Retirement Bucket List Trip: Santa Fe, Colorado Springs, Denver
 

Questions, Questions, Questions!! (Forgive the length of this)

I retire the end of May (yippee!!) and am driving to Fort Collins Colorado (that's where the grandkids are) via Santa Fe for 4 days, then straight up Colorado stopping in Colorado Springs for 2 days. Denver will be a day trip trip from Fort Collins. I am staying in Fort Collins for 3 months to love up those grandkids, but the first 10 days of my trip will be my time to do touristy, grown up sightseeing. My best friend is driving with me from Illinois and will fly back to Chicago at the end of 10 days.

I go to Fort Collins often. Since I am there to primarily see the grandkids I know kid friendly areas in Fort Collins. I have never been to Santa Fe and it is ranked high on my bucket list.
I have been to Colorado Springs and Denver a couple times but it was eons ago.

So what I have planned so far:

I booked The Inn of The Governors in Santa Fe for 4 nights. It looks close to the plaza and a friend recommended it. It's also the right price as we will be on the moderate traveler's budget scale. The sure thing I know is a trip to Georgia O'Keefe's house- I know to make reservations. I have read about Loretto Chapel, Canyon Road, the Saturday Market,the New Mexico Capital Building, the O'Keefe Museum, the folk art museum. I have written down The Shed as a must do restaurant. I have downloaded a self directed walking tour of the plaza area and Canyon Road. Does this sound appropriate? I love walking tours but is it better to pay for a guide? As a first timer with only 4 days should we do day trips or just stay closer to Santa Fe and absorb this city? I read there is always music in the plaza on Friday nights, correct? (I sound a little excited I know). I read on another trip report about spas, we might try one of those too. It's my retirement trip after all.

Colorado Springs: I have done the wicked ride to the top of Pike's Peak twice in my lifetime and I don't think I could handle driving it myself. So I am looking at the Cog Railroad, it says it's a 3 1/2 hour trip. My friend is very adventurous and I would not want to hold her back but I'm a little worried about this. My question is how safe does this thing feel? The pictures look like modern railcars. Has anyone done this? I am looking at a nice hotel in this area, any suggestions? The next morning we will do Garden of The Gods, then drive to Fort Collins.

Fort Collins: We will do a day trip to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. We are also planning a Fort Collins by Night Guided Ghost Tour. I know where to get good Pimm's Cups in Old Town so I have that part covered. And we will spend time with my grandkids, so I am good with all things Fort Collins.

Denver: Unfortunately we only have a day there. I thought about going on the US Mint tour (I know to get reservations) and seeing the Molly Brown house if that's worth it and close. Maybe shopping in the downtown area and looking at the Colorado capital building. What am I missing here?? Nice lunch suggestions?? Best parking areas?? Or should we take the shuttle in from Fort Collins?

This is awful I know, but I am thinking (just the thinking stage yet) of taking my friend to dinner at the legendary Casa Bonita. We have both watched the South Park episode and she thinks it would be a riot. I went here when my kids were little. I know there are a million better places in Denver but this place is famous. I read reviews on Yelp-when one starts with "Holy Mother of God" I think I know what we're in for with the food. I kind of expect the food to be a gut bomb. But there are cliff divers!! And a Pirate's cave! Am I being nostalgic and silly?

If anyone has suggestions i thank you. My friend has never even seen the Rocky Mountains-her grandkids live in Dallas so that is where her trips always are, she is excited. We are both fairly fit, and are up to new adventures but also go with the flow people. She is my perfect traveling companion. I always said I wanted to retire while I was still able to climb mountains-literally and figuratively.

Fun times!! Again thank you Fodorite friends.

I'd add -- http://www.nmhistorymuseum.org and -- http://www.nmartmuseum.org

I've never been to state capital building, is there something special there that interest you?

Inn of the Governors is a good choice. Ten Thousand Waves for spa. Andiamo! is a great Italian restaurant and reasonably priced. Vinaigrette is another good place, more for lunch rather than for dinner. La Choza is another good NM cuisine place to eat. If you aren't used to HOT, ask for chile on the side; comes in red or green. Neither one is inherently hotter, but they do taste different.

Taos would be a lovely day trip if you can work it in. The folk art museum is nice, but it wouldn't be on my short list with only 4 days, but that's me.

