First time trip to Colorado -- where to start? and what are the must sees?
Jan 18th, 2011, 01:27 PM
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First time trip to Colorado -- where to start? and what are the must sees?
My husband and I are planning a trip to Colorado in early June. We have 10-12 days and are trying to decide what the best itinerary would be to see all the best places in Colorado. We don't mind driving, but would prefer to have up to two points of residence and then take side trips from each. We could split the two places of residence into 3 and 4 days each with days in between at hotel(s) along the way.
Any suggestions?
Any suggestions?
Jan 18th, 2011, 02:35 PM
#2
If you are flying into Denver, Boulder or Estes Park for the visit to Rocky Mt. National Park and the surrounding area.
Durango or Cortez to go see the 4 corners. The only place in the US where you can lay down and be in 4 states at once.
If you have any interest in dinosaurs, stay in Grand Junction and make a day trip as far as Dinosaur National Monument in the NW corner of Colorado. If the dinosaurs don't interest you, make a stop in Glenwood Springs where you can hike up to the cemetery to see Doc Holliday's monument. If you can afford it stay at the place with the biggest heated swimming pool in Glenwood Springs. Glenwood Canyon east of Glenwood Springs is one of my favorite scenic areas. If you were not pressed for time at one end or the other of your trip, the Amtrak California Zephyr has stops in Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs, Estes Park and Denver.
Hope this helps, I'm sure others will chime in with their favorites.
Durango or Cortez to go see the 4 corners. The only place in the US where you can lay down and be in 4 states at once.
If you have any interest in dinosaurs, stay in Grand Junction and make a day trip as far as Dinosaur National Monument in the NW corner of Colorado. If the dinosaurs don't interest you, make a stop in Glenwood Springs where you can hike up to the cemetery to see Doc Holliday's monument. If you can afford it stay at the place with the biggest heated swimming pool in Glenwood Springs. Glenwood Canyon east of Glenwood Springs is one of my favorite scenic areas. If you were not pressed for time at one end or the other of your trip, the Amtrak California Zephyr has stops in Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs, Estes Park and Denver.
Hope this helps, I'm sure others will chime in with their favorites.
Jan 18th, 2011, 06:46 PM
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Four Corners is a tourist attraption [sic]. But Durango could be a base for Mesa Verde and the Durango-Silverton train.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7622636845987/
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Feb 17th, 2011, 11:45 AM
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I like four conners and Durango area, but it's also far to drive. I'd offer to stay in Boulder and see things around there including Rocky Mountain National Park, Golden, Denver, some hot springs, and then come down to Colorado Springs and see the Pikes Peak region, Royal Gorge Bridge, Woodland Park, Cripple Creek. This plan will be really easy, not too much of driving, but lots of varieties too with opportunities to hike or raft if you want.
Feb 17th, 2011, 11:59 AM
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The southwest corner of CO is really nice with lots to see and do. I have several threads on here about that area including Durango, Telluride, Million Dollar Highway and Mesa Verde National Park.
Are you flying into Colorado and then renting a car? If you choose SW Colorado, it might be easier to fly into Albuquerque {ABQ} and drive to SW Colorado. It is about a 4 hour drive. Coming from Denver to that area is 7 hours.
You could fly into ABQ, do SW CO and then head towards Denver area and fly out of DEN.
What kinds of activities do you like to do? Outdoors things like hiking, etc? Or museums and the like?
If you are coming from sea level, keep in mind that even the most fit flatlanders have to adjust to altitude.
Are you flying into Colorado and then renting a car? If you choose SW Colorado, it might be easier to fly into Albuquerque {ABQ} and drive to SW Colorado. It is about a 4 hour drive. Coming from Denver to that area is 7 hours.
You could fly into ABQ, do SW CO and then head towards Denver area and fly out of DEN.
What kinds of activities do you like to do? Outdoors things like hiking, etc? Or museums and the like?
If you are coming from sea level, keep in mind that even the most fit flatlanders have to adjust to altitude.
Feb 17th, 2011, 12:08 PM
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Sorry, I meant to tell you how to find my threads, since you are new here. If you click on my name, it will take you to threads I have commented on and just look for the ones on Colorado.
http://www.fodors.com/community/prof.../replies_1.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/prof.../replies_1.cfm
Feb 18th, 2011, 08:32 PM
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We did a 14-day Colorado road trip last summer (with assists from DebitNM on the forum). We'd driven through Colorado in the past, but never vacationed there. We had two main bases - Crested Butte and Durango, where we camped about 12 miles north of town in a state park notorious for bears - but no sightings when we were there, unlike the previous week.
