Get to Know
Salida
Salida, the County Seat, is a charming mix of century-old red brick buildings and colorful Victorian hotels, B&Bs, and homes. The center of the town is where the Arkansas River flows, offering outstanding rafting and fishing opportunities. It has been named "One of America's Best 100 Small Art Towns" and "One of the Top Ten Affordable Retirement Communities in the US." The riverfront is a great place to sit and watch kids swim, fishermen cast from the shore, stand-up paddle boarders, and kayakers practice and perform while rafters and tubers float by. Restaurants, brew pubs, and art galleries surround it.
Salida hosts a fine seasonal Farmers' Market, the wild and wonderful FIBArk kayak races, and the Salida Art Walk, a three-day art and entertainment festival, to name just a few town events. Abundant snow, easy access, and reasonable prices make nearby Monarch Ski Area the place to ski in Central Colorado. If you don't ski, they also offer dog sled tours. A lively nightlife, both casual and fine dining, extensive bike trails, the Hot Springs Aquatic Center, and the new Captain Zipline—the largest aerial adventure park in the western US—along with stunning natural beauty in every direction, make Salida an enchanting place to be any time of the year. You do not have to live in the snow, but you can drive five miles and play in it.
