Aspen has a reputation for partying—rightly so.
Escobar’s dance floor heats up the later it gets in the evening.
At any point during the daylight hours, you’ll find Aspen peppered with hikers, bikers and (après) skiers of all ages, in all locations. But once the sun sets over Ajax and the electricity of nightlife begins to hum, you’ll find the most popular bars and clubs cater to different crowds.
Eric’s Bar (315 E. Hyman Ave., sucasaaspen.com), part of the four-bar complex that also includes Su Casa, The Cigar Bar and Aspen Billiards, is the preferred watering hole of the newly minted legal-to-drink crowd. The relatively affordable drink options, music selection and pool table rentals are just a few of the perks that appeal to the hundreds of 20-somethings who frequent this bar each weekend.
A block away is Red Onion (420 E. Cooper Ave., redonionaspen.com), a tried-and-true staple of downtown Aspen. While you may find the Eric’s Bar crowd there for a few hours on the weekend, Red O is predominantly the social gathering place for 30- to 40-year-olds. The constant line at the bar—this demo likes to drink—may be a turn off for the dynamic, bar-hopping younger crowd, while those who prefer to stay in one location for the whole night thrive here. Though it hosts a slightly older crowd than Eric’s (a testament to its continued relevance throughout the years), the upbeat playlist booms at full force until the wee hours of the morning.
7908 Aspen (415 E. Hyman Ave., 7908aspen.com) boasts arguably the most interesting club layout in town. Here, you’ll find a mix of ages dispersed throughout the upscale, subterranean 6,000-square-foot space’s bar, lounge and restaurant. The restaurant is a sophisticated supper club, but the Insta-worthy cocktails (order the Rubber Duck Bathtub drink) bring in all (drinking) ages. The club space is often frequented by DJ Kid Kamillion—appropriately named—as his remixes herd in a more millennial vibe.
Beneath the Ute Mountaineer, Silver City (210 S. Galena St., silvercityaspen.com), Aspen’s newest mountain saloon, offers craft cocktails, an event space and an extensive list of gin and whiskey. With a capacity of 150 people, this mountain saloon is the perfect location for a private party or a musical guest.
For late-night dancing, booty shakers will head to Escobar Aspen (426 E. Hyman Ave., escobaraspen.com) or Bootsy Bellows (515 E. Hyman Ave., hwoodgroup.com), both downstairs club spaces with a rotating cast of DJs and stiff drinks, and both notorious for maintaining Aspen’s partying reputation. For less raucous options, the private clubs Casa Tua (403 S. Galena St., casatualifestyle.com) or Caribou Club (411 E. Hopkins Ave., caribouclub.com) entertain a cosmopolitan type.
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.
Photography by: Courtesy of Escobar
