What’s new in Buena Vista: Hot springs, hotels, bars

Just a two-hour drive from Denver, Buena Vista has become a popular weekend getaway for people on the Front Range. Once known primarily for the summer commercial rafting season along the Arkansas River, this town of about 3,000 souls is growing in appeal year-round.

With a new hot springs, new hotel options and some new bars, there are more reasons than ever to check out Buena Vista.

“A lot of the businesses are locally owned and operated,” said Megan Kingman, co-owner of the new Shorehouse Hotel and CKS River Supply. “There has almost been a changing of the guard with new business ownership by people who have lived here for decades.” She jokingly refers to this as “dirtbags to entrepreneurs,” referring to people like herself who went from working as seasonal river guides or similar to becoming local business owners.

The Shorehouse Hotel sits above CKS River Supply with four swanky suites available for guests. These aren’t your average hotel rooms — there are views of the Collegiate Peaks to the west, full kitchens, laundry, patios, easy walking access to shops and restaurants, and design touches like pink wallpaper, sequined cowboy hats and lots of ornate colorful pillows on the bed and seating areas.

“We are passionate about this location and Chaffee County and we love hosting family so we found a way to open up to larger audience,” she said. “It’s not an Airbnb, and it’s not a hotel; it’s a hybrid, and that’s what’s happening in the hospitality world hotel format.”

Megan and her husband, Brad Kingman, are the third owners of CKS River Supply, originally founded in 1978, which moved to its current location this year. Half of the store is dedicated to rental equipment to enjoy the river in all seasons such as kayaks, rafts, boogie boards and stand-up paddleboards (all the safety gear too); the other half is clothing and gear for men, women and children.

Buena Vista used to empty out from about November through May, but now locals and some tourists are embracing the off-season here. And yes, you could — with the right gear — go kayaking or paddleboarding in the Arkansas River in winter.

“Basically, the recreation shifts a little bit,” Megan Kingman said, adding that people like to ride their fat bikes up Cottonwood Pass to the Continental Divide in winter, go snowshoeing, explore the cross-country ski trails, keep hiking, trail running and sledding. The eastern side of the town remains relatively warm, making hiking and running available without much snow and ice to maneuver.

For those, like me, who come here to soak in any season, one of the most exciting additions is Charlotte Hot Springs & Botanical Gardens on the outskirts of Buena Vista, one of the newest hot springs in Colorado.

“We are offering something that the others don’t,” said Glen Merrifield, co-owner of Charlotte Hot Springs. Merrifield said his family has been in the area since the 1800s and they have used the geothermal water for agricultural purposes too.

Open for less than a year, this public hot spring offers an alternative to the popular Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort about 10 miles from town and the well-known Cottonwood Hot Springs just 5 miles away. Mount Princeton has been adding more lodging options for their guests with a mix of cabins and rooms that are creekside, cliffside or in the lodge. The upper pool is currently undergoing a transformation to add another waterslide by next summer.

There are two historic cabins available at Charlotte Hot Springs for overnight guests, and daily soaking use is available by reservation or to walk-ins when space is available. There are three outdoor soaking pools at this natural hot spring.

At the Surf Hotel, there is expansion going on with more riverside rooms being built with apartment-style suites for large parties or longer stays.

Next door to CKS River Supply is the new location for Buena Viking, which started out as a popular food truck for burger lovers. The truck was one of my go-to stops when I was in BV, so I was pleased to see they have expanded with this spot. The new Even Keel Lodge is three rooms upstairs from the restaurant that also opened this year.

Practically across the street from these businesses is Cool River Café, which has been open for about a year and a half and is a popular breakfast and lunch spot where the crowds can be seen regularly spilling out of the small business.

For the end of the day, try the new Coyote Mezcaleria y Cerveceria inside Black Burro Bikes. This new bar opened in the summer and offers beer, snacks and mezcal. If you need a meal, try the Main Street Tavern that opened in the spring with a brat sampler and salads on the menu, along with drinks. The tavern is a place to hang out and play with billiard tables, comfortable chairs and couches, and TVs playing the latest games.

“So many of us have settled in and started families and there is opportunity for business growth,” said Megan Kingman. “It’s a big shift and not just tourism. It’s been really fun seeing people I came here with become business owners and this become a vibrant little community with young people and families.”