1st Time in CO, appreciate some advice
 

Hi,
Planning to go for 5 nights or so this summer We will stay in Denver 1 or 2 nights and then thought we'd go to Estes Park and then down to Aspen, back to Denver.
Not sure how many nights at each, or if there is a better itenerary of things to see or do. Would like to do a complete loop which we end back to Denver. Were in our mid 40's so we like to hike, white water rafting, site seeing etc.. Is there a town we shouldn't miss. Telluride sounds great but seems far from Denver. Probably flying out of Denver on the way home.
I appreciate any advice, thanks much.

We live in Denver, and it's great, but I don't recommend it for a vacation destination in the summertime. I suggest you spend just one night in Denver, skip Estes and head to Aspen for all the nights you have. There is so much to do in Aspen, you won't be disappointed. Everyone goes to RMNP, and it gets crowded, very touristy. At Aspen, you have more options and more space to spread out. We like to stay in Aspen proper, as its a nice little town for walking. Try AspenSquare or The Gant, for nice condos.

My son is working in Denver for the summer, so we'd like to stay over night to visit with him. Any suggestions where to stay in Denver?
Any other towns or sites to see that you could suggest? Thanks for you help!

Don't skip Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. Easy drive up from Denver--through the park and back down the other side through Kremmeling to I70

What part of Denver does your son live in? Can he recommend a hotel? Otherwise, post the major cross streets nearest him, or where he works, and I'm sure everyone can help recommend hotels. (Post your preference for price range, amenities, too.)
How long can you stay? Boulder is a nice day-trip from Denver.
Otherwise, I'd head to the mountains and stay put for the rest of your visit, like in Aspen, as I said above. Or Telluride is another good destination. Pick one, and don't underestimate drive times in the Rockies. Even with good weather, the roads are windy, and can be congested in places. That's another reason I suggest you stick in one place that offers everything.
Check with Aspen Central Reservations, as they may be offering their special again this summer: if you drive to Aspen, they give you $50 free gasoline.

Thanks all for replying, really appreciate it...
After Denver we were thinking of going to Boulder, Estes then to Aspen or Vail. IsBoulder close to Denver maybe we can stay in Boulder instead of Denver? Have my son drive up, he's only been in Denver a week!
Is 5 nights enough?

With 5 nights, you'd be in your car constantly, in order to hit Denver, Boulder, Estes and Vail (let alone Aspen). The beauty of Colorado is better than just for drive-by viewing. You need to get out, feel the light air, take a hike, enjoy the smells of the mountains.

To do the Denver, Estes Park, Aspen loop in 5 days is pushing it hard. There is so much to see and do.

Denver - A meal at the Buckhorn is an experience. #1 issued liquor license in the state. They serve traditional and game foods. Animal heads all over the place.

The Mint is interesting. The Musuem of Natural History is good. The city has worked hard at making an entertainment area around Coors Field.

Estes Park/Rocky Mountain NP - I would avoid on the weekends. Lots of people and parking at the trailheads is a nightmare. Especially on the east side of the park. Lots of good hiking. My favorite hike in the park is going to Loch Vale and past. Driving over Trail Ridge Road is a must.

Lodging in Estes Park can be a little pricey. For good ol'fashion fun, go play miniture golf at Tiny Town. It's been around since the 50's. It's a throw back in both price layout.

If you decide to go to the Aspen area, Maroon Bells is a must. The drive over Independence Pass can be a bit much for people not used to it. Sheer dropoffs from the road.

For white water, Clear Creek outside of Denver is surprisingly good. Brown's Canyon around Buena Vista is good too. The rapid classes are going to vary based on the snowfall and melt. The earlier in the season, the better the ride.

These are a few of the things our family has enjoyed. There are hundreds of other equally as spectacular and interesting things to see and do. Enjoy!

I don't think there will be much time for hiking, etc. in 5 days. But plenty of pretty sightseeing and visiting with your son.
I'm not sure I agree with the comment about driving times in the mountains. Vail is 2 hours from Denver. Aspen is 4 hours. One big attraction to go to Aspen or at least Glenwood Springs is to see the stretch of I70 at Glenwood Canyon. You could do some hiking there along the river for some beautiful views.
You could bid on Priceline for a 4* hotel in downtown Denver and perhaps save a good bit.
For an EXCELLent meal, try John Elway's new restaurant in Cherry Creek. If you want an experience of eating wild game, go to The Fort in Morrison, near the Red Rocks Amphitheater.
I would not stay in Boulder--and for 5 days, wouldn't bother going there. There is a lot of traffic getting there that will just waste your time or your son's time getting there.
Is your son going with you or are you just going to visit and then leave him?

Boulder is not that far from Denver, and unless you hit road construction or rush hour, you can make it from downtown in 35-45 minutes. I wouldn't go there unless you're planning on heading up to Estes Park and RMNP.

