Traveling Pregnant to Durango Colorado
As an adventure traveler, I wasn’t sure what it would be like to travel pregnant and what I would, and would not be able to do. My first official pregnant trip was to Durango Colorado. As I started to work with the tourism board on a good itinerary, it was a mix of “Can you zipline?”…emails the doctor for the answer…"No, sorry I can’t zipline”? “Can you ride an e-bike?”…emails the doctor for the answer…” No, sorry I can’t ride an e-bike”. But after some back and forth, we came up with an amazing itinerary of things to do while pregnant in Durango.
Activities You Can Do Pregnant in Durango
Being pregnant doesn’t mean you need to sit in the hotel and do nothing. There are lots of easy adventures around Durango for any level of pregnancy. One of the things that my doctor told me is that walking/hiking is the best exercise you can do while pregnant. While I wouldn’t recommend a big ‘ol hike if your body isn’t used to that, Sky Steps is a great way to get your blood pumping with some awesome views.
Sky Steps was modeled after other urban hikes like the Santa Monica Steps and the Manitou Incline but WAY less intense. This hike takes you up just over 500 steps to the summit to overlook downtown Durango and the surrounding mountains. I did this as a sunrise hike and highly recommend it! I also took many, MANY breaks on the way up. Bring water and enjoy getting active.
Another fun activity was a tour of the Animas Chocolate Company. While yes, you do have to be conscious of the amount of caffeine in chocolate that you consume while pregnant, indulging in a few truffles won’t hurt. This amazing chocolate company not only has unique concoctions of flavors and incredible designs on their truffles, but the tour was incredibly entertaining and informative. I learned all about how chocolate is made and becomes the delicious treat we all love!
And then there’s Durango’s most famous attraction - the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. This all-day journey from Durango to Silverton takes you back in time on this 19th-century route. The train runs through stunning views of the San Juan Mountains and offers a full history lesson along the way. When you go, I highly recommend splurging on the caboose car, not only do you get your own table and chairs which makes the journey more comfortable but there is also a viewing platform that you can stand on in the back for a totally different experience. Silverton is an adorable old mining town where the train stops for lunch and some epic mountain views before heading back to town. This is an experience I will absolutely be doing again!
Ways to Treat Yourself in Durango
While you’re indulging on your truffles from Animas Chocolate Company, walk down Main Ave and enjoy all of the incredible shops along the way. Durango is the perfect place to have a shopping day so bring a little extra cash to splurge. And if you’re like me and typically check out local breweries, head to 11th Street Station for an ice-cold O’Douls, good food, and some live music. I will say, I did struggle to find any places that carried non-alcoholic beer here and I did my best to convince a few eateries that Colorado makes some incredible N/A craft beers that they should start carrying. But I did try some mocktails in a few restaurants and HIGHLY recommend Switchback for their Virgin Paloma Margarita.
But the best way to really treat your pregnant body in Durango is to head to Durango Hot Springs Resort and Spa and get a prenatal massage in their world-class spa. While it’s not recommended to get in the hot springs when pregnant, the resort also has a regular pool with some gorgeous mountain views. They also have live music and food on-site to make the entire experience even better.
With so many incredible places to eat and views to take in, Durango might just be the perfect place to travel for a relaxing pregnant vacation! I also recommend checking out Durango.org and talking with the tourism board before your visit for some more amazing suggestions of things to do here while pregnant. They truly helped customize my itinerary for a full 2-days of adventure, relaxation, and the perfect mountain getaway.