Colorado Road Trip

Car driving on mountain road with cloudy sky

Three families (17 people: My sister’s family, some of our best friends, and my crew) had the most amazing 10 day road trip around the state of Colorado. We saw it all. Countless adventures and the best experiences!

Our itinerary:

Map showing a road trip route through Colorado, passing cities like Denver, Colorado Springs, Estes Park, Vail, Aspen, and Glenwood Springs, and including landmarks like Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and White River National Forest.

Day 1: From Minnesota, we drove 6 hours to Omaha for the night. We bunkered down at a hotel that ended up to be a disappointment. But we made the best of the area and walked around the Blackstone District for dinner. We had a blast at Kamp Bar & Food Hall. Super casual, order-at-the-counter type of place. Some of us got burgers and others had gourmet corndogs. We even tried our hand at an ice-shot then throwing it at a target to shatter all over. It was a fun place to eat! Then we walked down to Coneflower for ice cream - note: if you have dairy & nut allergies, their vegan option combines coconut, almond and cashew nuts. We stood in line for an hour to find this out at the counter.

Day 2-4: Early the next morning we headed to Morrison, which took us 8 hours to drive. Stayed in a large Airbnb home in the mountains for 3 nights to explore Idaho Springs and the surrounding areas. The house was up the mountain and the driveway was crazy bumpy–we bottomed out our Jeep every time we drove in and out of there.

Three days as enough in that area. We maxed it out with hiking, white water rafting, zip lining and mining for gold. The hike was a cool 4.1 miles (that felt like 8) and wasn’t marked very well. It took us over 3 hours to finish. There are options to hike 1 or 2 miles, but we had no idea where to turn around. If you’re into that kind of thing, definitely check out Maxwell Falls. Watch my IG reel from that hike!

White water rafting was so much fun! The Kremmling location has a 26 foot cliff jump called Jump Rock at the end of the river. Even with the water being lower this time of year (early Aug.), it was still such a blast! Watch my IG reel from the rafting!

Then, the dads and older kids went ziplining, while us moms took the littles to mine for gold down the street. They all loved ziplining - even the 10 year olds! Our last night in Morrison, we got to worship Jesus with Maverick City Music at Red Rocks Amphitheater. Absolute incredible night. That place is so beautiful! It’s quite the incline to walk up, so get there early to park and take your time getting to your seat. Watch my IG reel of the concert!

People hiking on a rocky forest trail surrounded by tall pine trees.
Group of people on a green inflatable raft navigating a rocky river, wearing life vests and holding paddles.
Child on a zip line wearing a helmet and safety harness against a rocky background.
Audience at outdoor concert with stage, large screens, and colorful sunset sky.

Day 5: We headed to Colorado Springs to explore Cave of the Winds and did a trolley ride through Garden of the Gods. Fun, but very touristy. Then on to stay in a little Airbnb cabin at Lake George. It was pretty much in the middle of nowhere - so peaceful and gorgeous. There were a handful of cabins in a big circle with a common area for grilling and hanging out; all owned by the same Airbnb. This place was so cute. On our way to Aspen the next day, we stopped at a fishing site at Twin Lakes for some shoreline fishing. I read up on getting a fishing license, but this specific area was so secluded, we took our chances without one. Watch my IG reel of the kids fishing!

Balanced Rock in Garden of the Gods, Colorado, with people nearby for scale.
Two people with hats exploring a dimly lit cave with stalactites and textured rock walls.
Small wooden cabin with a red door, patio set, and parked white SUV, with a large evergreen tree and dark cloudy sky in the background.
Lake with children playing in sand and people fishing, surrounded by mountains and cloudy sky.

Day 6: Our next stop was Aspen. I wanted to unpack our bags and stay here forever here. My heart was overflowing with happiness this whole day. We hopped on some e-bikes and rode toward Maroon Bells. We didn’t make it entirely but we did see them beautifully on display from afar. After the 2 hour ride, we ate at West Bound & Down for some delicious pizza and microbrews. We stayed at Timberline Condominiums for the night, which were great for each of our families. The next morning we drove to Snowmass Village ski area, which is just down the road from Aspen. The kids were in heaven playing soccer on the summer turf (in winter they turn it into an ice skating rink) while we had crêpes and coffee, soaking it all in. This whole area is to die for. #movinghere Watch my IG reel of our day in Aspen!

Cyclists riding on a scenic mountain road with cloudy sky and surrounding trees.
Group of cyclists riding on a scenic mountain road surrounded by trees and hills under a cloudy sky.
Outdoor recreational area with children playing on a green lawn, surrounded by buildings and hills. String lights are strung overhead, and decorative plants and seating areas are visible.
Close-up of a person holding a crepe in an outdoor shopping area with blurred background.

Day 7: The following day we headed to Glenwood Springs and took a dip in the famous Iron Mountain Hot Springs. This place was super cool. Expensive, but it’s a 3 hour ticket so plan to stay a while! Each pool had a different temperature, and the kids loved the larger 80-some degree pool. (Bring your own goggles!) They had food and beverages to purchase right next to the “family” pool area.

Outdoor spa area with pool and waterfall, surrounded by trees and mountain scenery, under a clear blue sky.
Outdoor swimming pool with several children playing in the water, surrounded by trees and hills under a blue sky.

Day 8: Next up, Vail. Looovvvveeee this area. The whole ski town was cobblestone streets for pedestrians to explore. Excellent shopping and food galore. We stayed at Vail’s Mountain Haus condos/apartments in downtown Vail -- loved it. We will definitely be staying here for longer next time. Our place was right in the middle of all the action so we walked everywhere. The next morning we drove to Breckenridge to eat on our way up to Boulder for the night.

**Also, please excuse the blurry photos. I took all videos on this trip for some reason(?!), so these are all screenshots.

A European-style pedestrian street with shops, people walking, and a stroller, set against a backdrop of hills and a cloudy sky.
Scenic view of a quaint village square with European-style architecture, surrounded by green hills and trees. The square features cobblestone pavement, wooden benches, flowers, and small shops.
Exterior view of Mountain Haus, a hotel building with a wooden entrance, American flag, and trees in Vail, Colorado.
A group selfie with an adult and three children smiling outdoors, with trees and a park-like setting in the background.

Day 9: Then the next morning we jetted north on to Estes Park to wrap up the trip. The dads took the older kids to a tour of the Shinning’s Stanley Hotel and us moms took the littles to play at a bumper car adventure park. After a day of fun, we headed toward home, driving through Nebraska and stayed at the Holiday Inn in Kearney, NE for our last night. They just added on so we stayed in a clean, new room, and their pool was super awesome with big water slides and a kiddie area. Great find!

Children playing on colorful bumper boats in a pool with green surroundings.
Historic hotel with red roofs, American flag, surrounded by greenery and parked cars.

These types of road trips are so fun! You see it all, getting a taste of each area, and knowing where you want to explore longer next time. 38+ hours in the car and our kids did great! We’ll be back soon, Colorado!