Category Archives: Vacation

Estes Park Colorado

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From Diamond Resorts Destination Page

Estes Park Colorado

Good Morning Travel friends! Sorry I missed last weekend. It was just a busy 2 days. I’m one step closer to being travel ready. I got my first COVID shot. 2nd one coming up this week. I hear we will need a booster every year!

 

Well let’s get back to vetting Colorado locations, shall we? How about Estes Park next? That’s a familiar name. I think Estes Park is a fairly well known destination. I also think it’s a winter destination known for skiing. But just wait til you hear what the web has to say. Might as well start there.

Google for Estes Park

 

Photo from Wikipedia

Estes Park is a town in northern Colorado. Located as a base for the Rocky Mountain National Park, it’s home to wildlife including elk and bears, plus miles of trails. The park’s Trail Ridge Road winds past craggy peaks, forests and tundra. Nearby are the wilderness areas of Roosevelt National Forest. The Estes Park Aerial Tramway connects the town to the summit of Prospect Mountain for views over the valley. ― Google

Estes Park in Summer

Estes Park is a popular winter vacation destination but what can we do in the summer. Turns out, quite a lot. I found a link marked Extreme Estes Park from Trip Advisor. Loaded with hiking and private tours; looks like lots of adventures waiting.  There’s a Rocky Mountain Jeep tour. (Jeep tours are always fun) . I like the sound of the Evening Wildlife tour in Rock Mountain National Park. It has 5 stars! Nearly every Summer Safari they see Moose cows and sometimes bulls, Elk bulls and cow herds with calves, Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep on the distant mountains through the spotting scope, Yellow-bellied Marmots, American Pika, and a number of small cute critters only found in the Rockies like Least Chipmunk, Ground Squirrels, many different birds and some hawk & eagles.

Of course being a photography nut this tour caught my eye: Evening Private Wildlife Safari in RMNP
Here’s the description-For the Landscape option we can shot Sunrise at an Subalpine Lake, on the Tundra, or along the river of a Mountain Meadow. Wildlife like Moose, Elk, Mule Deer, Marmots, Pika, and on lucky days Bighorn Sheep can be captured. 

All guests have access to our arsenal of Nikon pro cameras and lens like the D810 and 600mm lens.

 I’ll need more than 1 trip to see everything I want to see.

Fraser & Keystone Colorado

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Fraser & Keystone Colorado

Lets take 2 Colorado locations today, Fraser and Keystone. Why 2 you ask? Because they are both very close to other locations we’ve already discussed. Fraser is only 2 miles from Winter Park so I’m sure the research I did for Winter Park also applies to Fraser.

From Diamond Resorts Web page

In Fraser we would stay at Indian  Peaks Condos. At Indian Peaks, a lot of effort has been placed into seeing that your vacation home meets your expectations, but this resort is not for you if you need your hand held; there are no organized activities. No basket-weaving, no Stampn’ Up! This resort is all about immersing yourself in nature and the beauty of the Rockies, with more than 800 miles of marked trails through National Forest and National Park at your doorstep. Not for the faint of heart either, a few of the units are on the third floor, spectacular views but no elevator.

From Great Sandunes National Park web page

There are somethings I’d like to see and/or do in Fraser. There’s Great Sand Dunes National Park to name one. A sandbox of epic proportions, the entire dune field encompasses 30 square miles and the tallest dune towers 750 feet high. Feeling adventurous? You can even go sledding down the dunes. It will satisfy the kid in you!

Fraser Wildlife

From Fraser Activity Web Page

Left your hiking boots at home? Don’t worry, there’s no need to hit the trails to see Colorado’s wildlife in its natural habitat. Hundreds of scenic roads lead safely past elk, bighorn sheep, moose, bison, bald eagles and other watchable wildlife — making this the perfect activity for travelers of all abilities. With a pair of binoculars, you won’t even have to unbuckle your seatbelt

Keystone

Keystone is centered around River Run Village, which sits at the base of the slopes. The town sits at 9,280 feet above sea level, with the mountain summit at 12,408 feet. It’s located less than an hour and a half from Denver, in busy Summit County.

Keystone is more urbane than some other mountain towns in the sense that it has a very upscale, high-end bunch of spas, athletic groups, and restaurants that cater to those looking to be wowed. 

As to be expected in a ski resort, there is a gondola to the top of a mountain. The Scenic Gondola Ride is a perfect activity for the whole family. Ride to the top of Keystone Mountain where you can enjoy incredible views of Lake Dillon, the Continental Divide, & the Ten Mile Range. 

Keystone is only 10 miles from Breckenridge and Vail is about 37 miles. Check the posts for Vail and Breckenridge for more comments on the area. 

Still Thinking About Colorado

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Colorado on my mind

Yes, I’m still thinking about a Colorado Vacation. I’m one step closer since I got my first vaccine shot last week. 2nd dose is scheduled for April 22. But I have a confession. I miss seeing the sights but I don’t miss the effort it takes to get there. Planes, TSA lines, layovers…my body gets tired just thinking about it. Too bad travel couldn’t be like the Enterprise. Beam me up Scotty and I’d be wherever I wanted to be. I always tell my traveling companions they need to embrace the journey, not just the destination. Half the adventure is getting there but my body is starting to get weary. 

