Great Itineraries

If You Have 3 Days

Start in Boulder by bicycling the Boulder Creek Path or the Marshall Mesa, or hiking near the Flatirons after a breakfast at the Chautauqua Dining Hall. After lunch you can poke around the town or antique in Niwot. On Day 2, head toward Estes Park, but first take in the scenery along the Peak-to-Peak Highway, diverting long enough for a light lunch at the general store in Gold Hill. Hike in Rocky Mountain National Park and work up an appetite for dinner in Estes Park. Return to Rocky Mountain National Park on the morning of Day 3. After lunch, peruse the shops and galleries along Elkhorn Avenue, learn to kayak on Lake Estes, or visit the Trail Ridge Winery near Loveland.

If You Have 5 Days

Follow the three-day itinerary, and on day three try the Sweet Basilico in Estes Park for lunch, and follow the afternoon itinerary. Use the morning to explore a bit in Rocky Mountain National Park on Day 4 while driving to Grand Lake for lunch. Hike along the Colorado River to Lulu City or trot around Monarch Lake. There's time to stroll the boardwalk before dinner. On Day 5 you can play 18 holes near Granby at the Headwaters Golf Course at Granby Ranch or Grand Elk Ranch clubs; sail, canoe, or boat on Shadow Mountain Reservoir; bicycle up to Willow Creek Pass; or mountain-bike in the Arapaho National Recreation Area. The spa at Hot Sulphur Springs will revive you before a hearty dinner. Don't miss the rodeo in Granby if it's the season.

If You Have 7 Days

Follow the five-day itinerary but replace Days 4 and 5 with the following itinerary: On Day 4, drive to Fort Collins; hike or mountain-bike in Horsetooth Mountain Park, or bicycle along the Poudre River in town. In the afternoon, tour a brewery or take the kids to the Swetsville Zoo. Learn about raptors at the Environmental Learning Center or take in some history at the Avery House and the Fort Collins Museum. Relax over a leisurely Italian dinner at Canino's before checking out the vibrant music scene. On Day 5, let the guides from St. Peter's Fly Shop take you on a float trip for trout, or get an adrenaline rush on an A-1 white-water raft trip on the Cache la Poudre River. Later in the afternoon you can get your land legs back by wandering the galleries and shops in Old Town Square before an elegant dinner at Nico's Catacombs or a zesty Mexican meal at Rio Grande. Spend your last two days and nights in Granby, following the five-day itinerary.