Denver. Aurora. Morrison. Boulder. Estes Park.
In a span of 3 days, after many hours of driving through all of bum-fuck Kansas, Ashley and I dove into a very chilly vacation in the Rockies with only one plan, The Head and the Heart and Grouplove at Red Rocks (and if you haven't noticed, Ashley is a main character in most of my blogs, hi Ash).
It started with a text: The Head and the Heart and Grouplove at Red Rocks we should go.
And a reply: Yes.
And several months of tedious planning and developing an itinerary that got railroaded occasionally but came together beautifully.
I have the receipts.
We rolled into Denver late, and I mean 9p.m. MST late. Hindsight is 20/20 and we could have flown but who isn't down for an epic road trip? We had just enough time to sample the local cuisine, a beautiful chicken nugget meal from the local McDonalds, and fall asleep to the sounds of Bob's Burgers.
In this three day window we did a lot. A lot of driving, a lot of doing, a lot of eating, a lot of relaxing. We became Denver experts.
Here are our escapades, and most of our recommendations.
Downtown Aquarium
Address: 700 Water St, Denver, CO 80211
Cost of Admission: $22.99 adults, $16.99 kiddos
The aquarium was... cool. But like all aquariums it had your basics. Fish, colorful fish, big fish, small fish, sharks, jellyfish, ocean plants, you name it. 500 different species of water creatures. Which is great for a time killer. Was it worth $7 for parking and $23 for a ticket? If you have kids, maybe. As adults? We would have been better off at the zoo I'm sure. The convenience of being indoors was nice.
We found Nemo though.
Red Rocks and Morrison
Address: 18300 W Alameda Pkwy, Morrison, CO 80465
My first recommendation: go to a concert.
My second recommendation: at least go visit.
The drive up from Denver? Beautiful. The view? Beautiful. The amphitheater? Beautiful. The acoustics? Bitchin'. Do kids still say bitchin'? No, but I do.
We saw The Head and The Heart and Grouplove, two musical acts that are perfect for an outdoor venue in the mountains. The vibes are incredible, the lights and the sounds and the energy were unmatched. Be prepared for a hike to the top. Ashley and I pulled a sneak and got closer seats so we didn't walk all the way up, but we did get plenty of exercise along the way.
I don't really have a way to describe how I felt watching a concert there. Was it an out of body experience? Maybe. It could have also been the edibles.
Food Recommendations in Morrison: Red Rocks Grill
Address: 415 Bear Creek Ave, Morrison, CO 80465
Taxidermy almost everywhere. American & Mexican food on the menu. The french dip was good, so was everything else we tried. 10/10. Parking is not ideal, but worth the little bit of time you have to take to find a spot.
Coors Field to catch a Rockies Game (Or Other Seasonal Sport)
We went to Denver in early August-- prime baseball season. From the start, this was something we wanted to do. As besties, it's our goal to go to a game at every major league stadium together and this was a pretty cool place to start. It was raining, about 50 degrees in the cool mountain air, and because we didn't want to deal with game day parking, we took a Lyft from our hotel to the stadium. Which means we had to catch a Lyft in the rain after the game back to the hotel.
Ticket costs: cheaper than the nachos I ate. I'm serious. We sat front row in the upper deck and paid $11.
Estes Park
We drove to Estes Park on a whim after the Rockies game to see The Stanley Hotel. Because it was spontaneous, and still a bit cold and rainy, we weren't prepared to hike or do much outdoors, so we settled for wandering the hedge maze on the hotel grounds and basking in some Stephen King-esque vibes. The inside? Nothing like the movie. The outside? Exactly what you see on the big screen.
More on The Stanley to come.
If you're into nature, fresh air, beautiful sites, a great drive, and casual time with your friends that could be completed with a nice hike, time spent in a hammock, or good food? Venture to Estes Park.
Boulder
Boulder's tight. I'll say that right now. We didn't really do anything in Boulder. The air was crisp and it finally stopped raining for the day when we parked and walking around the area was worth it. There are eccentric shops, art museums and galleries, dispensaries, microbreweries, tons of hiking, and also the home of the infamous JonBenet Ramsay case.
What we did do? Eat at Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery. Guys. This place is phenomenal! Cash only service (or local check) was unprecedented and there were plenty of local beers to try, games of Yahtzee to play, and company to enjoy. I recommend any of the ales and also the S.O.B. burger that comes with green chiles and jalapenos.
There's typically a bit of a wait, so walk around and wait on your table and they'll contact you via text.
Dispensaries
When in Colorado, do as the locals do. Here are some worthy stops if you're into this kind of thing:
Lightshade (Aurora)
Native Roots
Northern Lights Cannabis Co.
Sorry mom.
Colorado's rad, but you already knew that.
Ciao,
Courtney
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