This year, on the way back from Estes Park to Arizona we stopped for two nights in the town of Buena Vista, which is in the Colorado mountains in the upper Arkansas River basin, downstream from Leadville.
Ginger booked two nights at the Surf Hotel, which is right along the river, smack in the middle of a brilliant New Urbanist mixed-used project called South Main Street that was built within the last five years, along a previously empty tract of land along the river. We had discovered it last year on the way back, along the same route. Ginger had wanted to see Buena Vista for a few moments. I had always thought of it as a sleepy little town, but it seemed to have grown up, especially with the boom in summer time recreation on the river. Fortunately the lack of a nearby ski resort keeps it from being over developed from the winter traffic.
We had been stunned by South Main Street, which is on the far end of town from the highway. We found it back accident. We noticed the brilliant hotel that is along the river and Ginger thankfully got us two nights there.
It was a wonderful splurge. Our room was on the second floor with a patio access out to the balcony where the river roared below. We watched people surf on the paddle boards, trying to stay upright. In the mountains we sauntered across the wonderful little grassy square, where concerts are held, to get coffee in the coffee shop on the other side. In the evenings we dined in the hotel restaurant, just below our room.
We could have stayed there at the hotel for weeks. It was so peaceful. I has catapulted Buena Vista (Spanish for "Good view") into being perhaps my second favorite town in Colorado, after Estes Park.
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