Any Colorado ladies?

[justsam]

Visit Rocky Mtn Natl Park - you can drive up Trail Ridge Road. It'll probably be getting cold, so take layers if you plan on getting out of the car. If you like beer, head up to Ft Collins - there are a number of microbreweries up there. And a Budweiser brewery, if that's of interest. If you do end up in Ft Collins, Old Town is fun to walk around in, though it,s not very big.

Or there's Boulder. It's more toward Denver, but it's an experience.

[Deleted]

Ditto justsam. The awesome thing about Estes is that you don't really have to plan anything, just let the day take you. Within Estes is a great creekside trail with shops and ice cream and the occasional elk and deer. Drive west up Trail Ridge through Rocky Mnt Natl Park and spend an afternoon in Grand Lake (if you want to get fancy have dinner and stay at the Grand Lake lodge for the night - I wouldn't recommend driving back down Trail Ridge at night), then another day drive east and check out Pearl St in Boulder.

I also agree that late September will be chilly. I'm sure Trail Ridge will still be open, but know if we get some crazy early snow there is a chance it will close, so plan that part for the beginning of your trip to be safe.

Have fun!

[azurely]

I'm not from Colorado, but I'm totally jealous... I love Estes Park, it's gorgeous there!

[ldh1008]

We just got back from Estes Park 2 weeks ago. I am so jealous you are going! I am back in the Houston heat! You could go white water rafting, we used Rapid River Transit they were amazing and have an office in town. You can also go on a ghost tour at the Stanly Hotel. The grounds are so pretty to walk around also. I know you said Grand Lake too, it is nice to walk around and do a little shopping or paddle boat. We didn't get to do much hiking since our almost two year old was with us I was hoping we could do more. Also, my parents ate a Bald Pate Inn and said it was really good. Have a great time!

[Deleted]

Aug 12, 2012 11:56:58 GMT -5 namasteak said:

Maybe we will do Grand Lake in the morning bc we have to do dinners with MIL

If you go in the morning, the Corner Cupboard has awesome breakfast and brunch (it's been a few years, but I would be shocked if it were gone).

[daisyheadmaizie]

You have to get some taffy from the little taffy shop on the main drag in Estes. You can watch them make it too. I've been know to have DH go to Estes just for taffy. There are a lot of cute shops to browse on the main stretch too. You can easily spend a day just wondering in and out of shops, etc.

Definitely drive up into Rocky Mountain National Park one day.

On your way to Estes or back to the airport, you can go through Lyons, which is another cute little town. Lots of cute shops for browsing. There is a great little brewery/restaurant there, Oscar Blues Brewery. Lyons in only about 30 minutes or so from Boulder, which you could easily kill the rest of the day in. Browse Pearl Street. There are tons of random shops, a cute bookstore, and there wil be random street performers up and down the street. September is always a fun and interesting time in Boulder as all the college kids will be back. Great people watching. The Med is a fantastic local Boulder restaurant.

If you have any specific questions or want some more recs PM me. We spend a lot of time in this area. Oh, also, check and see if there are any small town festivals/fairs going on in the area. You will just be missing the Peach Festival, but there are a ton of them this time of year.