Category Archives: General

Colorado Tourist Attractions

Colorado is the epitome of a fantastic vacation for a multitude of reasons. Offering a variety of recreational activities, historical and architectural landmarks, stunning state parks, wildlife, and of course the majestic Rocky Mountains, Colorado provides the backdrop for an exciting day-trip or vacation.

Finding lodging, attractions, dining, activities, events, and history of Colorado is convenient by looking online. For those interested in outdoor winter sports followed by relaxing spa time, luxury ski-resort accommodations are available at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa, which also offers a highly accessible ski lift right out the front door of the lodge.

Devil’s Thumb Ranch

Once the snow melts in the springtime, the cowgirl/cowboy at heart will enjoy a stay at Devil’s Thumb Ranch located in Tabernash. Lodging options include staying at one of 16 luxury private cabins decked out in rustic decor, or in the 52 room lodge. While vacationing at Devil’s Thumb Ranch, the adventurer will enjoy horseback riding, fishing, hiking, and wilderness exploration. Not to worry, if the vacationer gets a bit tuckered out, he/she can always enjoy a hot tub or steam and sauna following a long day of adventure. Don’t stop at just these two appealing vacation areas, however, as Colorado has many more areas to explore.

Boulder

Located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains is a unique city called Boulder. Home to Colorado University, Boulder has the charm of a college town and is home to the nationally acclaimed Celestial Seasonings tea brewing factory. Not only does Celestial Seasonings brew over 40 delicious varieties of tea, but they offer a tour of the factory, which has consistently been ranked as one of the top 10 factory tours in the United States. For the horror movie junkie, Banjo Billie’s Bus Tour gives passengers a glimpse into the macabre side of Boulder. Similar to an adventure with Scooby, Shaggy and the gang, Billie’s Bus Tour is not for the squeamish. Tales of Boulder’s dark history, including possible ghost sightings, are the main topic of conversation while aboard this bus, so climb aboard at your own risk!

Balistreri Vineyards

The wine connoisseur will be pleasantly surprised to discover a vineyard right in the middle of Denver. While in the Mile High City, taking in a Denver Nuggets or Broncos game, make it a point to have a tasting at Balistreri Vineyards, located smack dab in the middle of an industrial section of Denver. The winemaker, John Balistreri, has been creating aromatic, award-winning wines for over 30 years. Made from 98% Colorado grown grapes, Balistreri wines include whites, reds, ports, and Colorado cherry.

 

Exploring the wilderness can be done by snowshoe, cross-country ski, train, or even dog-sledding. Dog-sledding has become increasingly popular in Colorado ski towns and wilderness exploration areas. In Snowmass, a dog sledding operation called Krabloonik has been offering dog-sledding tours for over 30 years. Following the wilderness tour, guests are invited to dine at Krabloonik Restaurant which, of course, offers a variety of game dishes such as wild boar, trout and pheasant to name a few.

Best Tips For Travel With Kids

If you are planning a family holiday or a weekend vacation, most people will not spend much time planning the road. People often forget to consider the fundamentals of how to maintain a relaxing and enjoyable road trip.

Bring a snack

Bring snacks that anyone can eat. These may seem like a clear suggestion, but it is easy to forget simple things. If you stuffed some travel size yogurt for children or fruit cups, make sure you have some plastic spoons. Napkins, paper towels, cleaning wipes are also really good ideas. Children, food, moving cars are often confusing.

Bring emergency supplies

Depending on where your road trip is taken you can bring blankets, snow chains, flares on the road, emergency rolls for first aid kit, sunscreen, and toilet paper. Preparing basic consumables in case of emergency is convenient. Or really bad traffic.

Please check the vehicle before all road trips.

Tune your vehicle before you hit the road and avoid breakdown at your road trip. This includes checking that your fluid has reached an appropriate level and receiving an oil change. You do not have to be on the road in an unfamiliar area, and it’s worse than having problems with the car.

Parents should choose the destination with the expectations of their children in mind. Some kids may like the beach; others may want to visit places filled with a child’s specific entertainment zone. Older children and teenagers may cherish adventure travel. Therefore, the choice of children is very important.

There are other important tips that you must know and are as follows

• The same important thing is the parents’ budget. Parents should carve out the amount they are ready to spend on the whole trip. Therefore, they need to determine the destination.

• Make sure the destination weather and temperature are appropriate. A pleasant climatic condition will increase the level of the pleasure of travel.

• Proper preparation. Please pack enough clothes for cold places. In case of rain, parents must wear umbrellas, raincoats, and gowns for traveling.

• Carrying special clothing for infants and young children is prudent. It also carries extra packets of diapers and other essentials to the baby.

• In case of overseas trips, please consult your doctor as to whether additional vaccination is necessary for children. Also, to deal with emergency situations, carry some basic medications and first aid kits.

• Before deciding the transport mode, remember the age of the child and the travel budget. Please carry necessary documents such as driver’s license, passport, visa, identification card, air ticket, etc. before you start your journey.

• The best way to enjoy your destination is to gather information in advance. To get the most out of your trip, please ask about special attractions in must-see places and destinations.

• Rent a car in Denver and you will save valuable money and parents’ time.

These simple suggestions will help you relax your family’s road trip more pleasantly so that you can relax and have a good time with your family when you arrive at your destination.

ARIZONA – A BRIEF TRIP REPORT

The first stop – Phoenix

We arrived late.

The city closes very early.

New Year’s Eve 2018 was no exception.

Hungry and pitiful, we drove a rented 7-searer around Phoenix looking for food, champagne, and mirth.  We found free champagne in a basement dive.

Five minutes later, we were back in the hotel, at the bar, watching Dick Clark, toasting the new year.

