HELLO TEXAS! If you’ve been following along with my social media you know that Daddy Russ and I have been in Steamboat, Colorado for MusicFest. I’m sorry it’s been quiet on the blog. Honestly, I needed a bit of a break after the holidays and just wanted to enjoy time with him and our friends. Daddy Russ and I love to travel and I’ve shared some of our adventures in the past but I’ve really been wanting to make it a larger part of this blog since it’s such a shared passion of ours. Sooooo….I’ve decided to start sharing travel guides with little tidbits on where to stay, where to eat, tips, what I wore and all kinds of other little gems that I discover on our travels. I hope they prove to be useful! So with no further ado here is a travel guide to Steamboat, Colorado (during MusicFest)!
Stoney LaRue singing in the big tent.
What is Steamboat MusicFest:
Steamboat MusicFest is one of my favorite festivals in the country. Basically Texas “Red Dirt” bands like Cody Johnson, Turnpike Troubadours, Randy Rogers, Roger Creager, Bruce Robison, Cody Canada, Cory Morrow and many more invade Steamboat for 6 days of skiing and concerts. You’ll essentially wake up and ski all morning until lunch and then it’s music for the rest of the day and night. There is everything from small, acoustic sessions to large concerts under the Big Tent.
Cody Johnson jamming at the bottom of the ski slopes.
TIPS: Download the official MusicFest app here and plan who you want to go see. The smaller venues fill up quickly so you might have to stand in line to get in. Make sure and catch some performances by artists you’ve never seen before. Additionally, keep your eyes open because when you are walking around the hotels, bottom of the mountain, at the bar, etc. you might see an artist! Lastly, the biggest question is how do you get tickets? Usually in September the tickets go on sale. They go fast so move quickly! You can get a package for MusicFest tickets, lodging and your lift tickets. For more information on MusicFest click here.
Where I Stayed: Edgemont Condominiums
Probably one of my favorite places to stay in a ski town – Edgemont Condominiums are the ultimate ski-in, ski-out location. They are located right above the village at Steamboat and are so nice. Very luxuriously decorated, fantastic ski locker, concierge, workout room, heated pool and hot tub, private shuttle and more. I particularly was grateful for the private shuttle! You just call whenever you are ready to go somewhere and they will have the shuttle there within 30 minutes (usually less). Part of our group stayed in a HUGE 5-bedroom condo which was perfect for the entire group to gather! For more information on the Edgemont Condominiums click here.
Where To Eat: Carl’s Tavern, E3, Making It With Mark Personal Chef
There are two places you MUST eat at while in Steamboat: Carl’s Tavern and E3 Chophouse. Carl’s is a great place to hang out with friends, get drinks or watch a game. They have a fantastic atmosphere and YOU MUST ORDER THE DRY RUB WINGS! They are absolutely phenomenal! Some other dishes I loved are their burgers, Steak Salad (might be my favorite salad ever), Caesar Salad, and French Onion Soup. They also make a great Bloody Mary and Moscow Mule.
E3 Chophouse is an excellent steakhouse with beautiful views of the mountains. We actually didn’t eat here during this trip but we’ve eaten there previously. I love their steaks and their sides are delicious. Don’t forget to make reservations.
Another great idea is to have a personal chef come to your condo! We enjoyed an amazing dinner by “Making It With Mark“! He’ll bring all the food, cook it for you right there and clean up the mess! He was absolutely wonderful and it was so fun!
Where To Get Ski Equipment / What I Skied: We got our ski equipment right at the bottom of the mountain in Steamboat Village. Daddy Russ and I are both big skiers and normally we take our own equipment. This time we only took our boots and just rented skis. I got a pair of Rossignol All-Mountain skis. I have to be honest – I didn’t love them. Skis are very much an individual preference so what didn’t work for me may work for you.
About The Steamboat Mountain: Steamboat might actually be my favorite place I’ve skied so far. The mountain is HUGE, the runs are long and wide and there is something for everyone. The snow was amazing and everything was open. I also love how there is a village at the bottom of the mountain so you can ski down for drinks at the end of the day. We had some crazy days with low cloud cover and snow – basically a full-on white out where you couldn’t see where you were going!
TIPS: If you are a blue/black skier I particularly recommend heading to the backside to some of the tree runs. Also, the Thunderhead Lodge at the top of the Gondola has fantastic Bloody Mary’s (order the breakfast version with bacon and a boiled egg).
What I Wore:
I like to wear vests a lot in the mountains because they are perfect for layering. This is one of my favorite vests and Sorel boots are a MUST for snow. Here are some similar options to shop:
Because MusicFest is basically all Texas artists you have to get out your boots! I adore my Durango teal boots and got so many compliments on them. Pair with a fur vest to elevate the look!
I told you I like vests! Change up from jeans and wear a pair of fleece lined black leggings. I also love my North Face gloves which are light but still pretty warm.
I have had this North Face vest for FOREVER and still love it. I actually even ski with it under my jacket. And this is my other pair of Sorel boots.
Where to Shop: F.M. Light & Sons
Both times I’ve been to Steamboat we honestly didn’t have much time to explore the city. We did stop in F.M. Light & Sons on Mainstreet. They are a really neat western store that has been around for over 100 years. They have some awesome snow wear too including Sorel boots.
I hope you liked taking a peek in to our trip! Let me know if I can answer any questions or if there is anything else you’d like me to include in these city guides!
Disclaimer: I received compensation for portions of this trip. All opinions expressed here are my own.
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