Mesa, Colorado

 

Well enough complaining lets see what Mesa, Colorado has to offer for vacation. 
If you like to ski Goldenwoods Condominiums is located right on the slopes of Powderhorn, and the ski lifts are within walking distance of the resort. 

But what if like me you don’t ski and the old knees make hiking and climbing mountains difficult. What can you do in Mesa? 

Summer activities in Mesa

Maybe I need to get that knee replaced because the hiking sounds really fine. There are tons of trails and it’s reported that there are no crowds! You can hike through dense pine forests while others trails  trek along high ridgelines with unobstructed views in all directions. Camping is another attraction. Large sites (and a rumor says you can go car camping)  allow you to enjoy the mild evening temperatures to fall asleep under the stars.

If your joints are getting a bit creaky and camping and hiking aren’t your thing there are over 300 lakes in the region for your boating, paddle boarding and fishing pleasure. 

Last but not least is the Scenic Byway 65 (Grand Mesa Scenic Byway). The Grand Mesa leads through old-growth forests, aspens, meadows and so many lakes you’ll lose track. That’s Grand Mesa in a nutshell. Allow at least  2 hours to travel the full 63 miles. This drive is definitely best in summer as  parts of the road  may be closed in winter.

Winter Park Colorado

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Winter Park Colorado

I’m still counting down the resort options I have for  Colorado. Next up is Winter Park Colorado. Just by the name I’m betting it’s another ski resort. It’s a pretty familiar name too. I think It’s been in my choice list for awhile. Lets see what I can find out about a Winter Park Vacation. 

 

 

 

 

Summer In Winter Park, Colorado

It sounds like Winter Park is one ski town that has decided to embrace summer. The list seems endless. Toping the list is, of course, hiking. That seems to be a number one recreation at most of the resorts.  And why not?    Colorado is known for it’s beauty and majestic mountains.  But there sure seems to be more   than just hiking.  For example you could go flight seeing.  Aerial flight tours depart daily from Granby airport. Fly high above the valley floor to see the majestic Rocky Mountains, Continental Divide and numerous high alpine lakes.      

Maybe Ballooning?

Maybe small planes make you nervous? How about a scenic balloon ride. These look pretty popular. https://www.grandadventureballoon.com/  And the scenery looks breathtaking don’t you think?

 

 

 

Enjoy a taste of the West

Summer in the Rocky Mountains is Rodeo time and Winter Park carries on that tradition. Get a unique perspective on Western history and culture in the Rocky Mountains, and attend one of Winter Park’s signature Western events.

Whether your group includes young children or older adults, there’s plenty of fun and excitement to be had at the High Country Stampede Rodeo and the Middle Park Fair & Rodeo!

 

For the full experience, start in the late afternoon with mutton busting (little-want-to-be-cowboys kids riding sheep till they slip off), and then grab a delicious BBQ dinner before the main event. Roping cowboys, rodeo queens, bucking broncos and clowns—you won’t want to miss a thing.

Scenic drives

If the “Old West” doesn’t interest you maybe a scenic drive or two . You are only 37 miles from Rocky Mountain National Park where you can find  359 miles of trails, 150 high-alpine lakes, 60 species of mammals, more than 750 camping spots. Oh I wish I’d started traveling when I was younger! 

Up Next- Steamboat Springs Colorado

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Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Steamboat Springs, Colorado is next on the list of locations. This was actually the vacation I had scheduled when COVID hit.   Let’s see how it stacks up now that the resort list has expanded. When I chose Steamboat Springs it was because choices were very limited but I really wanted to visit Colorado and check that state off my list. As I researched my options back then I played John Denver‘s  Rocky Mountain High  for inspiration.

What’s Google have to say?

When researching these trips I rely heavily on Google searches. So what did I find about Steamboat springs? “Steamboat Springs is a city in northern Colorado’s Yampa Valley. It’s home to the Howelsen Hill ski area and the Steamboat ski resort. The latter has 6 peaks including Mount Werner. The city’s geothermal hot springs are said to have therapeutic properties. Near the city center, the long-standing Old Town Hot Springs is equipped with swimming and soaking pools, plus water slides”.

Plus when I hear the snow and ski reports Steamboat Springs is always mentioned – “Steamboat Springs got 27 inches of snow last night” The avalanche risk is….” No, skiing Steamboat Springs or anywhere in Colorado  is not on my bucket list although I will admit that those hot springs in winter fascinate me . What would it be like outside in freezing temps in a bathing suit and soaking in steaming water?

Up Next- Steamboat Springs Colorado

Unknown Photographer- downloaded from the web

Let’s go to a Rodeo

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Photo Downloaded from Publicity Material 2020

If we plan our vacation between mid-June and Mid-August we can go to a real pro rodeo. I’ve been to rodeo’s but is a real Western Rodeo the same as one of our eastern imitations? I’d love to see a “real” rodeo so I had planned that canceled vacation so that I could attend one. I’ll have to keep it in mind if Steamboat Springs is my choice this time. 

Unknown Photographer

What else is there to do in Summer?

If hot springs and rodeos aren’t your cup of tea other activities around Colorado Springs are hiking and Mountain biking. They say the scenery is breathtaking. You can go horseback riding and paddleboard on the lakes. Like waterfalls? You can take a picture of Fish Creek Falls.  
And that, my friends about sums up Summer in Steamboat Springs.