Surf Hotel & Chateau

Ceremony

Cocktail Hour

Reception

Our Wedding

Photos

Bridal Party

Kaitlyn

Elle

Ashley

Emily

Megan

Jordyn

Hayley

Abbie

Quinn

Groom's Party

Jamie

Jase

Nick

Josh R

Josh G

Brock

Henry

Matt

Vince

Wedding Party

A Quick Note about Elevation

Buena Vista sits at almost 8,000 feet above sea level. Our guests who aren't accustomed to this elevation might experience some of its effects, especially when exercising or consuming alcohol. To ensure you have the best weekend possible, we recommend doubling your typical water intake, wearing sunscreen, and pacing yourself when drinking.

Digital Visitor's Guide

<a href="https://www.colorfulcolorado.com/plan-your-visit/visitor-guide/digital-visitor-guide/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buena Vista and Salida Visitor's Guide</a>

Hiking

There are too many great hiking trails to list them all! While high elevation trails will still be buried in snow this time of year, there are an abundance of lower elevation ones that offer amazing views of the surrounding Collegiate Peaks. We recommend using&nbsp;<a href="https://www.alltrails.com/us/colorado/buena-vista" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AllTrails</a>&nbsp;to find a hike that is in-season and fits your ability. Please keep in mind the fact that Buena Vista sits at almost 8,000 feet. Wear sunscreen and drink plenty of water! There's a great trail complex directly across the river from the Surf Hotel that you can easily access by walking north on the trail beside the river (upriver). In only about a quarter of a mile, you'll come to a footbridge that leads you over the river. There are a variety of trails here, from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/barbara-whipple-trail-loop" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">easy, 3-mile loops</a>&nbsp;to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/midland-hill-trail" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">more difficult 5-mile summit of Midland Hill</a>. All offer fantastic views of the Surf Hotel, downtown Buena Vista, and the Arkansas Valley.

River Sports

The Arkansas Valley is the water sports capital of Colorado. The Arkansas River, which runs directly behind the Surf Hotel, is probably the best river for white water rafting and kayaking in the state. In fact, the Surf Hotel gets its name from its location beside a series of man-made rapids that are perfect for kayaking and river surfing. While our wedding weekend is on the early side of the season, this is a great time of year to enjoy a less-crowded river and see some wildlife. There are lots of outfitters to book a rafting trip or rent equipment from.&nbsp;<a href="https://whitewater.net/raftingbuenavistacolorado/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">River Runners</a>&nbsp;has a stellar reputation.

Fishing

The portion of the Arkansas River that runs through Buena Vista is the longest contiguous "gold medal" trout river in Colorado. There are also a number of lakes nearby that are renowned for fishing. For more information on fishing, including outfitters and guide services, see: <a href="https://www.colorfulcolorado.com/outdoors/fishing/#business" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Colorful Colorado—Fishing</a>

Scenic Driving

If the drive in wasn't scenic enough for you, Buena Vista is located along the Collegiate Scenic Byway. This is an amazing drive with great views of the Collegiate Peaks, and there are many other driving tours in the area, most of which require no four-wheel or all-wheel drive. Like many of the high elevation hiking trails, a lot of the high mountain passes in the area close for the winter. You'll want to double-check that your route is open before setting out. For more information, see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.colorfulcolorado.com/outdoors/scenic-drives/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Colorful Colorado—Scenic Drives</a>

Mt. Princeton Hot Springs

Natural hot springs with a historic bath house, creekside hot springs, and other soaking pools. Day passes are available for $40 on weekdays and $45 on weekends. Get more info: <a href="https://mtprinceton.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mt. Princeton Hot Springs</a>

Comanche Drive-In Theatre

The Comanche Drive-In Theater is the highest-elevation drive-in movie theater in the country. For show times and other information, see: <a href="https://www.comanchedrivein.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Comanche Drive-In</a>

Shopping

Downtown Buena Vista is full of great shops, which sell everything from fringe leather jackets and cowboy boots to high-end art and outdoor gear. If you run out of shopping in Buena Vista, the town of Salida, which is about a 30-minute drive away, has plenty more.

Live Music

The Lariat is a live music venue located on the western end of Main Street. They host small, nationally touring acts every weekend of the year, with an emphasis on indie and Americana bands. Check out their live music schedule: <a href="https://www.thelariatbv.com/music-calendar" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Lariat—Music Calendar</a>

Things to Do

Registry

We love Denver, but the mountains are the place to be this weekend. There's so much to do and see in Buena Vista that we think you should get there as soon as possible!

