Crested Butte Travel Guide
Crested Butte, Colorado
When it comes to mountain town travel guides, there is one concrete theme: eat, sleep, ski, drink, repeat. Am I right? We recently made the trek to Crested Butte, Colorado, about a three hour drive southwest of Breckenridge, our home base mountain town.
Crested Butte is known for it’s quaint old town charm and STEEP mountain slopes. What makes Crested Butte unique is the mountain is separate from the town, just a few minutes drive away. There is an awesome free bus system that we took advantage of to get us from Crested Butte Mountain down to Crested Butte Town.
Where to Stay
Whether you decide to visit Crested Butte in the winter or summer, or somewhere in-between, I highly recommend staying near Crested Butte Mountain. We love the Wood Creek Condominiums, which are right across the street from the slopes and only a 5-minute walk to the bus loop.
Where to Ski
I’m just going to come out and say it. Overall, Crested Butte ski area is not a beginners mountain! Are there blue and green ski runs to be found? Sure! But there is ample terrain that will make you shake in those ski boots! For a more relaxing experience, stick to the runs off of Red Lady Express and Painter Boy lifts near Umbrella Bar, also a great spot for taking in the views of Crested Butte’s prominent peak.
For a bit of high alpine adventure and adrenaline, hit the North Face T-Bar to explore bowls, hikes, and cliffs that will make you feel alive! Check out Travel Crested Butte’s great compilation of riveting terrain here!
When you’re ready to take a mid-day break or take a load off, head to Uley’s Ice Bar mid-mountain along Peanut Run. Take in the views, sip on a cocktail or ice cold beer and power up to take on the mountain!
Where to Eat
Coffee & Breakfast
Paradise Cafe
A staple breakfast spot in Crested Butte, Paradise Cafe is a favorite local spot we had to try for ourselves! Breakfast at Paradise Cafe was not only delicious, but the kind service by the bartender, host and waitress was truly the cherry on top! We sat in the window facing Crested Butte Mountain which truly makes this restaurant the place with the best dining views in town! Try the loaded breakfast burrito Christmas style with mouthwatering pork green chili and their bloody mary.
Hours: Breakfast & lunch Monday – Saturday 7.00 am – 2.00 pm | Breakfast Only Sunday’s 7.00 am – 1.00 pm
Directions: 435 6th Street Crested Butte, Colorado
Website: https://www.facebook.com/paradisecafe.crestedbutte/
Phone: 970.349.5622
Izzy’s
Serving up fresh bagels daily, Izzy’s is the go-to restaurant in Crested Butte for a hearty breakfast to fuel up for a day in the mountains. Cozy and bustling, Izzy’s is your typical mountain town breakfast and lunch spot. Grab a local newspaper, peruse the local art scattered along the walls, color your heart out with an Izzy’s drawing and some crayons. Stick around for lunch and some soup, but do not miss out on the Fletcher or Hippie Bagel sandwiches. Pro Tip: go early in the morning so the bagel flavors aren’t sold out!
Hours: Wednesday – Monday 7.00 am – 1.00 pm, Closed Tuesdays
Directions: 218 Maroon Ave, Crested Butte, Colorado
Website: https://www.facebook.com/IzzysCrestedButte/
Phone: 970.349.5630
Camp 4 Coffee
Camp 4 Coffee is anything but inconspicuous. Brandishing hundreds of license plates from all over the United States, the small coffee shop we visited just off of Elk Ave in downtown Crested Butte was a postcard-perfect building that held just what we had come for – coffee and a chocolate croissant. All the baked goods are fresh and self-service, it took just about everything I had not to overindulge! Along the walls were bags of whole coffee beans from Columbia, Guatemala, Brazil, you name it! I couldn’t help but to snag a metallic purple bag of Camp 4 Coffee’s Organic French Roast; a dark blend of Sumatran and Central American coffees which I now brew fresh every day!
Hours: Every day 6.30 am – 5.30 pm
Directions: 402 1/2 Elk Avenue, Crested Butte, Colorado
Website: https://camp4coffee.com/
Phone: 970.349.5258
Après & Dinner
Secret Stash Pizza
If you’re anything like me, you do your proper research before visiting somewhere new. That includes asking your circle of friends and scouring the internet for the best reviews. Secret Stash Pizza in Crested Butte topped all the charts for the feelers I put out. And this restaurant did not disappoint! Reservations are not accepted but fortunately there was only about a 10 minute wait. Secret Stash was jam-packed! Which you know means it’s good. We sat downstairs in a lounge-esque area. The menu can be a little overwhelming but don’t pass up the big ass marg, CB’s best STASH wings, and the Buddha’s Belly Pizza: thai peanut & coconut curry base, mozzarella, sesame crust, broccoli red onion, bell pepper & cilantro, finished with sweet thai chili sauce, pickled carrots & chopped peanuts.
Hours: Every day 11.00 am – 10.00 pm
Directions: 303 Elk Ave Crested Butte, Colorado
Website: http://www.secretstash.com/
Phone: 970.349.6245
Bonez
You say “tequila bar,” I say I’m there! Bonez is a tequila bar and Mexican grill, with an eclectic assortment of decorations that give the restaurant unique character. The walls are lined with old books and the ceilings strewn with glass bottles that double as light fixtures. We hit Bonez for happy hour and I just had to get the make-it-yourself guacamole you can mash at the table for your group! Goes without saying of course get a margarita – hard to go wrong here!
