LisaThrive

I know that we are late in planning but would love to visit Colorado in July with our 11-year old twins and 17-year old son.

We would love to find a great balance of adventure/activity and relaxation/nice accommodations. The kids love hiking (not too strenuous), biking, being on the water, zip-lines, etc... I like nice hotels and good meals.

Can you recommend a 10-day itinerary? What to see, where to stay, things NOT to miss and tourist traps to avoid?

We know nothing about the area, other than what i've read and it seems so overwhelming...with so many amazing choices. Any input you can provide will be SO greatly appreciated.

We will be flying out of Philadelphia.

Robert456

Window-Shop Pearl Street; consider planning individual day trips to the destinations that interest you most.

Tabernash2

Or, spare us all the auto pollution and find one or two places to stay in the 10 days.

I always recommend Devil's Thumb Ranch, because it is awesome and checks all the boxes.
http://www.devilsthumbranch.com

Gretchen

Not sure why the rec of Pearl Street--it's a fun place but not particularly for young boys.
I sure would NOT do day trips to places in the mountains.
Devil's Thumb for a few days. Glenwood Springs Aspen for a few.
On the way to Devil's Thumb spend a day or two in RMNP

HappyTrvlr

Estes Park Rocky Mountain National Park then go to one of the ski tesorts to stay in a luxury hotel. Lots of summer activities at Vail , Beaver Creek, Steamboat Springs, etc.

bailey123

Visit SW CO. Stay in either Durango or the Purgatory Ski Resort 25 miles from Durango. Durango has more restaurants per capita than San Francisco. It's a historic town with beautiful 19th century hotels or check out one of the penthouse condos at Purgatory. Mesa Verde NP with ancient Anasazi Indian cliff dwellings is nearby. Animas river runs through the middle of Durango and offers rafting and kayaking. There are several mountain lakes nearby for swimming, fishing, kayaking and paddle boarding. Purgatory offers mountain bike rentals, ziplining, alpine slide and other options for kids. Bike rentals are also available in Durango to ride the river trail through town. Other options include horseback riding, jeep tours in the mountains, ride the DSNGR train through the mountains from Durango to Silverton. Visit old mining towns and go on a mine tour north of Silverton. Visit nearby Telluride or go to Pagosa Springs for their natural hot springs. Head over to Moab UT and visit Arches NP. Hiking is readily available in all of the above areas.

Bitter

Glenwood springs ticks a lot of boxes. It has an adventure park, good hiking nearby (hanging lake) and rafting (though our experience was a bit tame for our taste). Better rafting out of Salida or Ft. Collins. Breckenridge also has an adventure park with a better "coaster" but at a premium price.

fmpden

There is a big difference between float trips and white-water rafting. My guess is that Bitter was on a standard float trip out of Glenwood. Not even sure I would even recommend Ft. Collins for a float trip. If in the Glenwood Spring area you will need to check the status of the Hanging Lake area. There has been some recent discussion about limiting access to that area. Too many tourists and too much wear and tear.

Buena Vista and Browns Canyon would be a good white rafting choice. Closer than Salida. However, check on water levels before making the drive. By the mid-July white water rafting will be winding down as the water levels and flow are reduced.

While the four corner areas and Mesa Verde is a great attraction it is a long drive to that part of the state. A day there and a day back. Might want to save it for a time when that would be your total focus.

There is a lot to see and done in the I-70 corridor and central part of the state that doesn't involve long time in the car. The incredible narrow gauge railroad and silver mine at Georgetown, the Mineral Belt hiking/biking trail in Leadville and Leadville itself, Independence pass into the back door of Aspen, summer activities at Breckenridge, Vail, and, as mentioned, Glenwood Springs. It is a great hot spring fed pool. And mom and dad might enjoy our wine country near Grand Junction - only an hour from Glenwood.

Bitter

Glenwood was technically a rafting trip, but it was a bit late in the season and the flow just wasn't there.

I've rafted in Browns and out of Ft. Collins. I'd say they were roughly the same, with FC maybe being more difficult and Browns being more scenic. (Hard to compare rafting because water levels play a role).

We stayed in Salida because it was closer to our rafting company, Independent Whitewater (and also had a Hampton Inn).

bailey123

If OP is flying into Denver, it is a 6 1/2 hour drive to Durango. However, if OP is considering flying into ABQ, it's a very quick and easy highway drive to Durango. The other option is to fly into Durango with a connection in PHX or Dallas.

Tabernash2

We did whitewater rafting in the Spring @ Roaring Forks, out of Aspen. It was a good one.

In fact, I recommend you stay in Aspen itself. It's one of our all-time favorites, for scenic splendor, activities year-round, and Old Western leanings.