Cheap things to do in Aspen
Good trails, cheap slices, and a barstool that won't cost a fortune.
This is Aspen without the price tag: mornings on free trails and riverside gardens, afternoons fuelled by pizza and deli sandwiches, evenings at the kind of bars locals actually use. It works for solo travellers and couples who want the mountains, not the resort bill.
Day 1: Trails, slices, and a pint
A morning in the John Denver Sanctuary and an afternoon on Hunter Creek Trail bookend the best cheap lunch in town, with a no-frills pub to close the day.
- 9:30 AM
Spring Cafe
Organic café and juice bar: a green juice and a breakfast burrito before a big day outside.
Map - 10:15 AM
John Denver Sanctuary + Aspen Saturday Market
Free quiet garden by the Roaring Fork with song-inscribed boulders, and the Saturday Market if running.
Map - 12:30 PM
New York Pizza Aspen
Top-rated cheap slice, the go-to affordable lunch in Aspen, no argument needed.
Map - 2:00 PM
Hunter Creek Trail
Free near-town trail starting from the East End, gentle grade, great loop options for an afternoon walk.
Map - 7:30 PM
CP Burger
Counter-service burgers, fries and shakes by the gondola plaza, a cheap, fast dinner by Aspen standards.
Map - 9:00 PM
Zane's Tavern Aspen
Cheap local pub, the no-frills neighbourhood bar for a wind-down pint before bed.
Map
Day 2: River, deli, and a cold beer
Get on the water for a rafting run down the Roaring Fork, dry off over a proper deli lunch, and end the evening at the Public House with the locals.
- 9:30 AM
Rooftop Cafe at the Aspen Art Museum
Swedish Hill's café on the free art museum's roof: Swedish pastries and coffee; closed Mondays.
Map - 10:30 AM
Whitewater rafting - Roaring Fork / Colorado
Half-day raft on the Roaring Fork: Slaughterhouse Falls runs Class III to IV, best from late May into July.
Map - 12:30 PM
Grateful Deli
Small downtown deli: a stacked sandwich made to order, cheap by Aspen standards, to eat on a bench outside.
Map - 7:30 PM
Silverpeak Grill
Cheap Aspen eats downstairs on Cooper Avenue: bison burgers, Baja fish tacos and a chipotle Caesar.
Map - 9:00 PM
Day 3: Garden, tavern, and the brewery
A slow riverside morning leads to a last loop of Aspen's affordable lunch spots and a final night at the Brewing Co, where you can nurse a pint without watching the bill.
- 9:30 AM
Unravel Coffee + Bar
Coffee by day and wine by night in one small room, the easy start to an Aspen morning.
Map - 10:30 AM
Aspen Center for Environmental Studies
ACES' Hallam Lake preserve: 25 free acres of wetland paths in town, with resident birds of prey.
Map - 12:30 PM
Big Wrap
Durant Ave counter for big wraps and salads, cheap and quick before an afternoon outside.
Map - 7:30 PM
White House Tavern
Hillstone-run cottage room: Honor Burger, crispy chicken sandwich, huge salads, loud happy energy.
Map - 9:00 PM
Aspen Tap / Aspen Brewing Co
Aspen Brewing's taproom on Galena St: a flight of the house beers and a burger after a day outside.
Map
Where to stay
Tyrolean Lodge
The cheapest bed close to the plan, a short walk from the trails and the pub.
St. Moritz Lodge
Another dollar-sign option right in the neighbourhood, with a pool and no resort pretensions.
Make Aspen your trip
Swearby drafts the days from places people swear by. Swap any stop, then invite the crew by text, even friends without the app. Vote on dates, track costs as you go, and everyone gets one number at the end.
Get Swearby on the App StoreBefore you go
Book ahead
- Aspen Highlands: a few days ahead
- Maroon Bells: weeks ahead
- Silver Queen Gondola: a few days ahead
- Belly Up Aspen: weeks ahead
- Aspen Music Festival and School: weeks ahead
- Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro: weeks ahead
Skip these
- Walk up lift tickets and base area rental lines are the biggest money trap. Buy ahead and use delivered rentals.
- Maroon Bells at midday without a reservation means being turned around at the road gate.
- Cloud Nine is a party with lunch attached at party prices, not a quiet mountain meal.
- Mud season trips in late April to May and late October to November find a half shut town.
The full Aspen travel guide: when to go, safety, getting around