Later April Vacation in Colorado help (Denver, Boulder: ski resorts, hotels, house)

[rtloucks]

Hello to all and thanks for taking the time to help me.

We are coming to Colorado in late April for a week with two boys 15 and 9. We are visiting family in Woodland park for a few days but also want to spend a few days exploring with our boys. We don't need to do anything crazy, but some hiking maybe stay a nice resort that has some spring time activities and be a close enough drive to go enjoy some social settings like nice eateries and shopping.

I don't mean to be so vague, I just don't know anything about the area and could really use some help. My fear is that Ill find a resort to stay at but then find out that its a ski resort and not sure what kind of fun there will be there at the end of april. I am really open to any advice any of you can give to at least help get me started in the right direction.

We are looking to relax and take in some nature and get to see the area.
We are NOT looking for theme parks, malls, museums etc.

We would like to find the Midwest/Mountain equivalent to sitting on a beach somewhere type of trip.
To put it simply, if we were to go to Hawaii instead we would be swimming, snorkleling, sunbathing, hiking etc. So whatever the equivalent to that kind of activity would be.

Thanks again... I really appreciate it.

[jazzlover]

Sadly, you will be visiting Colorado at about the ugliest time of year in the state. The leaves generally won't be out in the lower elevations, and the higher elevations will either be brown and muddy or still snow-laden. The weather can be warm and beautiful or miserably cold and snowy. The spring months are usually the most windy season in Colorado, as well. March and April are typically the months that native Coloradans choose to take their vacation elsewhere--that should be instructive. Colorado really doesn't have spring in the traditional sense--it just lurches between winter and summer, with a lot of surprises lurking in those lurches.

[lrmsd]

Hi;
I lived in CO for a few years [not currently] though last year took a vacation [in April, actually-] with my family [including a 10 year old] to CO. There are many great areas in the region, so I'll just share what we did, as it was very relaxing and very 'CO'.

We stayed in Boulder [Twin Lakes area there is a great hotel with kitchenettes and very affordable-a lot of runners who come to train in the area stay there. Though obviously you have many choices. Not sure if you have a budget, etc, so just throwing that out there.] North Boulder [referred to as Gunbarrel area] near twin lakes is nice b/c there are, well, lakes (: and lots of local wildlife-we walked each night to see owls and many locals from the residential neighborhood were bird watching there, too.

Walking the Pearl St. Pedestrian Mall in Boulder is always great for all [lots of local shops, cafes, restaurants]. Lunch or dinner at the Dushanbe tea house [the building was disassembled in Boulder's sister city of dushanbe, Tajkikstan, and reassembled in Boulder. It's beautiful-was built by hand w/o power tools [they say]. Very cool and unique place. Good for desert or a snack or a meal. It's off the main pedestrian mall.

Hiking near one of the only remaining chautauquas in the country in Boulder-many easy access trails into the foothills of the Flatiron mountains. Pretty sure you may seem some spring flowers there in late April? Boulder has many great, local restaurants, as well.

Day trip to Nederland: A great and beautiful 30 minute trip up the canyon from Boulder. It's at about 8k feet, vs. 5k in Boulder. Has little shops, restaurants, low key, some hiking/walks in town, great visitor center, etc. There's a local ski resort not far out of town, if there's any skiing available in late April...'Ned' is quirky, friendly and a semi throwback to the 60's (with a mix of people these days, however...). Great restaurant options available. Gorgeous country around there; you could just drive towards Rollinsville, the next town over, for a few miles and see some beautiful scenery, too.

If you wanted to drive further for a day trip, head up to Estes Park, the gateway to Rocky Mountain national park.

Since you are starting in Woodland Park, not sure if you are interested in trekking a couple of hours up to the Boulder area. I don't know the COS area enough beyond Pike's Peak, etc to recommend specifics, so I'm sure others will chime in. I would probably drive up to Salida for a day trip that time of year [mountain town], stay in Manitou Springs and enjoy the Pikes Peak area. Enjoy your trip-CO is a great to visit with kids (or without)!

[gn3]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

Colorado really doesn't have spring in the traditional sense--it just lurches between winter and summer, with a lot of surprises lurking in those lurches.

Agree with this. Spring is also known as May. Summer is June through August. September is Fall. October through April is Winter.

[Arrby]

If the weather cooperates...

Meuller State Park is very close to Woodland Park and has some very nice hikes suitable for just about any intensity level.

Florissant Fossil Beds is also near by, and it is startling and educational to discover petrified giant redwoods at 8500 ft. elevation. While not worth an extended visit, there is a 3 mile hike I particularly like known as the "Sawmill Loop".

If you are going into Denver, highway 67 out of Woodland Park up to Sedalia is an interesting drive. You need a pretty detailed map, and note that an extended section is dirt/gravel, but quite usable by an ordinary car.

The "Donut Mill" is a worthy stop.

Many people enjoy shopping and/or walking around Manitou Springs. Take time to educate yourself about the springs themselves.

Garden of the Gods is only 30 minutes away.

Great Sand Dunes National Park is a long, but theoretically possible day trip.

Some of the ski resorts may - not certainly - still be open. Brekenridge, Keystone, and Monarch are all possible (if distant) day trips.

Unfortunately, many people underestimate the effects of altitude as they plan their hikes. Weather can change dramatically throughout the year, but in late April it can get serious. About five years ago and around that time period I saw the temperature plummet 40 deg. in less than 30 minutes and a blinding snow fall from what had been a cloudless sky less than an hour before.

It is also possible for cedar pollen to be very bad at that time. A great many of us suffer grievously from that allergen, so be aware.

re: summer. We have already made our plans: if summer falls on a weekend this year we are going to have a picnic.

[LarsMac]

As others have stated, April is a month when anything can, and probably will happen, weather-wise.
If you can afford it, Check out the Broadmoor Hotel and see what they have to offer for a couple or three days.
They have spa, and hiking, horseback riding trails, various activities and great dining, plus an inside track on the local activities around the Springs.
There are other resort type hotels that are a little more "Budget-minded" and you can take a day to tour the Air Force Academy, Garden of the Gods, and some of the local tourist traps. I would not make any long-term plans regarding mountain driving, but when here, if the weather looks good, you can plan a day trip over to the Dunes, or something like that.

One possibility would be to take AmTrack from Denver to Glenwood Springs. A day over on the train, a day there, and a day back. The scenery can be awesome, and Glenwood Springs is a nice low-key day visit.

[wanneroo]

Late April is too late for winter and too early for summer. It can be beautiful at that time of year, but also the state can still get some heavy snowfalls, especially in the mountains, so be ready for that.

The ski resorts are pretty much dead at that time of year. Ski season has just ended and everyone clears out of town for a break with many businesses and restaurants closing for a while. In addition most of the mountain towns that have an opposite focus on the summer season, such as the old mining towns, many of them have not got going for summer yet.

In terms of hiking and outdoor activities in the mountains, it is still winter in the mountains so you'll have to keep that in mind.