Long time lurker first time poster here. Hello Opal!! I brought pie… and what was I supposed to do with the goat? Is someone’s dog burning?
I have been searching the internet endlessly for the last few weeks hoping to get ideas on what to do in Colorado that will be fun and most importantly free or cheap! Today I had an epiphany - ask the smartest folks around - Dopers! :smack:
My husband and I will be in Colorado Monday through Wednesday. Husband has never been to Colorado, and I haven’t been since I was a youngster. We would love to do quirky touristy things. If it helps, we are an early 30-ish couple who have no children, enjoy our beers, and have a limited budget.
I wanted to go to the Royal Gorge Monday morning - but alas, it costs $23 a person just to see the thing! We wouldn’t be there for more than an hour so it seems silly to pay $46 bucks to see the hole in the ground. So the Gorge out unless someone knows a way around the cost? We be staying in Cripple Creek hoping to strike it rich Monday night. Tuesday morning we will do the Pikes Peak thing. Then… !!!
We *were *going to tour the Coors and Bud plants but they are not touring on Tuesday or Wednesday.
So, I ask: Any ideas on what to do in central Colorado besides Pikes Peak and Cripple Creek?
Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs (which you’ll go through on your way to Cripple Creek) are chockfull of tourist trappy stuff. Most of which is fairly expensive.
There’s a nice mining museum north of town on I-25, right across from the Air Force Academy. Does the Air Force Academy offer tours? That might count as quirky. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is nice, and includes the Will Rogers Memorial, which offers a stunning view. I liked the Cave of the Winds. Lots of people like the Garden of the Gods - weird rock formations.
I’ll be out there the week after next, but all I plan to do is wander the mountains. After almost three years in flatland, I’m in desperate need of some mountain time.
Be prepared. You may see snow. Bring a sweater and light jacket. Layer, layer, layer. The temps at night fall real real fast. Even in Denver at this time of year.
Most everything will cost something. I haven’t been to Cripple Creek in years, but for what you already have lined up, and if that is your base, I would just hang there after doing Pikes Peak and perhaps the Garden of the Gods.
I am not familiar with Central Colorado and I don’t know how far you are willing to drive but, Georgetown, Idaho Springs, Frisco, Breckenridge (well maybe not Breck so much) are touristy towns that you can wander around.
My favorite, because it’s close, is Estes Park (more to the north though). Rocky Mountain National Park, $20/car, is near Estes. We sometimes pack a picnic and go there. We saw a huge herd of elk and a couple of coyotes in January there.
Boulder has Celestial Seasonings Tea tours (I know not the same). We sometimes like to go to Boulder’s Pearl Street mall and make fun of the hippies.
2nd Frank’s suggestion as to Cave of the Winds. As for breweries, you can’t swing a dead cat in CO without hitting one. No need to go to Coors when we have evelenty-million other microbreweries with MUCH better beer.
I also agree with Pikes Peak and Rocky Mountain National Park. If you like gambling at all, you might want to go out to Blackhawk. It’s an old mining town…and is now the spot for gambling in the area. Plenty of cool old buildings and a small museum up there too.
Oh…and speaking of mining towns, Idaho Springs has a mine tour (Argo Mine). Tommyknocker Brewery in the same town has good food and good beer.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is nice, and includes the Will Rogers Memorial, which offers a stunning view. I liked the Cave of the Winds. Lots of people like the Garden of the Gods - weird rock formations.