"Telluride’s literary mecca, this beloved store is stacked with more than 10,000 books at any given time. The expertly curated regional books section is a fount of the Wild West’s writing prowess, with illustrative tomes on the town’s lurid backstory (you’ll want to peruse Tomboy Bride: A Woman’s Personal Account of Life in Mining Camps of the West ). When your eyelids get heavy, head to the tiny coffee bar—squirreled away at the back of the shop—for a caffeine jolt to bolster an afternoon of reading."

"At CashmereRed, cozy sweaters—knit in a 150-year-old mill in Scotland—are just the beginning. Here, you’ll also find Scottish cashmere blazers that were tailored in Italy, comfy ponchos perfect for long flights, and what just may be the softest cashmere beanies on the planet—an ideal accessory on crisp Telluride mornings."

"Telluridemay be more than 2,000 miles from New York, but that doesn’t mean its art scene isn’t worthy of adulation. Case in point: Gallery 81435, a contemporary space run by Telluride Arts that features a rotating collection of stellar work by both regional and national artists. Come here to see everything from Emily Palmquist’s oil paintings of banal-made-beautiful landscapes, to Karen Wippich’s dreamlike acrylic paintings."

"If you think a store that revolves around lovely wall hooks is made for a larger city, you’d be wrong. Hook is full of precisely the sweet, homey ephemera that gives Telluride its small-town charm. Much of the merchandise here will fit in your carry-on, from a bottle opener shaped like a growling bear, to sea-salt-and-sage candles and, of course, hooks in every shape and size—the ones decorated with vintage-looking ski signs make for particularly great souvenirs."

"Telluride is high in more ways than one. Lest anyone forget,Coloradowas the first state in the nation to legalize recreational marijuana use, long before Oregon, California, and other green-forward states jumped on the toker bandwagon.TellurideBud Company grows its very own marijuana in a 10,000-square-foot central Colorado greenhouse, allowing for maximum control over its inventory. Strains on offer at the downtown shop include Lemon Diesel and even one named for a classic stoner snack—Girl Scout Cookies."

"Telluride Gallery of Fine Art has been on the contemporary art world heatmap since 1985 with good reason—its expertly curated collection includes everything from Thomas Hoadley’s porcelain-and-gold-leaf bowls to Gwynn Murrill’s bronze coyote sculptures. For those with smaller budgets, however, it’s particularly loveable for its range of studio jewelry,which includesKent Raible’s woven gold-and-diamond chain bracelets and Emiko Oye’s repurposed LEGO necklaces."

"If you’re in the market for a 1937 Gibson guitar,TellurideMusic Company is your place. The marquis dealer of C.F. Martin guitars, this musician-owned shop has been in business since 1992, helping countless shoppers tell their Waterloos from their Taylors. In addition to guitars, the cult-favorite store stocks mandolins, banjos, and the like, which we’re willing to bet sound even better when played in the open, high-mountain air."

"With a name like The Butcher & The Baker, this locally owned favorite reads like a Disney movie storefront—and it should. Everything inside is pure magic, especially for the food-obsessed. Stop by to dine on local cheddar cheese curds and carrot cake with a buttermilk glaze, or pick up some picnic accoutrements, like house-roasted meats and handmade sausages. The almond croissants are so blissful, they rarely make it out the door."