In Colorado Spring, we really like the Celestial Seasonings factory tour.

Capital house in Denver is worth the time, we did a tour (might have been free??)
We also did a walking tour. I'll come back with link. Mint was good, go see the olde bookshop ( I'll find link for it.)


Not sure about Friday night music in the plaza but I would make a point to go to Hotel Santa Fe, have a Pricky Pear Maragarita and listen to Ronald Roybal. Listen for free in the lounge, from 7-9, Fri &Sat. http://www.ronaldroybal.com/performance_schedule/

Cog Railway- I did it once, before I moved here and lived at elevation. I got VERY sick - Altitude Sickness. It was awful, I couldn't wait to get down. I was up there less than 10 minutes. Not everyone gets it ( my SIL did too, but no one else with us did; also, even if you have been ok at altitude before doesn't mean your will be fine at another time. Just beware, I know you are a RN....

Tattered Cover Book Store. www.tatteredcover.com/

http://www.denver.org/things-to-do/i...ral-treasures/

The Art Museum is great, nice place for lunch, make a reservation!!

Free walking tours - http://www.denver.org/things-to-do/i...-denver-tours/

You are absolutely the best Debit!! You were certainly someone who I hoped would respond to my questions. Thank you so much!!

I am really excited about the book store in Denver. That is on the list!! And the free walking tours!! I love this idea. I had wondered about the Art Museum, that would be perfect for lunch. Have you been to the Molly Brown house?? I keep picturing Debbie Reynolds in the Unsinkable Molly Brown movie and again wondering if I'm being just nostalgic for what I know about Denver. I'm trying to restrain from going on a Coors tour. (that's what some of us Midwesterners think when we think Denver, lol).

I am having qualms about that Cog Railroad idea. I was in Fort Collins in March and that was the first time I had some altitude issues after going to Rocky Mountain National Park. I could take Dramamine and sleep my way up Pikes Peak I guess if my friend really wants to go.

I love, love, love the Prickly Pear Margarita suggestion too. That is an absolute on my list. Again thank you. You just improved my trip a lot!!

Definitely wouldn't pay for a guide in Santa Fe, it is ever so doable on your own and the plaza isn't that big. We ate great tapas in restaurant off Canyon Road, also really enjoyed the Caribbean food at Jambo cafe (really reasonable) and wonderful dinner at Harry's Roadhouse (also not expensive as well). Abiqu and the different Pueblos in the area (san Ildefonso for example) are really worth visiting (Abiqu if you like to hike and you can visit where Georgia O'keefe got her inspiration at Ghost Ranch), if you want to buy Native American art buy it directly from the artists in the pueblos rather than at the high prices in the galleries in Santa fe. Enjoy our lovely state.

Thank you Laura. That answered my question about the guide for Santa Fe. I think this self guided tour sounds good and kind of fun to see if we can follow the directions. I am looking up Harry's Roadhouse. We do like to hike, that sounds wonderful, looking up Abiqu right now. These are just the kind of suggestions I was looking for. I know I want some art too, so I really appreciate your advice.

Debit, I just thought we should see the New Mexico Capital. I haven't looked into it at all, I automatically added it to my list. I have no idea if it's worthy of a visit or not. Now I'm curious if it's worth the time? And Ronald Roybal-yes we are going!

Gosh, I'm glad I posted these questions.

Didn't go in MollyBrown house. We did go in gift shop, that was enough for me.

Jamboree was on Diners, Drive ins and dives - http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/din...-and-stew.html

Debit, isn't the Celestial Seasonings tour in Boulder, not Colorado Springs? Or is there another one I don't know about?

My wife and I enjoyed the Molly Brown house, but agree the gift shop is worth passing up, except for the book section. A block from the Molly Brown house is the highly recommended Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art. Some very cool stuff in there, worth taking one of their docent tours.
http://www.kirklandmuseum.org/

Also, the Byers-Evers House, right next to the art museum makes for a nice tour. William Byers was founder of the Rocky Mountain News, guided artist Albert Bierstadt on his painting expedition, and made the first ascent of Longs Peak with John Wesley Powell.

If you like chocolate (ha-ha?) then don't miss a cup of hot chocolate at Kakawa in Santa Fe.

