Recommendations for mom & college daughter
 

My daughter (22 years old) and I are planning to travel to either Colorado Springs or Denver in Mid-August. Don't really have any idea where to go or what to see. She loves the mountains, rafting, hiking and just taking in the scenery. She is graduating soon from college and doubt she and I will be able to travel together much more. Would really like this to be a special trip. Can anyone please help? We will have a car and about 5-6 days.

I perferred Colorado Springs as Denver is just a nice city without a lot to do and very hot in the summer. In Colorado Springs, the two highlights for me were a visit to the Garden of the Gods and walking the trails through the red stone formations, and touring the US Air Force Academy (chapel, fieldhouse and planitarium). The Miramount Castle (a Victorian mansion) was somewhat interesting. The village of Manitou Springs was a cute walking town and probably the best restaurant is Adam's Cafe (make reservations). We really disliked the Pike's Peak Cog Railway as it took over three hours round trip to see nothing much, the seats were hard, the fumes from the diesel fuel were overwhelming and the facility at the top of the peak was inadequate and ugly. Lots of people seemed to enjoy it, but not my friend and me. We also went to Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument which has several petrified redwood tree stumps and lots of trails... not especially wonderful. The raft trips are 2 hours away and every hotel has the brochures. Be aware that unless the area gets some rain these trips may be canceled. Denver was about 1 1/4 hours away so you really could do both cities.

Denver and Colorado Springs aren't really in the mountains (pretty flat scenery wise). I think you would have a great time in Breckenridge (fun laid back mountain town) and Vail (wonderful ski resort with great shopping). I love Colorado more in the summer as the mountains are sunny and warm during the day and cool off at night. They are both only two or three hours past Denver. Boulder is also a great college town.

My vote for a Colorado vacation would be Glenwood Springs. We travelled through there on a cross-country trip and I loved it. Its on my list of places to visit again. The scenery is wonderful, there are hot springs, white water-rafting, bike rentals, a cute shopping district, some restaurants, and so on.

I would not recommend Colorado Springs actually for more than a day. I currently live there but am from Denver. The only major highlights are the Air Force Academy and Pikes Peak in my opinion. Garden of the Gods is a little over rated to me as there is a very similar park called Red Rocks in Morrison (just SW of Denver) which is just as pretty. Aside from that, Colorado Springs has much less to do than Denver. I would suggest making a day trip to Colorado Springs (it is about an hour drive depending on how bad the traffic is). I would spend a day or two in Denver/surrounding areas and then spend the rest of your time in Mountain towns such as Breckenridge(perfect if your daughter likes outdoors), Estes Park area and Glenwood Springs which is a little far but also nice. If you want more info about attractions, ask away!<BR>

I am not that familiar with Denver or Colorado Springs, but I do have experiance as the 22 yr old college student traveling with her mother. Basically, if you want to have a good time with your daughter, do things you would do in your home city. It takes the pressure off the "traveling attitude." Make sure to mix up tourrist activities with something that you don't do when traveling. Switch off as to who picks the next activity, regaurdless as to what you might think the other's oppinion on it will be. It's easier to bond that way, especially now the she is a somewhat defined adult. This way you can see who she is as an adult, and she will she you as one too, not just a mother.

Great suggestions from La. I also have vacationed with my college age daughter and its a wonderful bonding time and great fun.<BR>I'm not sure if you have a reason for limiting your choices to the two you specified but my daughter and I vacationed in Vail last year. Its a great town that time of year. Lots to see and do including hiking, biking, rafting AND great dining, shopping and numerous types of accomodations. Since you're in the mountains already, there's no need to drive much if you don't want to and its only about 1.5 hours out of Denver.

Pam, agree head to the mountains, Vail is my first choice. Keystone/Breck 2nd. Bonus is it will probably be less expensive to stay in the mountains. You can easily find a condo for about 75.00 a night. Look at www.summitnet.com for activites and lodging.<BR><BR>Keystone has some great festivals in August. The blues and brews is lots of fun as is the wine and jazz both in August look at www.snow.com for activites at the resorts.<BR><BR>I prefer Denver over Co Springs. If you come to Denver stay Downtown. Boulder is great too.

