Top 7 Stops on a Colorado Road Trip

Colorado was a special stop on our road trip.  We spent 2-3 weeks traveling throughout the state and could have easily spent another month. When we arrive in a new state we put up a post on Instagram and Facebook asking people for suggestions on what to do and where to go.  We could tell there is a lot of passion out there for Colorado because we had nearly 100 comments on different things to do and see in Colorado.  We picked the places that made the most sense to us due to our route and the time of year we were passing through.  We made some pretty great choices and have narrowed it down to our top 7.

Here are our Top 7 Stops on a Colorado Road Trip

1. Hanging Lake- Just outside of Glennwood Springs

Hiking Details

Mileage: 2.8 Miles In and Out
NOT dog friendly
Moderate level
Ends at waterfall

This hike is unreal.  It was one of our first experiences in Colorado and we started with magic!  We would recommend this hike to every person possible!  Remember that this hike is NOT dog friendly (the weather was about 60 degrees so Piper stayed in the van for the hike).  It is a moderate difficulty level, but don't worry, there are plenty of places to take a break and enjoy your surroundings before you get to the lake.  Don't forget once you get to the lake, take it all in, but make sure you take the 2nd trail to get to the backside of the larger waterfall!  It's worth it!

 2. Broken Compass Brewery- Breckenridge

Coming from California, we love our west coast beers, even more our IPAs.  It was the last week of ski season when we were visiting Breckenridge, which made it pretty much a ghost town.  We didn't sweat it because beer was on our minds. There are a few breweries in Breckenridge but right before you get into town there is a special one, recommended by all the locals, called Broken Compass.  Their beers were on point and so was their tap room!  If you are not a dog lover, you might want to stay away because at any given point there can be 20 dogs around you!  But for those that are dog lovers, you are in paradise while sippin on a good beer!  The people who come in and out of there are pretty much all locals. They are beyond kind and live for a good beer and a fun adventure.  We had such a good time that we got drunk and hungover in the same day (blame it on us not eating though). They don't have a kitchen so make sure you bring your own food because you aren't going to want to leave! 

3. Denver- The Mile High City

We have been wanting to visit Denver for a long time and our expectations were beyond met. The people are down to earth, there is always something going on and it's eclectic without being over priced. We could probably do a blog post just on Denver alone, but instead we have created one LONG DAY in city for you with all our favorites. Now remember, we aren’t from Denver, so don’t get mad if we send you all over, but grab your pup (after breakfast) and your walking shoes and here we go.

 The day starts bright and early!  Our favorite breakfast joint fills up quickly, so unless you want to wait in a long line you better get up early.  We are going to have breakfast at Jelly Cafe. When you step inside you are automatically warped into your childhood. It will take a you a minute to come back into your senses because the cafe is decorated with hundreds of old cereal boxes. It doesn’t matter your age you will recognize at least one of them, we promise you. The decor is worth the stop in itself!  Our conversations while we ate consisted of stories and memories of our childhoods that were sparked from the cereal boxes on the walls.  For food, make sure you order from the daily specials! You won’t be disappointed! They may be funky options but they work and you will love it! Also don’t forget to get a Jelly- I mean the restaurant is named after it, it better be good.

Now that we are full from breakfast, we are going to get outside and walk.  We did this walk in an afternoon ourselves.  Remember we are not from Denver, so we can't tell you the best route but here are your stops:

Larimer St. - Denver’s most historic street. You have to grab a picture of all the Colorado flags hanging in the street, but be careful not to get hit a car.

Next up:  Graffiti Alley in River North (RiNo).  This isn't your typical city alley.  We stumbled upon "Graffiti Alley" by chance as we were looking to find some bars and shops in the River North area.  So many talented people have put their murals in this alley, you can't help but admire all the colors and the art around you.

Of course at some point you are going to get thirsty and need will need to grab a beer, so head on over to Denver Beer Co for a pit stop! It had great beers and awesome vibes. There are TONS of breweries and micro breweries in Denver so take full advantage of it! 

Then it’s time to cool off around the fountains of Union Station. You might be the only adult playing around in the water but hey you did start your day at Jelly Cafe transferring into your childhood. After a bit of play, head over to Union Station, the old train station now converted into a mini market place with cafes, shops, a champagne bar, piano player etc.  You will see people lounging, working, chatting over coffee, or grabbing a beer on their lunch break!  And don't be surprised,  you can bring your dog INSIDE! Denver is so dog friendly and you can take your dog pretty much everywhere, even INSIDE Union Station.

