Colorado Road Trip

Girls' Getaway Weekend: Colorado Road Trip

This summer, my friend Barbara and I flew to Colorado for a 3-day weekend. Have you ever spent time in Colorado? Until this trip, the most time I spent was in the Denver airport.

The Colorado mountains are stunning. Everywhere you look, the skyline is quick to change but it's always a beautiful view. The outdoor recreation available during the summer is perfect for family travel and trips with good friends, and the food and beer scene is hopping.

I did not expect to fall in love with this state, but I did. I can't wait to go back!

Our plan was to fly from Portland, Oregon into Denver, Colorado, and then drive to Glenwood Springs. This is an easy, scenic 3-hour drive that is almost a straight shot down highway 70.

Stanley Marketplace

After flying into Denver, we stopped by the Stanley Marketplace in Aurora, Colorado. Stanley Marketplace is a super hip, modern community of stores, coffee shops, breweries and restaurants.

After perusing our many options, we decided to stop for lunch at Denver Biscuit Co.

The Stanley Marketplace location is one of five Denver Biscuit Company restaurants in Colorado.

The space is large and quirky, and the service is attentive without being in your face.

Biscuits, of course, are the focus of the menu, with dozens of options for Biscuit Sandwiches and Biscuit Plates. Barbara tried the Franklin biscuit sandwich. Meanwhile, I devoured the slightly spicy, delicious Shrimp & Grits plate.

With good food in our bellies, we were ready to rock and roll and hit the road.

Driving through Colorado

Living in Oregon, I'm surrounded by stunning nature - lush green forests, towering mountain peaks, beautiful ocean beaches.

And while I fully appreciate the beauty of new places, it is honestly rare that I am surprised by it.

Colorado took my breath away. 

Driving along Highway 70, I was lulled into a zen nature trance.

One mountain peak gave way to another, and the hillsides morphed from bright green forests to monstrous rock formations to vibrant red soil. The drive itself was an adventure.

We made it to Glenwood Springs and checked into our home for the weekend, the Residence Inn by Marriott.

Glenwood Springs, Colorado

Glenwood Springs, Colorado is a resort city nestled in the Rocky Mountains. Known for its hot springs, the area also offers a multitude of outdoor recreation.

My friend Barbara and I decided to go on a hike on our first full day in Glenwood Springs.

We attempted to go to Hanging Lake, leaving early in the morning to try to beat the traffic, yet we were still too late. By 8:20am, the parking area for Hanging Lake was already full.

Hiking the Grizzly Creek Trail

We drove back toward town and found the Grizzly Creek Trail. It turned out to be a nice quiet 3-mile hike along the creek.

Clearly, it wasn't an advanced hike, as we found lots of stops for fun photos.

Yet the trail does get narrow and rocky in some points, so I would suggest this hike for adults and older children. If you have younger children, you may consider doing the first mile or two of the hike, and then hiking back, before the trail begins to get rockier and narrower.

Sweet Coloradough

After our hike, we decided we needed a little sweet treat. I had heard great things about Sweet Coloradough, a local donut shop in Glenwood Springs. So we stopped there for a mid-morning, post-hike sugar fix.

The donuts are made in-house, and you'll find all of the classics plus some fun flavor combos.

Unexpected bonus: Sweet Coloradough also offered a free beer or free tequila shot on the day we were there. We declined the offer, but if you're out and about looking for a cool pint after a hot day of hiking, check this place out!

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park

After a brief break, we were ready to head back out and explore Glenwood Springs.

Next stop: Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. 

Glenwood Caverns can be an all-day adventure, or an all-morning or all-afternoon stop on your trip to Glenwood Springs.

After riding the tram up the mountain, you can choose from a variety of rides, play laser tag, take a cave tour, enjoy lunch with a view, and more.

Barbara and I opted for the Kings Row Cave Tour, which lasts approximately 40 minutes and is appropriate for most ages and fitness levels.

There are guardrails for safety and to help you make your way through the cave, as well as plenty of spaces to stop and enjoy the cave wonders - or to simply stop and catch your breath. The descent in this cave tour is about 150 feet down.

During this tour, you get a close-up look at the cave bacon (it's a thing!), stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, and a really cool light show at the bottom.

After emerging from the depths of the caves, a ride through the air is a refreshing adventure!

The photo above is of Barbara and I getting ready to ride the Soaring Eagle Zip Ride. This ride can be a one- or two-person ride, which zips you backwards and up on a zip line, giving you gorgeous sweeping views of the valley and surrounding mountains, and then quickly zips you back down.

There are also several rides and attractions for families with kids of all ages, such as a giant canyon swing, alpine coaster, a climbing wall, mine wheel (like a small ferris wheel), and more.

Park prices vary, depending on the rides and attractions you want to check out. We opted for the Summer Day Pass, which was $54 per adult and included tram rides, cave tours, and attractions. You can find the latest ticket price info here. Be sure to plan for some time to wait in line for tickets, or you can purchase them online and go directly to the online ticket line.

Iron Mountain Hot Springs

After a few hours of exciting fun at the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, it was time to soak in some of Glenwood Springs' famous hot springs and relax into the evening.

There are a few options for hot springs in Glenwood Springs, including Glenwood Hot Springs Resort. We opted for the Iron Mountain Hot Springs.

We liked the variety of pools available here, versus one large pool. It seemed more peaceful and private to us. Each of the hot springs pools had different minerals, and a different vibe, which was nice.

There were two options for food and beverage stations, and ample locker room space with showers and changing areas.

We had day passes, which were $25 per day. You can find all pass options and pricing on the Iron Mountain Hot Springs website.

Brava Modern Trattoria

At the end of our long day of adventure and exploring Glenwood Springs, Colorado, we wanted to enjoy a nice, relaxing dinner. We found Brava Modern Trattoria online, and were pleased with wonderful service and a delicious Italian meal. Barbara's Brasato ($18)- Ricotta Gnocchi, Braised Lamb Leg, Arugula, Natural Jus - was out of this world. My Gamberetti ($16) with Penne, Shrimp, Plum Tomatoes, Kalamata, Arrabiata Sauce, was also quite wonderful.

We enjoyed our meal with a bottle of Z. Alexander Brown's UNCAGED Cabernet Sauvignon, and toasted to a fabulous day in Colorado.