Places to Eat on Colorado Trip
Jul 12th, 2002, 12:45 PM
#1
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Places to Eat on Colorado Trip
Here's the plan:
Travel from SLC to Estes Park - 2 nights at the Holiday Inn. Spend 2 nights in Denver at the Courtyard Stapleton ($64 a night) - we're seeing the Rockies and visiting Six Flags. 1 night in Glenwood Springs at the Holiday Inn Express - visiting the hot springs and running the river.
Is there any place nice/fun to eat between SLC and Estes Park? Restaurant recommends at any of our stops would be appreciated. Thanks!
Travel from SLC to Estes Park - 2 nights at the Holiday Inn. Spend 2 nights in Denver at the Courtyard Stapleton ($64 a night) - we're seeing the Rockies and visiting Six Flags. 1 night in Glenwood Springs at the Holiday Inn Express - visiting the hot springs and running the river.
Is there any place nice/fun to eat between SLC and Estes Park? Restaurant recommends at any of our stops would be appreciated. Thanks!
Jul 13th, 2002, 09:23 AM
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Jul 14th, 2002, 03:03 PM
#6
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Ani - We choose the Courtyard at Stapleton because there are 5 of us and it was a great price that seemed close to our destinations. All the hotels downtown (16th street) were quite expensive. Is it a safe area?
joesorce - thanks for the suggestion!
GB - we are traveling I-80 there and I-70 on the way home.
joesorce - thanks for the suggestion!
GB - we are traveling I-80 there and I-70 on the way home.
Jul 14th, 2002, 03:28 PM
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Barbara-The Stapleton area (where the old airport was located) is NOT a good area. Its WAY East of the Lower Downtown area (6 flags, etc)...and very industrial, among other things-none of which are good. My husband works out there (cheap office space) and there was a shooting across the street from his office last week-catch my drift? Its so worth it to find a hotel in the lower downtown area-its a great place and close to all of your destinations (except of course, RMNP)-great restaurants within walking distance etc etc. Hope that helps.
Jul 14th, 2002, 08:18 PM
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Barbara,
I agree--don't stay at the Courtyard Stapleton. If you absolutely want to stay in that part of town, stay at the Marriott Renaissance instead. It's $59 per night and very nice. We stay there every year while at my daughter's dance competition and I feel very safe. Other people from the competition have stayed at the Courtyard and haven't had good luck (no hot water, poor service, etc.). If you want to stay fairly central but don't want to pay downtown's high prices, check out the Fairfield Inn on Colorado Blvd. It's close to I-25 and near many restaurants. Go a little further south on I-25 and you'll hit a ton of hotels near Park Meadows Mall. This is a newer area so the hotels are by and large nice and clean. You know, I just had another thought--have you checked out the Comfort Inn downtown? Several people on this board have recommended it and you'd be in a great location--close to Six Flags, restaurants, etc. Oh yeah, one more thing. I would think twice about Casa Bonita. The entertainment is fun but the food is atrocious and the lines horrific. Joe's right, though--kids love it
I agree--don't stay at the Courtyard Stapleton. If you absolutely want to stay in that part of town, stay at the Marriott Renaissance instead. It's $59 per night and very nice. We stay there every year while at my daughter's dance competition and I feel very safe. Other people from the competition have stayed at the Courtyard and haven't had good luck (no hot water, poor service, etc.). If you want to stay fairly central but don't want to pay downtown's high prices, check out the Fairfield Inn on Colorado Blvd. It's close to I-25 and near many restaurants. Go a little further south on I-25 and you'll hit a ton of hotels near Park Meadows Mall. This is a newer area so the hotels are by and large nice and clean. You know, I just had another thought--have you checked out the Comfort Inn downtown? Several people on this board have recommended it and you'd be in a great location--close to Six Flags, restaurants, etc. Oh yeah, one more thing. I would think twice about Casa Bonita. The entertainment is fun but the food is atrocious and the lines horrific. Joe's right, though--kids love it
Jul 14th, 2002, 10:17 PM
#9
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I second that sentiment about Casa Bonita. Although I have lived here for 12 years and have yet to visit Casa Bonita, nearly everyone I know has been there at least once and says the food is horrible. The only reason you go there is for the entertainment and even that is really the kind that would entertain only kids. What type of food are you looking for? Are you looking for chain/cheaper places since you will have kids with you? There are a bunch of places on 16th Street Mall in downtown Denver or nearby streets with lots of restaurants. They have a Bucca Di Beppo Italian restaurant which we like because they food is good for a chain, atmosphere is really fun and it is all family style so the portions are huge(which you share).
