Steamboat Ski Resort

Things to Do in Steamboat

► Steamboat Essentials

Relax at Strawberry Park & Old Town hot springs.

Do the easy hike to Fish Creek Falls.

Visit Howelsen Hill, Colorado’s oldest continuously operated ski area since 1915. Featuring the largest and most complete natural ski jumping complex in North America, Howelsen has been the training ground for more than 89 Olympians making over 151 appearances in the Winter Olympics.

► Non-skiing Activities

Visit the Olympic-sized Howelsen Hill Ice Arena, which offers public skating in addition to bumper cars… on ice! Schedule a sleigh ride around the Yampa Valley’s rolling hills or a Western Style BBQ Buffet at the top of the Steamboat Gondola for the family.

Finally, don’t miss the new Outlaw Mountain Coaster. At more than 6,280 linear feet, the longest coaster in North America and is open year-round.

► Top Winter Events in Steamboat

The Steamboat Light the Night Celebration features six hot air balloons that illuminate the Mountain Village as spectators stroll by or watch from the warmth of a slopeside eatery. The celebration culminates with a fireworks display and the Torchlight Parade, in which the Steamboat SnowSports School staff skiing down the mountain with torches.

The Steamboat Springs Winter Carnival is the oldest continuing winter carnival west of the Mississippi. For several days, the entire town is given over to racing, ski jumping, a parade featuring Steamboat’s skiing high school band (the only one in the United States), the famous ski jöring events down Lincoln Avenue, and the spectacular night show featuring the legendary Lighted Man and fireworks display where you can see one of the largest fireworks in the country.

Love bluegrass and craft beer? You won’t want to miss the WinterWonderGrass Festival, which takes place in Steamboat each February.

► Ski School

In addition to ski lessons for kids, adults, and first-timers, Steamboat offers adaptive lessons and specialty programs. Fine-tune your racing skills, hit the slopes with Steamboat Olympians, or work on your carving in a 3-day women's clinic taught by Steamboat’s top-level coaches.

Kids can also spend the day at The Kids' Vacation Center, which offers all-day group lessons for children ages 2 years 6 months to Kindergarten. Children are grouped by age and development and spend their time doing fun engaging activities inside and outside.

► Child Care

Steamboat Resort offers child care for children 1 to 6 years old. Professionals provide excellent care with age-appropriate activities and lots of fun while you enjoy the slopes.

Best Restaurants & Bars in Steamboat

► For Breakfast

Situated at the edge of town, Creekside Café serves up sizable breakfast and lunch dishes, including unique and specialty creations like the Wafflelaughagus. The Bloody Mary at this quaint café is equally sizable and a standout.

Located between downtown and the resort, Freshies crams rainbow-hued veggies and top-quality cheeses (like aged white cheddar) into Steamboat’s best omelets. The sweets are fantastic, too. Try the famous cinnamon rolls or a plate of dried cherry granola pancakes. Colorful pendant lamps and exotic fresh flowers (never carnations!) complement the colorful food.

Right there on the main strip, smack in the middle of town, Winona's Restaurant & Bakery serves up world-famous homemade cinnamon rolls that will spoil your appetite. Share it with at least one or two others, and then settle in for a huge selection of breakfast and lunch options.

► For Lunch

Glide into Hazie’s for top-of-the-gondola panoramas over the Yampa Valley. Reserve a table next to the floor-to-ceiling windows to admire the distant Flat Tops while you enjoy a delicious meal. Hazie’s bar, a brass-and-mahogany affair, also turns out a respectable Bloody Mary.

► For Dinner

Café Diva is the base area’s most romantic restaurant, with tables tucked into tiny alcoves and expert wait staff that make diners feel special. The restaurant specializes in locally sourced meats and produce.

For a low-key spot that’s still high bar about its food, try Mazzola’s Italian Diner. This downtown pizza-and-pasta joint feels like a spiffy basement speakeasy, and its chummy servers welcome you as a member of the club.

► Apres & Nightlife

Bar service is notoriously slow at Slopeside Grill, a ski-in, stagger-out bar located adjacent to the Christie III lift - but nobody cares. On sunny afternoons, this slope side joint resembles Daytona Beach as hordes of revelers strip down and belly up to the open-air ice bar.

The upscale Truffle Pig Restaurant offers a great happy hour with seriously cheap beer and well drinks along with some munchies to tide you over for dinner.

Airports

The closest airport to Steamboat is Yampa Valley Regional Airport (HDN), 20 miles west of the resort. United is the only year-round major carrier, but during winter months carriers include American (from Dallas/Ft. Worth and Chicago), Delta (from Minneapolis and Atlanta), Frontier (from Denver), and Continental (from Houston). If you’re on a budget first look at flying into Denver (DEN) approximately three hours to the southwest and renting a car or booking a Go Alpine shuttle (see below). 

From The Airport

Check first with your lodging provider to see if airport shuttles are included with your stay. If they aren’t —and that will be the case if you’re flying into Denver International—plan on renting a car or booking a shuttle through Go Alpine (800-343-RIDE), which offers transportation from both airports.

Shared service and private airport limo service from HDN can also be arranged with Storm Mountain Express (877-844-8787). Just don’t expect any public transportation, it doesn’t exist. 

Getting Around Once You’re There

You don’t strictly need a car. Steamboat’s base area is pedestrian-friendly, and so is downtown Steamboat Springs (located four miles from the resort), but getting between the two requires wheels. As you consider lodging options, check their shuttle service: Some (but not all) provide rides to the lifts or to town. No shuttle? Ask about bus-stop proximity. Steamboat Springs operates a free bus system linking the base area to the town and area condos.