illininutt

Getting 1st part of my 2 part trip just about done. Southwest puts their June tickets on sale on January 5th. Loved to have some ideas of where to stay along the way. For me alone $125 or so tops is about it.
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Denv...56!2m1!2b1!3e0
Landing at Denver in early morning....take a "Red Rocks Amp." tour then head south to Garden of the Gods. If you stayed at some place you liked....I'd like to hear about it.

fmpden

The is the fourth nearly identical question on this subject. Are you not able to find the responses to your other questions? Why continue to raise the same question over and over?

illininutt

This is the FIRST time asking for places to stay! Isn't what this site is for!? I got the map/route down....now I need some input from people who have traveled to the area and what places they thought were worth the $$$.

Tabernash2

If you're interested in Grand Lake, it's a cute town to stay in. I don't know what time of year you will be there, but Grand Lake Lodge is fabulous but it closes in the winter.

Don't worry about fmpden. He just likes to poke at people.

sylvia3

Summer condo prices in the ski areas (Granby ranch, Winter Park in addition to the big areas off I70) can be very reasonable.
Estes park lodging along the river is nice, but can be pricey in the summer.
Both Rocky YMCAs are a bargain.

illininutt

I will be going from 06/15 to 06/20 and out on 21. I always travel alone so EVERYTHING must be perfect to make a trip work. I have no "internet phone" so I will have to have everything "down pat" BEFORE I go. Second part of this trip will be: Badlands/Black Hills/Sturis and Mt. Rushmore for 5 days. Once I leave....their is no "looking up things" on the road....nobody helping with a map.

Tabernash2

That sounds like a tough way to go, illininutt.

And I may get flamed for this, but I suggest you drop the second part of your trip, and spend all your time in Colorado.

Compared to the Colorado Rocky Mountains, you will be really disappointed in Badlands/Black Hills/Sturgis/Mt Rushmore.

michelhuebeli

The Garden of the Gods (www.gardenofgods.com) looks ten times better at first light than later in the day. Make sure you stay nearby and set your alarm clock so that you're there a half hour before official sunrise time. You and your camera will love it. Plenty of motels in the area.

There is a State Park with similar views near Denver - similar rock formations, easy walks with great views, check out www.roxboroughparkco.com

In Estes Park I've stayed at Maxwell Inn on West Elkhorn when I want to enjoy my stay for a few days. When I want to go real cheap because I get in late and I'm out before dawn then I pick the Twin Owls Motor Lodge.

I've stayed at others, too - the Econo Lodge and the adjacent Appenzell Inn, both on Big Thompson Ave, and a bit further down the Rodeway Inn - all much of a muchness.

If you want swanky and iconic, with bragging rights, look at the Stanley.

I forget where we stayed in Breckenridge - it's just a bed and move on, so it doesn't seem to matter much for a night or two, at least not to us.

We have friends we stay with in Grand Lake. Early and late in the day you might see moose as you drive towards the park on 34.

In the RMNP, sunsets are great from the top of Trail Ridge Road, near the Rock Cut (good parking and toilets). Wait until quite a while after the sun has gone down, all kinds of colors appear in the sky. But realize that you're at 12,000 feet - it can get very chilly even after a hot day.

While in Denver, once you have your wheels, drive through the Arsenal, with a bit of luck you can get good pix of bison, maybe other critters also: https://www.fws.gov/rockymountainarsenal/

sylvia3

The Stanley is nice on the outside and public areas, but the rooms are sad.

Melnq8

I agree with Sylvia about the Stanley - way above your budget anyway.

In Estes Park, although not recently, I've stayed at the Silver Moon Inn and the Inn on Fall River, and would stay at either again.

Depending on how close you want to be to Garden of the Gods, these might work for you:

Townplace Suites on Centennial Road - as a bonus it's located right across the street from Marigold - a great place to eat in the Springs - fabulous baked goods, excellent lunches

Hyatt Place on GOG Road (location a bit noisy though, wouldn't be my first choice)

There's also a Hyatt House a bit further north, off of Delmonico - easy access to I-25 and GOG, and quieter than Hyatt Place - have stayed there more times than I can count.

There are a lot of motel options on the south end of GOG, near Manitou Springs, but they can be rather eclectic and hit and miss. Can't personally recommend any of them as there are much better places to stay IMO.

Melnq8

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Good luck with that one