price falls off considerably. A few nearby towns to consider are:
- Near Aspen: Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, and El Jebel.
- Near Breckenridge: Frisco, Dillon, and Silverthorne.
- Near Vail: Edwards, Minturn, and Eagle-Vail
- Near Winterpark: Tabernash and Granby
- Heading to Denver: Georgetown and Idaho Springs
Many of these destinations are serviced by the local free buses so you can avoid driving. If you do choose to drive, please do it responsibly.
My favorite is locating a potluck group and head to a brewery. Unless they specifically have a restaurant attached, many breweries in Colorado provide enough snacks to meet minimum liquor license requirements. As a result, they often welcome you to bring food in. Gather up a few friends, have them load up their crockpots with their family recipes, and meet up to enjoy good company and a beer. No friends? Make some new ones at Broken Compass Brewery’s location in Breckenridge for a potluck that happens every Monday night. To make things even better, the top three dishes are awarded prizes from the brewery.
Once you have enjoyed dinner and maybe some dessert options, it’s time for some local or big name live music that is playing in your area. Ironically, concerts in the mountains are often cheaper and more intimate than seeing the same band back in your hometown. In addition to local bands, some venues like the Belly Up in Aspen, Ford Park in Vail, and Riverwalk Center in Breckenridge can bring some big names for much cheaper (even free!) than larger shows in Denver. 
Past shows I have been able to see through the years include Jurassic 5, Michael Franti, Counting Crows, Trevor Hall, Rusted Root, POD, and Rebelution. Whether you chose to watch a budding musician or get to one of these larger shows, no doubt you will have put a nice capstone on your trip.
We certainly hope you enjoyed this series focusing on saving some dough. Keep your eye out for updates and additional posts as we will share the deals as we find them. Our next series will look at the clothing to stay warm so please come and visit us for that.
Until then, pray for snow and celebrate when Ullr Provides!
© 2017, UllrProvides All rights reserved. Any use or publication of content, including photos, requires express permission.
Ullr Provides! 