Road trips are rites of passage during the summer months. They’re more liberating, more exciting, and more affordable than traveling by air (yes, even with the cost of gas). They’re much easier, too! In fact, the most challenging thing about a road trip is deciding where to go.
In Colorado, there are all sorts of worthy destinations, including the following favorites:
Estes Park
Estes Park is an easily accessible getaway and a wonderful excuse to drive the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway, a 55-mile stretch in Gilpin, Larimer, and Boulder counties. It offers plenty of restaurants, cafes, art galleries, and boutiques along a bustling mainstreet. Of course, Estes Park is also home to the famous (and infamous!) Stanley Hotel, inspiration for The Shining. The resident ghosts rumored to roam the grounds make it a favorite haunt of locals and tourists.
Durango
Durango, nestled in the southwestern corner of Colorado, is a six-hour drive from Denver, depending on traffic and weather. It’s an outdoor paradise for adventure-lovers, offering hiking, whitewater rafting, mountain biking, camping, and million-dollar views.
If you’re looking for a truly unique experience, all aboard the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. This train takes passengers back to the golden age of railcar by providing an authentic 1800s experience. Take plenty of photos with your smartphone and enjoy the irony!
Steamboat Springs
Steamboat Springs is roughly four hours from the front range, nestled in Yampa Valley. While it's well known for its skiing and other winter sports, it’s certainly no slouch in the summer months, either.
Like any proper Colorado mountain town, Steamboat Springs offers oodles of outdoor activity, everything from fishing to golf, from horseback riding to tubing. If you’re a beer drinker, venture onto the Brew Trail winding through town. If you’re a sightseer, consider riding the gondola for breathtaking views of the region.
Palisade
Palisade is just a handful of miles from Grand Junction. It makes a wonderful destination or a stopover on the way to Las Vegas, Moab, or LA. It’s off the beaten path just enough to make a fantastic weekend getaway without the hustle and bustle of tourist-heavy havens. The town is an especially good choice for vino lovers, with ample vineyards and wineries open to visitors. You can also schedule farm tours. In other words, go for the wine, stay for the peaches.
Buena Vista
Buena Vista merges modern amenities with mining town ambiance. Throw in some majestic mountain views, a landscape that doubles as an outdoor playground, and the roaring Arkansas River for effect, and you’ll find a small town with big character. Whether you’re a thrill-seeker, an artist, a shopper, an off-roader, a foodie, a hiker, a biker, or a zip-liner, there’s something for everyone.
Buena Vista is only two hours from Denver right down 285, a highway often not as prone to gridlock as I-70.
A No Destination Destination
Perhaps the best destination is no destination at all! If you’re game, consider gassing up your car and turning your adventure into a surprise. Choose any direction you want, and see where you end up. With phones and satellites, you’ll never be truly lost. But, in case you’re ever without service, bring an updated map; it’s like a paper GPS from the olden days.
You can’t go wrong when traveling in Colorado. With a hotspot off every highway, fill your travel mug with coffee and hit the open road.
The Piedmont Apartments in Avon, Colorado offers luxurious, modern homes for residents that blend privacy with epic views of the Rocky Mountains. Contact us today to learn more about mountain town living in our picturesque apartments.