This summer the vacation gods smiled upon us.  We had a great vacation in Telluride, Colorado (elev. 8,750′) with both kids and their plus ones that included gorgeous lodging and perfect weather.

We stayed at Slopeside Lodge in Mountain Village (elev. 9,547′), easily the nicest place we’ve ever stayed on vacation.  When I say this house was gorgeous, I am not exaggerating.  Beautiful furnishings, stunning scenery, well-equipped kitchen — it was wonderful.  Just to give you an idea, here’s a few photos (borrowed from the rental company’s website):

We never tired of soaking in the view:

It was easy to go back and forth between Mountain Village and Telluride, using the free gondolas that connect the two towns:

Wildflowers had popped into bloom everywhere:

As well as a variety of unusual fungi:

Hiking is, of course, a popular activity, and there are loads of trails to choose from.  My husband’s favorite was the Hope Lake Trail, with its beautiful mountain lake:

 

Our favorite adventure in Telluride, and the one we’ll be talking about for a long time, was the harrowing 4-wheel drive to Imogene Pass and Tomboy Ghost Town with Telluride Outside.

The “road” was barely wide enough for one vehicle, and on one side of the road was mountain, and the other side of the road was the drop off of the mountain.  If you’re afraid of heights, this is probably not for you.  As we bounced along, I wasn’t sure it was worth the expense and anxiety, but as we neared the top, the mining town remains were interesting:

And the sweeping views were stunning:

Wow.

We also enjoyed some great meals in Telluride, including tasty Thai food at Siam:

Decadent Detroit-style pizza at Brown Dog Pizza:

The awarding-winning 3-1-3 and the Brooklyn Bridge:

Check out that cheese pull!

Not in the mood for that much deliciousness?  Try a slice of the New York-style pizza with cupping pepperoni:

We had a nice dinner at Allred’s, which is located at one of the gondola stops:

The lodge-like dining room has mountain views, and is a lovely place to watch the sunset:We enjoyed our selections from the upscale menu, including an appetizer of wagyu beef carpaccio:

And entrees of wild-caught Alaskan halibut, Angus beef tenderloin, and veal scallopine (buried under a mountain of arugula):

We were lucky to get dinner reservations at The National, a buzzy new restaurant in Telluride that we flipped over:

We started with excellent beef tenderloin carpaccio (and also a creamy and delicious vegan corn chowder):

And we finished every bite of our entrees, which included:

Beef Tenderloin Fillet, Bone Marrow, Potato Napoleon, Garlic Scapes, Truffle Bordelaise

and

Grilled Garden Vegetable Vegan Lasagna, Puttanesca Sauce, Basil Pesto

My photo doesn’t do justice to the vegan lasagna, which I can’t get out of my head.  I have never had a vegan dish like this — I’m sure there was magic involved.

Our Telluride vacation was the best family vacation we’ve had in a long time.  Thank you, vacation gods.  🙂