m4tthall

Hi,

My family and I are having a 3 week road trip in the summer and the final leg of the journey is from Jackson to Denver, where we fly home to the UK. We are looking for somewhere nice to stay that isn't too far from Denver, for 5 nights at the beginning of August. We are looking for somewhere the weather is likely to be nice, where we can chill out after our trip in a good quality hotel/resort but still with some interesting things available to see/do.

The places that have come up while exploring are:

* Boulder
* Colorado Springs
* Glenwood Springs
* Vail
* Aspen
* Estes Park

Vail and Aspen look really nice with some great hotel options but worried the weather isn't going to be the warmest, being high up and seeing the average temp is ~22C?

Boulder seemed to be a good option and looking around saw this hotel which looked nice https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_..._Colorado.html

Glenwood Springs appeal seemed to be the large springs but wonder whether there is much more?

I couldn't really get a good feel for Colorado Springs from the various articles I read, although had a couple of hotel options that looked appealing
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_..._Colorado.html
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_..._Colorado.html

Anyway, I guess I am seeking opinion of anyone that may have stayed around these parts previously

Many thanks in advance

Matt

Gretchen

Coming from Jackson I really recommend taking Route 89 to Salt Lake City through Logan Canyon--one of the most beautiful drives we had on a trip west.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logan_Canyon

Then, don't overlook spending a couple of days in Denver before leaving. LOTS to do in a wonderful ciyt.
I think to cap off a trip you might want to split your time to see Colorado. I don't quite know the drive time from Jackson so I'll list what I would do
Stop in Glenwood Springs. Then drive east on I70 to the west entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park to Estes.
Then go to Denver for a couple of days.

m4tthall

Thanks for the tips, will definitely look into that drive. What we are planning though, is to have 5 nights at one place and trying to work out the best place to spend those 5 nights at. I think we would have had enough of driving by this point

Gretchen

I didn't address your temperature question. The mountains will be cool at night ( I don't translate C any more!!) so layers of clothes are your friend. It could be 85* during the day. Don't forget sunscreen and drink lots of water all through the West.

I think 5 days is too long in one place for what you want to do. Relax when you get home!! We did 6 weeks with our kids!
What age children do you have with you?

m4tthall

We are travelling a fair bit so my wife is very keen on having 5 days at the end just relaxing, not sure she will change her mind on that one The kids are 12 and 15.

Gretchen

I'm suggesting 3 and 2, the final 2 being in Denver without a car even making your trip to the airport very easy.
If you are going to spend it in the mountains, you'll be driving "somewhere" probably. I'm not suggesting much more.

tomfuller

Glenwood Springs has the world's largest hot spring fed swimming pool. I once saw someone swimming in it in December. There is also a chairlift up to the Glenwood Caverns. There is a great bike/hiking trail along the Colorado River east of town into one of the most beautiful canyons in the US (personal opinion). There is a great bus service up from Glenwood Springs to Aspen (41 miles). If I make a stop on the Amtrak California Zephyr between Chicago and Sacramento, it is at Glenwood Springs. The train (when on time) arrives in GSC mid afternoon and gets to Denver a little after sunset. There is a good new light rail system from the train station in Denver out to the airport. The train trip through the Glenwood Canyon is much more scenic than driving through it on I-70 (IMO).
The other thing of note that I went to see in Glenwood Springs is a fenced monument to Doc Holliday who is buried somewhere in the cemetery on top of the hill.

Nelson

I live not far from Estes and would say not to go there. It's WAY too crowded at the beginning of August. I would not go to Colorado Springs either, kind of a sprawling town with some interesting sites, but August not the best month.

Boulder is not a bad choice. Depending on the weather and your mood you could have day trips to the mountains or to Denver, or you could just wander around Boulder. The St. Julian hotel is pretty nice though I've never actually stayed there. Lots of good eating within a few blocks of it.

If you want to be in a mountain town then of the ones on your list Aspen is the nicest, IMHO. Breckenridge or Leadville are two more options closer to Denver, but they are at higher elevation if that is a concern. But offhand I'd chose Aspen. You'd have to return to Denver the day before your flight, I wouldn't risk that drive the day of the flight.