The State Capitol Building, aka the Roundhouse, has some interesting artwork. You could spend an hour or so there.

>>I kind of expect the food to be a gut bomb. But there are cliff divers!! And a Pirate's cave! Am I being nostalgic and silly?<<

Well, yeah...but why not go for it? You know what you're getting yourself into. :-)

If you're going to Abiquiu, you could stop in at Ghost Ranch. It's a private conference center, but they have hiking trails which are open to the public. Mr. Pickle's men's choir sang there a couple of weeks ago, and it has some great scenery.

Lee Ann

The Art Museum and Pallettes Restaurant would be a great stop in Denver--and a reward for your driver/friend.
Casa Bonita is ONLY ONLY ONLY fun if you have children under 8 year old with you. PLEASE do not subject an adult to that. If you want a passable meal in a children's setting, go to the White Fence Farm.
Rather than the Molly Brown House, have high tea at the hotel if you want a taste of it But you really don't have time.
And yes, Celestial Seasonings is in Boulder--and I SO agreed with Deb!!
The cog railroad is perfectly safe. If you and your friend want to do it, you will already have been at altitude for some time--Santa Fe is 7500 feet, I think. I was surprised.
Just don't forget to drink water ALL the time--do not ever not have a water bottle with you from now on. Aspirin would be better than Dramamine.
I might ask if this use of time is what your friend wants (like the days in CO Springs instead of say Denver or RMNP) since you will be very near the Springs for 3 months. It would not be my choice for that short period of time but that is my choice, not yours.

For live music on the plaza, check out the Fiesta Lounge in the lovely and historic LaFonda hotel. No cover charge and you can eat in the lounge, too, with all the Mexican dishes cooked in the hotel's restaurant. It's a very popular spot that attracts people who love to dance, so you will see some incredible moves. Music is top notch, too.

http://www.lafondasantafe.com/dining.../entertainment

Also, Inn of the Governors has the Del Charro Saloon, which makes great on-the-rocks margaritas and serves inexpensive and tasty food specials.

Color me embarrassed! #-O
It is, of course, in Boulder!

How could I forget?? We went to the Kirkland Museum before it moved and it was really good!!

Pallettees Restaurant!! I had forgotten the name. But seriously, do make a reservation. It is a very popular spot for "the ladies who do lunch"

I should have commented that there is no cost to sit in the lounge and listen to Ronald Roybal. But trust me, you are gonna love those Prickly Pears maragitas. They are a bit pricey, but oh so worth it.

While Lee Ann gives a nod to the Capital building in Santa Fe, I wouldn't put it high on my list as there are so many other delights to see.

Just remembered one more great thing - and it isn't a long ride south of Santa Fe -- Tent Rocks. You need to go first thing in morning so it isn't hot [depends when in May that you go].

http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/rec...ent_rocks.html

There is loop route which isn't difficult or a more challenging hike up to the top. The nice thing is that it is an "out and back" so you can turn around at any point. bring WATER!!

And it's true that you will have had a few days to acclimate to altitude but still worth a mention.

A hat for when you are out walking, WAY more water than you'd imagine, chapstick, sunblock are all necessary. Between the sun and altitude you need them. You don't realize how easy it is to become dehydrated here since you don't feel yourself sweating. Same goes for Colorado. If your pee is darker than straw/wheat color, you aren't drinking enough!!

Hi everyone,

First, thank you all for the replies. Please keep suggestions and opinions coming. I am loving this. Even though it seems our time is short, my friend is already talking about flying back in September to help me drive back to Illinois. That's the kind of friend she is!! Another good friend wants to come with her. I'd love to say it's all because of me, but I also know the lure of beautiful Colorado has something to do with it. What we don't get accomplished this trip in the Denver area, we can do next time.

I am going to look up the Celestial Seasonings tour. My only experience with Boulder thus far has been the mall (I have a teenage granddaughter). I have heard good things about Boulder's downtown area, kind of like Fort Collins Old Town area??

Gretchen, I have never taken Dramamine, so that was kind of a silly statement from me. I would probably sleep with my mouth open drooling up Pike's Peak which would not be pretty. I was better with heights when I was younger. I hadn't thought as much about altitude sickness as getting sick if the train was jerky and if I didn't feel safe inside the cars. I figured Colorado Springs was on the way to Fort Collins and Pikes Peak was something my friend should see.