Hours: Winter 4.00 pm – close | Summer 11.30 am – close
Directions: 130 Elk Ave Crested Butte, Colorado
Website: https://www.bonez.co/
Phone: 970.349.5118
Django’s Kitchen
A place that will forever hold a place near and dear to our hearts Django’s is not your run-of-the-mill restaurant. Django’s is owned by a husband and wife duo, Chris and Kate, who have a passion for hospitality, service, and thoughtful cuisine. Owners Chris and Kate want their guests to try an array of flavors and items, and serve each dish almost tapas-style to pass around. Sean and I spent our anniversary dining at Django’s where we tried an assortment of dishes, including crispy brussel sprouts, blistered shishito peppers, and a personal favorite, the pomegranite short ribs.
Hours: Wednesday – Sunday 5.00 pm – 9.30 pm
Directions: 209 Elk Ave Crested Butte, Colorado
Website: http://www.djangos.us/
Phone: 970.765.8864
The Wooden Nickel
Boasting the title Crested Butte’s oldest saloon and steakhouse, The Wooden Nickel on Elk Ave downtown is hard to miss – and shouldn’t be missed! Brazen in bright purple, entering the restaurant is like walking into an old “shoot em up” saloon with trophies on the walls and a good time feel overall. I had the chance to sit down with owner, Eric Roemer, for a brief conversation about the restaurant. Eric is a long-time Crested Butte local with a passion for the restaurant industry. Personally, I recommend the shishito peppers. Eric says, “We have a great burger. Our filet minion is excellent. And we have some incredible bone-in steaks.” Whatever you choose, you won’t go wrong with The Wooden Nickel!
Hours: Every Day 4.00 pm – 10.00 pm
Directions: 222 Elk Ave Crested Butte, Colorado
Website: https://www.woodennickelcb.com/
Phone: 970.349.6350
Montanya Distillers
Reservations not accept, BUT while you wait there’s freshly popped serve-yourself popcorn! Okay now snacks so you don’t get hangry while you wait. That’s genius! The food at Montanya Distiller’s is definitely worth the wait. Inspired by many different cuisines from around the world, you can try anything from an Italian polenta to Vietnamese bao buns or perhaps a tempura fried ice cream! The cocktails made with rum distilled in-house will have you tossin’ em back because you can’t get enough! Sit at the bar to get an up-close dining experience with the bartenders or upstairs so you can see the distilling equipment!
Hours: Every Day 11.00 am – 9.00 pm
Directions: 212 Elk Ave Crested Butte, Colorado
Website: https://www.montanyarum.com/
Phone: 970.799.3206
Eldo Brew Pub / Elk Ave Brewing Company
If you’ve been around Mountain Chic Musings for any amount of time, you know I’m a big craft beer lover. And if you’re new, well I hope you enjoy learning about new beers and breweries because anywhere we travel, well, I make it a personal mission to try all the craft breweries I can. In Crested Butte, we stumbled on Eldo Brew Pub, formerly known as Elk Ave Brewing Company. I liked this spot because of the cool antler beer taps. HA! Just kidding, kinda. In all seriousness, Eldo Brew Pub has great beer (IPA’s are my favorite) and is also known for throwing down a good time for the night life folk! Again, shishito peppers. Is this a Crested Butte trend, or what?
Hours: Monday & Tuesday 3.00 pm – 2.00 am | Wednesday – Sunday 11.30 am – 2.00 am
Directions: 215 Elk Ave Crested Butte, Colorado
Website: http://elkavebrewing.com/
Phone: 970.251.5191
Hours: Monday – Saturday 11.30 am – close | Sunday 4.00 pm – close
Directions: 120 Elk Ave Crested Butte, Colorado
Website: http://www.ryceasianbistro.com/
Phone: 970.349.9888
Dessert
Third Bowl Ice Cream
This ice cream shop in downtown Crested Butte is named after Third Bowl, an area of the ski resort. Third Bowl at Crested Butte Mountain is described by Travel Crested Butte as, “Only open when the Snow Gods decide to dump, Third Bowl is a special place. Navigation is tough and the journey there is why ski workouts start in August. It’s incredible snow and simply epic.” Remember when I said Crested Butte is not considered a beginners mountain? Yeah, exactly. Third Bowl ice cream in my opinion is equally thrilling as a expert only ski run. Below the frosty freezer glass, choose from dozens of small-batch, made from scratch flavors. Vegan and non-dairy sorbet options are available too!
Hours: Every day 8.30 am – 9.30 pm
Directions: 201 1/2 Elk Ave, Crested Butte, CO
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Third-Bowl-Homemade-Ice-Cream-211399138980153/
Phone: 970.349.2888
Niky’s Mini Donuts
I’m IN LOVE with this spot! Not just because of the 24+ donut toppings, options and flavors to choose from, but because Niky’s is a family owned and run operation. I love mom and pop shops. It makes me want to say, “take all my money it’s so cool what you do!” Niky’s is named after the owner’s son, who you can see in their logo. This bright-red building is hard to miss. Inside feels like a retro diner, but nice and new! We of course had to try at least 6 flavors, and watched as the donuts were decorated and prepared piping hot right in front of our eyes. Excuse me while I wipe the drool off my keyboard.. My favorites: death by chocolate & homer donut (pink frosting with rainbow sprinkles)!
Hours: Saturday & Sunday 9.00 am – 9.00 pm
Directions: 327 Elk Ave, Crested Butte, CO
Website: https://nikysminidonuts.com/index.html
Phone: 970.363.6688
So there you have it! Your all-inclusive travel guide to Crested Butte, Colorado. Hungry yet? Ready to plan your adventure! Shoot me a message if you have any questions whatsoever, and happy adventuring!
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Thomas Anderson | 4th Apr 19
Is the views in Crested Butte look amazing and we could go for one of the bloody Mary‘s! It’s definitely on our list of ski towns to visit!
Julie Howsmon | 20th Apr 19
Crested Butte is a true gem! There are so many fun activities year-round and views for days! Check out the Widlflower Festival this summer! 🙂