On our first family vacation to Colorado, visiting Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) was the #1 attraction on my list of places to visit. However, when traveling with a family, sometimes things happen and you have to stay flexible… we didn’t get to go to RMNP on our trip. I remember feeling sad flying back to Florida that we missed such a great experience and hoped we’d be able to bring our kids back for a visit and see all the animals and birds we’d just learned about the previous week. Little did I know we’d be moving to Denver six weeks later and would visit the park so often we became annual park pass holders. We went went from Disney annual pass holders to Rocky Mountain National Park, you just never know where life is going to take you!
Estes Park
Estes Park is about a 90 minute drive, north and west of Denver. It’s a cute mountain town, with tons of charm during the winter season, but not a ski town. As you descend on the town by car, a large lake greets you before getting into the downtown maze of streets and shops. Lots of great hot drinks (or ice cream for my daughter, even in the winter) and shopping for souvenirs or needed winter apparel. Don’t forget to stop at the Christmas Shoppe anytime of year to pick up an ornament to commemorate your trip to Estes Park or RMNP. Depending on the time of year, there are so many activities to take part in, especially in the great outdoors, so pack for the weather.
- Stanley Hotel
- Estes Park museum
- Estes Park Aerial Tramway
- Open Air Adventure Park & Fun City
- Mustang Mountain coaster
- Hiking & biking trails
- Horseback Riding
- Whitewater rafting
- Fishing and fly fishing
- Skiing and snowshoeing (near by)
- Rock climbing
- Off roading (ATV, UTV, etc.)
- Longs Peak
The Stanley hotel is infamously known for the movie The Shining. This was its inspiration hotel and a must see when visiting Estes Park, even if you’re not staying at the hotel. There are four tours that run during the day and night including a Historic tour, The Shining tour, Stanley Night tour or the Ice House tour. The Vault at the Stanley Hotel is located in the basement and is a great whisky tasting experience. Hubby and I typically do wine tastings when we travel, but decided to try this whiskey tasting instead on a recent trip and it was fantastic. There was a small group of 10 or so and we all sat at tables inside the whisky vault. Outside the vault is a whisky store where all visitors can purchase a distilled souvenir.
There are a few dining options at the Stanley hotel including Cascades Restaurant & Lounge, Brunch and Co and Post Chicken and Beer which we tried on our last trip. I thought this casual, yet expensive, chicken restaurant would get high ratings from my chicken loving family, but it was mediocre at best. My daughter, the chicken finger queen was satisfied, but the rest of us were not as easily impressed and have not wanted to try another Post location since. On the weekends, The Stanley Chocolate Factory is located in the lower level of the hotel for you to indulge your sweet tooth.
Your typical lodging is available here in Estes Park, however you’ll notice on point searches for the big hotels like Hyatt or Hilton, those chains are in Denver or Boulder, but not convenient to Estes Park. Like many small Colorado towns they have a choice hotel and Holiday Inn in Estes Park, or other options:
- Hotels & Motels
- Bed & Breakfast, Inns
- Cabins & cottages
- Campground & RV Park
- Condos and vacation rentals
We have stayed at the Appenzell Inn a few times and would be my go to pick any time we start planning an overnight as a family. The Appenzell has 2-3 bedroom apartments that are perfect for our family, with a kitchen and porch chairs. Food in Estes Park can be expensive and crowded. We like to stop at the grocery store to buy breakfast foods, sandwich and picnic supplies, snacks for the kids and dessert items for midnight munchies. We will typically go out for dinner or pick up take-out and again this place is a perfect setup for families. It also has an indoor pool that’s heated, but not to a very warm temperature (I still can’t get used to how cold ‘heated’ pools are out of Florida). There is an area with an outdoor jacuzzi and beautiful forest views that I love to start my morning in with a coffee. The Appenzell Inn is my favorite location because it feels like a German hotel I stayed at years ago and has that cozy mountain feel.
Another popular option with families is the YMCA because it has the best amenities by far! School and athletic groups often stay on property for the educational opportunities in nature and all the indoor and winter activities you could ever want. Ice skating, sledding, indoor swimming pool, board games, tennis, basketball courts, roller skating rink, arts & crafts and many other activities. Use their schedules and map to plan out your whole itinerary, they have something for everyone. The YMCA sits on a huge property and has cabins for every size group from couples all the way to family reunions and school field trips. However, the food is really not great, think of school cafeteria or camp style meals. I suggest you plan meals in your cabin, either cooking in the full kitchen, getting take-out or expecting to eat out. These cabins also encourage you to bring your dogs and make it easy to walk and clean up after them. We had our family lab up there with us for one trip between Christmas and New Years, she loved when she got to travel with us and loved all the smells.
For breakfast and lunch, we return to sister restaurants in the Safeway shopping center, Mountain Home Cafe and Notchtop Bakery & Cafe, are both great. There are lots of steakhouse and specialty restaurants in the area for dinner, take advantage of them out of season or have advanced reservations made for each night. Snowy Peaks winery and tasting room is a must stop for wine lovers. Plus there are also a few distilleries that host whisky tastings and brewery tours are plentiful depending on your taste.
