EAT
For a quick breakfast with an excellent cup of joe, head to Red Buffalo Cafe (redbuffalocafe.com). Local owner Erin Young has created a space that is familial and welcoming. For more substantial fare, tank up at Sunshine Cafe (sunshine-cafe.com). Although it’s located in an unattractive strip mall, the inside ambiance is cheerful, the service is stellar and the food is fantastic. In a hurry? Grab a sandwich or sweet treat for your day pack at Blue Moon Bakery (bluemoonbakery.net). For a more relaxed dining experience, check out Sauce on the Blue (sauceontheblue.com). This new Italian restaurant is modern, has river-side seating, and serves up pizza, pasta and an indulgent tiramisu. Lastly, beer lovers rave about Baker’s Brewery (thebakersbrewery.com). Brewmaster Cory Forster takes local ingredients and creates brews that are creative, unique and delicious.
SLEEP
Vacation rentals are the way to go in Silverthorne. Check out Twin Seasons Vacations (twinseasons.com) for tailored service to help you find the right match for your mountain getaway. Whether you’re looking for a homey two bedroom condo or a mountain home that can sleep 10, their properties come with a wide range of amenities.
PLAY
Silverthorne claims some prime access to public lands. There’s outstanding fly fishing in the Blue River, which runs through the middle of the town’s outlet store mall, with some big rainbows and browns luking by the Dillon Dam—book a guide with The Colorado Angler (thecoloradoangler.com). For hiking, hit the Willow Creek Trail System, just a stone’s throw from the town center, with an impressive network of trails winding through open meadows and aspen groves, and a stunning waterfall—all beneath the looming shadow of 12,777-foot Buffalo Mountain. For water-based activities, utilize one of the town’s many ponds for SUP, swimming and kayaking or test your balance on the Blue’s riffles. For fat tires, explore the singletrack on the 8.4-mile Ptarmigan Peak Mountain Bike Trail. And if a more cultural twist is on your agenda, round out your mountain vacation with a show at The Lake Dillon Theater Company (lakedillontheatre.org). The company will launch its 2017 season in June at Silverthorne’s newly constructed, $9-million performing arts center—the building and the shows are a nice respite after a big day outside.
—Jordan Martindell
