FAMILY ROADTRIP TO
COLORADO

SHARED BY AMY

16 NIGHTS/8 STOPS

Exceptional Family itinerary to Colorado, designed by Amy, a native Coloradan!

I wanted to share a different part of Colorado with my husband and 2 daughters. I had beautiful childhood memories of trips to Mesa Verde NP and I remembered it as one of the most amazing natural wonders that I had ever seen. Since we’re usually in Denver or Vail, we decided to visit the southern part of the state during summer time, including visits to 2 national parks. We don’t like to spend too much time in the car, therefore the longest distance in this trip was the 5h30 drive between Telluride and Vail. Our budget for the whole trip was around $ 2050 per person for 16 nights (excluded food and activities) .

16 nights & 8 stops
$
1600 km
from May to October
road trip & nature

ABOUT AMY: From Colorado, she is married to Jan-Willem from the Netherlands. They have 2 teenage girls, ages 16 and 14 years old. The international family currently lives in NY. Before that, they spent many years in Geneva, Switzerland. Amy’s family has been to Vail, Colorado many times, as they have a family home there. Amy and her family like active vacations, where they can discover new sports activities. They love hiking.

WHAT AMY LOVED ABOUT THIS TRIP?

Laid back mountain experience.

Riding along the cliffs during the train ride

Mesa Verde National Park

Denver

Great Dunes

Pagosa Springs

Durango

Purgatory resort

Telluride

Vail

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TRIP

Denver

Historic district of Lower Downtown (LoDo)
MOCA exhibits (museum of modern art)
RiNo (River North Art District) trendy district

NEW YORK – DENVER

5h

RENTAL CAR

1600 km & 19 hours on the road
8 stops

AVERAGE BUDGET PER PERSON

TOTAL = $ 2050/pp for 16 nights (excl. food & activities)
$ 1275 pp for 16 nights
$500 /pp flights
$275 /pp car rental

1. AIRPORT TO
DENVER

15 km – 20 min

Denver

LoDo Historic district

2 NIGHTS

Where we stayed ?
What we did?

Visit LoDo (Lower Downtown) is a neighborhood in Denver, and is one of the oldest places in the city. It is an historic district, known for its nightlife & urban revitalization. A 10 min drive from Cherry Creek.

Try to attend a game at Coors Field, a famous baseball park located in downtown Denver. It is the home field of the Colorado Rockies.

Visit one of Denver’s most iconic historic landmarks, Union Station, a refurbished old train station originally from 1914, with excellent restaurants & shops.

Visit one of the great exhibits at MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art)

Don’t miss a visit to the biggest REI flagship store (a premier outdoor gear and sporting goods store) , located on the Platte River. They have a climbing wall inside.

There is also a nice aquarium to visit in Downtown Denver.

Don’t miss River North Art District, nicknamed “RiNo,” this trendy district features contemporary art galleries, hip concert venues in revamped industrial buildings, Food Halls and nice restaurants. It is Denver’s Brooklyn 😉 Have dinner there.

Visit one of the 11 breweries in the neighborhood amongst which you have the Rhino Blue Moon Brewery.

Denver Central Market is a small indoor market reminiscent of NY’s Chelsea Market for dessert or coffee after dinner.

2. DENVER TO
GREAT DUNES NP

400 km/4h30

Great Dunes NP

Sand Sledding

1 NIGHT

Where we stayed?
What we did?

On your way to Great Dunes NO, make a stop in Pueblo for an authentic Mexican meal (do not stay there). Cactus Flower Restaurant Traditional Mexican restaurant/cuisine.

We rented snowboards and sleds for sand sledding. Make sure you go early and you wear shoes, as the sun makes the sand very hot. A lot of fun for the whole family.

An alternative would be to plan a one day hike.

3. GREAT DUNES NP TO
PAGOSA SPRINGS

180 km /2h10

Pagosa Springs

Hot springs

1 NIGHT

4. PAGOSA SPRINGS TO
DURANGO

100 km / 1h10

Mesa Verde NP

Cliff dwellings and archeological wonders

3 NIGHTS

Where we stayed ?
What we did?

Wake up at the crack of dawn to go to Mesa Verde NP which is about a 40 min drive. It is one of the most amazing places you will visit. You will see amazing Cliff dwellings and archeological wonders built by the ancestral Pueblo nation.

Make sure you plan a full day there. You should be there right at the opening of the center at 7.30 am, as you cannot book your tickets in advance, you can only get them on the day. Bring a picnic for the day or eat at one the concessions there.

Arrive at the visitor center to sign up to the tours We would highly recommend the Cliff Palace and Balcony house (and the long house If you have time do all there, but definitely prioritize the Cliff Palace and Balcony house). Be aware if you are scared of heights that you have to climb a 32ft ladder and crawl through a 12ft tunnel.

