1. Check out a show at the Belly Up, named one of the top music venues in America by Rolling Stone. The renowned yet pint-size (450 capacity) music venue brings in big name acts such as Widespread Panic, Snoop Dogg & Thievery Corporation, and also offers plenty of free and nearly free shows to choose from year-round. For a full calendar of acts coming through Belly Up click here.
2. Tuesday Cruiseday. Every Tuesday night in the summer a group of 100+ millennials in Aspen meet at 6:30 p.m. at Aspen Tap for their weekly Tuesday Cruiseday rides. Come as you are, but make sure to bring a bike! The ride starts at Aspen Tap. and winds around town ending at Smuggler Park to watch the sunset.
3. Visit the Aspen Art Museum. Aspen Art Museum’s 30,000 square foot building designed by Pritzker-prize winning architect Shigeru Ban is a non-collecting institution with the newest, most important evolutions in programs, immersive activities, and art installations. Admission to the museum is always free. The Aspen Art Museum also screens films for free on the rooftop throughout the summer with free popcorn and drinks for purchase at So Café.
4. Enjoy a picnic outside of the Benedict Music Tent at the Aspen Music Festival & School. A day in the life of a millennial in Aspen on a summer Sunday most always involves some outdoor recreation, al fresco dining and an afternoon outside the Benedict Music Tent. While you can purchase tickets for the Sunday Aspen Music Festival & School performances, there is nothing better than grabbing a blanket and setting up a picnic with cheese and wine to enjoy the music outside on the lawn.
5. Spend an afternoon at Koch Park. Located just west of the downtown core, Koch Park is a popular park for locals and visitors alike. On almost any given summer day you can find multiple groups hanging out enjoying the sand volleyball courts and beautiful surroundings. Local’s tip: get there early to secure a court and don’t forget to pack the essentials including a ball, cooler, music and sunscreen.
6. Thug Yoga with Courtney Smith. Head to Aspen Shakti throughout the week to stretch and enjoy the basics of yoga with hip hop and EDM. Thug Yoga is an Aspen original class created by Courtney Smith. The hour-long mellow yoga classes includes a complementary brew, provided by Aspen Brewing Company, and a guaranteed good time. Click here for more information on Thug Yoga.
7. Pub crawl with Aspen Historical Society. Although Aspen Historical Society offers a variety of tours, their new Historic Pub Tour is arguably the most entertaining. The guided tour takes guests through Aspen’s historic haunts including Red Onion, Aspen Public House and the J Bar, where they’ll learn history and hear local lore while enjoying drinks at each stop. For more information and to make reservations click here.
8. Bike down to Woody Creek Distillers for a distillery tour. Grab a bike and hit up the Rio Grande Trail (which goes all the way down to Glenwood Springs) and enjoy an easy mostly downhill ride to Woody Creek Distillers in Basalt. Upon arrival, grab a cocktail made with their local craft potato vodka, gin or rye whiskey, and snatch a spot outside of the deck. Tours of the distillery are available upon appointment where guests can learn the process for making the local spirits from farm to bottle.
9. Hike up Smuggler at night to get a prime view of the stars. Smuggler Mountain is an easy hike that most people do on their lunch break or after work. For a unique experience, plan to hike up on a full moon and take in the view and stars at the top.
10. Dance to free bluegrass every Sunday on top of Aspen Mountain. Every Sunday from noon to 3 p.m., locals and visitors can enjoy free bluegrass concerts on top of Aspen Moutain outside the Sundeck. While you do need a gondola pass to get to the top, ambitious guests will enjoy hiking up to the top, and taking the gondola back down for free.