Hi fellow travelers! I hope you all are exploring! Summer in Colorado can be a beautiful time of year, if you aren’t fighting with unusual bouts of rain and snow like we are currently. But, typically blue skies and warm weather make us sweltering city folk head for higher ground. The cooler temps and colorful flora and fauna of our Rocky Mountains provides a place for relaxing and enjoying the food, and endless activities that our mountain towns have to offer. There are so many places that you can explore in the high country that I would need a whole book to mention them all, but here are a few that make my list for family entertainment, beauty and food!
Breckenridge, CO-
If you have never been to Breckenridge you are missing out on a beautiful town that is actually very close to Denver. We usually stay here because it’s much cheaper and has a lot to offer not too far from the city. It’s a good hour and half drive depending on traffic, which typically occurs and has so many great restaurants and lodging that you could spend a few days here just exploring. One of my favorite things to do here is shop, they have so many cute boutique shops and one of my favorites, Spice Merchants spice store. They also have enough restaurants to make you wonder if you should just continuously eat all day instead of having only three meals. But, the coolest place to eat of all time is Downstairs At Eric’s, whether summer or winter it’s a fun place to keep warm or cool off. They serve any and every thing you can imagine, wings, skins, pizza, nachos and beer and beyond! It’s a must stop for lunch or dinner.
Don’t ask me why, because I don’t have a good answer, but I am not a fan of mountain lodges, they feel like dorms to me and I am not interested in returning to my college years. Most mountain towns have several lodges available for sleeping, but I still prefer to find some really nice hotels. Breckenridge does have a few I like. Marriott’s Mountain Valley Lodge is actually a hotel type accommodation and has a large outdoor pool and beautifully decorated rooms. In the summer the rates are around $250 and up depending when you stay, but it’s a good deal considering you are in the mountains. https://www.marriott.com/default.mi If you are looking for a larger space to bring more family or kids then Beaver Run Resort has several options for large rooms. With one or two bedroom suites that also have dining areas and kitchens, you can spread out and let the kids run around. Their rates are much cheaper around $180-200/night depending on how large of a room you need. https://www.beaverrun.com/
Breckenridge offers everything from rafting, to hiking, to shopping and fishing in the summer. It’s a great place to experience Colorado mountain life without spending too much money.
Vail, CO–
If you want to feel like you have traveled to a Bavarian village nestled deep in the Alps, then Vail is your summer getaway. It is not cheap by any means and you are going to feel like you are paying for the Swiss Alps. Vail is a favorite mountain village simply because it is beautiful, filled with delicious restaurants and luxurious accommodations. My favorite place to stay in Vail is the Sonnenalp Hotel, it reminds me of a Swiss home, that is cozy and relaxing https://sonnenalp.com/. After a day of shopping in town and hiking through some stunning trails or even horseback riding, you will want to fall into a plush bed to rejuvenate before dinner. And when you are ready, just head downstairs to the Bully Ranch, where you can grab a drink and relax on the patio, shaded in trees and flowers while you eat. They even have kids menu, which can be a little expensive, but this is Vail, nothing is really cheap here. Blue Moose Pizza is also a great place to eat when you want something less indulgent, it’s in the middle of town, so once you eat you can shop! You can also people watch from their outside terrace.
I do window shop, but buying anything in Vail can be expensive, so I usually don’t, but they have boutique shops that carry just about anything you can want. But even if you can’t spend a lot on souvenirs, it’s fun to just stroll and peruse the European atmosphere and mountain beauty.
Estes Park, CO–
The drive to Estes Park is stunning and you get a bonus drive through Boulder, CO as well. Estes is one of those towns that has it all, mountain beauty, outdoor activities and even a haunted hotel! Yes, it’s true the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park is supposedly haunted, and was used as a model for the hotel Jack Nicholson stayed in when he filmed the movie The Shining, ooh, it gives me chills just thinking of that movie. Don’t watch it if you plan on staying there, just a little life saving tip, you will never sleep. But aside from it’s fame and fortune, the Stanley Hotel is also a trip back into time, the lobby is styled like it might look in the early 1800’s and they provide tours to help you learn the storied history of the hotel. It’s a fun activity if you are a scary movie buff, or if you like history. https://www.stanleyhotel.com/
Strolling the main street in Estes is also a must, you can shop, eat and treat your family to some delicious confectionery. One of my fave places to stop is Penelope’s Old Time Burgers, they have burgers, sandwiches, wings, onion rings and old fashioned sodas, plus they have a kids menu. It is a small place though, so be prepared for it to be packed during lunch.
Estes is famous for little lodges along the river on the way to Rocky Mountain National Park, which I highly recommend hiking through, during the summer though. You can rent cabins that have full kitchens and when you step outside your door there is fishing, fire pits and the rushing sound of water from the river. Riverview Pines is one of those lodges that lets you get the real feel of Estes Park and during the summer rates can be under $200/night. http://www.riverviewpines.com/ If you are looking for more of a hotel style, then definitely stay at the Stanley Hotel (if you aren’t too scared, which I am) or at the Ridgeline Hotel Estes Park. It’s a little more expensive around $250-300/night, but it’s not haunted and has all the amenities a family could need, a game room, pool and tours of the Rocky Mountain National Park leave from the hotel. https://ridgelinehotel.com/
Estes Park is definitely a Colorado favorite, I love to spend the day up there in the summer just exploring the town and mountain wonderland it sits in. The Colorado mountains are full of fun places to explore, filled with natural wonder and activities that appeal to the outdoor adventurers and the shoppers who like to mosey through the towns at their own pace. Which ever one you are, just be sure to stop and savor the summer magic in these beautiful places.