Driving

Most times of the day, Buena Vista is a two and a half hour drive from Denver International Airport (DIA). During rush hour, it may be longer. The drive from DIA to Buena Vista is scenic and requires no high alpine mountain driving. The roads should be completely clear of snow by early May. Keep your eyes peeled for moose, especially on the ascent to Kenosha Pass! There are two possible routes: US-285 from Denver all the way to Buena Vista, or Interstate 70 from Denver to Copper Mountain, then CO-91 to Leadville and US-24 to Buena Vista. US-285 is almost always the faster route, but as with all mountain driving, accidents or construction can cause major delays, especially where 285 goes down to two lanes and near the Eisenhower Tunnel on I70. We recommend plugging the address into a maps application before setting out to ensure you're taking the fastest route.

Taking the Bus

Bustang runs two coach buses a day from Denver Union Station to Buena Vista. We recommend taking the A-line train from the airport to Union Station ($10 each way) or Ubering (usually around $50 each way) to Union Station. The first bus leaves Union Station at 6:30 AM and arrives in Buena Vista at 9:20 AM. The second bus leaves at 1:45 PM and arrives at 4:40 PM. This is a part of the Denver–Crested Butte route, which Bustang services with their Outrider buses. You can buy tickets in cash onboard the bus or in advance on the <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bustang-outrider-m-tix/id1539420553" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Outrider</a> or <a href="https://transitapp.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Transit</a> apps. They're $24 each way, or $12 for riders over 65. Drivers don't give change, so bring the exact amount of cash you need if you're planning on buying one in person. See more information: <a href="https://ridebustang.com/routes/crested-butte-denver/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ride Bustang</a>

Carpooling

If you have extra space in your car and would like to make it available to other guests who need a ride to or from Buena Vista, please consider listing your extra seats under our event in <a href="https://app.caroster.io/en/e/55d23a94-6616-480a-b60a-5fb08bf2564c/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Caroster</a>: 1. Click the yellow Add a trip button.2. Enter your information, then click Add. To claim a seat in someone's car: 1. Go to our event in <a href="https://app.caroster.io/en/e/55d23a94-6616-480a-b60a-5fb08bf2564c/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Caroster</a>.2. Find a ride with available seats and click Add passenger.3. Enter your name and click Add to trip.4. Shoot your driver a text or give them a call to let them know you're riding with them! If there are no open seats listed that fit your schedule, you can add yourself to the waitlist by clicking Waiting list and Add to waiting list. People can then see that you're looking for a ride. While cash tips aren't expected, carpool drivers appreciate tips in the form of coffee, lunch, or beer (upon arrival).

Getting There

Room TypesWhile the only rooms we have reserved for our guests are hotel rooms, the Surf Hotel has a variety of rooms available for booking. You may book whatever available room you'd like. The group code will work for any room in the Surf Hotel or Surf Chateau, regardless of whether it's a part of our block or not, but it does not apply to the Airbnb-style South Main Residences. Hotel RoomsWe have a variety of double queen and king rooms reserved in our block. These are nice but traditional hotel rooms. There are also a few suites (sorry, the honeymoon suite is occupied) that aren't reserved for our group but may be booked with the group code if they are available. Surf ChateauThe Surf Chateau is directly next door to the Surf Hotel. These rooms have their own private entrances facing the Chateau Courtyard. While we don't have any Chateau rooms set aside for our group, the group code will work if you choose to reserve one. South Main ResidencesThese are Airbnb-style homes that the Surf Hotel partners with. We don't have any of these reserved in our block, and the group code does not apply. However, there are some great options available, especially for larger groups, and all of them are within walking distance of the Surf Hotel. Booking InstructionsTo reserve dates other than May 8–10, you must reserve over the phone at 719-966-7048. 1. Click the WEBSITE button below to open the Surf Hotel's website. This link will automatically apply our wedding's dates and group code to your room search.2. Choose your room.3. Complete your booking.

Surf Hotel & Residences

Alternatives

We're confident that you'll have the best weekend staying at or close to the Surf Hotel, but the town of Buena Vista does have other hotels and Airbnbs available. Please note that because we expect the vast majority of our guests to stay at or near the hotel, we are not offering a shuttle service to other hotels in town. Buena Vista is a relatively small town, and does not have rideshare services like Uber or Lyft. If you choose to book another hotel or an Airbnb outside of walking distance from the Surf Hotel, you'll be responsible for your own transportation.

Logan & Keller

Logan & Keller

Photos