- Hunters Chophouse
- Twin Owls steakhouse
- Bird & Jim
- The Sandwich Mafia
- Munchin house (coffee & ice cream
- The Birds Nest (coffee)
- Coffee on the Rockies (coffee)
- Snowy Peaks winery
- Estes Park, Lumpy Ridge, or the Barrel brewery
- Hogback or Elkins distillery
My favorite way to see the area, especially in the fall when the leaves are the prettiest, is by horseback. I may be a city girl, but I arrived in the west with the ability to ride a horse. I learned as a child in Ireland, taking my favorite horse Skippy out on trail rides one summer. I couldn’t bring Skippy back to the States with me, but I certainly brought the love of riding with me and have many special memories riding horses all over the world. Now, as I travel with my kids, two of them enjoy riding and we look for interesting places to book a trail ride. We have tried a few stables in the area and our favorite place that we now return to is National Park Gateway Stables. It is located right on the inside of RMNP, but before the entrance gates. The trail leaders are knowledgeable and have experience working with all levels of riders. Not everyone is as comfortable in the saddle as my kiddos and me and this is a great place to come with kids, first time riders and even grandparents who have not ridden for decades and need a step to their horse. This relaxing trail ride takes you through the most beautiful landscapes and mountain scapes, yet you never feel too high. Keep your cameras at the ready, because there will be lots of great photo moments and maybe even a few wild animals. We had turkeys running around the last time we were out there. I do not recommend horseback riding on the SW side of the park or near Granby because of a wildfire years ago. It is a sad ride through black trees, charred in the fire. They will come back, but it will take many years and not look as lush as on the other side of the park. If you’re going to pay for the experience, get the pretty side of the park.
Rocky Mountain National Park
The top attraction that draws people to Estes Park is Rocky Mountain National Park. The 30 mile long continental divide falls in the middle of the park, deciding if water flows to the east or west. RMNP has the country’s highest (continuous) paved road called Trail Ridge Road. It’s 48 miles long and its highest point is at 12,183 ft above sea level. Longs Peak is the tallest mountain in RMNP at 14,259 ft. tall it is the 24th highest peak in Colorado but said to be a more difficult climb. The RMNP Website has great maps of the entire park and is the best resource for up-to-date weather and conditions as well as closures. Don’t let the mascot fool you, they have a Bighorn sheep as their symbol and claim that there are 400 bighorn sheep in the park, but I have yet to see one! I’ve seen lots of other cool animals and birds, but those Bighorn sheep are evasive creatures.
RMNP has two entrances from Estes Park, Beaver Meadows and Fall River visitor center. Beaver Meadow is the busiest and most famous of the entrances, where you can watch a short video on the park (runs on the ½ hour). There are also rangers to interact with and answer any of your questions as well as sign up kids for the Junior Ranger Program. Fall River is the northeastern entrance and also has rangers and a special hands-on exhibit. However, this entrance will be undergoing a major construction project this summer, along with a few construction projects in Estes Park in 2024. Due to all the congestion starting May 24, 2024 RMNP will be running a pilot program for their reservation system. You will need to have purchased a permit for either the Bear Lake Rd corridor (including full entrance, no departure time) or “rest of the park” permit and Bear Lake will not be available on your trip. Permits are released on the 1st of the month for the following month (i.e. May 1st will release the month of June tickets).
Only after Memorial day can the Alpine Visitor Center be reached, until the snow shuts down Trail Ridge Road for the season. The center is located at 11,796 ft and has great views of the alpine tundra. You might even be lucky to see some pika, cute rodent-like animals that only live above the tree-line. In the summer months, four additional visitors centers are open: Sheep Lakes, Moraine Park Discovery Center, Kawuneeche and Holzwarth historic sites. Summer visitors come to camp, hike and fish in the park, kids can attend ranger programs and everyone hopes to see wildlife enjoying the sunny days. If you are planning a hike, check out this detailed information about many hikes in RMNP. Bring a picnic to eat at a picnic table site located around the park, but please pick up after yourself. No trace left behind!
With our annual pass, we come on long weekends and day trips, during all the seasons, including winter. In the winter, the park has closed Trail Ridge Road by October, so you will not be able to cross the park completely, coming out at Grand Lake. In the winter, Hidden Valley is the best place to go sledding. Take all the winter gear and sleds with you to RMNP and plan a picnic and fun day of sledding at Hidden Valley. There is lots of parking and even bathrooms in this area of the park. If you are looking for a winter activity that doesn’t need a tour or any specific place, go snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. Find a good spot, throw on your gear and go…explore!
My biggest tip for visiting RMNP is to bring layers and drink lots of water. Altitude and wind can be a wicked combination, even in the summer it can be cold. Bring layers of shirts, base layer, sweatshirt, coat, etc. Don’t be like us, the tourists walking up the tundra ice in flip flops! I’ve been saying to my family, “There is no such thing as bad weather, just poor choices of clothing” ever since we moved from Florida. I’ll admit, we were spoiled in Florida where almost everyday was flip flops and shorts weather. Now we have to pack a collapsible laundry basket or giant Ikea bag with everyone’s layers of clothing and coats. There is a delicate balance between being prepared and over packing, but when you’re doing a road trip you have room for error. Speaking of road trips, be sure your car or rental car is able and prepared for this type of trek. If there is any weather 4×4 could be needed, but even in the summer an all-wheel drive car is needed at least. Snow tires or chains in the winter and will be required in snow/ice storms on the mountain roads. No matter how much warning drivers in the area get for a snow storm, there is always some person stuck on the side of the road in a smart car, not sure what happened.
Since moving to Colorado, Estes Park has been a spot for numerous fun, family trips in both winter and summer. This is also where we bring friends and family who are visiting for the first time. Rocky Mountain National Park won’t disappoint, and can be for any level of ability, even if just to view from the car and visitors centers. Don’t forget to get your permits for your date and time, especially if it is during the summer season or other high times of year. You don’t really know that Rocky Mountain high they talk about, until you’ve looked down from the top of the world.
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