Colorado trip
 

Leaving in July for one week from Grand Rapids, Mi. We are looking for our travel route and fun places along the way to Aspen, Colorado. Any cool must visits along the way? Towns, bars,,things to see? Thanks in advance!! ;)

Are you flying in to Denver, or driving from Michigan?

We love Aspen in the summer. So much to do there, and so beautiful.

Where are you staying in Aspen?

Take a look for about 6 threads about Colorado in the past month--to get you started.

6 threads about Colorado in the past month?? I missed those.

The Maroon Bells are a must see, just outside Aspen.

In Aspen, The Hotel Jerome bar has lots of crazy history. Some stories involve both Bill Murray and Hunter S Thompson, so you can only imagine.

Independence Pass is worth a drive, so maybe plan on driving into and out of Aspen using both routes: Glenwood Canyon, then Independence Pass. Both are spectacular drives. These are also drives that require attentive driving skills, so be prepared and drive during the daylight for the views.

Great fly fishing, and river rafting near Aspen.

The music in Aspen's summer festival is varied and good. Some free classical music outside when those students are in town.

Try to stay in Aspen itself, if you can afford it. It's worth it, better than Snowmass.

Shopping in Aspen is tres cher, so don't plan on finding any bargains. Fun window shopping at the designers' shops. Some leftover winter gear will be on sale. Sometimes good bargains there.

Give us more details about your visit and interests.

Yes, I searched, too. It's quite an exaggeration to say that six are "about CO", though.

Link was for OP, who is new to Fodors. Might not know how to search...
Never hurts to link.

Good point, Deb. (I was thinking 6 new threads. My mistake)

We will be driving from Grand Rapids to Aspen. Have a wedding there on that weekend. We have the eight days off, so we want to bounce that way and have a fun great trip having some fun along the way!

I would make the drive as quickly as possible, to get to Aspen. Then enjoy the extra time in and around Aspen.

You seem to only have about 4 days after driving time, and some of that will be wedding time, won't it.
You don't say your exact schedule to get to the wedding on the weekend. If you had an extra day on the way you could at least drive through Rocky mountain national park en route to Aspen.
Let's count the days to be more help.

Yeah, the drive is 20.5 hours at a minimum so that's 2 days there and 2 days back. You're going through Chicago, then Iowa (Des Moines) and Nebraska (Omaha). Not exactly the most scenic or exciting route.

Any time you add to detour for anything would take away from what little time you have for Aspen. I'd do what Gretchen suggesedt and go through Rocky Mountain NP and spend a night or two there.

I'd never trade Aspen for RMNP.

Can you fly instead of drive?

If you are looking for stops in the states you are driving through you could repost under those states or just search under those states. A fun stop on the way to Aspen in Colorado would be Glenwood Springs. There could be things in Denver but you don't mention your interests.

I wasn't suggesting stopping in RMNP at all--they don't have time. They could just do a drive through however which I'd think would take an extra 6 hours. there is still plenty of beautiful parts of Colorado they can see/enjoy just "en route". I don't think there is a lot of time on this trip, with a wedding to fit in to look for places in Iowa, etc.

We've stayed in Glenwood Springs. The drive into Glenwood Springs is stunning. The hot springs there are great. Give it a thought. Defintely do Independence Pass.

Personally, I'd stop in Glenwood Sorings, but we prefer to stay in Aspen. We don't do one-night stays, in general. And being so close, go to Adoen. It's in a league of its own, IMO.

I blame autocorrect.

There is good bus service between Glenwood Springs and Aspen.
http://www.rfta.com/
If you wanted to do this trip by public transportation, you can.
Take the Pere Marquette about 4 hours from Grand Rapids to Chicago with a 3 hour layover in Chicago (Willis tower?).
The California Zephyr leaves at 2PM CT every day and arrives in Glenwood Springs about 2PM MT (25 hours).
The trip through the Glenwood Canyon (Colorado River) is the most scenic on any Amtrak route.
The world's largest hot spring fed pool is within sight of the station in Glenwood Springs near the Hotel Colorado.

The drive through the Glenwood Canyon by car is equally scenic with the ability to stop and look at the river, see the exhibit that details the building of the highway. The 32 hours (probably more on the train) is pretty equal or a bit more than it will take to drive. Just an FYI.