Looking for vacation suggestions (1 Viewer)

[lastcall4oh]

OK...making vacation plans. I am going to be in Boulder for a couple of days for a meeting the middle of July.Taking the family (Wife, 2 kids (5 and 7) and we want to spend 4-5 days in the mountains. We are kicking around the idea of taking the tent and camping equipment but most likely will end up finding a cabin and making some day trips. I was thinking a trip down to Gunnison/Pitkin/Ohio City but not sure I want to waste a day driving. Maybe Estes Park. Too touristy? Any suggestions?

 

[Mile High]

OK...making vacation plans. I am going to be in Boulder for a couple of days for a meeting the middle of July.Taking the family (Wife, 2 kids (5 and 7) and we want to spend 4-5 days in the mountains. We are kicking around the idea of taking the tent and camping equipment but most likely will end up finding a cabin and making some day trips. I was thinking a trip down to Gunnison/Pitkin/Ohio City but not sure I want to waste a day driving. Maybe Estes Park. Too touristy? Any suggestions?

Rocky mountain national park is out side Estes Park. The YMCA has cabins you can rent but there will be lot's of kids. You can do day trips along Peak to Peak highway. Even if you just stay in Boulder it's not a far drive to RMNP-Denver-Colorado Springs

 

[ffldrew]

OK...making vacation plans. I am going to be in Boulder for a couple of days for a meeting the middle of July.Taking the family (Wife, 2 kids (5 and 7) and we want to spend 4-5 days in the mountains. We are kicking around the idea of taking the tent and camping equipment but most likely will end up finding a cabin and making some day trips. I was thinking a trip down to Gunnison/Pitkin/Ohio City but not sure I want to waste a day driving. Maybe Estes Park. Too touristy? Any suggestions?

First off - you will never "waste" a day driving in the mountains - pack a picnic cooler and just find a place to stop.A couple of ideasSteamboat area - with a trip to the hot springs - Strawberry Park (it's clothing optional after dark). Good hiking - there is are several day trips to lakes - Yampa river is fun for tubing but 5/7 will be to young for that IMO unless they are awesome swimmers. 4 hrs from DenverGlenwood Area - bigger hot springs - a big pool w/ slides - Glenwood has some caves, a chair lift ride, zip lines and a hike to Hanging Lake is great - Aspen is down the road - Marble area is nice(where they pulled marble for many monuments in DC) - great 4WD trails and hikes - A 3hr or more drive from DenverMt. Princeton area(Nathrop) - south of Buena Vista - nice hot springs - 4WD trails to ghost town areas - some lakes - Cottonwood Lake(north of Buena Vista) is easy to fish at for kids. Trip to Taylor Reservoir. Hikes are a bit steeper. A good jumping off spot for rafting but the water levels will be gone by then we have had a terrible year. Buena Vista has an awesome ice cream place along the river in town a must stop for families. 2.5 hours from Denver via 285Great suggestion on the YMCA - but it's a busy place - Estes area has a lot to do and it is a fantastic park - take old Fall river road.Sylvan Lake - in Edwards - nice lake - cabins - drive over West Cottonwood Pass to Ruedi Reservoir and Aspen - the back side of Mt Holy Cross - this is just past Vail. 3 hrs from Denver. Vail is nice - Gore range just north of Vail is where Colorado river is - easy float/raft trips for kids on this one in July - not much "action" - but a great Canyon float.Breckenridge - has the Alpine slides for kids as does Winter Park

 

[Mile High]

OK...making vacation plans. I am going to be in Boulder for a couple of days for a meeting the middle of July.Taking the family (Wife, 2 kids (5 and 7) and we want to spend 4-5 days in the mountains. We are kicking around the idea of taking the tent and camping equipment but most likely will end up finding a cabin and making some day trips. I was thinking a trip down to Gunnison/Pitkin/Ohio City but not sure I want to waste a day driving. Maybe Estes Park. Too touristy? Any suggestions?

First off - you will never "waste" a day driving in the mountains - pack a picnic cooler and just find a place to stop.A couple of ideasSteamboat area - with a trip to the hot springs - Strawberry Park (it's clothing optional after dark). Good hiking - there is are several day trips to lakes - Yampa river is fun for tubing but 5/7 will be to young for that IMO unless they are awesome swimmers. 4 hrs from DenverGlenwood Area - bigger hot springs - a big pool w/ slides - Glenwood has some caves, a chair lift ride, zip lines and a hike to Hanging Lake is great - Aspen is down the road - Marble area is nice(where they pulled marble for many monuments in DC) - great 4WD trails and hikes - A 3hr or more drive from DenverMt. Princeton area(Nathrop) - south of Buena Vista - nice hot springs - 4WD trails to ghost town areas - some lakes - Cottonwood Lake(north of Buena Vista) is easy to fish at for kids. Trip to Taylor Reservoir. Hikes are a bit steeper. A good jumping off spot for rafting but the water levels will be gone by then we have had a terrible year. Buena Vista has an awesome ice cream place along the river in town a must stop for families. 2.5 hours from Denver via 285Great suggestion on the YMCA - but it's a busy place - Estes area has a lot to do and it is a fantastic park - take old Fall river road.Sylvan Lake - in Edwards - nice lake - cabins - drive over West Cottonwood Pass to Ruedi Reservoir and Aspen - the back side of Mt Holy Cross - this is just past Vail. 3 hrs from Denver. Vail is nice - Gore range just north of Vail is where Colorado river is - easy float/raft trips for kids on this one in July - not much "action" - but a great Canyon float.Breckenridge - has the Alpine slides for kids as does Winter Park

Good info. I understanding the not wasting a day of driving. I would suggest settling on a area and making it your base. That's why I brought up maybe staying in Boulder if the price is right/you like where you are. There are nice hiking areas around Boulder for young kids. You can get to RMNP in an hour which is a must if you are only an hour away IMO. You can head up Boulder canyon to Peak to Peak highway and just pull over any where and have an adventure. Denver is just minutes away with lots of things to do with your kids. You know your family best. I think Cheyenne Frontier Days starts in mid July and only about 100 miles away, that's something to see even if you're not a cowboy.

 

[Rick James]

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