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OT - Colorado

JohnEggGio
JohnEggGio Posts: 1,430

Heading out to Colorado first week of May. Dear wife is running the marathon in Ft Collins. Hotels are all set: 2 nights in Ft Collins, 3 nights in Vail, then back to Denver for 2 nights.

Would appreciate any suggestions for restaurants, bars, must-sees... My first time in Colorado.

Thanks, y’all.

Maryland, 1 LBGE

Comments

  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,871

    In Ft Collins you’re only an hr outside of Rocky Mountain National Park. If you have the time to make it over to that, I can highly recommend it. It’s one of the most stunning national parks we have. Should be beautiful there in May.

    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
  • HogFather
    HogFather Posts: 259

    I recommend the Sour Diesel

    Fighting off the trolls 1 by 1
    Large Egg

    Pig, KY 
  • dmchicago
    dmchicago Posts: 4,516

    In Vail, Sweet Basil restaurant.


    Also, do the bike ride where they take you up to the pass and you ride, coast down.


    Take the gondola up and hike around. It's beautiful.

    Hit the bar at the Four Seasons.

    Philly - Kansas City - Houston - Cincinnati - Dallas - Houston - Memphis - Austin - Chicago - Austin

    Large BGE. OONI 16, TOTO Washlet S550e (Now with enhanced Motherly Hugs!)

    "If I wanted my balls washed, I'd go to the golf course!"
    Dennis - Austin,TX
  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 14,602

    LOTS of great breweries there. My favorite by far is Equinox. Small, cool vibe, probably some dead playing through their speakers or a live band. If they’re brewing you’ll see them and can talk to them. Nice small beer garden as well.

  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 14,602

    I haven’t found a bad pizza in Colorado if you stick to the local places.

  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,432

    (I plan on a little vacation after retirement, when I no longer need a security clearance...)

    😊

    _____________

    "I mean, I don't just kill guys, I'm notorious for doing in houseplants."  - Maggie, Northern Exposure


  • Phatchris
    Phatchris Posts: 1,726
    edited April 2019

    We went to Vail last summer and had such a great time we booked it again for this summer.

    I would totally Raft Gore Creek through Vail Village, we did a rafting trip, but a very low class 2 because we had little ones with us, still amazing scenery.

    Almresi was probably our favorite meal, very good German/ Austrian food in a cool spot.


    The Red Lion is a lot of fun to chill, grab a beer and a bowl of Green Chile and listen to some local music.

    The brunch at The Sonnenalp is a huge spread and very good.

    Idaho Springs is a nice spot to stop on I-70 when traveling from Vail to Denver.... beuJo’s pizza, yardbirds bbq and westbound and down.... we opted for BeauJos as it’s a Colorado institution.

    Also just walking the gore creek trail from Vail to Lionshead and stopping and grabbing a beer or snack.

  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,984

    My Beautiful Wife and I spend a few weeks each year in Colorado, and most of our time there is summit bagging. We usually schedule it around a show we want to see at the outdoor amphitheater Red Rocks.

    Check out their website if you are into music. None of the bands, that play there, suck.

    There is so much to do, but use caution. Elevation to us flatlanders can be trouble. The first week of May still has potential for heavy snow fall, Suzanne and I have been there at less than 9K feet ASL in July and got caught in a snowstorm in RMNP.

    End of June is great for upper elevations, still a lot of snow but the trails are manageable. Use the winter trail heads if you are hiking up and skiing/snowboarding down.

    Catch Estes Park if you can, the hotel there in town is where they filmed "The Shining" and it is covwred with a lot of wildlife; Eagles, Elk, Bear, Deer, Wolves and Coyotes, just to name a few.

    You will be in Vail, so there is not a bad place to eat, all the food places are killer.

    If you get the chance, hit Leadville, it is the highest regestered city in North America, over 10,000 feet up, but remember, alcohol consumption at higher elevation will totally kick your backside.

    Marijuana dispensories are evey where, and the ratio to street beggers is one of the largest in the nation, so be prepared.

