Anyone know about Denver for vacation?

[UMTerp]

Hello everyone!

We are traveling to Denver for vacation at the end of the summer. I've never been there before. Any things we shouldn't miss? Any hotel suggestions? We are going to be there for 10 days so we do have some time for traveling around. We will be flying and getting a rental car.

TIA!

UMTerp

 

[golfgal]

There is a GREAT taco place near the United terminals at the Denver airport!!!

I was in Colorado Springs in college and we went to the top of Pike's Peak, that was cool, the Air Force Academy, Garden of the Gods. Those are all worth seeing. I don't know how far you want to drive but places like Vail/Beaver Creek are pretty scenic. Breckenridge is also supposed to be beautiful. We were supposed to go to a wedding there but their plans changed.

 

[mrsv98]

My DSis lives there so we visit quite a bit. There are tons of fun things to do. Try the zoo or Ocean Journey, they are both fun. Right by Ocean Journey is the Children's Museum, small but a nice way to spend 1/2 day. There is a Six Flags, never been but it is your standard amusement park. If you like Dinosuars, go to Dinosaur Ridge, a bit hard to find but very cool. Try and catch a concert at Red Rocks, amazing. For shopping, go to the 16th Street Mall.

There are lots of little mountain tons within an easy drive and in the summer they are quiet and much less expensive as opposed to ski season. A longer drive is Rocky Mountain National Park. Amazing and I think it goes over 2 miles up. Just beware that they begin to close the passes overnight in Aug so don't get caught on the wrong side!

Have a great time, Denver is wonderful, I keep trying to convince DH to move there!

 

[Sandy V.]

I agree with all of the above suggestions.

Some more ideas include: the Denver Mint, the Molly Brown House (the "unsinkable" Molly Brown - wealthy mining woman who survived the sinking of the Titanic), take in a Colorado Rockies baseball game.

You could spend part of your time over on the Western Slope at Aspen (Snowmass has some decently priced lodging) or Glenwood Springs. Vail and Breckenridge are also beautiful mountain towns. There's a nice Marriott in Vail, or if your party is large, there's an excellent condo called the Mountain Haus.

Have fun - you've picked a great time to come to Colorado. The weather should be warm and mild.

 

[UMTerp]

Thanks for your ideas everyone! I'll have to get a map and figure out where these places are! It sounds great!

UMTerp

 

[babytrees]

A few more to add:

Red Rocks, Dinosaur Ridge, Estes Park. There are a ton of things to do low cost and higher. You can pick a book up What to do in CO with your kids or something like that. It's a really good book even for a CO native!!

 

[ColoradoBuffaloMom]

Boulder is a fun day trip, especially the Pearl Street Mall. I second Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. Winter Park is also fun in the summer.

The weather in the summer is pretty nice. It rains a bit in the afternoon but it is usually over quickly.

Enjoy!

 

[manchurianbrownbear]

We’ve been to the Denver a couple times in the last few years. I’ll have to say that we found as much, maybe more, to do in Colorado Springs! Pikes Peak is awesome! We took the cog railway train up to the top. Garden of the Gods is very cool. The AF Academy Chapel is awesome. Royal Gorge is about an hour away and that’s very interesting.

In Denver we enjoyed a Rockies game at Coors Field. Do you have kids? There is a lot of interesting shopping downtown, in “LoDo” in particular. Our kids didn’t enjoy that!

The Six Flags Amusement park has already been mentioned. We didn’t go there, but we spent a couple enjoyable hours at the “vintage” Lakeside Amusement Park. They have a great, classic wooden roller coaster. When were there, in 2002, the park could have used a little sprucing up, but we enjoyed it.

If you have kids, especially younger kids, I would highly recommend Casa Bonita. It’s a Mexican restaurant. The food is just “aw ‘ight”, but the entertainment is something else! The highlight is a cliff diving show!

It’s a beautiful part of the country!

 

[Darth Cupcake]

If Trail Ridge Road is open at the time you are traveling, it is a must do. Take the nation's highest continuous paved road from Estes Park all the way through Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP). It is breathtaking (literally and figuratively). Be sure to wear warm clothes as it usually is cold at the summit even in the summer.

We live in a suburb of Denver but go to the mountains as often as we can. It is just beautiful. If you can't make it to RNMP, try to make it to a mountain town so you can experience "being in" the mountains. Winter Park mountain resort is closer to the city and yet you can still get a feel of what a resort town is like. However, if you can travel further, try to go to Aspen or Vail.

Also, you can drive through Winter Park and then swing north to the west end entrance of RMNP. This will allow you to go by the mountain towns of Grandby and Grand Lake. Then take Trail Ridge Road east through RMNP to Estes Park and stay the night and enjoy the town!