Dinner provided by Domino’s Pizza.

Sedona

 

It’s hard to be Ansel Adams when you are traveling with a group of car-bound photo jockeys.  That is to say, one does not really get the feel for a community, nor very many good photographs, when blowing through a town at 50 mph barely taking the time to roll down a window at the stop sign.  And that is just how we experienced Sedona.

From what we saw, the town appeared quaint and touristy, not unlike any other American tourist destination – replete with resorts, T-shirt shops and cafes.    But the real draw of Sedona is obviously the natural beauty.  Driving in from the south, passing through Oak Creek, one enjoys a perfect view of the dramatic red-rock countryside, including Bell Rock (shown) and several big red plateaus.   Unfortunately, during our 15 minutes in Sedona, the weather was cool and overcast so I can’t say that this page does the area justice.

 

 

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Gotta Dig that Crazy Topography

 

 

After passing quite a few “blending-in-with-the-desert” resorts we stopped on a touristy main street for a brief lunch, which included prickly-pear cactus fries.  They had a very strange salty and tart taste – not worth more than a few just to say that you ate cactus in Arizona!   The Cowboy Club also offered rattlesnake skewers, but we lacked the spirit of adventure to try them.

Bottom line is that the landscape was as interesting as it gets, and I would like to return to hike about photographing the scenic beauty.

Meteor Crater

 

After dropping back down to a lower elevation to escape the impending snow storm at the Grand Canyon, we headed east on I-40 in search of the mighty meteor crater somewhere between Flagstaff, Arizona and Winslow, Arizona.

And after following encouraging signs that read, “Meteor Crater, 9 miles ahead,” when we couldn’t see a damn thing and “View exciting film on a big screen just like in the movie theater,” oooh, I can’t wait!  Just like a movie theater?

And we were clearly enthralled, because we pulled over on the side of the road in the middle of all this desolation and Jake and Christopher started to take cheesy, posed photos while I talked to my brother, Matt, on my cell phone and Suzie looked as bored as an ice cream sundae in the middle of winter while she sat in their powder-hued Lincoln LS that we had nicknamed Cottonball for our walkie-talkie exchanges.

 

 

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I was half torn between listening to Matt’s story about one of his friend’s marriage woes and jumping out of the car to tell Jake and Christopher that walking down the middle of a deserted road with a case of Heineken over your shoulder is NOT web site worthy. As far as I could tell, Suzie felt the same way.

I think they were forced back into the car because some cars actually drove down the road. Shocker.

So $48 and 20 minutes later we were a bit stupefied because we couldn’t figure out what had just happened. Clearly, we just saw a very large hole in the ground. And we had clearly been duped too. See weak photos. (In all fairness, we’re probably horrible photographers.)

Yes, the entrance fee was $12 per person.  And that included a discount coupon for the gas station near the interstate.  And the annual pass was $15.  Go figure.  You’re probably gonna get sucked in once, but you’ve gotta be a real space rock freak to go back again.

So from a grand-scheme-of-things viewpoint, it was worth it.  But otherwise, it’s a sorry excuse for an attraction.  And the Subway (“Subway eat fresh!”) attached to the gift shop (also called the Rock Shop) attached to the museum, which is attached to the movie theater that is next to the Big Hole should put the whole experience into perspective.

 

 

THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS PARK-COLORADO

Colorado is one of the wonderfully mountainous parts of the United States, many tourists visit the site during holidays.

Rocky Mountain

National Park is home to 72 peaks and is set in a 400 square miles of wilderness. It has knowledgeable and friendly rangers. As inside the park you have to travel for longer miles one is advised to have a car, rental24h car rental is one of the leading car rental agency, one can hire a vehicle here and use it to go round the park. The Rocky Mountains were home to the first indigenous people, the human population there is not very dense, it offers abundant economic resources, it holds several national parks found on the Canadian side.

 

What to see during your visit to Rocky Mountain Park:



The elk bugle

At the Rocky Mountain Park, there are herds of elk, you will get to hear the bulls bulge, it is said that some bulges are a way of communicating that the bulls are in the area with his here. The peak of elk rut generally lasts from mid-September to mid-October. Rocky Mountain Park has predators such as wolves and grizzly bears, if you and your family want to visit a place where you will want to hear you can hear the elk bugle then Rocky Mountain Park is a place to be.


See the falls

When visiting Rocky Mountain Park you should carry your camera, the most captivating things to capture in your camera is the Alberta Falls which trails to Lake Bierstadt, here you will get to see the turning leaves.


The Old Fall River Road drive

You and your family should not miss a chance to drive through the Old Fall River Road. The road is always open a few weeks a year during the summer, if you don’t get there when the road is open then you and your family will have to use the snowshoeing and skiing. This is fun to you and your family.



Hike

At the park the best way for you and your family to enjoy your holiday is by going for a hike, you and your family can take a hike to the top of the mountain or a short work to one of the rivers.



Essentials for hiking:

  • Map and compass
  • Sunscreen and sunglasses
  • First-aid kit
  • Extra clothes
  • Extra food

WHAT TO CARRY FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY:

  • Binoculars to view the mountains well
  • Snacks
  • A rain jacket
  • Hiking boots
  • Water bottle
  • Warm clothing because the temperatures are extremely cold

Quite a number of animal species are found in the Rocky Mountains including mammals, reptiles and fish. These animals have characteristics and features which assist the animals to adapt to the tough mountain climates. Fish species are also available in the Mountain Rivers.

 

Conclusion

 

The Rocky Mountain Park is one of the best places for a family holiday, children get to learn new things and enjoy company with their parents, as it is away from the city it offers a serene environment for family bondage.