Colorado Summer Trip
Are you looking for a fun family trip to Colorado? This 4 day road trip is perfect for family fun, outdoor adventure and good food.
When you think of Colorado you’re probably thinking mountains and snow. But have you tried visiting this beautiful state during the summer? If you’re in a southern state where the summer heat really gets cooks you then I highly suggest Colorado is a great summer getaway to experience some beautiful cool weather.
Colorado has so many beautiful places to visit. This itinerary is about the fun we had in visiting Colorado Springs, Grand Lake, Winter Park, Estes Park and hiking parts of the beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park.
We drove up to Colorado from our home in North Texas. To break up the drive from home to Colorado we had a quick night stay in Amarillo. We had a wonderful time at the Embassy Suites by Hilton in downtown Amarillo. The next morning we left early to drive the next 6 hours to Colorado Springs.
Colorado Springs
Garden of the Gods
Pull out your camera and make sure to take lots of pics! This place is absolutely breathtaking! Established in 1909 this park is full of natural wonders. It is free to enter and explore the beauty around you. There are many hiking trails, various formations to explore and you may witness a few mountain climbers!
Winter Park, Co :: Winter Park Resort
If you are looking for a fun family centered resort then Winter Park Resort is the place to go. There are many options on places to stay, places to eat and shop. You must eat breakfast at Wake and Bacon in Winter Park. Wonderful service and delicious food!
This place is full of family fun! We purchased the day pass to experience all of the fun activities they offer here. The day pass includes riding the Gondola to hike on top of the mountain, bike riding, a concrete slide to travel down from the top to the bottom of the mountain, putt-putt golf, rock climbing & obstacle courses.
The Gondola Ride up to the top of the mountain and the concrete slide down the mountain were our favorite activities. Once you ride up the Gondola it takes you to the top where you can hike to the Continental Divide. So fun!
If you have littles, then this fun playground in Winter Park near all the shopping stores, restaurants and skate park might be a place to stop. We were so fortunate to experience the perfect weather on these days. We escaped the 100 degree heat in Texas to sunny 70 degrees in Colorado. Definitely bring some sunscreen though. You can sunburn easily! We didn’t realize that until after the first day when we came home bright as cherry tomatoes-haha!
Grand Lake
On our travels from Winter Park to Estes Park we stopped in the fun town of Grand Lake. We visited the local shops and restaurants and soaked in the gorgeous views of the lake. We let the kids discvoer and play with pieces of nature before we hit the road to go thru the Rocky National Park. Once you enter he park you are taken on the beautiful scenic route thru Trail Ridge Road. Just make sure you purchase a ticket the day before you enter the park because the park won’t let you enter until after 2. There is a timed entry ticket you must purchase to enter the park between the hours of 9-2.
The shopping strip offers great food choices, a park for kids to play and some fun shops to find some cute decor or souvenirs.
Estes Park :: Rocky Mountain National Park
This place needs to make it on your bucket list if you haven’t put it on there already.
You can find out how to purchase entry tickets into the park ahead of time by checking out the website prior to planning your trip. Tickets to enter cost $30 per vehicle and a $2 timed entry fee. You have two options for the timed entry fee- Park Access or Park Access +. The second option allows you to visit the well known lakes- Bear Lake, Nymph Lake, Dream Lake and Emerald Lake.
Once you enter the park you begin traveling on the Trail Ridge Road. The road does travel up very high (12,000 feet) so drive slowly if you travel through the whole park. There are some parts of the road that are pretty close to the steep edge so don’t look down! And watch out for wildlife too! There are areas in the park that allow you to pull over to snap some pics but allow you to not block traffic.
Bear Lake, Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, Emerald Lake
After our scenic drive and check in at the Quality Inn in Estes Park, the next day we put our legs to work with some good hiking trails to visit some beautiful lakes in the mountains. As a family of six with little kids it took us about 3 hours to visit all these places. The trail is about 3.6 miles and it is a long trail that can be steep at times. Lots of people are hiking on the trail with you too so you’re not alone. I suggest to bring snacks, water and wear the right shoes for this journey. We all wore tennis shoes but didn’t take into account the rough terrain, uneven paths and slippery snow on the trail.
Colorado has something for everyone and that is what makes it a special place. You can either visit it in the winter to experience skiing or snowboarding or in the summer to soak in the cool temps while hiking, bike-riding and exploring. Either way I guarantee either way you will have an exciting trip!
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