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Ouray

Things to do in Ouray

  1. A

    Buen Tiempo Mexican Restaurant & Cantina

    Bursting with locals at bar stools and families filling the booths, this is a good-time spot. From the chile-rubbed sirloin to the posole served with warm tortillas, Buen Tiempo delivers. Start with a signature margarita, served with chips and spicy homemade salsa. You can end with a satisfying scoop of deep-fried ice cream. But if you want to find out how the dollars got on the ceiling, it will cost you.

    reviewed

  2. B

    Buckskin Booksellers

    This excellent bookstore exemplifies the passion locals have for their town and area. Buckskin carries a huge amount of books on local history, mining and geology, as well as birding books, guidebooks and hiking and camping information. There are antique books and collectibles, old photographs and ephemera, as well as a great range of fiction titles.

    There are also plush armchairs where you're invited to sit and read a while before you buy.

    reviewed

  3. C

    Bon Ton Restaurant

    Bon Ton has been cooking in a beautiful room under the historic St Elmo Hotel for as long as anyone can remember. In fact, supper has been served at this location for nearly a century. The French-Italian menu includes house specialties of escargot and crawfish tails, and tortellini with bacon and shallots. The wine list is extensive.

    reviewed

  4. D

    San Juan Scenic Jeep Tours

    The friendly folks at the Historic Western Hotel offer off-road tours of the nearby peaks and valleys. Hiking, hunting and fishing drop-offs and pick-ups can be arranged.

    reviewed

  5. E

    Ouray Hot Springs

    For a healing soak, try this crystal-clear natural spring water. It's free of the sulphur smells plaguing other hot springs around here, and the giant pool features a variety of soaking areas at temperatures from 96°F to 106°F (36°C to 41°C). The complex also offers a gym and massage service.

    reviewed

  6. F

    Box Canyon Falls

    This is a popular short walk from town, or you can drive to the signposted carpark off Box Canyon Rd. The waterfall is 285ft high and issues thousands of gallons of water each minute over a spectacular drop. The immediate area around the falls is rich in birdlife - the protected black swift nests in the rock-face. They are in Box Canyon Park, which has a modest entry fee.

    reviewed

  7. G

    Ouray County Historical Museum

    In a town so well endowed with history, a visit to the local museum is rewarding. Three floors of exhibits feature the local mining history, a bizarre-looking retro-futurist dentist's surgery, old tools and furniture, and a spooky collection of china dolls. The building was once a hospital. It's also the venue for meetings and events for the local historical society.

    reviewed

  8. H

    Ouray Ice Park

    Enthusiasts from around the globe come to ice climb at the world's first public ice park, spanning a 2-mile stretch of the Uncompahgre Gorge. The sublime (if chilly) experience offers something for all skill levels.

    reviewed

  9. I

    Outlaw Restaurant

    This convivial bar-restaurant specializes in door-stopper steaks cut and cooked to your liking. There's a select wine list and menu of cocktails as well as ubiquitous Colorado microbrewed beers. The decor is fun - a shingle wall is covered with sports memorabilia, antiques and, allegedly, John Wayne's hat.

    reviewed

  10. J

    Ouray Mountain Sports

    This is a full-service ice- and rock-climbing shop where you can buy and rent gear for dangling off ropes in perilous conditions. They service your equipment too - sharpen your ice-screws and tweak your crampons. Topographic maps and guidebooks are stocked, and advice on local sites and routes is given.

    reviewed

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  12. K

    Ouray Mule Carriage Co

    Clip-clopping along Main Street, this nine-person dray (been in the same family since 1944) takes visitors on interpretive tours of old town.

    reviewed

  13. L

    Tundra Restaurant at the Beaumont

    The pick of places to eat in Ouray, this elegant restaurant has won several awards. It has a legendary wine cellar and does Thursday-evening tastings. Billing itself as serving 'High Altitude' cuisine, it focuses on regional specialties with great results.

    reviewed

  14. M

    Silver Nugget Café

    A busy, contemporary eatery in a historic building, Silver Nugget features a very large breakfast menu as well as deli-style sandwiches at lunch. Dinner offerings include deep-fried Rocky Mountain rainbow trout, and liver and onions.

    reviewed

  15. N

    San Juan Mountain Guides

    Ouray's own professional guiding and climbing group is certified with the International Federation of Mountain Guides Association (IFMGA). It specializes in ice and rock climbing and wilderness backcountry skiing.

    reviewed

  16. O

    Ouray Livery

    The Ouray Livery offers short carriage and stagecoach tours as well as horseback riding in the mountains. This group has special-use permits to tour the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests.

    reviewed

  17. P

    Ouray Brewery

    With chairlift bar stools, this pub earns stripes in brews, if not in bar food. Why must so many landlocked menus insist on shrimp?

    reviewed