Transportation
Air Travel
Where to Book Flights
The quickest way to get to Steamboat Springs is by air. You can fly to Yampa Valley Regional Airport (HDN) as a connection through Denver International Airport (DEN). The most common airlines that travel to (HDN) are United and Southwest. Pre-Covid, there were connections through many other major airports, so it may make sense to check your closest major airport as we get closer to the date to see if you can fly direct!
Uber & Lyft from the Airport
Once you've arrived, the airport (in Hayden, CO) is about a 35 minute drive to Steamboat. While there are both Uber and Lyft in Steamboat, sometimes there is difficulty getting a car. During the off-season (May-November) the town is much less busy than during ski season, so naturally there are less cars available.
Shuttles from (HDN)
We would recommend you pre-book a shared airport shuttle. They are $66 for round trip transfer and will pick you up and bring you directly to your Airbnb/hotel/VRBO/or wherever you're staying! They will also return you to the airport at the end of the trip. The two companies that can do this are Go Alpine and Storm Mountain Express. They both also offer private airport transfers, if you'd prefer. Go Alpine is the shuttle service for our wedding and to accommodate our guests, they are offering a 10% discount to any guests who need shuttle service between Hayden, CO airport or Denver, CO airport to Steamboat. To access this discount please use this link to book your shuttle service.
Shuttles from (DEN)
You can also take shuttles, private transfers or buses from Denver Airport (DEN) to Steamboat Springs. The ride is about 3 hours. The shared shuttle is $210 round trip (call to confirm before booking air travel) and private transfers start at around $300 round trip. Buses are much more affordable, around $30, but can take almost double the time.
Car Rental
Renting a Car from (DEN)
If you love driving, the drive from Denver to Steamboat is truly amazing. You will see green rolling hills and color changing aspen trees for miles at that time of year! The drive is about 3 hours, so no easy feat, but very worth it. Denver Airport has all major rental car agencies, so you can explore which options work best for your group.
Renting a Car from (HDN)
If you'd like to rent a car from the airport in Steamboat, we would suggest using Budget or Avis as both companies have desks inside the terminal. There are other companies to rent from, but you will have to take a shuttle to the rental area.
In Town Travel
Do I Need to Rent a Car?
Definitely not! There are many ways to get around Steamboat including Uber or Lyft, taxis and the free bus! On the day of the wedding, shuttles will pick all of the guests up and shuttle them to our wedding venue. The shuttles will also return you to your accommodations at the end of the night. Please keep an eye out for our email update about shuttle pick ups!
The Free Bus Steamboat Springs
The free bus in Steamboat shuttles people from the mountain village into the town. Although the buses are less frequent in the Summer/Fall, there are still plenty of routes you can take. The free bus is a great alternative if you're unable to find an Uber. For schedules and to learn more click here. For reference, the closest stop to The Ptarmigan Inn is "La Casa" off of the Green Line or Night Condo Line (after 7pm.) Buses run as late as 11pm. The best bus stop for the Sheraton is "Gondola Transit Center" off of the Green Line or Night Condo Line (after 7pm.) If you need help figuring out which stop is closest to you, please don't hesitate to contact one of us!
Is Steamboat Walkable?
That depends! If you're staying in or near the downtown strip of Steamboat, then you are most likely within walking distance to tons of great restaurants, cafes, shops and more! If you're staying on the mountain, the walk may be a bit more difficult whether you need to travel uphill or downhill. There are also plenty of markets, cafes and restaurants on the mountain so more than likely you will be close enough to walk to something. However, to walk from the mountain to the downtown area would take between 45 minutes to 1 hour. For those trips, the free bus is really helpful! I'd suggest checking out the vicinity of your accommodations to see whether you're located near the mountain or downtown and what businesses are close by. You can see our personalized map on the Accommodations page.