My friend is up for anything. I keep telling her to figure out what she wants to see. I am such a planner but I don't want to take over her special trip. The Casa Bonita idea really is kind of crazy. Before my kids moved to Fort Collins I had been to Colorado twice before and left with some of my best memories. The first was my honeymoon (long ago) which was in the Colorado Springs area. The second was a family vacation with my 3 little kids. I'm a widow now. That's where my nostalgia about Colorado Springs and yes, Casa Bonita comes from, as we went there with the kids. Gretchen you may be right, the youngest grandkids are 2 and 9, I should save Casa Bonita for them. They would be enthralled.

So where is a fun dining experience in Denver with my friend? We could do lunch at the Art Museum and then a walking tour. The only sure thing I want to do is the tour of the Mint.

Nelson, thank you for your suggestions. I haven't taken the Molly Brown house off the list. It could be this trip or the next one and your other suggestions are great. Um, how did you know that I would appreciate the hot chocolate tip in Santa Fe? It went to the top of the list. My friend is a worse chocoholic than I am.

LeeAnn, I have since looked into the New Mexico Roundhouse and it said the artwork is worth the time. I want to have a few sights worth seeing on a list, but I don't need to have all the time planned out. I'm good with going with the flow and having experiences find us too.

I am even more excited now. I get a little sad about retirement as I have been lucky to have an amazing career that I have dearly loved. But then I think about this trip and I cannot wait!! Thank you Gretchen with the tip about having water with us everywhere. The dry southwest heat is so different from the humidity I'm used to in Illinois.

LoDo might be a fun place to have dinner -

http://eatdrinkdenver.com/guide/LoDo-Restaurants?gid=19

http://www.denver.org/about-denver/d...borhoods/lodo/

Thanks again Debit, you and Jayne were posting when I was. I'll have to report back on our margarita consumption. A true pleasure of life! That and the Fort Collins Pimm's Cup. I am such a lightweight drinker but I am looking forward to these.

Jayne, I am so glad to hear that the Inn of The Governors is a good choice. I saw the Del Charro Saloon on the website. It looked so good. And I had looked at the LaFonda too. Thank you for telling me about this. I am going to love this trip so much.

Big question I have is driving in Denver. I drive in downtown Chicago so I am used to stress driving. However if it's better to take the shuttle from Fort Collins we could do that. Can we do a lot of walking to the destinations then or would we have to take taxis?

Thanks again everyone. I'm looking up more websites now.

I don't think driving in Denver would be any worse than in Chicago, but then I am always the passenger! We have been in Denver with and without a car. If you stay in downtown and LoDo you should be ok with public transit.

You will not have a problem driving in Denver--matching up with a shuttle would be more stressful.
Denver is on a grid except for some of the areas around the Pepsi Center.
Pallettes is a really lovely fine dining experience (Kevin Taylor restaurant) and do make reservations. The collection in the Art Museum, especially Native American, is wonderful.
For me, the Mint is something to do with your grands, if you have such a limited time.
The Botanic Gardens are beautiful. The Art Museum. Shopping! Pearl Street is a fun fun eclectic place to shop. The Tattered Cover has already been mentioned. there are good restaurants in the newly developed Union Station (in or near LoDo.
For a delicious, economical and fun French dinner, go to La Centrale.
And although I mentioned water, the added admonition for sun screen, hat is well taken--not just for this trip but ALL the time you are in Colorado. The lack of water will exacerbate any inclination toward altitude sickness.

Since I retired 10 years ago this month, I have traveled far more miles on Amtrak than I have flown. Both the California Zephyr and the Southwest Chief stop in Galesburg IL in the late afternoon. Last month I took the Zephyr east from Sacramento through Denver to Galesburg.
I spent a week with a rental car from Galesburg and then took the Southwest Chief through Albuquerque all the way to Los Angeles.
A roomette would work well for you and your friend. Albuquerque has a few things going for it too.
I like the slower pace of the train compared with being compressed into a plane with a 34" or less seat pitch.
Amtrak doesn't care if you have bottles larger than 3.2 oz.
You do have to keep your shoes on while moving about the train.

