Re The Stanley, yes I think no problem eating in the bar with kids. Food and drink is overpriced but quite good, and it's a neat looking bar. Worth a stop to check the place out at least. Great view of Longs Peak from the front porch and you can see the poor beaver who is trying to get up the mountain clearly from that angle. Last year an amazing Jack Nicholson look-alike was hanging out there one day, with his axe.

My wife and I have booked the ghost / history tours a couple of times but had to cancel on each occasion. We are going to try again this fall, it's supposed to be good. But your time sounds short and maybe better spent in RMNP?

I would choose either Sprague or Bear Lake loop. Both have classic postcard RMNP scenes. Rather than Lake Irene just stop at Milner Pass and have a look at pretty Poudre Lake.

If the Maple Brown Nut is sounding good to you then be sure to try some Boulder Shake Chocolate Porter!

Are the ghost tours, etc. good for kids your ages? Just my thought, but you really seem to be adding rather than paring. ;o)

I believe the Stanley does some tours, which would be a neat way to experience the place without the scary room rates. But, especially for October, you surely would need to book in advance.

Nelson, I just Googled Boulder Shake Chocolate Porter and that logo looks familiar. I looked up on Beer Finder and see it’s sold here in MN, which gives me an awesome idea. I’ll give, among other things, a pack to my husband for our wedding anniversary this weekend. Yahoo! …and “classic postcard” sums it up perfectly. Thank you.

Also, “….Jack Nicholson look-alike was hanging out there one day, with his axe.” I would be thrilled to the bone. Haha. Lunch there would be the perfect pit-stop.

Gretchen, good point. I think all are kid-friendly except for a few of the Stanley tours. There are six different tours offered.

jayne1973, yes indeed. Need to decide and book asap. If only I could book TRR. Heehee.

Here’s my latest version of itinerary. Let me know if seems do-able. Thank you all!

Thursday land 8:30am
Sports Authority tour
1-2 of these:
• National Center for Atmospheric Research
• Pearl Street Mall
• Boulder Ghost Tour
Sleep Boulder

Friday
Estes Park via 72 (Nederland)
Bear Lake Loop/ Alberta Falls
The Stanley Hotel
Rocket Fizz
Trail Ridge Road
Sleep at/near Grand Lake

Saturday
Vail
Glenwood Canyon trails
Hot Springs
Glenwood Vaudeville Revue or Ghost Walk through Linwood Cemetery
Sleep Glenwood Springs

Sunday
Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
Leadville and/or Breckenridge
Loveland Pass
Georgetown

Monday
Coors Brewery Tour
Lookout Mountain
Red Rocks
Cathedral Basilica of Immaculate Conception
Visit State Capitol/area

I see you are going through Nederland. You might want to stop and take a ride on their Carousel of Happiness. www.carouselofhappiness.org.

That's a packed agenda, with lots of time spent in the car. I know my kids would rebel. The idea of packing up and moving every morning, would not suit any of us.

The kids will appreciate the Boulder's Pearl Street much more than touring inside of NCAR. I'd think they'll be bored with a tour of Sports Authority field.

Do you have lodging for Grand Lake yet? If you're looking for dinner there, Pancho & Lefty's is a good Mexican restaurant in Grand Lake. The Grand Lake Lodge is good, too, if it's still open. The kids might like seeing their log cabin lodge.

I'd cut out Loveland Pass. You will be seeing plenty of scenery elsewhere, without dealing with the trucks and narrow roads of Loveland Pass.

Are you planning on spending the night in Georgetown?

I'd cut the field tour--I don't even think ours is a great tour! It also requires you to go into Denver although admittedly not too far.
On the way to Boulder is Westminster and there is a great butterfly pavilion there, if you don't have one they've been to.
In Boulder your kids might actually like the Celestial Seasonings tour--it's only an hour--they'll remember the mint room!!
What are you thinking about doing in Vail? It will require you parking in a cavernous deck and walking along a street of shops. I love it for skiing, or did in the day, but with the stuff you have packed in...?
Leave time before arriving IN Glenwood Springs for the exhibit east of the town explaining building the road.
Georgetown has the train loop.
Your schedule just seems SO jammed. Colorado is so beautiful, and I know kids can get caught up pretty quick on saying "look at that beautiful mountain", but ours did enjoy watching on the road for mine openings in the mountain and things like that.

Yep, it's a packed tour but you'll be flexible and able to modify on the ground, right?! The weather may dictate your final decisions and how much time you spend indoors vs. outside, and how far you drive.

I'll disagree with Tabernash on this one: the inside of NCAR is quite interesting and their website shows it as at least partially kid orientated. My wife and I really enjoyed the tour when we did it years ago. Keep that on the list as an indoor option. It's a unique place in a beautiful location.
http://scied.ucar.edu/visit

Also a second vote to the butterfly pavilion, Celestial Seasonings and Grand Lake Lodge. All good options for you depending on how things are going.

jayne1973, that name makes me laugh, Carousel of Happiness. Sound like a hoot!

Tabernash2 , Vasquez Creek Inn looks superb, but biggest room won’t accommodate 4. Loveland Pass, check. Georgetown, I don’t where to spend Sunday night.

Western Riviera is #1 on Trip Advisor while Grand Lake Lodge was 8th, but it’s not open. Was leaning toward Gateway Inn as we don’t need a kitchen, only to rest our heads after a long day.