Cowboy1968

Me thinks it would be easier to suggest something if you could just give some examples of what you actually want to do, aside from relaxing.

Do you want to visit "big" museums or major sights? Hopefully without insulting any town or city in the region, Denver is THE major cultural center for an area as big as the UK. And it is a very nice big city, with a compact and lively and walkable (!) "downtown" area for shopping, dining, etc.

Do you just want to shop for some souvenirs in a "Western" small town and explore local restaurants and pubs/bars? Aside from what has been mentioned already, Golden could be an option. Coors brewery tour, the Railroad Museum, and close enough to Denver for making easy day trips into the big city (even with public transport).

I would take Colorado Springs off my list as you'd have to drive 9 hours from Jackson to CS - in theory, as this is without any stops or lunch breaks etc. I'd rather choose a place N or NW or W of Denver, and nothing S or E.

If money was no big issue, and if I wanted to unwind in style after a long road trip through the West, I'd probably spend those days at a luxurious dude ranch somewhere in Southern Wyoming near Laramie or Cheyenne or in Northern Colorado. Aside from pools and jacuzzis, these high end places also offer horseback riding or trail rides, and many more activities.
I have zero recos as those places are so beyond my budget that I don't even bother to look them up.

MoBro

Five nights to relax before heading back to the UK would be my preference, as well. I'm never a fan of staying less than three nights at any one place.

We live in Denver, and I would not recommend five nights in Denver, Colorado Springs, Golden, Boulder, Glenwood Springs, Leadville, or Estes Park.

My choices would be:
Aspen proper. Stay in a hotel condo complex in the heart of Aspen, like Aspen Square or The Gant.
Weather will be great in August. Maybe some rain, but not torrential downpours.

"if I wanted to unwind in style after a long road trip through the West, I'd probably spend those days at a luxurious dude ranch somewhere in Southern Wyoming near Laramie or Cheyenne or in Northern Colorado. Aside from pools and jacuzzis, these high end places also offer horseback riding or trail rides, and many more activities."
This would be our choice, too. Look up Devil's Thumb Ranch (DTR), in Grand County, between Winter Park and Grand Lake.
https://www.devilsthumbranch.com/
This is a fabulous place. Prices are higher than some, but you get what you pay for, and there might be some summer savings. DTR has become a very popular place for weddings, so it can get sold out for that reason. Check on it, and note the cancellation fee policy.

fmpden

As a local I would also discourage Estes Park and Boulder. Boulder at that time of is transitioning to the fall school and will have lots of pre-school underway with returning students, new students, parents, etc. For a five day relax, hang-out I would vote for Breckenridge. Lots of nice restaurants, brew pubs, resorts, condos and the prices should be right. At most it is a two hour drive (except on Sunday afternoon) to the Denver airport. Breckenridge is an old mining with some character remaining. From Breck there are a number of driving loops and activities within an hour or so -- Georgetown and the Georgetown Loop Railroad, Cowboy mine, Glenwood Springs, Leadville's Mineral Belt trail - one of our hidden gems. A scenic drive through Glenwood Canyon is possible along with some casual bike trails. Another option would be Vail -- a bit more upscale and only 30 mins more from the airport.

I like Aspen but it is more than double the distance to the Denver airport. The activities around Aspen would be harder to get too since Aspen sits at the end of a canyon. For your purpose not as suitable. While Breck sits at 9,000 feet, the night will be cool but not unreasonable and day time should be very nice. In early August afternoon showers could still be a possibility. The monsoons generally tapper off by mid August. For what you have stated Breckenridge should work pretty well for you.

meggies

I agree with Nelson, that unless your flight home leaves late in the day, you should overnight at or near the airport, as the traffic can make you late for a flight. Also, be sure to fill the tank on your rental car well before the airport, as gas stations nearby are nearly impossible to find.

Gretchen

I don't find the last statement about gas stations at DIA to be the case. There are stations near the car rental agencies.

Michael

To get to Glenwood Springs I would take US 191 from Jackson to Verna US40 to Dinosaur and visit the Monument, and then to Glenwood Springs via Rangely and Meeker. You will cross what one friend has told me is the only East-West range in the U.S., the Uinta Mountain Range

https://flic.kr/p/8k6HkP
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uinta_Mountains