I agree with most of the posters above that you shouldn't plan to stay in Denver or Colorado Springs. They are both good bases for arrival/departure, but the best part of Colorado is the scenery and smaller mountain towns.<BR><BR>You may want to order The Colorado Handbook (? author) and decide where to go from day to day. When I was 28, I had a great vacation with my father, just wandering around New Mexico for 4 days with a good guide book.

Thanks for all your great recommendations. Colorado Springs is just a point of origin/departure due to a great airfare into that city. We plan to head to the mountains for the majority of our trip. Trying to come up with a "scenic drive" that will allow us to visit some key places and return to Colorado Springs for departure. Does anyone have any input about Salida? We have traveled before and have a great time together without a rigid itinerary, however, really want to use our time wisely. Thanks again for all your help!!!

Hello again. for a scenic drive take hwy 24 from Colorado Springs towards the town of Hartsel to Hwy 9 north to Fairplay hwy 9 will take you to Breckenridge. Beautiful drive! Great hikes at Kenosha Pass.

Here's one possible itenerary from CS or Denver. I only know some highway numbers; since I'm only including places I've actually driven, this doesn't include Summit County:<BR><BR>South on I-25 to Walsenburg<BR><BR>West on 160 to Wolf Creek Pass and Durango (stop at Pagosa Springs for a couple of hours at the hot springs; maybe detour to Cortez to Mesa Verde)<BR><BR>North on 550 (Million Dollar Highway) through Silverton and Ouray . (Maybe detour to Telluride)<BR><BR>Black Canyon of the Gunnison<BR><BR>North to Buena Vista and Leadville<BR><BR>North to Grand Lake<BR><BR>Across Trail Ridge Road to Estes Park<BR><BR>Back to Denver or CS<BR>

travellyn, knows south I know Denver and points west. My post above is a suggestion if your staying a night in Breck or anyplace in Summit County. Its rather long to do it both ways. There is a thread about activites in breckenridge with good ideas. After Summit County take hwy 70 east to the Winter Park exit, hwy 40 that will take you thru Winter Park, Granby and Grand Lake to RMNP lots of ideas on fodors as to where to stay. We really like Winter Park in the summer. It really depends on if your a get to a place and explore all it has to offer or more of one night get a feel for it and move on. ? From RMNP you could take hwy 36 to Boulder. The Hotel Boulderado is nice. Then onto Denver if you spend the night stay Downtown again lots of threads on hotels in Denver. <BR><BR>This is just some ideas, me I would park myself in Vail, Keystone, or Breck for the entire time! I hate to drive.

<BR>What all do you want to see? From CO Springs some suggestions for route are:<BR><BR>Land in COS - Head to Garden of the Gods, then hop on highway 24 West into the mountains and stop at Manitou Springs (some interesting places to stay at in Manitou if you decide to spend night in CO springs) and stop at Pikes Peak/cave of the winds. From there you could travel south on 67 and pit stop at Canon City and check out the Royal Gorge. Then you can drive west on 50 all the way to Salida (nothing really interesting there to me). Head north on 285 to Leadville and eventually the Vail area. Drive East on I-70 to Keyston/Breck area and Lake Dillion. Continue east on I-70 to north hgwy 40 (if you want to drive on Berthod Pass) which will take you to Granby and then north and then east on 34 to Estes Park where RMNP is. Head south on hgwy 7 to 72 which takes you to Boulder. South on 119 will take you to Central city for a little mountain gambling/small mountain towns. Head south on 119 again and get back onto East I-70. That will take you right into Denver. When you are done in Denver, hop on I-25 South to head back to Colorado Springs. You will have done a fairly large loop. Do you have a good atlas? You can usually get a cheap mapquest.com atlas at the grocery store which will give you tons of options for touring all the things you want to see. Although SW colorado is really nice, unless you plan on spending a lot of time in that region it is a little far to fit into 5 days and hit all the other spots as well. <BR>

Pam I would watch the news on the fire in Estes Park

All of these suggestions are great. Colorado is so beautiful that you can't miss. We had a wonderful drive across Hwy 70. Central City, Golden, Boulder, Vail, Glenwood Springs, etc. the scenery is awesome. We dipped down through Aspen Durango is also a fun trip - don't miss Mesa Verde and the Silverton trip if you like trains.

Lake Tahoe is great!!! Highly recommend it for a mother/daughter trip. Tons to do and appeals to all ages!

Um, Nicole -- that original post was from July, and they were planning a trip in August. It's history now.