Jul 15th, 2002, 06:45 AM
#10
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You should also try Dave and Busters - I think it is at Colorado Blvd. and I-25 - good restaurants and lots of gams - vidoe, pool, etc. Not your typical arcade, very nice and fun! Have a great time in Colorado.
PS If you drive all the way thru RMNP - make sure to stop in Grand Lake. It is one of my favorite Colorado towns!
PS If you drive all the way thru RMNP - make sure to stop in Grand Lake. It is one of my favorite Colorado towns!
Jul 15th, 2002, 07:48 PM
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Amerisuites is very nice. Good area. Eat at the RockBottom Brewery across the street from Park Meadows mall. Wonderful food. There is also a PF Changs for chinese and any number of other restaraunts there. MUCH better than out near Stapleton. It will be a straight shot down I25 to get to Six Flags. Take you 20-30 min tops. Have fun!!
Jul 16th, 2002, 05:25 AM
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A couple of weeks ago, I took I-80 to SLC and return via Route 40 to Vernal, to Dinosaur, to Rangley, to Rifle to ! -70. It was a beautiful route, more interesting than 80 or 70 and only took me 1/2 hour longer.(going from Denver) It was a week day and traffic was very light through Utah. If there is traffic, 40 would be much slower. Just something to consider. In Glenwood Springs, there's a restaurant on the road between Glenwood and West Glenwood with a big plastic frog on the top (Bayou?). It has great food. And there is a family Mexican restaurant (well-known, but I don't kno the name) on the same road. Also, if you are in Glenwood on a Sunday, the brunch at Hotel Colorado is fun. In Idaho Springs, there is the Buffalo Bar with good food and homemade potato chips.(in the daytime okay for kids). In West Vail-if it is still there-the Jack A Lope has good Mexican food.In Glenwood, the river is running very low. But, I did see rafters. Fairy Caves recently reopen. Heard mixed things about the quality. BTW, my kids like WaterWorld in Federal Heights more than SixFlags. Most of the rides are very rough, even kids get sick, and the waterpark is limited. WaterWorld is a great waterpark and lots of fun for everyone.Check at the grocery stores for discount tickets for either.
Jul 26th, 2002, 08:03 PM
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Here's my trip report: Estes Park was great. The Holiday Inn was nice and clean, would stay there again. We ate at the Holiday Inn once for dinner and once for breakfast - the food was just okay. Second day we ate at Longs Peak for dinner and Molly's for breakfast - both were great!
The next day we caught a Rockies game (they won) and stayed at the Amerisuites in Littleton. The hotel was new and located by tons of stores and restaurants. We ate at PF Changs, which we loved.
We spent the next day at Six Flags, which was smaller than I expected, but we still had a great time. After Six Flags we went to the 16th Street Mall and checked out the shops and ate at the Cheesecake Factory - delicious. 16th Street is great.
Our final night we spent in Glenwood Springs. We went swimming at the hot springs pool and the kids and I loved it. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, which was new and very nice. We ate at the Bayou, which I wasn't crazy about, but the decor was cute. The next morning we floated the Colorado River. The water level was fairly low, but we still had a great time. Glenwood Springs was my kids favorite part of the trip.
Thanks again for everyone's recommendations. We had a great trip.
The next day we caught a Rockies game (they won) and stayed at the Amerisuites in Littleton. The hotel was new and located by tons of stores and restaurants. We ate at PF Changs, which we loved.
We spent the next day at Six Flags, which was smaller than I expected, but we still had a great time. After Six Flags we went to the 16th Street Mall and checked out the shops and ate at the Cheesecake Factory - delicious. 16th Street is great.
Our final night we spent in Glenwood Springs. We went swimming at the hot springs pool and the kids and I loved it. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, which was new and very nice. We ate at the Bayou, which I wasn't crazy about, but the decor was cute. The next morning we floated the Colorado River. The water level was fairly low, but we still had a great time. Glenwood Springs was my kids favorite part of the trip.
Thanks again for everyone's recommendations. We had a great trip.