    Fort Collins is a cool town and actually offers a lot of upscale bars and dining. Check out Boulder too, watch the folks climb the Flat Irons .

    if you want more data, about outdoor activities, send me a PM.

    We do a lot of backpacking so the city life is not really our strength, however some of the places we can share with you are some of what we feel are the most beautiful places to see.

    This is Longs Peak, the most targeted summit in RMNP, and the most deadly. This is a view from Estes Park in late September. Notice the non melted snow, on the North Face. The snow is about 12000 feet, the summit is 14K+ feet.

    A great website to check out is 14ers.com. they have tons of information on everything Rocky Mountain.

    Hope this helps.

    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
  • JohnEggGio
    JohnEggGio Posts: 1,430

    Thanks to all for the thoughts - I will more fully respond later. Visiting the princess at Univ of Md today.

    Maryland, 1 LBGE
  • mEGG_My_Day
    mEGG_My_Day Posts: 1,653

    I can only help with Vail.

    2nd Sweet Basil

    Other restaurants to consider in no particular order:

    Larkspur

    Mountain tyme 

    Kelly Liken

    If you like sushi, Matsuhisa is great (but pricey). Great view up the mountain from the bar!

    A little less pricey than those above is La Bottega. Italian - They have a wood burning stove inside - killer calamari! (For the price point, this is one of my favorites)

    Way less pricey for good pizza is vendettas.

    Also agree on the Sonnenalp bar. They sometimes have live music, it’s fun, but it’s not loud. Oh - also attached to the sonnenalp is the a very casual restaurant called the Bully Ranch. If the weather is good, that have a great outdoor patio that is awesome for lunch!

    Outdoor activities are difficult to recommend in May. You may get snow, or you may get snow melt. Regardless, make your way up to Eagles Nest via hike or gondola for great views and a drink or two at the restaurant ‘bistro 14’ If you hike up, you can take the gondola down for free - if it is running. Make sure you check to see if bistro 14 is open.

    One caveat - some of the above may be closed in May. You will need to check. The ski season has just ended and summer hasn’t ramped up yet. Have fun. 

    Memphis, TN 

    LBGE, 2 SBGE, Hasty-Bake Gourmet
  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,164

    Deffinatelly catch a show.

    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
  • Hoster05
    Hoster05 Posts: 312

    New Belgium brewery tour is the best one I have been to. Very unique company and lots of beer along the way. Sign up in advance.

    Mankato, MN - LBGE
  • JohnEggGio
    JohnEggGio Posts: 1,430

    Coincidentally, the race is my wife’s birthday and June will mark our 25th anniversary, so I’m loosening the budget to carry a celebratory feel through the week. We’re staying in nicer, well-located hotels in each town.

    Ft. Collins: we’re in the old town area, @Legume Equinox is a block away - I’ll definitely stop in; @Botch also a block away is a dispensary...I don’t need a security clearance... @HogFather 👍. @Hoster05 no time for a tour, but time for a beer!

    @JohnInCarolina I don’t think we’ll be able to spend time in the park, but I’m trying to figure a travel route from Ft Collins to Vail that’s off the highways, maybe passing through the park?

    Vail: we’re staying at Sonnenalp, @Phatchris - some great ideas - thanks. @mEGG_My_Day - you can count on me to get some bar time at Sonnenalp- Sweet Basil is a definite. Will def take the gondola up, @dmchicago

    @YukonRon much appreciate the thoughts. I just don’t think we’ll be adequately prepared to stray far from civilization- short hikes (1-2 hours) from the hotel or car might be the limit on this trip.

    @northGAcock & @YukonRon - RedRocks is a great idea - checked the schedule- nothing grabbed me.

    Thanks all!

    Maryland, 1 LBGE
  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 14,602
    edited April 2019
  • JohnEggGio
    JohnEggGio Posts: 1,430

    That’s a very big “IF”. I’ll talk with locals once we’re out there. Hard to tell from 1600 miles away.

    Maryland, 1 LBGE
  • Hoster05
    Hoster05 Posts: 312

    Ft collins brewing company has good beer and food as well.

