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Everyone has heard of Aspen or Boulder when it comes to popular winter vacation spots in Colorado, but if you’re looking for a hidden gem, Durango should definitely be on the list. It’s a charming town with history, friendly locals, fantastic restaurants, and fun winter activities.

Historic Downtown Durango, Colorado — Historic Downtown Durango

Whether you're a ski enthusiast or simply seeking a cozy winter getaway, Durango offers something for everyone. From its picturesque downtown lined with Victorian-era buildings to its breathtaking mountain views, this town is a true winter wonderland. With its mild winter temperatures and abundant snowfall, Durango is the ideal destination for outdoor adventures.

Here’s the perfect 3-day winter itinerary to get you started in Durango.

DAY 1

9 AM Jean-Pierre

Start the day off right with some amazing breakfast at Jean-Pierre, a French bakery. The croissants are to die for here and reminded me of the same delicious croissants I had in Paris. They have a variety of baked goods and desserts that you can take to-go or you can enjoy a nice breakfast entree in their cozy cafe.

10 AM Lion’s Den

If you want a spectacular view of Durango and the surrounding mountains, head up to Lion’s Den. You can get great pictures here or just take in the beauty of the scenery.

11 AM Animas River Trail (ART)

To take in more of the gorgeous scenery in Durango, enjoy a nice walk on the Animas River Trail. It’s a 7-mile paved trail that runs through the heart of Durango. It provides easy access to parks, the public library, downtown Durango, and more. You’ll cross some bridges and underpasses along the way as well.

12 PM 11th Street Station

11th Street Station is the perfect spot for lunch with a variety of options for food. There are several food trucks located here along with a bar and coffee shop.

Outdoor seating at 11th Street Station — 11th Street Station

1 PM Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and D&SNG Museum

Durango is famous for its historic train and even if you don’t have time to ride the train, you should still check out the station and the free museum. During the winter, the train only goes halfway to Cascade Canyons but that still takes 5.25 hours. The rest of the time, it goes all the way to Silverton and the entire journey is 9.25 hours so it literally takes up your whole day.

I did not have time to ride the train since I wanted to explore more of Durango itself, so I stopped by the station to check out the historic trains up close. There’s also a gift store inside the station as well. I really enjoyed their free museum that gave more information on the trains. They even had the coolest replica of the little toy trains going around town.

Miniature train model in train museum — Durango Train Museum

Photo-op with mannequin inside the train museum — Fun photo ops inside the Train Museum

5 PM Chimayo Stone Fire Kitchen

Chimayo is a fantastic spot for dinner. I recommend sitting all the way in the back where you can watch the chefs work their magic and prepping the dishes. I had an amazing ribeye steak and sides that were fantastic. The ribeye was cooked and seasoned perfectly while the sides were so flavorful.

Entering Chimayo restaurant on a snowy day — Chimayo Restaurant

Ribeye entree with green beans and potatoes — amazing Ribeye Steak

7 PM The Garage Billiards Hall

If you still have some energy left and like to shoot some pool, The Garage is a cool joint that has plenty of pool tables. There are also friendly bartenders and regulars here too.

DAY 2

8 AM Oscar’s Cafe

Step back in time to Oscar’s 50s-style diner and enjoy your breakfast while you watch a cute train going around the restaurant near the ceiling. If you love pancakes, this is the place to go because they make them large and tasty.

Oscar’s Cafe menu — A variety of dishes to choose from

9 AM Purgatory Resort

If you love winter sports, Purgatory Resort is the place to go. Located in the San Juan Mountains, it’s 25 miles north of downtown Durango. I tried snowboarding for the first time and although it was very challenging, I had a blast learning how to skate.

Purgatory features over 1,600 acres of skiable terrain, 105 trails, 11 lifts, different areas for skiing, and a steep drop of 2,029 feet.

Ski resort in Durango, Colorado — Purgatory Resort

Resting with snowboard attached to feet — My first time snowboarding

2 PM The Nugget Mountain Bar

After skiing or snowboarding, stop by The Nugget for some lunch. There’s a cute area in the back where they serve sandwiches and tacos. I tried the steak sandwich with fries and it hit the spot. There’s also a bar inside so you can unwind and enjoy some drinks.

Bar area at The Nugget in Durango — The Nugget Mountain bar

3:30 PM Durango Hot Springs

If you really want to unwind, you will want to go to the Durango Hot Springs. This is one of the best hot springs I’ve been to in a while. It’s truly relaxing especially after a grueling day of snowboarding. They have many pools at different temperatures so it’s a lot of fun trying them all out.

They also serve some cocktails, so you can enjoy a margarita or two while admiring the beautiful views of the hot springs.

6 PM Pop Sushi

If you’re looking for a great sushi restaurant, Pop Sushi is a popular spot in Durango. A couple of their recommended sushi dishes are the Lime Twist and Hamachi Supreme Sashimi. Another good sushi spot in Durango is Rice Monkeys.

DAY 3

8 AM Durango Coffee Company

I love a good coffee shop with great ambience and Durango Coffee Company is just that. The decor inside is like a movie set with vintage and reclaimed furniture. Locals and tourists rave about their impeccable lattes and delicious desserts.

Sipping on coffee at Durango Coffee Company — Durango Coffee Company

9 AM El Moro Spirits & Tavern

Another great spot for breakfast in Durango is El Moro’s. I love the decor in here with the exposed brick wall and the magnificent tall wall of shelves, meticulously lined up with an impressive selection of liquors behind the inviting bar.

I usually don’t order a Chicken Fried Steak for breakfast, but since it was recommended, I tried it and I’m so glad I did. It was so tasty and just what I needed to start my day. I also had an excellent Bloody Mary.

El Moro's Bar with exposed brick wall — El Moro’s Bar

Chicken Fried Steak entree with fruits — Chicken Fried Steak

10:30 AM El Rancho Tavern

Two doors down from El Moro’s is El Rancho Tavern. It’s a western-themed bar and pretty low-key during the day where you can have a great conversation with locals. You can also enjoy a game of billiards or foosball.

Billiard tables at El Rancho Tavern — El Rancho Tavern

11:30 AM Downtown Shopping

Downtown Durango has a lot of great boutique stores and galleries. Some of my favorite stores I stopped by were Revival Goods, Lively, The Sparrow, and Studio & Gallery.

3 PM Southwest Book Trader

If you’re a book lover, you will love this place. At first glance, you’ll think that it’s a bit chaotic because there are stacks of books everywhere, but it’s nicely organized. I found a nice selection of nostalgic books here.

Southwest Book Trader sign — Southwest Book Trader

Stacks of books within kitchen — Stacks and stacks of books

5 PM Strater Hotel and Diamond Belle Saloon

I absolutely love historic hotels and themed restaurants, so this place was a treat. The Strater Hotel was built in the late 1800s and even if you are not staying at this hotel, they invite you to step inside and walk around the lobby to be part of history.

Within the hotel is a cool Old West-style setting saloon, Diamond Belle Saloon. The waitresses and bartenders are all dressed in period outfits and everyone is just lovely. They serve dinner here, so you can enjoy a meal here while sipping on a cocktail.

Diamond Belle Saloon bar — The Diamond Belle Saloon

TIPS

Stop by the Durango Welcome Center in downtown Durango to get additional information. It’s an excellent visitor center that provides various itineraries for different seasons.
Take advantage of the free trolley to get around town.
Make reservations for dinner at the popular restaurants as they get full quickly.

Special thanks to my friend, Ezric, who is an amazing sushi chef in Durango and showed me all these cool places in this unique town.