I think you'll be quite pleased with Kakawa chocolate. They'll have several "elixirs" brewing each day, so you can sample some and decide on your favorite. You can even customize your own brew, catering to your taste in sweetness and flavors / spices. We have been getting them mail order to have at home now.

Confess I had to look up Pimms Cup, which is probably not my cup of tea, no pun intended. I'm curious where you get one Fort Collins? Our favorite cocktail venues in town are now Elliots and the Coppurmuse, though as you know we have a lot of options in town.

The Rio has been the standard in margaritas for decades, but they have competition now.

Have a great trip.

P.S. Just because you got altitude illness once does not mean you'll get it again. Staying hydrated, as mentioned above, is perhaps the single best thing you can do to help. Unfortunately, so is laying off margaritas... :)

Nelson is so correct about altitude sickness. We visit Denver often--and the mountains, and sometimes I get a bout of it--and others not. As I said, you will have already been at altitude a long time before Pike's Peak, if you decide to do it. It's pretty much of an hour plus up, an hour plus back and 30 minutes in the gift shop waiting for the train to go back down. A long trip.

We stayed at the Inn of the Governors several years ago and loved it. Their breakfast was one of the best we have ever had at a hotel. The restaurant at the hotel was very good and like others have said the margaritas are wonderful. It is in a great location for walking to the Plaza. Also loved the Georgia O'Keefe museum.

I didn't have any trouble with altitude in Santa Fe or Denver, but when we got to Breckenridge I was sick-so guess it just depends on the individual.

Hope you have a great trip.

Santa Fe and Denver aren't all that high, Pikes Peak is over 14,000 ft!

I got sick at Pikes Peak while I still lived at sea level; so a gain of 14,000 ft.

Last November, we went to the top of Mont Blanc in Chamonix. I have lived at 5600 ft for over a decade now. The gain was around 10,000. Yup, I got sick again. I was sure after living at altitude for so long it would be ok.

There are times I have been around 10,000 feet and was fine but that is now only 4,400 ft gain.

It does indeed vary individually and even on each trip.

Forewarned is forearmed...

If you decide to go to Boulder, the Pearl Street mall is a lot of fun, shopping & many restaurants. There's always a lot of activity.

you have many options for dinner in Denver. If you want good Mexican, we like La Loma which is a little west of downtown. Tell us what you like.

If you decide to drive to Denver, I would vote for the Botanic Gardens. It's a little ways east of town. But with the mint & the Art Musem you have a full day already. Put it on the Denver to do list.

Happy Retirement!

Thanks Betsy, Retirement sounds scary. Driving to Santa Fe is out of my comfort zone too, and then living in Fort Collins for 3 months!! The trip details are such a small part of it. Originally I thought of moving to be by the grandkids, but I can't help it, I still like my Illinois. We'll see how these 3 months work out.

My friend is a pickier eater than I am. I love Mexican food. I would love to be able to give her some choices and let her choose because I'm good with most anything (except blood sausage.I tried some yesterday and I can say honestly I will never eat it again). I love the recommendation about the chiles on the side. We have Midwestern palates. We need this kind of advice.

Nelson, you need to try a PImm's. Quite refreshing on a hot summer day. I wish I could tell you the name of the bar that makes them so well in Old Town Fort Collins. I could show you easily, it's right down from the candy store and pretty close to a spice store, Helpful aren't I?? I am coming across as quite the drinker on this thread which is funny. My friends would laugh.

Nig, I'm happy to hear your good comments about Inn of the Governors. It's their 50th Anniversary this year, their promotion is the 4th night costs $50. Nice deal. Also reviews rave about the breakfast so I am looking forward to that.

TomFuller, if I wasn't staying on for those 3 months I would have considered a train but I need my car. That sounds like a wonderful trip. Galesburg Illinois huh?

Such great advice and recommendations here. I just bought a big tube of sunscreen today. SPF 50. I'm not fooling around with this. I also hope we're not jinxed with the altitude sickness talk here. I really think that was my problem last time I was in Fort Collins. My legs felt so weak and I had a weird headache. It got better with rest and some water. I got a bigger water bottle today too at Target. See, I'm listening.

We leave June 2nd. We hope to make it as far as Wichita the first night. A good hotel off the expressway is all we need. I have such a great friend to come with me. Her husband is excited for her to be able to do this. She likes to travel, he not as much.

