Anyone here from COLORADO?

Thankyou, Thankyou, Thankyou for all the advice... now just need some time to sit down and plan!

wow, I was thinking last night I would like to go to Colorado this summer and then saw this thread. We have older kids... would like to do lots of single track mountain biking, and maybe some white water rafting- any suggestions? I wish I had been adventurous and went biking in the mountains and stuff when I was living in Colorado!! In UAE I realize I had taken granted all of the nature in Colorado and now whenever I go back to visit I am a total tourist exploring places I never went before :) for mountain biking here is a site for you: http://www.trails.com/toptrails.aspx?area=10028 for white water rafting (which I have done only once --pathetic I now!!! But it was sooooooo fun!! And now I keep visiting my family during the winter months so I am waiting till I go during warmer weather!!): http://www.coloradorafting.net/#home and http://www.raftcolorado.net/ awwwww I wanna go with you!! LOL edited by Abaddon on 17/01/2011 <em>edited by Abaddon on 17/01/2011</em>

jwal, since you are going to be in Colorado for a month you have plenty of time to see lots of colorado! :D You already got some great suggestions so I will concentrate on Denver :) so for now, here are some things for Denver specifically.... [b'>Denver Museum of Nature & Science[/b'> [b'>Denver Children's Museum[/b'> [b'>Denver Art Museum [/b'>(they have activities for young children) [b'>Denver Zoo[/b'> [b'>Butterfly Pavillion [/b'>(not just butterflies-other insects too) [b'>Denver Aquarium[/b'> [b'>16th Street Mall[/b'> in Downtown, Denver to take a stroll and shop. [b'>Six Flags Elitch Gardens[/b'> (thought I don't know what the young children area is like at all... never paid attention) There is a smaller, older amusement park named [b'>Lakeside[/b'> but its older and smaller and some of us call it the ghetto amusement park LOL but it might be good if you want an amusement park day to be as short as possible.... [b'>Cheesman Park[/b'>-its a beautiful park...and in case you didn't know, if you watch the movie "The Changeling" starring George C. Scott--this is really the neighborhood these events took place (though as with most 'based on a true story movies, things were changed to make it more dramatic). [b'>Cherry Creek Reservoir[/b'>--beautiful area to go driving through, picnicking, taking short strolls with the kids, and some nice sandy areas along the water... ...just a few ideas there for your consideration :) If you do go down to Colorado Springs, you will get a chance to stop and shop at the Outlets at Castle Rock :) or course you could do this on the way back to Denver of course. Here is a website that might help you plan activities and such while you are in Colorado: http://www.coloradokids.com/ http://parks.state.co.us/Pages/HomePage.aspx -on the left side is the drop down list of all the parks you can look up. http://www.colorado.com/Articles.aspx?aid=42134 http://rockymountainnationalpark.com/ <em>edited by Abaddon on 17/01/2011</em>

I second Estes park in the rockies. The kids will absolutely never forget this vacation. The cabins are very rustic, with the basics, but they are clean and very spacious. Then the kids can either go to day camps, or they can be with you hiking, swimming, fishing, horse riding, hay rides that take you through the mountains and you have roasted marshmallows at the top, and luckily you will get to see elks all around. there is Estes lake very close by, which also has a lot of activities. It's beautiful. There was not one complaint we had, although we only were available to stay two nights, because booking is done quite in advance. months, I believe.

Sue there are excellent places to bike in Moab area in Utah. In general you have so many options. I have a cousin living outside Denver who frequently white water rafter so I can ask him. I have quite a few books and guides on USA road trips and many photo albums of my trips if anyone wants to see them.

wow, I was thinking last night I would like to go to Colorado this summer and then saw this thread. We have older kids... would like to do lots of single track mountain biking, and maybe some white water rafting- any suggestions?

wow, I was thinking last night I would like to go to Colorado this summer and then saw this thread. We have older kids... would like to do lots of single track mountain biking, and maybe some white water rafting- any suggestions?

If you have kids or even if you do not [url=http://www.casabonitadenver.com/'>Casa Bonita[/url'> Restaurant in Denver is really fun. The food is quite average but the atmosphere is very entertaining and memorable.

I'd recommend Boulder. It's about an hour from Denver International Airport. You can rent a car at the airport or take the Super Shuttle (supershuttle.com) into Boulder. There is lots to do in Boulder in the summer. You can walk the outdoor Pearl Street Mall and watch street performers while the kids climb on rock statutes and play in water fountains. There is free live music every Wed evening on Pearl Street in the summer (Bands on the Bricks). Every Wed and Sat, you can go to the Boulder Farmers Market and enjoy a stroll down Boulder creek while sampling local produce and checking out local art work. There are lots of parks, tons of hiking for all fitness levels/age groups, and bike paths that run all over town. The weather will be hot during the day in July but it cools down in the evenings no matter how hot it is. There's lots a great food! From Boulder, you can drive about 45 minutes into the mountains to visit Estes Park, a quaint little mountain tourist town. Or you can drive 1.5 - 2 hours up 1-70 to Breckenridge/Vail/Beaver Creek, ski resort towns. There will not be any skiing in July (ski season is usually October-March/April ish) but you can still have fun on the slopes. You can take the ski lifts up the mountain, then mountain bike back down or just enjoy the beauty of the Rockies. Denver might be fun to visit for a day; they have a children's museum, zoo, IMAX, Natural History museum, and the outdoor 16th Street Mall is fun for food and shopping. I agree that vrbo.com is a great way to find rental. If you do decide on Boulder, feel free to email me and I can give you further input about where to stay and what to do! [email protected]

ohhh I don't have children and since your children are still really young I will ask my sis in Colorado for some ideas since she has children :) all my ideas in my head were for older children :P Thanks Abaddon, muchly appreciated!

ohhh I don't have children and since your children are still really young I will ask my sis in Colorado for some ideas since she has children :) all my ideas in my head were for older children :P

Thanks so much for all this info ladies, really helpful! My kids are 2, 4 and 6 so need to keep them entertained for a month! Is there still skiing in July?

