plansrme Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 We have just planned (and I use "planned" very loosely, as you will see) a very last minute vacation to Colorado. We arrive in Denver Sunday and leave the following Monday. So, ummm, what should we do??? No, seriously, what should we do, and where should we do it? Last summer, we spent 10 days in Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons and loved it, so I am thinking RMNP would be our focus. Unfortunately for my husband and son's MLB tour of stadiums, taking in a Rockies game is out--they're not at home while we are there. The kids are 9, 13 and 15 and good hikers (we hiked 8 or 10 miles into the Yellowstone backcountry without one complaint). All suggestions welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 We recently returned from a 5 week tour of the west. We used Denver as our incoming/outgoing "hub". RMNP actually wasn't even in our plans but we changed our itinerary so we could go there. What an amazing park! And this was after 10 other national parks! There is lots to do there. We also spent some time walking around Estes Park, which is a cute little town. One thing we really wanted to do but called too late (it was all booked up) was a tour of the Denver Mint. We also heard good things about Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Enjoy your trip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicAnn Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Are you staying in the city? If so, the ones that want to do baseball stuff can ride the light rail, and you could hike. RMNP has hiking obviously,but you can also go just about anywhere outside of Denver and find hiking. Pearl Street in Boulder is fun. While in Boulder you can go to a free Celestial Seasonings tea tour and to the Leanin Tree art museum. There is also LoDo and the Tattered Cover bookstore. The science museum is great. You can go get awesome burgers at the Cherry Cricket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted July 24, 2013 Author Share Posted July 24, 2013 We are not planning to stay IN Denver other than the last one. What would be a good HQ? Estes Park? For the whole week? Should we do 4 there and 3 somewhere else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 We are not planning to stay IN Denver other than the last one. What would be a good HQ? Estes Park? For the whole week? Should we do 4 there and 3 somewhere else? We stayed at Sylvan Dale dude ranch--highly recommend it! It was inexpensive for us because it was off season, not sure how pricey it is now). It's a beautiful spot within 20 minutes of RMNP. I'm not sure of town names, but we saw many many adorable cabin parks on the Thompson River between Loveland (where Sylvan Dale is) and Estes Park (where RMNP is). We said if we were to go back, which we'd love to, we'd try to stay at one of those cottage compounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 We are not planning to stay IN Denver other than the last one. What would be a good HQ? Estes Park? For the whole week? Should we do 4 there and 3 somewhere else? I think a week would be a long time to spend in Estes Park. Grand Lake is kind of fun as well, but both places are very touristy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicAnn Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 I agree. A week during tourist season is a long time. We actually don't go during the summer because of the crowds. Grand lake is less busy, but not as much to do. You could stay in Boulder. Easy access to the park, city, and other hiking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimerinkydo Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 How is Casa Bonita these days? It was a cheesy, different kind of place to go eat dinner in the early 90's but fun for kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 If it's this Sunday, you want to cruise up two hours to Cheyenne for the last day of Frontier Days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted July 24, 2013 Author Share Posted July 24, 2013 Crested Butte! Hiking, wild flowers, mountain biking, ME!, rafting, fishing... Ding ding ding, we have a winner! Who can resist Margaret in CO??? Would 3 or 4 days in a RMNP gateway town and 3 or 4 in Crested Butte'ish be doable? I appreciate everyone's input and will be googling madly tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandelion Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 I'll throw in a plug for Colorado Springs as a base for a few days. :) Lots to see and do around here: - Pikes Peak and Cog Railway - Garden of the Gods & Red Rock Canyon - Air Force Academy - Olympic Training Center - Manitou Springs (fun and funky little town with one of the best remaining old-fashioned penny arcades in the U.S.) - Cave of the Winds (very cool cave tours) - Cripple Creek & Victor (old mining towns/mine tours) - Cheyenne Canyon (beautiful hikes) - Cheyenne Mountain Zoo How is Casa Bonita these days? It was a cheesy, different kind of place to go eat dinner in the early 90's but fun for kids. Still as fun and cheesy as ever. We were just there for Father's Day (DH actually requested that we go there). :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 What do your kids like to do? If you are planning on doing some fourteeners, the National Park only has one (longs Peak) and it is insanely crowded , as in parking lot full at 4am on Sunday morning. We like the area around Aspen and Independence Pass. Plenty of hiking, amazing rock climbing, lots to do in town, several fourteeners in reach doable as day trips (we just did La Plata two weeks ago). For less fancy town, Leadville on the other side of the divide, or Twin lakes. Boulder is beautiful, with great bike paths, climbing almost IN town, Shakespeare festival, lots to do. Just spent a week there. Not an ideal base if you want to climb high mountains. Telluride is another nice spot, not as crowded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 How is Casa Bonita these days? It was a cheesy, different kind of place to go eat dinner in the early 90's but fun for kids. We went during our visit in May. Very cheesy, bad food (worse margaritas), and foul smell throughout. Kids loved it! You don't find that experience everywhere so if you're in the neighborhood, you might want to do it :). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tillmalo Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Another vote for Boulder! A great town with so much to do. Another place to consider is Breckenridge. Breckenridge is one of my favorite Colorado mountain towns. You'll find lots of hiking, biking, and rafting up that way. It's a quaint little town, central to many other popular areas. During the summer, Breckenridge and the neighboring towns have lots of free summer events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*LC Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 One of my families favorite vacations when I was a kid was flying into Denver and renting a motor home. We drove around Colorado, staying at camp grounds. The things I still remember are Mesa Verde, the train at Durango, seeing snow at the Cont. Divide, driving through Keystone and Leadville. On a vacation to New Mexico a few years ago,we went to Great Sands National Park. My kids loved it. It was definitely unique. I have a friend who visited Rocky Mtn Natl Park last week. She said it was crowded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellen Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 I think the kids would like Glenwood Springs. It has a very large outdoor pool heated by natural springs. There is also a hug hot tub and by huge I mean swimming pool size. The drive on I-70 through Glenwood Canyon is really pretty and there is a nice hike called Hanging Lake or something like that. Near Denver I would recommend Roxborough State Park for a nice scenic hike. It is the same sort of rock formations you would find in Boulder and Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. There is a small visitor center which describes the geology of the region. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lara in Colo Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 I guess my favorite thing to do is white water rafting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandelion Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 I guess my favorite thing to do is white water rafting I love rafting too. OP - you should definitely try to fit in a rafting trip if you can swing it. Our favorite rafting company is Raft Masters in Canon City (rafting on the Arkansas River). We've gone rafting with them many times over the years, and they're fantastic. It looks like you might not make it down to Southern Colorado, but just thought I'd pass that along in case you do. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted July 25, 2013 Author Share Posted July 25, 2013 Thanks again everyone for your input. This is our tentative plan: *Fly into Denver Sunday morning, spend a bit of time in Boulder on the way to Estes Park (taking the Celestial Seasonings tour--my 15 yo loves their teas). *Spend 3 nights in Estes Park, doing RMNP Sunday afternoon, Monday, Tuesday. Leave Wednesday. *Drive to Colorado Springs/Manitou or thereabouts and spend 4 nights (W, Th, F, Sat.). Fossil hunt, Pike's Peak, the cave, maybe the Olympic Training Center, a train. We will definitely raft somewhere. *Last night (Sunday) in Denver to catch an early morning flight out. All I have to do now if find somewhere to stay around CS/Manitou. It only took me 47 hours to find availability in Estes Park... Thanks, everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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