Things To Do in Durango
Saturday Morning: Durango Farmers Market
Saturday, September 20, 2025. 8:00am - 12:00pm. Perfect way to spend a sunny Saturday morning. Great food, hot coffee, live music, and fresh veggies! Head over to 2nd Ave afterwards to check out the Autumn Arts Fest.
Saturday and Sunday: Durango Autumn Arts Festival
Saturday the 20th and Sunday the 21st, 10:00am - 5:00pm Stroll down 2nd Ave for the Autumn Arts Fest! "The festival will feature 80 artist booths, live glass blowing demonstrations, and food vendors. Artwork for sale will include paintings, sculptures, photographs, jewelry, ceramics and more."
Animas River Trail
We love the River Trail!! This is the main paved trail that winds through Durango. Hop on and off where you like and use to it explore the town. Some favorite destinations along the River Trail include: Oxbow Park, the Fish Hatchery (feed some trout), the Santa Rita Whitewater Park, and the 29th Street Boat Ramp (a great place for toe dippin').
Durango Hot Springs Resort & Spa
An incredible hot springs resort minutes from town and right near our wedding venue. We highly recommend planning a visit.
Restaurant Recommendations
Durango has some incredible restaurants. These are our favorite places in town: College Drive Cafe - Classic breakfast & brunch with maps on every table to plan your next quest Bread Cafe on 8th - Quick casual breakfast spot right off Main Ave Fired Up Pizza - Casual. Easily the best pizza & cannolis in Durango. On Main Ave. El Moro - On the nicer side, has a NY vibe, really good food + drinks. On Main Ave. Zia - A Durango classic. Great lunch spot. Like Chipotle, but everything's local and way mo' betta. Zia North has a rooftop patio and some very good spicy margs Eolus - an incredible happy hour menu, upscale. On Main Ave. Akami - Elliot's favorite Ramen spot Pop Sushi - The best sushi in Durango. We went on one of our first dates here 11th Street Station - Food trucks and a bar, live music, casual. On Main Ave. Other places we love: Chimayo, Carvers Brewery, Steamworks Brewery, Switchback Tacos
James Ranch Market & Grill
A casual farm-to-table restaurant & market just up the road from our venue that 100% deserves it's own spot on our recommendations page. The best burger in Durango (with veggie options as well). This place is a gem and we feel so lucky to have it so close to home. Make a trip out of it: grab a burger, visit Honeyville across the street, and then soak at the Hot Springs.
bar recommendations
Durango has a ton of fun places to grab a drink. Here are a few of our favorites: The Balcony - Casual rooftop bar, perfect place to catch the sunset and maybe some live music Lola's Place - Laid-back outdoor bar with a shaded patio, food truck, and a full coffee bar EsoTerra Cider - Local cider, snacks, nice outdoor patio seating Carvers - Great beer, great food, 'nuff said The Bookcase and the Barber - A true speakeasy tucked behind a bookcase in a high-end barbershop. Visit their website for the password, it changes daily Derailed - Great happy hour menu and the most diverse cocktail menu you'll ever find El Rancho - Rowdy late night spot with pool tables, our favorite nights downtown have usually ended at "The Ranch"
The Smiley Building
An eclectic art + community space with a cafe. A great place to shop local. Jill spends a lot of time here making pottery and teaching art classes.
Maria's Bookshop
Our favorite book shop, right on Main Ave
Hiking Trails
There are so many incredible trail systems in and around Durango! Our favorite close to town hikes include: Falls Creek, Animas Mountain, Horse Gulch, and Gudy's Rest via the Colorado Trail. A few of our favorite longer, more involved hikes are Pass Creek, Ice Lakes, and Spud Lake which requires 4x4 and high clearance. Make sure to plan ahead for weather before setting out. AllTrails (linked below) is a great resource for planning a hike.
Mesa Verde National Park
Go check out ancient Cliff Dwellings built by the Ancestral Puebloans who inhabited Mesa Verde 1400 years ago! just 40 minutes from Durango. It'll blow your mind. Bring binoculars if you have them
World class mountain biking - rent your bike at 2nd Ave Sports
From smooth and flowy to steep and chunky, Durango is home to a true abundance of excellent mountain biking. The Horse Gulch, Overend Mountain Park, and Twin Buttes trail systems are all within riding distance from downtown and have trails for all abilities! Choose from a huge selection of rental bikes from one of our favorite local bike shops, 2nd Ave Sports.
Moab, Utah
Moab is a beautiful 2.5 hour drive from Durango. We frequently spend weekends out here biking, hiking, packrafting, and just being silly in the desert. If you have an extra day or two and you've never been, you may want to make the drive to Arches National Park or Canyonlands National Park.
Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
Our recommendation: Purchase a one-way ticket to Silverton, and take the bus to get back to Durango. Jill and her dad did this a few summers ago and had a blast, the scenery is incredible