summer colorado travel guide
boulder, estes park and glenwood springs for first timers [77]:
Welcome back friends,
This week I am sharing something a little different yet always has been a big part of my life - travelling. You might be surprised as I have never dedicated one post to travelling before. Fun fact, when I was in college I used to document all of my trips on my Wordpress site.
I have loved exploring different places my whole life and enjoy sharing that with others so I want to bring some of that passion on here. I hope you enjoy and let me know if you want to see more of this on here.
In early August, my boyfriend and I spent a week in Colorado, splitting time between Boulder/Denver/Estes Park/Glenwood Springs. Apart from Denver, it was my first time going to these destinations. We had a lot of fun and also learned a few things about planning. If I could describe myself when it comes to travel, I would say I am a medium planner. I like to have a loose plan but am open for spontaneity. What I learned from this trip is that even when my plan is loose, I need to read the fine lines aka opening time/dates, what is needed for entry, etc. I am sharing the itinerary below and our favorite things from our one week.
We flew from Austin to Denver and then drove a rental car for the whole week. Denver can be navigated with public transportation and Ubers here and there but the rest of Colorado requires a car to explore fully. We rented our car through the Turo app.
A note on Colorado weather: the climate is generally dry and elevation is high meaning air will be thinner with lower oxygen saturation especially if you are coming from the flatlands like us in Texas or the midwest. Bring sunscreen and water bottles when you are out and about because sun protection and hydration are key in the mountains. We went in early August when it was still quite hot but it could easily get chilly in a higher elevation area so a long-sleeved shirt or hoodie/jacket is recommended.
Day 1-2: Boulder and Nederland
We arrived at Denver International Airport at night and had a ramen dinner close to Union Station before heading to our Airbnb in Boulder. Next day, we woke up and headed to Boxcar Coffee for mandatory morning coffee and pastries. I had one of the best cinnamon rolls of my life - it was made using a flaky dough and vanilla bean frosting!
This cafe is on Pearl Street so you can walk along the street for window shopping or people watching. We then headed to Boulder Farmers Market as it was a Saturday. It opens every Wednesday and Saturday.
If you are a book lover, head to Boulder Book Store on Pearl Street. I was pleasantly surprised when I stumbled upon this shop. It is huge with great selection and genres on multiple floors. It was crowded downstairs but was zen on the second floor with plants and statues all around as well as books on art, fiction, religion, etc.
On the same day, we also drove to a nearby town called Nederland. The town was small but the drive was pleasant with a waterfall to check out along the way. In Nederland, we had ice cream at this super small shop called Blue Owl, I would recommend it if you find yourself here.
Day 3: Estes Park
On day 3, we made our way to Estes Park. Estes is the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) as it has a bunch of amenities and accommodation options for a larger town that is conveniently located next to the national park. The town is tourist-friendly with attractions and food options, a good place to explore even if you are not visiting RMNP.
There is a good amount of activities here from hiking, kayaking/paddleboarding, experiencing fun parks and mountain rides, taking the tram up the mountain, or enjoying local delicacies (cherry pies! and bison).
The first thing we did after the drive was walk around town. Their main street area has a disproportionate amount of ice cream/salt water taffy/sweet dessert and souvenir shops. We also noticed a multitude of tie-dye clothing from the stores. After a few laps, we went kayaking on Lake Estes. It was a windy day so my dream of paddle boarding quickly dispelled.
Estes Park is also home to the Stanley Hotel - Stephen King’s inspiration for the book and subsequently movie The Shining. To this day, you can stay here as a guest or take tours of the place. We didn’t stay here but enjoyed checking out the lobby and surrounding areas of The Stanley. On the lower floor, there is a Cherry Pie Company Cafe with coffee options and great pies!
I am a sucker for thrilling rides so I couldn’t miss the chance to slide down the mountain at Mustang Mountain Coaster. I wanted to go to this Open Air Adventure Park with the rope course and zip line (yes I am a kid) but they were closed on Monday!! Please go explore the park on my behalf.
If you leaving Estes Park towards Boulder/Denver, do not miss out on the Cherry Pie Company in Lyons. They make delicious pies (savory and sweet), we loved both the bison and cherry pies and got a bison pie to bake to go. I am not the biggest pie fan but I thoroughly enjoyed them. They also have every-thing-cherry grocery store in this shop.
Day 4-5: Glenwood Springs
After a few days in Boulder, we packed up our things and drove west to Glenwood Springs. The winding drive through the mountains and river was gorgeous and made the time fly.
I highly recommend checking out Grizzly Creek Reststop/trailhead area as you approach Glenwood. You can get down to the Colorado river and admire the beautiful view.
One of the highlights of Glenwood was the hot springs experience and it did not disappoint. There were a few hot springs pool options in Glenwood but we opted for Iron Mountain. I love that they have multiple pools with varying temperature rather than one huge shared pool. They play peaceful music and have adult only section so you can relax. You will have the privilege to see the Colorado River from Iron Mountain, which is such a huge plus for me.
Next day, we went on a white water rafting trip. We booked our trip through this company. P grew up doing whitewater rafting and this was my first time and we both had a blast. The total trip was about 4.5 hours so lather yourself with sunscreen and bring extra as it gets very sunny. My favorite part is navigating the stronger currents and floating in the Colorado river.
Ravenous as we were, we discovered this wonderful Indian - Nepali restaurant called Masala & Curry. I am not an expert in Indian food but this is one of the best I have ever had in the US. We love their sweet naan, mango lassi, and chicken tikka masala.
Fortunately, we were also in town the same day as the Downtown Wednesday farmers market on 7th Street and were treated to a delicious peach pie. There was also live music.
Day 6-7: Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) and Denver
Two big tips for your RMNP visit: one, plan ahead for what you want to explore and two, get the Timed Entry Plus Bear Lake Road pass. Summer/early Fall is a busy time to visit and you will need a pass. Most visitors plan to go on hiking trails and the most popular ones are part of the Bear Lake area. We made the error of securing the standard one and were denied entry into the Bear Lake trails :(
RMNP usually releases two batches of passes, one wave is a month ahead and one is a few days before the date of the visit. Please go to their website and secure a timed entry pass.
On our visit, we got rained on and was under-prepared for trekking in the rain so ended up not completing one. The park rains a lot in summer afternoons, which we had no clue about until we chatted with a park ranger. Nevertheless, we got some good views and a good lake walk.
The last two days, Phil and I got sick and was down to the dumps so we didn’t do too much. We did however explored two yummy food spots: Denver Poke Company and Kochi Cafe (they have a lot of tea offerings and their Cape Town Fog, their play on London Fog with rooibois tea was *chef’s kiss*)
If you have never been, Meow Wolf in Denver is an interactive exhibit that is good to visit too. Meow Wolf is good for adults and kids alike.
I hope you enjoy this post on my travels. I would love to do more of it in the future. Leave me a comment on your favorite place in Colorado if you have been and if you have not, a favorite place you went this summer, I’d love to know.
Please share this post with a fellow friend if you think they might benefit from this guide, I would be so grateful!
Looks like a great trip! Love Estes park and RMNP! 💕
You hit all the good spots ;)