What is the first thing you would do in Estes Park?

Answer 1

I love Estes and visit it and RMNP several times a year. My husband and I were married there (trivia: it's the location of the second largest number of marriages in the US, outside of Las Vegas!)

The first thing we always do is have lunch at the Estes Park Brewery. Great beer and lunch food - Staggering Elk Lager rules! Then we check into either Romantic Riversong or Woodlands on Fall River, depending on whether we're celebrating our anniversary or visiting in the fall. Then we make our first drive into the park to see the elk, which are always in large herds along the road. The next day, we either go snowshoeing or hiking, usually on one of the trails around Bear Lake or Sprague Lake. If it's open, we drive up Trail Ridge Road to view the incredible scenery. We like to eat at Sweet Basilico or Dunraven Inn, or our new favorite, Rock Inn Tavern. Sometimes I get to go shopping for a new refrigerator magnet on Elkhorn Avenue, or we just relax by the fire and enjoy the incredible beauty around us. Estes and RMNP rock!

Answer 2

Of course you and I may like different thing. But when I go to Estes Park I like to play tourist. I usually always go visit the Stanley Hotel. That is the real name of the hotel filmed in The Shining. It is an operating hotel and parts of it are set up similar to a museum. It is up on the hill with a great view and is often used for weddings and conferences. http://www.stanleyhotel.com/ Unfortunately, no maze.

Then, depending on how much time I'm planning to spend in the area, I usually enjoy a walk around the lake; they also rent bicycles or the peddle carts. If I am staying for a while, there is an outfit that rents horses, and I like to go for a horseback ride in the forest and of course the hiking is great too. http://www.estespark-colorado.com/tours.htm#tours

If you go in the fall, stop and watch the elk.

The Estes Park website is actually pretty good in providing the activities available thoughout the year. I don't live very far away, so we go quite often. http://www.estespark-colorado.com/EPCO-ActivitiesGuide.HTML

You would fly into DIA (Denver International Airport). Estes Park is a couple hours northwest from DIA. Just rent a vehicle so you can get around and do what you like. They have some gorgeous waterfalls to look at and depending on the time of year there are tons of things to do.

Answer 3

Wow !!!! Some bad answers. First of all, "The Shining" was not filmed at the Overlook Hotel and the hotel NEVER had a hedge maze. Second, Stapleton Airport is long gone. The airport is now NE of Denver about 20 miles. Estes Park is a tourist trap but the town is clean and the weather is pleasant in Summer. So I suggest you buy a t-shirt and then go on up to Rockey Mountain National Park.

Answer 4

Eat. And by the way, The Shining was not filmed in Estes Park so the hedge mazed never existed there. The movie was filmed in Oregon - Colorado, particularly in the Estes Park vicinity, rarely gets that much snow.

Answer 5

Follow Mama Gretch's advice.

and the movie The Shining was not filmed at the Stanley, but the TV miniseries was.

Answer 6

I would go up to the Overlook Hotel from Stephen Kings' "The Shining", and try to run through the hedge maze if it still exists.

Answer 7

Rent a large cabin and have a party.
BUT...don't forget....NO CAMERAS when underage are holding a beer in their hands. They'll get you in trouble every time.
ALSO...Bear Mountain Auto (if they still exist) just outside of Stapleton Airport rents Jeep Wranglers.

Answer 8

I would take a tour of the Stanley Hotel.

Answer 9

Hiking. The area is beautiful!

Answer 10

find out where the public rest rooms are