Now it is time to grab a drink again!  You are just in time for happy hour at probably our most favorite spot in Denver, Forest Room 5. It is kind of hard to explain how eclectic this place is. It looks like an old cabin in the middle of the woods but remember you're in the middle of Denver. This isn’t just any cabin.  At this cabin you could play in the woods, swing in the trees, possibly get nightmares and probably some other weird stuff happens. I know it sounds strange but you'll understand when you go! And their happy hour is GREAT! We got the hummus, some sliders and a few of their signature cocktails and it was so reasonably priced!

To end your night, you are so close to Coors Field that you might as well go check out a baseball game.  Coors Field is still known for having the cheapest seats in the MLB. You can get bleacher seats for just $4. If you’re lucky you might be able to squeeze in a pair of seats in the purple row. That means you are exactly sitting 1 mile above sea level! HOW COOL IS THAT? We were pretty lucky ourselves because our friend had 6th row tickets to the game. Thanks Jenna =).  

We aren't late nighters anymore, so by the time the game ends we are exhausted and ready for bed.  So per our recommendation we think you should do the same!

4. Cannon City- Royal Gorge

Cannon City was a special place for us because of where we camped for FREE for a few days, Royal Gorge Park (38.466862, -105.293678). The views and hiking trails were incredible and each campsite was developed with a fire pit, picnic table and a spot for your tent, all FREE. We really wanted to go whitewater rafting but we weren't able to due to it still being off season.  It still remains on our To Do list.  If you're interested there are plenty of places to stop along the way that offer rafting trips!  

 

Most people come into Cannon City to go to the Royal Gorge.  We went, but it cost $24 per adult to walk across the bridge so the view was enough for us.  We are on that van life budget so we did not venture across BUT it looked pretty cool!  It is also dog friendly to cross the bridge, which surprised us!

 5. Great Sand Dunes National Park

The Great Sand Dunes National Park is INCREDIBLE and a MUST stop when passing through Colorado.  They have camping at the park that is peaceful and only $20 a night.  If you have never hiked sand dunes before, you are in for a workout but be careful on the time of year that you go. The sand can get up to 110 degrees during the day!  There are a few "peaks" that you can try and hike to but just going and hiking up a little to take in the view of the dunes in front of you and the mountains behind you is worth every step!  It is also dog friendly which is very hard to find for National Parks.

6. Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Another beautiful site to see! There are plenty of hiking trails that will take you in and out of the canyons but we stuck to the rim trail, as it is one of the only dog friendly hikes in the park.  The history of the park is fantastic so make sure you stop in the Visitor Center and take a look around.  It is fascinating how the canyons were discovered and the different expeditions that went on to discover them.  We recommend if it is on your route to drive to the park on Highway 50.  The drive will take your breath away.

7. Ouray- Casade Falls

Ouray has to be the cutest damn town in America.  If you blink your eyes, you might just drive right through it but if you do, put it in reverse and head on back.  They have preserved the town from its old mining days and it feels like you are on a movie set. During the summer you can hike to some beautiful waterfalls up in the mountains and see some of old structures that were either miners' houses or were used as part of the mining plants.  The snow was covered on most of the trails we wanted to hike but we did hike Cascade Falls which starts from a street located downtown.  These old mining cities are something special and most of the people are locals, so go grab a beer and strike up a chat with some of them.  They will have some amazing stories from their past. 

We have FALLEN in love with Colorado.  Not sure where the end of our journey on the road will lead us, but when we are done, Colorado could be up on the list!  There were a few things that we did not get to do while in Colorado that will remain on our bucket list, but we will be back to check them off!

Colorado Bucket List

• See a concert at The Rock Rocks Amphitheater

• Hike a Fourteener

• Whitewater Rafting

• Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park

• Pikes Peak and The Incline- Colorado Springs

If you have any more suggestions, we would love to hear from you so leave a comment below!  Also let us know if you visited one of our recommended stops.  We would love to hear about your experiences!

 

Thanks for reading!

 ~Fonzie, Sara and Pipes