Durango has a great downtown and an unforgettable ride up the historic railway to Silverton. We were really on a budget and hemmed about paying around $200 in fares for us and our boys, but it was totally worth it. You can take a side trip to Mesa Verde which just grows and grows on you, and the vistas along the Million Dollar Highway are some of the best in the U.S. Agreed that the actual Four Corners monument is rather a bleak disappointment... five minute photo op and we were outta there.
We also enjoyed our first base in Crested Butte. You can drive there in about four hours from Colorado Springs -- which also is a fine place to stay for a few days with trips to Garden of the Gods, Air Force Base and a very cute town called Manitou Springs. (We were also big fans of King's Chef Diner in downtown Colorado Springs...delish and huge brunch.) The village of Crested Butte is at the base of the mountain (not to be confused with the ski resort village which is not so charming). CB is very walkable with great shops and food and a real, family-oriented year-round community that has a farmer's market and weekly outdoor concerts. The hiking and drives around the area were stunning. Our kids were too young, but someday we would like to go back and do the Crested Butte - Aspen hike or trail ride. (12 miles by foot - versus two hours by car) We went in the summer and drove over the Cottonwood Pass to get there...a bit of a white-knuckler for us flatlanders, but what an amazing view at the top. Ditto for our hike to the summit of Mount Crested Butte, where the ski lift gives you a much appreciated head start. We stayed in a cabin at Pioneer Guest Cabins about 10 minute's drive south of CB...great owners, lovely property.
Though it was out of our way on an incredibly long drive back home, we stopped in Boulder. Fantastic, youthful, healthy and very plush college town with something always happening on the pedestrian mall. We didn't want to leave and had fantasies about kicking our current jobs and living there (as if we could afford the homes). As others suggested, You could do a day or two there before heading to Rocky Mountain National Park. The YMCA at Estes Park gets high rankings from a friend who spent several childhood vacations there. You'll have a great trip whatever you decide.
Durango has a great downtown and an unforgettable ride up the historic railway to Silverton. We were really on a budget and hemmed about paying around $200 in fares for us and our boys, but it was totally worth it. You can take a side trip to Mesa Verde which just grows and grows on you, and the vistas along the Million Dollar Highway are some of the best in the U.S. Agreed that the actual Four Corners monument is rather a bleak disappointment... five minute photo op and we were outta there.
We also enjoyed our first base in Crested Butte. You can drive there in about four hours from Colorado Springs -- which also is a fine place to stay for a few days with trips to Garden of the Gods, Air Force Base and a very cute town called Manitou Springs. (We were also big fans of King's Chef Diner in downtown Colorado Springs...delish and huge brunch.) The village of Crested Butte is at the base of the mountain (not to be confused with the ski resort village which is not so charming). CB is very walkable with great shops and food and a real, family-oriented year-round community that has a farmer's market and weekly outdoor concerts. The hiking and drives around the area were stunning. Our kids were too young, but someday we would like to go back and do the Crested Butte - Aspen hike or trail ride. (12 miles by foot - versus two hours by car) We went in the summer and drove over the Cottonwood Pass to get there...a bit of a white-knuckler for us flatlanders, but what an amazing view at the top. Ditto for our hike to the summit of Mount Crested Butte, where the ski lift gives you a much appreciated head start. We stayed in a cabin at Pioneer Guest Cabins about 10 minute's drive south of CB...great owners, lovely property.
Though it was out of our way on an incredibly long drive back home, we stopped in Boulder. Fantastic, youthful, healthy and very plush college town with something always happening on the pedestrian mall. We didn't want to leave and had fantasies about kicking our current jobs and living there (as if we could afford the homes). As others suggested, You could do a day or two there before heading to Rocky Mountain National Park. The YMCA at Estes Park gets high rankings from a friend who spent several childhood vacations there. You'll have a great trip whatever you decide.
Feb 20th, 2011, 02:14 PM
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As DebitNM mentions, flying into Denver and out of Albuquerque makes for much less driving. However, before you make a reservation, be sure to check whether there are drop off fees for your car rental. We wanted to do the same thing this summer, but the drop off fees were $700! So we are flying in and out of Denver.