" legs felt so weak and I had a weird headache"

My legs felt like they wieghed 200 lbs EACH and I had horrible headache at PP. At Mont Blanc, I felt weird, had awful headache and then there were those blue lips.

Sounds like you are getting quite prepared!

Barb, it might be the Crown Pub where you have your Pimms. OK, I'll check it out some hot summer day.

Don't worry too much about the altitude issue - it can become a self fulfilling prophecy. Take it easy, especially the first few days, stay hydrated, and odds are you'll be fine. The only cure is to descend, so you can always simply head back into town from the mountains.

Welcome to retirement. Hope you enjoy the Kakawa chocolate.

I've done the cog train a couple of times and felt very safe. If possible, try to plan your trip around the weather. The first time was in July and when we left the station it was beautiful and sunny. As we made our way up we were soon in fog for the rest of the trip along with rain and some spitting snow. We couldn't see any scenery. As we arrived at the summit we were greeted with a big bolt of lightning and thunder so we were unable to leave the visitors center. People who drove up had to wait for a ranger to guide them back down the mountain.

The next trip was in October and it was beautiful and we were treated to wonderful views for the entire train ride.

I've stayed at the Inn of the Governors three or four times and would stay there again. On my last stay I noticed much more street noise at night, so I'd recommend requesting a quiet location. That was only one night though so I'm not sure what was going on that weekend.

Del Charro Saloon is a good stop for a drink, but also head over to the Bell Tower Bar at La Fonda for some great views. My husband likes to eat at The Pantry. After we were stuffed with New Mexican food, we needed a change and stopped for lunch at Clafoutis French Bakery for lunch one day and then went back again the next day for breakfast. We also brought home dessert!

The Santa Fe Farmer's Market is definitely worth a visit. www.santafefarmersmarket.com

I wouldn't be overly concerned with altitude sickness. I live in the Denver area and have had issues a couple of times, but only when I started out for a hike with a cold or a headache to begin with. I take a couple of motrin the night before I know I will be hiking in the mountains.

I'm heading up to Fort Collins later today and wish I had time for a Pimm's Cup. Have you been to the Cupboard kitchen store in Old Town? I love it and can spend hours in that store.

If your friend has never been to the mountains, have you considered driving into the mountains? You could take a leisurely drive up, and spend the night in Vail or Breckenridge, just to name two lovely towns.

I live in a Denver suburb, and would trade one day up in the mountains for 5 days in Denver or even Boulder (though Boulder is fun).

Driving in Chicago vs. Denver. Nothing like. You'll find driving in Denver easy (I used to live in Lincoln Park, before Denver). Also, taxis are not used so much; and the distances of anything in the city is close, or you could just get back in your car and drive to the new place.

For the trip to the mountains they could make a nice loop up through RMNP, through the park, down the west side to Silverthorne (Route 9?) and then if they wanted to take a turn through Breckenridge and Frisco back to Denver.
I would MUCH MUCH prefer that to Colorado Springs and the Garden of the Gods and most especially for a friend driving me to Colorado.

I wanted to update my planning, ask a few more questions and be sure to thank everyone for helping me so much. It's been so great, the help I have gotten from this forum.

Drive from Illinois to Santa Fe: We were going to stay overnight in Wichita, now we are going to make it to Dodge City. We are staying in a hotel on Wyatt Earp Boulevard which probably sounds way cooler than it is. We will stop at Boot Hill Cemetery and Front Street for an hour or two before continuing on to Santa Fe.

Santa Fe: New plans. We are going to go to Tent Rocks one morning and do the hike. That looks great. We have also booked a class at the Santa Fe School of Cooking. It is The Foods of New Mexico class, and we eat what is made in class. It sounds really fun. I also have the Georgia O'Keefe home and studio tour booked. I hope the driving directions are not too hard for me. I have not booked any restaurants, should I? My friend sent me some links to places she likes but the prices are quite high. One was the Santa Cafe. She said it's worth the money. Thoughts??

Colorado Springs: Yes, still going but staying one night only. I talked to my friend , she has her heart set on doing the railroad up Pike's Peak so that is what we will do come hell or high water, altitude sickness or not. We will do Garden of the Gods the next morning.

