Which Itinerary do you think is better?
 

I have never been to Colorado before and am really excited for my trip coming up on August 4th-15th. I get into denver on the 4th around 7pm thus my trip really "starts" on the 5th, and I leave at 7am on the 15th. Anyways here are the itineraries I'm considering:

Itinerary #1
4th Denver/Golden
5th Denver Bike BB game
6th Boulder
7th Mt. Evans/Water World/Red Rocks
8th Colorado Springs
9th Col springs/Manitou Springs/Green Mountain Falls/ Petrified Forest fossil beds/Hornbeck Estate-Florissant/Aspen
10th Aspen
11th Aspen/Grand Lake
12th Grand Lake/RMNP/Trail Ridge road/Estes
13th RMNP- tenting (meteor shower night)
14th RMNP/Boulder/Denver
15th Leave Denver Brent’s flight 7am Get to airport by


Itinerary #2
4th- Denver/Golden
5th-Denver
6th-Boulder
7th- Mt. Evans/ Red Rocks
8th-Independence Pass to Aspen
9th-Aspen/Redstone
10th- Glennwood Springs
11th- Glennwood Canyon to Grand Lake -stop in vail
12th- Grand Lake, Trail Ridge Road, RMNP,Estes Park
13th- Estes Park/RMNP
14th- RMNP/Boulder/Denver
15th- Leave Denver


Please let me know what you think, including if there are places that i haven't mentioned that are worthwhile seeing that aren't too far out of the way. I truly appreciate your help with my first trip to CO!

Definitely #2.

Co Springs is OK, but in August you want to be up in the mountains.

I'd add a night to Aspen by subtracting one from Glenwood, also add one to Grand Lake by dropping the stop in Vail, but what you have is not bad.

Or you can add the night back to Glenwood by dropping Vail. (Not a big fan of Vail, though the Betty Ford gardens in summer are pretty darn nice, and worth a stop at least. Depends on your interests.).

Not sure where you are spending the night of the 7th, but I like Leadville. Others here may disagree with that choice, but good mining history and views of the highest peaks in the state, plus puts you close to Independence Pass.

But basically itinerary #2 is decent as it stands. Have a great trip!

My choice is #2 also. In case you don't know I-70 between Glenwood Springs and Denver is one of the most (some say "the most") scenic stretches of interstate highway in the USA.

HTtY

Do you have to go to Boulder twice? You could eliminate Boulder from the 6th and add into your route from RMNP to Denver.

Get a picture with the dancing security guard at Red Rocks!

No we dont have to go to Boulder twice, can you explain what you mean Googs. Where would we go instead?

I think he says add it to RMNP.
Definitely #2 with a number of tweaks. Your first 3 days are sort of a muddle--Golden and Boulder, etc.
And you'll do better to just do ONE thread--you have two going.
Personally, I would head on out to the mountains from your arrival and save Denver for the end of your trip.
Red Rocks is almost on the way out of town TO the mountains--edge of Denver in Morrison.

I would go with two as it is more compact - less driving. Golden is not that exciting so just drive through unless you want to tour Coors. Mt Evens is fun drive but nothing unusual and it kind of off your path. You will see other high mountain areas.

I meant that you're driving north to Boulder then back SW to Mt Evans (right through Golden). Then you're heading further SW before going north and landing in Boulder again. Leave Boulder until the end of your trip and you'll have the days to use there that you took from the third day.

Ok so the first 3 days i am going to be staying in Golden Colorado at a hotel. And ill be traveling to denver on the 5th, boulder on the 6th, and waterworld/mt evans/red rocks on the 7th but staying in Golden all 3 nights. Just wanted to clear that up

It seems like your zig-zagging. I think should map out these destinations.

What plan would you propose given the fact that I am spending the nights of the 4th,5th,6th,7th in golden colorado at the hotel. The night of the 4th i arrive in denver around 7pm so really it's only like 3 days. What route would you take and on which days?

Why are you staying in a hotel in Golden for 3 nights. Are you travelling alone? And then you are going to Denver?

Ummm, have you even looked at a map? They have them on the internet.

Staying in Golden for three nights makes absolutely no sense. Why???? Need some explanation as what you are planning exactly because it gets more confusion with each of your postings here and elsewhere.

I presume you have a reason to be in Golden for three days. While you are there drive up Lookout Mountain for spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. Golden is also a good headquarters for doing the Lariat Loop: http://www.lariatloop.org

HTtY