OT - Colorado

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.

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.

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.

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

😊

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.

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. 

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.

You can up and over through RMNP IF the road is open.

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

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!

Choice City Butcher and Deli on College St.

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.

Both Vail and Beaver Creek every time.