Durango Colorado is a mountainous tourist town that used to be an important center for mining. It was originally founded in September 1881 and was a stop-over point for the trains that chugged through the San Juan mining district. This is a smaller city of 13,922 that is a mix of older rustic buildings and shiny new condo and townhome developments. Many tourists come through it each year to visit the old mining sites and enjoy the local ski resorts.
Geographically it is set along the riverbanks of the beautiful Animas River (El Rio de lass Animas) that offers residents such recreational activities as kayaking, rafting and cannoning. This healthy pace to live also offers outdoor activities such as mountain biking, backpacking, rock climbing and golfing.
Tourism and education drives the economy of Durango, which is also home to the Durango Mountain Resort. It is also near five major ski areas including a famous run called Purgatory. Many people also come to visit the historic Ancestral Puebloan Cliff Dwellings thirty-five miles west of the city. There is also the Trimble Spa and Hot Springs which is just a five-minute drive from downtown.
Main Avenue cuts through the downtown which is home to many different clothing boutiques, malls and art galleries as well as two historic old hotels: The General Palmer and Strater Hotel. The city is known for its many Mexican, Italian and French restaurants as well as excellent Chinese and Japanese cuisine.
The progressive attitude towards LGBT citizens might be attributed to the fact that it is also a college town. Durango is home to Fort Lewis College, Southwest Colorado Community College and the San Juan Basin Technical College. There are gay organizations (such as the Four Corners Gay and Lesbian Alliance for Diversity) but no real dedicated gayborhood according to Durango Gay Real Estate. The most well-known gay-friendly hang-out is on Main Street is called The Lost Dog. The LGBT community is small but very strong and friendly.
Homes in Durango come in many styles with a popular offering being the ski-resort condo, and the vacation home. There are many newer housing developments where intelligent design plays on old style desert mesa housing.
The average listing price for a home in Durango is $582,009 as of August 2013. There were 1054 homes for sale in Durango as of that date as well so you do have many options to choose from in terms of properties for sale. For good advice about where to live it is best to consult with a resident Durango gay realtor who is familiar with the city and latest housing trends.
While looking for a property to buy in Durango you might want to stay in the Rochester Hotel and Leland House Inn, which is a gay-friendly 25-room historic hotel built in 1892.
For more information about this beautiful city in the mountains go to the Durango Chamber of Commerce website at www.durangobusiness.org.