    Mankato, MN - LBGE
  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684

    In Denver, their Luciles is awesome for breakfast/brunch. Going to Colorado for cajun is weird, but this place is awesome: https://www.luciles.com/

    And this museum was really good: https://wingsmuseum.org/ As was this one: https://www.forneymuseum.org/ and this one: https://coloradorailroadmuseum.org/ Both really close to each other.

  • littlerascal56
    littlerascal56 Posts: 2,104

    Spent a lot of time in Colorado. The DAM Brewery in Dillon was a blast, but avoid Breckinridge if you have out of state license plates. They will bust you with their traffic lights and you pay high fines. Ft Collins and Boulder areas are cool and upscale. Takes lots of money with you!

  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
    edited April 2019


    HAHAHA on the out of state plates. We're out there a few times a year and I always rent a Tesla through Turo, so they have CO plates on there. Everybody in Aspen and other high rent areas treats you like a wealthy local......wave you through intersections, save you parking spots, etc. Little do they know, there are a bunch of Missouri hillbillies in the car. There's a guy at DEN that has a dozen of them in an offsite airport garage called FINE parking.

    If anyone here is not using Turo yet, it's the way to go on rental cars. It's just like AirBnB for cars. No taxes, airport facility fees, lines at the airport, etc......so much cheaper and easier. Download the app, take the pics, and away you go. Here's a $35 off coupon if you want to signup (then I get a $25-off coupon after your first rental):

    https://turo.com/p/rockwood <----$35 off. Normally the other links you'll find are only $25 off. I have a corporate account, so they give me a better coupon to give away.

  • JohnEggGio
    JohnEggGio Posts: 1,430

    I’m getting an upscale rental through SixT. Never used them before. Anyone have experience?

    Maryland, 1 LBGE
  • I was wondering where all of the 2006 Toyota Sienna's ended up. Mystery solved.

  • Choice City Butcher and Deli on College St.

    Ernie McClain

    Scottsbluff, Nebraska

    (in the extreme western panhandle of NE)

  • Denver Native here. There's been some good suggestions so far. I'll try not to give away all the local secrets, but here are some other otions:

    Fort Collins - eat breakfast at Jessup Farms on your way in or out of the fort. FC is one of the best brewery towns in the US, so plan out a route ahead of time. There are 20+ breweries within the city limits. Crooked Stave, O'Dells and Funkwerks are some other suggestions. I second Choice city and would add the Welsh rabbit, Pickle Barrel, Social, and the Mayor of Old Town. Hit up Horsetooth Resevoir for an easy getaway just outside of town.

    Boulder -Pizzeria Locale, Oak at Fourteenth, Avery Brewing. Great eating town. Check out the flatirons or make the short drive to Nederland.

    Denver - way too many options so feel free to message me. I'd hit up Union Station, Milk Block, The Source, Jelly for breakfast. If possible, definitely catch a game at Coors Field. Plenty of breweries, Laws and Leopold Bros distilleries. Denver does Colorado style Mexican and Vietnamese pretty well but you'll have to go into some rougher areas. For an Old Denver Colfax experience get a steak at Bastians and then head across the street for drink at PJs lounge. Red Rocks is a must.

    Denver, CO
    XL BGE
    Broncos, CSU Rams, Avalanche
  • rlew
    rlew Posts: 68

    Denver, Blue Pan Pizza. Get the Detroit Style 313. Won the Pizza World Championships a few years ago with that one. My Brothers Bar in Denver is pretty good to. Ben around for ages.

  • JohnEggGio
    JohnEggGio Posts: 1,430

    Sweet Basil is closed all 3 days we’re in Vail. 😕

    Maryland, 1 LBGE
  • JohnEggGio
    JohnEggGio Posts: 1,430

    Really enjoying Ft Collins. Staying in the “Old Town” area - very cool. Lots of food and drink choices within a short walk.

    Dear wife ran the marathon this morning. She said it was her toughest ever. Altitude, intense sun, low humidity - the result was her first time over 4 hours in 20-some marathons. Steak and strong drinks coming my way...

    Maryland, 1 LBGE
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669

    Both Vail and Beaver Creek every time.

    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.