 

[figment52]

If you have kids, especially younger kids, I would highly recommend Casa Bonita. It’s a Mexican restaurant. The food is just “aw ‘ight”, but the entertainment is something else! The highlight is a cliff diving show!
QUOTE]


I can't believe that place is still there. I lived in Denver/Boulder area for most of the 70's and 80's and it was there when I moved to the area and still there when I left. I would not have thought to recommend that place to anyone these days.

I've been away from the area for almost 20 years but I always like the COlorado Springs area too. In addition to what has been mentioned there was always Cheyene Mountain, the Broadmoor, and I don't know if it is still there but there used to be an Olympic training Center in Colo Spgs that gave a great insight into how our athletics train.

 

[rascalmom]

If you have kids, especially younger kids, I would highly recommend Casa Bonita. It’s a Mexican restaurant. The food is just “aw ‘ight”, but the entertainment is something else! The highlight is a cliff diving show!
QUOTE]


I can't believe someone else knows about that place! Too funny - we used to have one in Oklahoma City & I grew up going there with my family. When dh had a conference in Denver a couple of years ago, we tracked down the one in Denver. Food just like I remember it - just okay, but kind of like comfort food if you grew up having that for a treat. The cliff divers were hilarious!

We followed our fine dining experience with a drive out to Black Rock & hit the casino. It was a weird, but fun day. The following day we went to LoDo & went to the big bookstore - can't think of the name of it, but it was worth a visit.

 

[UMTerp]

Yes, we have kids that will be going on this trip with us DS (11) and DD (8)!
Great information everyone!

Funny - cliff diving show! We went to Acapulco on the DCL cruise last summer so we could compare it to the real thing!

I'm really looking forward to this trip!

UMTerp

 

[Viking]

-Pikes Peak: Make reservations for the Railroad well ahead of your trip!!! It starts in Manitoba Springs and the ride is way coooool.
-Depending on the time of your ride up Pikes Peak you could do Garden of the Gods before or after it on the same day.
-I also enjoyed the Denver Zoo
-The Science Museum is worth a visit, especially if you experience a rainy day.
-Castle Rock has a nice factory outlet and hiking up to the name-giving rock is fun. There's nice flora and fauna along the way.
-Park Meadows Mall is IMHO the nicest shopping location in the area.
-Estes Park is a great destination for a day trip, too.
-Take the Light Railroad to Downtown Denver , stroll along 16th Stree Mall or use the free buses shuttling you along that area. The Capitol Building is also close by.

Make sure to get accustomed to the thin air. You will be exactly one mile above sea level, which can be a bit straining. I went for a jog every other morning and I can tell you that it was like running with a 5lb-weight in each shoe

Here's a link to DENVER Tourist Info

 

[Chilehead Too]

just subscribing... I've always had a fascination with Denver

 

[manchurianbrownbear]

8 & 11 year-old kids will definitely enjoy Casa Bonita!

 

[MerryPoppins]

We enjoyed our tour of the Denver Mint. Did I hear that they are no longer offering tours or that they are limited? I can't remember. Our kids got a kick out of making their own coins in the gift shop.

Molly Brown's house is a must see if you like the movie. Rent it before you go and the house would mean more.

I also grew up with Casa Bonita in OKC, and we used to go to the one in Denver. It used to be a fun meal. Haven't done that in a while. The atmosphere is what makes it special.

I'd vote for doing a few things in Denver and then head to Estes Park. You could spend several days in RMNP/Estes Park without getting bored. They have wonderful trails and ranger-led programs. Then maybe do Trail Ridge and loop back to Denver via Winter Park.

 

[Darth Cupcake]

I'd also recommend taking your kids whitewater rafting. The rafting outfits have various levels. The more intense the ride, the higher the class number. The rafting outfits offer day and 1/2 day trips as well as one time down trips. We have gone several times and it is a blast! For more information, just Google "whitewater rafting colorado."

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

- Definitely go to Steamboat and ride the river on a tube, it is so much fun.
- There is also an outlet store in Dillon and Loveland if you aren't close to Castle Rock. I think a nicer mall than Park Meadows is Flat Irons Mall.
- If you like the Hot Springs, go to Glenwood Springs. Take a hike up to hanging lake and then soak in the hot springs.
- I really enjoy taking the cog rail up to Pike's Peak, much better than driving.
- Denver has the Denver Zoo and CO Springs had the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. I like both these. At the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo you can feed the giraffes.
- Stay at a B&B in the mountains.

 

[floridafam]

I was just telling my children about my frequent trips to Denver when I was little.


I still remember going to Casa Bonita.

We've been to pretty much every place mentioned already. You've gotten some great suggestions.

Have fun.