teacherD

We have never been to Colorado. Now that we are retired in Florida we are considering a week's trip this summer. We would like to take advantage of trading our timeshare week. Our interests would be light hiking, scenic drives, good restaurants, local culture,etc. all within a 3 hr. drive of our home base. We're not interested in places with mobs of people if that's possible!
The following places are offered: Durango, Telluride, Pagosa Springs, Steamboat Springs, Vail, Breckenridge. Which one would you knowledgeable Fodorites suggest for our week's stay? What specifically should we NOT miss?

historytraveler

Durango, Telluride would be your best bets as to avoiding mobs of people. Breckenridge and Steamboat Springs next. Vail can get crowded, but I would still recommend it. Just remember that summer in the Rockies attracts a lot of people almost anywhere you go.

I would not recommend Pagosa Springs.

DebitNM

I also recommend SW Colorado as your first experience. I live here and have lots of threads on the board about trips in the loop here.

There area has wonderful mountains, ancient ruins, some lakes, hiking, great restaurants, nice places to stay in B & B's, small inns etc and lots of local culture.

Here are some links to website that talk about the "Million Dollar Highway" which refers to the route from Durango, up thru Silverton, Ouray, Telluride, Dolores, Mesa Verde and back to Durango; there are also links to threads I had about the area:

http://travel.msn.com/Guides/article...umentid=249511

http://www.roadtripamerica.com/places/million.htm

http://www.theculturedtraveler.com/A...on_Highway.htm

Here are a few link to some of my previous comments that include million dollar highway:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34814871

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34830007

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34895941

http://www.swcolotravel.org/drives.html

The nearest majopr airport is
Albuquerque, which is a 3 hour drive to Durango. You can fly into Durango on United, but it is expensive.

If this looks interesting, I would be happy to suggest places to stay, restaurants, sites to see etc.

Ask away and feel free to email me direct.

Hope this helps...
Debi

teacherD

Is Mapquest off-base? It said that the drive from Albuquerque to Durango would be 4 hrs. so I was considering flying into Colorado Springs since the flights were quite a bit cheaper. How would the two car rides compare?

DebitNM

Trust me, I have done that drive many times having lived in ABQ prior to living here and still have family there....it's 3 hours give or take 15 minutes..

The drive from ABQ to Durango is really simple and easy. The drive from CoSprings isn't [mountains] and is easily over 5 hours.

Have you checked flights on Southwest? They usually have good prices into ABQ.

Debi

teacherD

Thanks for the suggestion about SouthWest. The problem is that they are not accepting reservations beyond mid-May and we are thinking of a late June-to mid July trip. Is this usual for them? Prices were definitely higher than flying to COS as of last night.

DebitNM

Southwest should be opening the next block of seats pretty soon. They fly nonstop from MCO and TPA to aBQ which is nice and I can't believe that the fare are less to COS. What airline?

Sign up for DING on SW, it is their fare alert or just keep checking their reservations each day.

IF you do have to fly into COS, it isn't a biggie -- just a bit more of a drive.

Here is a trip report from some folks from FL that I helped take a trip here just a couple of weeks back:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34912957

Debi

teacherD

Continental TPA to COS was about $300 but had a change of planes, Delta $321 also with a change of planes.

Southwest was $405 direct from TPA. Guess I'll try the Ding alert on Southwest to see if prices come down.

DebitNM

The fares should come down from FL to ABQ during the summer. You are looking at SW's price during the high season from NM to FL. We often fly to MCO off season for $100 each way.

Debi

teacherD

Debi,
I can NOT find anything about a Ding alert on the SW site. Could you tell me where it is? Thanks in advance.

DebitNM

Here ya go!

http://www.southwest.com/cgi-bin/sys...05050000000002

Debi

GJLinda

As a Colorado resident for 45 years, I have spent time in all the locations you ask about.

I would do the Durango choice. You not only have beautiful scenery(Million Dollar Highway and Lizard Head Pass which will get you to Telluride and Ouray), the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge runs from there and Mesa Verde is less than one hour away. Pagosa
Springs with its natural hot springs is about one hour away, as well. A drive to the Farmington, Shiprock, Aztec and Bloomington area of New Mexico would be a completely different experience and well worth a day trip for the taste of a different culture and look.

Hard to get away from other tourists in these places during the summer. Since you are retired, do you have to come during the summer? Late May, early June or September would have fewer visitors in all of them.

Anytime will be fun, I am sure. Colorado is beautiful in any season and in all of the areas you mention.

teacherD

Linda,
So late May and early June wouldn't have the possibility of bad weather or hazardous driving? That's why we thought we had to go later but if not we certainly can change our dates!

wtm003

I've never experienced "mobs of people" in any of the places you mentioned during the summer season. Yes, there will be tourists, but your expression makes me think of Disneyworld.

I did run into crowds at Mesa Verde in July, but that was my own fault. I did not plan ahead (which I usually do to a fault) and we arrived at the park late morning.

If you really want to avoid the tourist crowd I would follow GJLinda's advice for May, June and September, with September being my first choice. In May & June the weather can be iffy with a late spring storm, but I wouldn't be overly concerned. September usually has beautiful, sunny days and cool nights. Again you can get some snow, but most likely you'll have fantastic weather and few tourists.

Make sure you do the Durango-Silverton railroad. I prefer to go one way and take the bus on the return trip.

GJLinda

Hello again,

I suppose there is a chance you could run into a bit of snow, however, that is not the norm at those times. If it would snow, it normally would be a wet one and melt off soon.

Agree that train one way and bus the other is the better way to go. The train ride can get a bit long when going round trip.

teacherD

Thanks everyone! We're now considering an early June trip and just have to wait for the timeshare exchange to go through plus flight prices to go down.