(Photo: Ryan Bonneau/Telluride Tourism Board)Telluride, Colo.
This mountain town will take your breath away. Literally. Perched at nearly 9,000 feet in elevation, there’s one road in and one road out. Yet, the opportunities for outdoor adventure stretch beyond town center in a thousand different directions. Once your eyes take in the sheer beauty of Bridal Veil Falls cascading in the distance, the verdant green leaves rippling on the Aspen trees, and the charm of the tiny, historic gingerbread homes, you’ll need a day planner just to schedule the insane amount of outdoor adventure.
There’s trail riding, mountain biking, hiking, swimming, rock climbing, kayaking, river rafting, jeep tours and balloon rides. And, while the town’s population might only hover around 3,000 people, the spot is legendary when it comes to hosting festivals that make international headlines annually. There’s Blues & Brews, the Bluegrass Festival, the yearly Jazz Celebration, and Labor Day salutes the men and women of the silver screen with the acclaimed Telluride Film Festival.
HINT: Tom Cruise owns a house here, so keep your iPhone camera at the ready.