I would agree with the general advice to pick one spot and stay there. There's so much to see and do in RMNP that it is almost a crime to just drive through it on your way to Aspen. Either stay in Estes Park, or Aspen the whole time, but I wouldn't do both.

Thanks all..
Were going to see him 1st day/night and then on the way back to the airport.
So if I spend 1 night in Denver, 2 at Estes and 2 at Aspen is it possible?
That seems like we'd be able to do some hiking, rafting etc?

Donna1185,

Glad you asked this question! My husband and I are trying to plan a trip out there for end of July. We were thinking of Colorado Springs, gardern of the Gods etc, does anyone have any suggestions about that area? I saw that you wanted to white water raft. What companies did you find to go with? Does anyone know how long the drive is from Denver to Colorado Springs?

Denver-Springs an hour maybe an hour and a half depending on traffic.

Donna,

That time frame won't be too bad but may limit time for lots of activities. It will take about an hour to get to Estes Park from Denver. We always go through Boulder and Lyons. If you get up relatively early that day you would have most of the day to tour the town. There's a little brewery in town which is also near the Aerial Tram (great view of the town and mountains). I know they have rafting in Estes Park also. I would either spend a whole day in Rocky Mountain or get up early enough to explore it and then head on to Aspen. From Estes I like the park entrance closest to Glacier Basin because you drive right up to where all the elk and bighorn sheep usually are. Plus there's a visitor station just inside the park. You should stop at a grocery store in Estes Park before you leave and put together a picnic. There is a really nice picnic site right before Old Fall River Road. You'll see a really pretty and large waterfall just before the picnic site. The picnic area is nicely shaded and is right next to a river. They have fire pits and I belive they also have the smaller cooking grills (use of fire pits may depend on fire danger but I think you can always use the grills so charcoal or wood will be needed). If you decide to head from Rocky Mountain to Aspen I would go up to the Alpine visitor center and then head out the Grand Lake Entrance/Exit. From there you could head through the mountains towards Winter Park and then hop on I-70 to Aspen. I'd say it will be about 3 to 3 1/2 hours to Aspen from there. So you will be on the go a little but will still have enough time to enjoy and take in the mountains. We just went up to Georgetown today and it was beautiful weather!

SSI-1

Colorado Springs from DIA would be more like 1 1/2 hours (and try not to drive during rush hour cause it could substantially increase that time). I lived in Colo Springs for a couple years and I personally would never want to actually stay in Colorado Springs. I would suggest Manitou (The Cliff House is really nice and laid back and has a phenomenal upscale restaurant)or The Broadmoor. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is fun and a little different from other zoos. It's fairly hilly but they have a great view of the city and the best Giraffe exhibit I've ever seen (you are at eye level with them and can feed them and pet them). Nearby is Garden of the Gods which is pretty along with the Cliff Dwellings (never went to them though) and then just a short drive up Highway 24 is Pikes Peak. You can drive or take a train. I've driven and I think the train would be even more scenic and with less white nuckle driving. I am sure you can find white water rafting in the area, I know near Canon City they raft down the river and there's also a train that runs along the river. Nice thing about most of those activities (The Zoo, Broadmoor, Manitou,Garden of the Gods, Cliff Dwellings and Pikes Peak) is that they are all really close to each other so you won't have any long drives.

lenleigh- thanks for the info. We are getting our airfair through miles so decided to splurge on the hotel and stay at the Ritz at Bachelor Gulch. i heard it was very nice. It also seemed to have a lot of hiking nearby. I am planning on the mountain zoo, garden of the gods and now the train trip up to pikes peak, also a day of rafting. You have been a wonderful help thanks. Any not to miss restaurants? Going to scratch Aspen out of this trip and save it for a winter ski trip. Thanks again.

1 night Denver, 2 nights Estes, 2 nights Aspen-- not fun in my book. What's the point of being in Colorado if you're actually in your car most of the time? Unless you just want to watch the scenery fly by your car window. Why see both Estes and Aspen, but in so little time you won't enjoy both? Just pick one, cut down your stress level, and some air pollution, too. As I said, I'd skip Estes IMHO. Or stay there. Or stay in Breckenridge/Summit County. Don't underestimate mountain driving times-- all the times posted above are best case scenarios.

Thanks for the info...
I don't think we'll be going to Aspen, does seem like a bit much. Maybe will be able to come back to do some skiing.

ssi1-

If you want a little nicer dinner, the restaurant inside The Cliff House in Manitou is really good. We had an Anniversary dinner there and it was one of the best meals I've had. I have also heard from lots of people (but never did try) that the PepperTree is really good in Colorado Springs (http://www.restauranteur.com/peppertreecscom/menu.htm) and of course the Broadmoor has some good places to eat at.

Any recommendations for staying around Estes Park? We may stay with my son in Denver, any recommendations for a somewhat casual but nice place.