Raise A Glass To The Hottest Nightlife Spots In Aspen

Your nightlife itinerary—coming right up. Here is our guide to the 6 best bars and clubs in Aspen.

At any point during the daylight hours, you’ll find Aspen peppered with hikers, bikers and (après) skiers of all ages, in all locations. Toddlers and Aspen vets alike feast at restaurants, frequent shops and ogle local artistic feats. But once the sun sets over Ajax and the electricity of Aspen nightlife hums, you’ll find these demographics divided. The most popular bars and clubs in town cater to different crowds, each guaranteeing an entirely unique experience.

Featuring the loudest bass in town (and maybe the world), you’ll hear the crowd at The Sterling long before you see it. While all ages consider this subterranean space a staple, it sees the strongest attraction from Aspen’s wilder crowd. Aglow with its signature purple lights until the wee hours of the morning, this bar and its unbothered spirit-drinkers immediately transport you to a state of jovial nonchalance. The place to be after your Thursday night thing, The Sterling’s dress code only mandates your best attitude and best dance moves, as apparel ranges from rodeo chic to galaworthy elegance. Very little can ruffle this raucous group’s feathers—they’re preoccupied by the tasteful harmony of classic oldies and current favorites, mixed by local favorites Bridger Haas and Justin Whitney. When it comes to Aspen’s party culture, no one does Thursday night quite like The Sterling.

Escobar is a hidden gem. So much so, you just might miss it the first (and second and third) time you pass it. With its entrance wedged between Overland and Intermix, it’s the most inconspicuous club in town. Maintaining the reputation as The Sterling’s slightly more chaotic sibling, it’s only fitting that Escobar’s rowdiest night is midworkweek. Energy and enthusiasm are at full force for Latin Night every Tuesday, where the drinks are stiff and the beats by DJ Joeli Villa are wild. With an everpresent line around the block of hopeful partygoers, the sun never sets on Esco.

The preferred watering hole of the newly minted legal-to-drink crowd, Eric’s Bar offers reasonable pricing and pool table rentals—just a few of the appealing perks that draw in impressive numbers every weekend. And by every weekend, we mean every weekend. Shoulder-to-shoulder herds of 20-somethings is commonplace, as locals flock to the timeless favorite.

If your mantra is less “party till dawn” and more “one drink before bed,” Silver City may be your best match. Located just beneath Ute Mountaineer, it offers good spirit and good spirits—an energetic haven for bourbon and whiskey lovers. Although it hosts a lower-key crowd than its neighbors down Hyman Avenue, don’t let that fool you. Monday night karaoke and weekend specials have locals and visitors knocking down the doors. An old-fashioned jukebox, dim lighting and a pool table in the back room round out the necessities to crown it a mountain town favorite.

For a more sophisticated take on Aspen after dark, Casa Tua and Caribou Club entertain a cosmopolitan type. Whether you prefer your drinks with dinner or after dessert, enjoy them with composure at these members-only clubs.

Despite the variation in nightlife options, there is one guarantee across the board—no matter the place, no matter the time, Aspen is always down to party.