Pennsylvania to Colorado road trip! (Denver, Colorado Springs: hotel, home, job market)

[sheez73]

Well a friend and I are taking a road trip to Colorado. Neither of us have ever been to Colorado before. I'm excited to see what it has to offer. Why?? Well I've been thinking about moving to Colorado. This trip should help me decide if a move to Colorado is the right thing for me. I have and idea on what to see, but any ideas or help/guidence is appericated. As of now we will arrive in Denver and stay for about a week. Then we will spend another week in Colorado Springs.

Denver game plan: see downtown 16th Street Mall,Larimer Square, Musem of Natural History, Rocky Mountian National Park

Colorado Springs game plan: Pikes Peak, Royal Gorge, Great Sand Dunes, Garden of the Gods.

Aspen, Ouray and Mesa Verde if we have time.

Has anyone ate at Cracovia Restaurant? My friend is Polish (in states only 4 years). Any other good Polish resturants or deli?

Thanks for the help.

[davidv]

I think you are underestimating the size of Colorado.

Your Denver itinerary and your Colorado Springs itinerary are fine, but traveling to Aspen, Ouray, and/or Mesa Verde are not the type of things you do "if you have time."

Aspen is a 200 mile/3.5 hour drive from Denver or a 156 mile/3.75 hour drive from Colorado Springs (all two-lane highways and over a major mountain pass).

Ouray is a 300 mile/5.5 hour drive from Denver or a 270 mile/5 hour drive from Colorado Springs.

Mesa Verde is a 390 mile/7 hour drive from Denver or a 370 mile/6.5 hour drive from Colorado Springs.

If you want to go to these places, you will need to make formal arrangements to visit these places. Depending on the time of year, you may or may not find a hotel (or you will find one that is really expensive.

If you want quaint mountain town closer to Denver, I would suggest Georgetown (40 min away), Breckinridge (1 hour away), or Estes Park (1 hour away). Close to Colorado Springs would be Cripple Creek (1 hour away) or Salida (2 hours away from CS or 1 hour past the Royal Gorge).

Much of this also depends on when you are traveling. After Sept. 15, the prospect for snow in the mountains increases greatly. After Oct. 1, snow is pretty certain for the high country (and possible in Denver and Colorado Springs)

[SheridanL]

Better yet, stay in Canon City when you want to see the Royal Gorge. It is a 45 minute drive from Colorado Springs, has tons to see and do and, is just 7 miles down highway 50 from the Gorge!! It is also 100 miles (easy driving) to Breckenridge!!!

[Ziasforever]

Originally Posted by sheez73

Well a friend and I are taking a road trip to Colorado. Neither of us have ever been to Colorado before. I'm excited to see what it has to offer. Why?? Well I've been thinking about moving to Colorado. This trip should help me decide if a move to Colorado is the right thing for me.

Before you decide to move to Colorado, I highly advise you read the "How to make a living in rural Colorado...." thread posted in the Colorado forum.

Lot's of people are looking to move to Colorado thus employers have their pick of the cream of the crop who will sacrifice salary and living standards to be there. One poster on another thread has degreed call takers/makers at call center making $11.00 an hour in Fort Collins, I believe. One other thing Colorado is subject and maybe more so to the recession and that makes the job market even tighter.

Now, if you're moving out and don't need to work, that's a different story.

You're on the right track by visiting first. Enjoy!

[sheez73]

I forgot to mention when we are leaving. July 26th to Aug 9th.

I'm sure the job market is rough in Colorado, it is everywhere. I just resigned from a job in Vermont 2 months ago. Colorado has a better job market than Vermont, period. I was very lucky to find the job I had. The move from Pennsylvania to Vermont just wasn't what I had hoped for, and the job wasn't as challenging as I originally thought. So my second choice was Colorado. Vermont was a bit closer. This time I will be sure to get a better understanding of living in a differnet state before I move again.

[Ziasforever]

Originally Posted by sheez73

Colorado has a better job market than Vermont, period.

From what I've seen, Vermont has a much lower unemployment rate than Colorado.

Vermont unemployment rate drops slightly to 6 percent | The Burlington Free Press | Burlington, Vermont

Colorado Unemployment Rate Steady At 8 Percent - Denver News Story - KMGH Denver

Colorado Springs has a better unemployment rate but I don't know how reputable this website is:

Colorado Springs Jobs (CO) | Simply Hired

Of course Vermont is a much smaller state geographically and in terms of population. I don't know about the job market. I'm certain it's smaller but I wouldn't say Colorado's is better.

I have a couple of friends in Denver that are '99ers' meaning they've been unemployed for almost two years.

But, at 8 percent unemployment, Colorado has almost 400,000 people out of work. That's hard to imagine.