But then....Breckenridge: See I listened to the advice. I am very excited about this as I've never been. We only have a day here too, but my friend added one more day to her stay so we could go here. I have booked a lodge with mountain views. I'm not sure what we should do here except walk around but it looks so breathtaking .

Fort Collins: We are staying in a VRBO minutes from Old Town. I am staying with my kids after my friend leaves so this is only for 4 nights. An added plus was that two bikes and helmets come with this rental and it is close to a nice park. We are still doing day trips to Estes Park/Rocky Mountain National Park and then one full day in Denver. I still don't have plans formulated for Denver but thanks to all of you I have loads of ideas and I'm going to let my friend choose.

I only have 12 more shifts left to work until retirement. (I work 12 hour shifts). It all seems so surreal so I am happy to have this trip planning to do. I probably wasn't clear before but I'm doing the driving, this is my car. My friend is along for the ride. Our friends at work are calling us Thelma and Louise. I have promised not to drive over any cliffs though. (but I would not be adverse to meeting a Brad Pitt ha,ha).

How exciting for you - retirement rocks!! It's been quite a while since I've been out that way, but I recall a stop at the Taos pueblo (north of SF) being worthwhile...I was surprised I saw no mention of it.

I used to be in ColSpgs at lease once a year when I had family living out there...and as - then - a Chicago flatlander, I just loved making a drive north from CS on Hwy. 24. I realize the Rockies are all around wherever you are out there, but that drive, for an hour or so, through Manitou Springs and then on towards/through Fountain was just my favorite....felt like you were standing right amid all those glorious peaks.

Retirement....road trip....rockies....it doesn't get better! Enjoy.

Good choice on Breck. Yes, just walk around, like along the Blue River pedestrian and bike trail which goes right through town. There is a good visitor center in town, they'll have lots of options for you.

If you and your friend really enjoyed being at 14,000' on Pikes Peak (this is a possibility!) then you can do that again by driving up Mount Evans on your way to or from Breck. This has the advantage of letting you turn around when you want. Plus the scenery is better on Evans, IMHO.

This could also be a backup if your trip on Pikes gets weathered out. Have fun.

Thanks nelson and Tuckerdc,

It looks like the drive to Breckenridge will be amazing. We are staying at The Lodge at Breckenridge-good prices in the off season. I see gondola rides are free, I think we will do that and then walk around. I looked at the Blue River Pedestrian Trail. Nice. One day is not enough. Any restaurant suggestions? It looks like the restaurant at The Lodge is a good choice but maybe someone knows something better? $-$$ price range?


Also wtm, I have been in the Cupboard Kitchen store in Old Town Fort Collins. I did some Christmas shopping there and in the spice store. There are so many amazing shops but I have to admit I've spent the most time in the toy store and the book store. I love the old time feel of these stores. I could spend lots of time in both of these and since I will be there for the summer I probably will. If anyone sees a lady in a Chicago Cubs tee shirt- it might be me. (I don't live in these shirts but I do own a few!).

When I was in Colorado Springs, I drove up Pikes Peak and I'll never do that again.. I got almost to the top and was just looking for a place to turn around. I would definitely take the railroad if I went back.

Are you also planning on driving/hiking Garden of the Gods? That was wonderful and if I had to choose, I'd pick that over the Cog railroad.

Don't know if you're a sports fan, but I also enjoyed the tour of the USOC and the skating museum.

Born and raised in Denver here! Although I now live in CA. Anyway, I think the Molly Brown house is worth going to, the historic neighborhood is interesting as well and it's near the Capitol Building. I also recommend the mint tour.

As for Casa Bonita...it's indescribable. :) I think you should go, you seem like you'll have fun there and you can say you did it.

She's been to Casa--don't waste a good meal opportunity!! The food is as good as any Taco Bell so you do get to eat. And you get a margarita with it.

Oh, to OP, a possible nice "thank you" to your friend for coming with you might be dinner at The Fort restaurant in Morrison, overlooking the Red Rocks amphitheater. It is famous for its view--and for its wild game menu. it would be a memorable (not to mention delicious) meal, I think.

Glad to hear that you're doing Tent Rocks! My favourite hike in the area. Bandelier National Monument is also very worth a visit!
Enjoy your trip!