Day 1: Denver, Boulder, and Lyons

We arrived to Denver late on a Friday night, so our first full day was a Saturday morning. We woke up, went for a run, got ready, and grabbed a Lyft to our rental car pickup.

Stop #2 – Brewery – With a reputation for good breweries, Boulder seemed like a great place for a pit stop at Avery Brewing. The Spanish brewery, San Miguel, happens to own ~70% of Avery. If that name sounds familiar, you’ve probably been to the Philippines where San Miguel is basically the equivalent to America’s Bud Light. Since we had traveled to Southeast Asia earlier in the year, I was dying to try this place, and it absolutely did not disappoint.

Stop #3 – Dinner/Groceries – Over a couple of beers, we still needed to figure out where we were staying that night. Did I mention we only booked two nights of our stay? In our quest to get closer to Long’s Peak for our morning hike, we decided to stay in Lyons. After checking in, we grabbed a late lunch/early dinner at Pizza Bar 66. The downtown area is quaint, and you can stop by by St. Vrain’s Market for groceries.

Accommodations – Wee Casa Tiny House Resort

We stayed here for two night’s and would highly recommend. I’ll be doing a completely separate blog post on our tiny house experience!

Day 2: Long’s Peak & Estes Park

After a breakfast of blueberries, avocado toast, and eggs, we started the drive to Long’s Peak.

Stop #1 – The Keyhole at Long’s Peak – This hike could not have been more strenuous or more rewarding. When you reach the top, you’re greeted by surreal views. It’s certainly not for inexperienced hikers though. Starting around 8 am (which is late by hiking standards), we were back down by 4 pm. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough water to complete the additional 1,000 ft ascent to the top of Long’s. The Keyhole and checking my first 13’er off the bucket list was worth it though. Look out for a completely separate post on this experience!

Stop #2 – Estes Park – Surprisingly, we had a little bit of energy left, so we decided to catch sunset at Estes Park. 10/10 would recommend.

Stop #3 – Dinner – After a long day hiking, Mexican food was much needed. La Mariposa Restaurant in Lyons hit the spot, and since our plans to go to Aspen were canceled due wildfires, we used dinner to plan the next day.

Stayed a second night at Wee Casa Tiny House Resort

Day 3: Breckenridge

A lazy morning in the tiny house was much needed after a full day of hiking, but we made some breakfast and headed to the next stop: Breckenridge!

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I didn’t think Breckenridge was that great. There were plenty of restaurant options and shopping, but it was a bit too touristy for my personal taste. We opted to head back to the ski lodge early, play some ping pong, and take a dip in the hot tub. That night, we decided we’d do a train ride farther south the next morning instead of staying another night. Most likely a better town to visit in the winter months.

Where We Stayed – Park Meadows Ski Resort

Day 4 – Royal Gorge Route Railroad (Cañon City)

I received so many questions about this train ride, and it might have been the highlight of the entire trip for both myself and my husband.

Stop #1 – Railroad – We booked the breakfast train on the Royal Gorge Route Railroad, and what a unique experience! I was skeptical at first driving from a more mountainous area into a dryer climate, but the open air car with the added bonus of enjoying breakfast while passing by the Arkansas River was worth every penny. Separate post coming on this soon!

Stop #2 – Drive – Ok, this isn’t a stop at all, but it’s the next activity. As we began driving from Cañon City toward Colorado Springs, we saw a sign for “Skyline Drive.” Completely spontaneous, we had no clue how scary yet gorgeous the next 2.6 miles would be. You’re literally driving on a tiny strip of road on top of a mountain with no guard rails. . . overlooking Cañon City and the Arkansas River. Don’t think about it, just do it!

Where We Stayed – Cheyenne Mountain Resort

After we finished the drive, we’d planned on camping that night but decided to head toward Colorado Springs instead, so I grabbed my phone and booked our stay for the next two nights.

Day 5: Garden of the Gods

We needed a few chill days, so we only drove through Garden of the Gods for about two hours in the morning before heading back to the resort for a pool day.

Day 6: Red Rocks & Georgetown

We’d planned on hiking Pike’s Peak, but after doing more research, we decided that it wouldn’t be nearly as rewarding as heading back toward Rocky Mountain National Park.

Stop #1 – Red Rocks – On the drive toward Georgetown from Colorado Springs, Red Rocks Amphitheater is a quick stop along your route. Unfortunately, no events were happening while we were there, but you can still go by to check it out!

Stop #2 – Brewery – Guanella Pass Brewery has a location here, and their local drafts were excellent. Plus, the patio is the perfect spot to enjoy the Rocky Mountain views.

Stop #3 – Brewery – While the last brewery was a great place to grab a drink, Cabin Creek Brewing has more of a restaurant feel but still has great craft beer. Another great patio location, you’ll be right next to a lake.

Where We Stayed – Clear Lake Campground

Nestled 15 minutes down the Guanella Pass from Georgetown, this campsite was perfect and close to a lake for picnics. We got there early since it’s first come, first serve sites.

Day 7 : Gray’s and Torrey’s Peaks

The next morning was the big day. . . hiking my first 14’er!

Stop #1 – Hiking – We decided on Gray’s and Torrey’s which is a hike along the Continental Divide that gives you the opportunity to knock out two >14,000 ft. peaks at once. Again, I’ll have a whole separate post on this, but this is not something I would suggest for inexperienced hikers.

Stop #2 – Dinner – Most places were packed by the time we were showered and ready. We got a late bite at Freshcraft before heading back to the hotel to crash.

Where We Stayed – Westin Downtown Denver

Day 8: Downtown Denver

We used the next day to explore Downtown Denver and relax a little after a strenuous hike.

Stop #1 – Coors Field – Since they aren’t allowing fans into the stadiums, we couldn’t attend a game, but we had to walk by to see Coors Field.

Stop #2 – 16th Street/Larimer Square – We went back here for drinks later that night but used the quiet morning to walk around while it wasn’t crowded.

Stop #3 – Massages – What better time to get a massage than the day after a hike, right? We booked an appoint with Hand & Stone Massage which was so pleasant.

Stop #4 – Pool – The Westin honestly has all the amenities you’d want including a beautiful rooftop pool. The perfect spot to chill out for a few hours before dinner.

Stop #5 – Dinner – This might sound strange, but we ate at Thirsty Lion Gastropub where I had the BEST orange chicken I’ve ever eaten. No joke – highly recommend giving it a try!

Night two at the Westin

Day 9: Travel Back to Atlanta

I hope this helps with your own planning, and iff you decide to make a whole road trip out of it like we did, here’s my Spotify playlist to give you all the mountain vibes as you’re crushing through the state. Happy travels!