The second day, we had a unique railroad journey. Hop on board the Durango and GreatVail. It is an all day excursion. It’s a ride in an old train on the mountain Savor 3h1/2 train ride each way and spend 2h in Silverton an old mining town for shopping and eating. Eat lunch at Handlebars Food and Saloon.

5. DURANGO TO
PURGATORY RESORT

45 km / 30 min

Purgatory resort

On our way to Telluride

STOP OVER

What we did?

6. PURGATORY RESORT TO TELLURIDE

155 km / 2h30

Telluride

Million Dollar High Way & Hiking

2 NIGHTS

Where we stayed ?
What we did?

The 2 h30 drive on the Million dollar Highway 550 from Purgatory to Telluride. It offers amazing views. Lots of curves It goes through the San Juans mountains. Make sure you take the time to stop in the city of Ouray, known as the Switzerland of the United States

We did the Bear Creek Falls hike which leaves from Telluride and it is a 2,5 mile hike to the stunning falls. It’s a kid friendly hike.

Many other great hikes to choose from for the next day activity.

Or just enjoy telluride’s many restaurants and shops in town. Mountain Village has a lot of different kid friendly activities.

7. TELLURIDE
TO VAIL

450 km / 5h

Vail

Mountain Experience

7 NIGHTS

Where we stayed ?
What we did?

The 5h30 scenic drive from Telluride to Vail is gorgeous. Stop and get the famous corn on the Cob in Olathe

Once in Vail, there are plenty of mountain activities. Spend a day up on the mountain – take a gondola from Lions Head or the Village They have activities there or hikes that you can do from the top of the gondola

You can also rent a mountain bike and go mountain biking at the top

New Zipline at the top of the mountains

Go to Beaver Creek Rodeo It’s awesome.

Booth Creek falls hike– 4 miles roundtrip – If you go to Booth lake it’s a 6 hour hike (8.8 miles)

Hanging Lake hike , you have to take your car to Glenwood Canyon (an hour drive) with spectacular views. Don’t forget to book tickets ahead of time as it gets very busy during the summer.

The Grand Traverse Trail

8. VAIL
TO DENVER

194 km /2h30

Denver Airport

Back Home

What we did?

GOOD TO KNOW

Spend at least one full day in Denver.
The Cherry Creek Grill Best burger place in Colorado Don’t miss a lunch or dinner there when you are in Denver.
If you have your NP pass you can use it to enter into the 2 NP of this itinerary.
The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is expensive, but really worth it. Plan it in your budget.
Avoid the dark when you drive the Million Dollar highway
Free shuttle at Grand Hyatt (and condos) in Vail that runs all day till midnight
Beware of bears in Telluride and Vail when you are hiking.
July or August would be the best time to plan this trip.

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FAMILY ROADTRIP TO COLORADO

SHARED BY AMY

16 NIGHTS/8 STOPS

Exceptional Family itinerary to Colorado, designed by Amy, a native Coloradan!

16 nights & 8 stops $1600 kmfrom May to Octoberroad trip & nature

WHAT AMY LOVED ABOUT THIS TRIP?

Laid back mountain experience.

Riding along the cliffs during the train ride

Mesa Verde National Park

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TRIP

Historic district of Lower Downtown (LoDo)MOCA exhibits (museum of modern art)RiNo (River North Art District) trendy district

NEW YORK – DENVER

5h

RENTAL CAR

1600 km & 19 hours on the road 8 stops

AVERAGE BUDGET PER PERSON

TOTAL = $ 2050/pp for 16 nights (excl. food & activities)$ 1275 pp for 16 nights $500 /pp flights $275 /pp car rental

1.

AIRPORT TODENVER

15 km – 20 min

Denver

2.

DENVER TOGREAT DUNES NP

400 km/4h30

Great Dunes NP

3.

GREAT DUNES NP TOPAGOSA SPRINGS

180 km /2h10

Pagosa Springs

4.

PAGOSA SPRINGS TO DURANGO

100 km / 1h10

Mesa Verde NP

5.

DURANGO TO PURGATORY RESORT

45 km / 30 min

Purgatory resort

6.

PURGATORY RESORT TO TELLURIDE

155 km / 2h30

Telluride

7.

TELLURIDETO VAIL

450 km / 5h

Vail

8.

VAILTO DENVER

FAMILY ROADTRIP TO
COLORADO

16 nights & 8 stops
$
1600 km
from May to October
road trip & nature

Historic district of Lower Downtown (LoDo)
MOCA exhibits (museum of modern art)
RiNo (River North Art District) trendy district

1600 km & 19 hours on the road
8 stops

TOTAL = $ 2050/pp for 16 nights (excl. food & activities)
$ 1275 pp for 16 nights
$500 /pp flights
$275 /pp car rental

AIRPORT TO
DENVER

DENVER TO
GREAT DUNES NP

GREAT DUNES NP TO
PAGOSA SPRINGS

PAGOSA SPRINGS TO
DURANGO

DURANGO TO
PURGATORY RESORT

TELLURIDE
TO VAIL

VAIL
TO DENVER