Gretchen, the butterfly pavilion would be great for my 7 yo. More adding. Haha.
I had to scratch Celestial Seasonings due to packed schedule and tours only till 4pm, but our hotel is nearby so always a possibility.

Nelson, flexible is my middle name.

My son is quite interested in weather and science and I believe SCAR will be a worthy stop.

Packing up every morning I agree, bites, but I feel the need when husband’s #1 is Mile High Stadium, me RMNP and kids rides and hot springs. I’m thinking about adding a day in Estes Park to have a more leisurely second day. Would TRR be terrible on Saturday vs Friday?

What is the quintessential ski town? Maybe we only need to visit one. Vail interested us because of German motif and the Ski Museum. Breckenridge only interested us because of its popularity.

Breckenridge by far. It is an old mining town with a couple of the original building still standing. Actually the Vail is Austrian - not that there is that much difference - but all has been built since early 60s.

I think NCAR could be interesting, was there about 10'years ago. Pearl Street Mall is good for dinner & strolling after, better for restaurants & interesting shops.

For Breck vs Vail, either could be a good lunch stop. Breck is a little off I-70 but not too far. Parking could be easier. If anyone is interested in gardening, the Betty Ford garden in Vail is a treat. Not sure how much is blooming in October though.

I thought you might get a kick out of the Carousel-- Nederland is a funny little hippie/mountain man town and if you like it, you too can call yourself a "Ned Head" ;)

Vail parking is a mess. I think Frisco is a great little place for lunch with NO hassle.

I'm not a fan of Vail, but I don't think parking there will be a nightmare in mid-October. Unless ski season has started that early. Kidding.

Personally, I prefer the style of Breckenridge-- rooted in real Colorado, with historical architecture to prove it. It can be charming.

Not talking about it being crowded--just expensive and in a dungeon of a parking deck. And then finding where you are and getting to where you want to be. It is no longer "simple" as it was when we first went--imagine that!
Breck or Frisco would be so much better.

I appreciate Vail vs Breck info. Since Vail is just off I70, maybe we could drive through without getting out.

Lunch in Frisco would be a great stop Gretchen. Has anyone been to Babe’s Chicken Dinner House? Sounds like a hoot, but then I read it’s a chain.

I’m trying to plan my floaty day since Co Springs was eliminated. Where are we top-heavy? My thoughts float toward adding a night in Estes Park or in Breck (or nearby) to break up voyage from Glenwood Springs to Denver.

Is there much of a crowd difference between driving TRR on a Friday in October vs Saturday?

If I haven't said it lately...Thank you so much!!

Babe's is a Dallas/Fort Worth chain. I don't think there are any in Colorado.

Glenwood to Denver is only 4 hours tops. I am no longer real clear what your final itinerary is.

Frisco has a bunch of cute restaurants--it is just off I70.

The point about Vail is that you can't drive through it--there may be a frontage road, but no cars. Back when we first went to Vail, you could actually see the bottom of the mountain from the frontage--was pretty shocked a couple of years ago returning!! Solid stores and restaurants now.

I think you are planning to drive Boulder to Grand Lake in one day, which gives you no real time to enjoy Bear Lake Road, The Stanley, the elk rut, or the wine tasting in Estes mentioned earlier. Add a night in Estes so you can enjoy that side of RMNP. Then leisurely drive over TRR the next day and no stress on what time you arrive in Grand Lake.

Ditto what Gretchen said, you can't drive through Vail and it's not worth stopping. Frisco is a good option for a convenient lunch stop. I like Breck even more to walk around, nice path along the river, go as far as you want. You can pop into shops in the part that goes through town. But it's a 20 minute detour to Breck from Frisco.

My wife and I had dinner at the Stanley bar on Friday, it was delicious! It was a packed and lively scene but no sign of Jack. Last year on that date we ate at Hecks at Devil's Thumb Ranch, based on the recommendation by Tabernash, really fantastic as well.

We saw a bear on the trail while hiking in Glacier Gorge above Alberta Falls before dinner. Exciting!

Funny thing jayne1973, Babe’s Chicken Dinner House is in Frisco and the rest of the locations seem in to be Texas.

Gretchen, you can’t drive down the main street of Vail?

Nelson, I’m very excited about the Stanley. I'll have to do wine tasting later in trip.

Floaty day in Estes Park is a fail. I inquired with almost ten hotels in EP and all but one had a two day minimum. The one, who could accommodate, I wouldn’t feel comfortable. I’m not sure if this is the norm or due to being a weekend.

Here’s our latest plan.

Thursday
11am Sports Authority tour
National Center for Atmospheric Research
(evening) Pearl Street Mall
Sleep Boulder

Friday
shortest distance to Bear Lake Loop
The Stanley Hotel
Rocket Fizz
Trail Ridge Road
Sleep Grand Lake

Saturday
Glenwood Canyon trails
Hot Springs
Glenwood Vaudeville Revue or Ghost Walk through Linwood Cemetery
Sleep Glenwood Springs

Sunday
Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
Leadville
Sleep in Breckenridge

Monday
Georgetown
Coors Brewery Tour
Lookout Mountain
Red Rocks
Visit State Capitol/area
Sleep near airport