Hi I'm back :) you have gotten some great advice already... how old are your children and for how long will you be staying in Colorado? there is actually lots to do so knowing how long you have and the age of your children will make a difference to give recommendations.

Ins, is this a travel forum? Sounds like it is full of helpful info I am so envious. I try to go to Colorado every Summer for a short period. I love the west and if you have extra time to venture Montana and South Dakota are far but worth it .

This exact question came up on another forum I’m a part of . Here are the responses: Colorado Springs. Its advantage over many other Colorado destinations is that its many lovely attractions are right nearby, so instead of flying in somewhere and driving an hour+ to your destination, when you arrive in Colorado Springs you're maybe 10-15 minutes from your hotel. Great for an easy, relaxing vacation. If you are feeling a little indulgent, check out the Broadmoor: www.broadmoor.com It's a gorgeous historic resort right in Colorado Springs. It has a fabulous resort-style pool (the beach-entry kind) with water slides, pedal boats on the lake, bikes, etc. Lovely place that's very kid-friendly. In the past year or two (since the economy tanked) they've been offering tempting rates in the summer. It's definitely worth checking out. We went in June 2009 and our son (now 5 yrs.) still asks to go back. He loved the pool! Staying at the Broadmoor, we enjoyed relaxing at the hotel and venturing out to Garden of the Gods, the Pikes Peak Cog Railway (still snow on the top in June), etc. I know you said Colorado, but have you considered Jackson, Wyoming? The Tetons are absolutely stunning, and there's tons to do (you could stay for more than a week), including easy (flat) hikes around the lakes at the base of the Tetons. There's an alpine slide (family friendly summer bobsled kind of thing) at the little ski area right in Jackson. At the Jackson Hole ski area, you can take the tram to the top and hike up there. (We rode the tram, but didn't hike, so I don't know if there's easy/kid-friendly terrain up there.) You can also take day trips up to Yellowstone from a base in Jackson. Flights to Jackson can be pricey, but sometimes you can get a great deal, and again, you have the advantage of being right at your destination, as opposed to having to drive an hour+ to get where you're going. I just returned from CO with my family. We spent a few nights at YMCA of the Rockies near Winter Park. It was AWESOME for families: crafts, roller skating, indoor pool, sleigh rides, sledding. In the summer you could also do miniature golf, hiking, pony rides, and a whole bunch of other things you don't do in 5 degree winter weather. The cafeteria food was, well, cafeteria, but everything else was great. We stayed in a two-bedroom cabin with a view of the mountains. I think they also have "day camp" in the summer if you want to ditch the kids for a day and have fun on your own. Here is my two cents for Colorado Springs. I have family there, so I am biased, but we go up there every summer with our girls (ages 3 1/2 and 13 months now) and have a great time. It is very cheap as far as accommodations and the airport is tiny, making it very easy to fly in and out of with kids (read - no security lines!). Here is what I would suggest as far things to do: Colorado Springs Zoo (very neat and scenic views over the city on a mountain), Olympic Training Center, COG railroad up Pikes Peak - http://cograilway.com/, Garden of the Gods - hiking and biking, Air Force Academy – tour, Maintou Springs - lots of hotels and motels and shops at the base of Pikes Peak, Old Town Colorado Springs - outdoor shopping and parks, Mining Museum - close to the Air Force Academy - neat for all ages, Seven Falls - neat hike next to a huge waterfall, tons of trails and hikes close by You should check out Durango. It is a very neat town, plus there is the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Aspen has a nice outdoor shopping and eating area that is closed of to cars with places for kids to play. The food and shopping compares to NYC, but there are affordable options. There are many great festivals though the summer and fall. Google for a schedule. There are several nice bike paths that are flat around Aspen. Maroon Bells area is an easy hiking area close by. Aspen is great, but expensive.

Get Bolder in Boulder !!! And you also have the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, white-water rafting, the original Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Mesa Verde National Park, the San Juan Skyway scenic drive. Other outdoor Durango attractions include Vallecito Lake, one of the prettiest Alpine lakes you can imagine. With acres and acres of water and shoreline primed for fishing, swimming, horseback riding, and enjoying the scenery, the lake is dotted with guest ranches, mountain lodging providers, and cabins.

I have loads of travel books also. Right now Saniservice is here so I can't get to my albums or books I am more than happy to get you loads of info a little later this evening There are pow wows that children love (native American festivals/culture) Sand dunning , also consider trekking into New Mexico, AZ, Utah, or Wyoming for fantastic rodeos

Colorado Springs is gorgeous and so is Boulder. You would find plenty to do in both cities.

I am from Colorado :) I will have to come back later to give you advice- I have to go now... but one site I know off the top of my head you should check out is: www.nps.gov/romo/ <em>edited by Abaddon on 12/01/2011</em>

http://www.vrbo.com is an excellent way to find a vacation home to rent. We used them to find a vacation rental in December as all of our family was coming in from different states and it worked out great.

I highly recommend the million dollar highway Durango to silver ton and staying in Telluride

Thanks Sophia, is there anywhere you would recommened in Colorado for a family with 3 young kids?

Hello jwal I am not from Colorado but have been on a few road trips there. What area are you headed to? Imhave plenty of photo albums as well if you ever want to look thru them

Hi there, we are looking to go to Colorado for july and need some suggestions of good websites for holiday homes, best places to go etc, would be grateful for recommendations, thanks.