That doesn't mean you won't be able to find a job or that one won't land in your lap. Good luck in any case!

[80skeys]

Your plan sounds fine, except for Mesa Verde and Ouray. These are too far to squeeze into a one week stay on the Front Range. Scratch those off the list. Hit the rest of the ones you mentioned and you'll get a good idea of what Colorado is all about.

[Ziasforever]

I'd trade Aspen for Ouray myself.

[Idunn]

Unless you will be spending your time actively critiquing Denver and Colorado Springs towards job prospects, spending a week at each will severely restrict your mobility. You mentioned the Museum of Natural History in Denver, but unless your interests are primarily urban, then best to get out and around.

With Rocky Mountain National Park, for one, your better home base for at least a night would be Estes Park. I'll grant you that on a limited budget the best bargain in lodging would usually be multi-nights in the city; you can count on resort areas such Estes Park to be generally more expensive, although depending the overall cost may not be that much more. Not to mention factoring the cost of petrol for all those round trips. Places such as Mesa Verde you'll likely never get to unless you just head down that way, which means you'd be better off spending the night in Durango than Colorado Springs. The same thing could be said to a lesser extent of Great Sand Dunes National Park.

Were it me, I'd make it a road trip. Spend some time in Denver and Colorado Springs, but only as much as warranted. Oh, and if in Colorado Springs be sure and check out its oh so very different smaller sister, Manitou Springs. You'll never know in advance which places look fine on the map, but five minutes there and you're ready to move on; others may end up seeing you there for two or three days, or a lifetime. If flexible, you'll have the option. The only caveat is summer being tourist season, you can't expect to always waltz into a town towards the end of the day and find lodging (or at least not in style and price that you might like). Money helps in this equation, but a little foresight can go even farther. If still some limitations, you might accomplish a lot by choosing your next nights lodging that morning, and booking it online. The downside is that in person you may have chosen differently, but in places such as Ouray or Telluride it might nevertheless be advisable. One helpful tool in this, if you are not aware, would be the reviews at 'TripAdvisor.com.'

If selecting strategic towns in an region, you might easily see a lot of the area. Say Frisco for Summit County, although you could as well choose Silverthorne or Dillon. As said, Durango would be fine for Mesa Verde, but if driving on US 550 from there to Ouray, you'll easily see why you might wish to remain in that town and not make the roundtrip back.

If a large state, you might see a vast portion of Colorado, even have time to browse for some trinkets . . . but only if you keep moving.

[Ziasforever]

Originally Posted by Idunn

Unless you will be spending your time actively critiquing Denver and Colorado Springs towards job prospects, spending a week at each will severely restrict your mobility. You mentioned the Museum of Natural History in Denver, but unless your interests are primarily urban, then best to get out and around.

With Rocky Mountain National Park, for one, your better home base for at least a night would be Estes Park. I'll grant you that on a limited budget the best bargain in lodging would usually be multi-nights in the city; you can count on resort areas such Estes Park to be generally more expensive, although depending the overall cost may not be that much more. Not to mention factoring the cost of petrol for all those round trips. Places such as Mesa Verde you'll likely never get to unless you just head down that way, which means you'd be better off spending the night in Durango than Colorado Springs. The same thing could be said to a lesser extent of Great Sand Dunes National Park.

Were it me, I'd make it a road trip. Spend some time in Denver and Colorado Springs, but only as much as warranted. Oh, and if in Colorado Springs be sure and check out its oh so very different smaller sister, Manitou Springs. You'll never know in advance which places look fine on the map, but five minutes there and you're ready to move on; others may end up seeing you there for two or three days, or a lifetime. If flexible, you'll have the option. The only caveat is summer being tourist season, you can't expect to always waltz into a town towards the end of the day and find lodging (or at least not in style and price that you might like). Money helps in this equation, but a little foresight can go even farther. If still some limitations, you might accomplish a lot by choosing your next nights lodging that morning, and booking it online. The downside is that in person you may have chosen differently, but in places such as Ouray or Telluride it might nevertheless be advisable. One helpful tool in this, if you are not aware, would be the reviews at 'TripAdvisor.com.'

If selecting strategic towns in an region, you might easily see a lot of the area. Say Frisco for Summit County, although you could as well choose Silverthorne or Dillon. As said, Durango would be fine for Mesa Verde, but if driving on US 550 from there to Ouray, you'll easily see why you might wish to remain in that town and not make the roundtrip back.

If a large state, you might see a vast portion of Colorado, even have time to browse for some trinkets . . . but only if you keep moving.

Hey ID...this sure is excellent advice but I think they are already on the road. In an earlier post they advised they were heading out on the 26th.

I'll remember it when I'm making a road trip not only to CO but other places. The general advice that is.