Where do you take weekend trips (Denver, Fort Collins: condo, gardens, safe)

[DannyBanany]

The Black Hills of South Dakota are the first thing that come to mind. Of course, there's Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Devil's Tower, and the Badlands - but there are also wineries, gambling resorts, uncrowded ski resorts, scenic photography, bed and breakfasts, beautiful hikes, rock climbing, and each town is very unique in it's own rite.

[Willy702]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

Totally disagree that there are not good long weekend trips. If he likes beach towns, but not the beach, he would love the mountain towns like Salida (3 hours), Steamboat Springs (3.5 hours), Crested Butte (4.5 hours), Aspen (3.5 hours), Telluride (6.5 hours), Durango (7 hours). You can also get to Taos, NM (5 hours) or Santa Fe (6 hours) for a long weekend.

Why do you have to disagree with me? Post your opinion and respect mine.

[lalahartma]

Salida, Santa Fe, Taos, Ojo Caliente, Steamboat, Crested Butte, Pagosa Springs, Ouray, Fruita, Durango, Mesa Verde.

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by Willy702

Why do you have to disagree with me? Post your opinion and respect mine.

Sorry. I did not realize that sensitivity training was required before posting.

I disagreed with you because I think what you posted is incorrect and misrepresented the reality of places to visit within driving distance. I wanted to highlight the point that you were wrong about this so as to make sure that the OP did not come away with an incorrect impression. Fortunately, many others have chimed in with lots of driving destinations.

I'm wrong all the time too. It happens to the best of us. No need to get feelings hurt.

[Willy702]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

Sorry. I did not realize that sensitivity training was required before posting.

I disagreed with you because I think what you posted is incorrect and misrepresented the reality of places to visit within driving distance. I wanted to highlight the point that you were wrong about this so as to make sure that the OP did not come away with an incorrect impression. Fortunately, many others have chimed in with lots of driving destinations.

I'm wrong all the time too. It happens to the best of us. No need to get feelings hurt.

You are right, I was wrong. I will leave Denver opinions to others and keep mine to myself. Everytime I try to participate someone has to come in and call me naive or whatever so enough. Thankfully the people in this area are less rude than the posters in here.

[joejaw]

You all are awesome thank you so much for the insight. This has been driving me nuts. I have lived in The Baltimore area all my life and am just so used to hopping in the car and being in a different state in a couple hours so living in such a large state is such a foreign concept to me. I did go to Breckenridge and loved it. It was a really cool town. Do you find there is large differences in culture or just a different kind of vibe in different areas throughout Colorado?


And on a another note. I am really into to cars from old hot rods to imports to trucks to basically anything that I can drive. Is there a large car scene in the Denver and surrounding areas. Such as Car meets, shows, cruises, and other car events? I know I really want to do some canyon drives out in the mountains and have already started building a car to do so.

[dude_reino]

Originally Posted by Willy702

You are right, I was wrong. I will leave Denver opinions to others and keep mine to myself. Everytime I try to participate someone has to come in and call me naive or whatever so enough. Thankfully the people in this area are less rude than the posters in here.

Are you ten years old or something? All the guy said was "I disagree" and you took like he just killed your dog. Nobody called you naive.

[dude_reino]

Originally Posted by joejaw

You all are awesome thank you so much for the insight. This has been driving me nuts. I have lived in The Baltimore area all my life and am just so used to hopping in the car and being in a different state in a couple hours so living in such a large state is such a foreign concept to me. I did go to Breckenridge and loved it. It was a really cool town. Do you find there is large differences in culture or just a different kind of vibe in different areas throughout Colorado?

In terms of mountain towns, there are two distinct versions: Victorian mining towns (Breckenridge, Aspen, Leadville, Telluride) and historical ranching towns (Steamboat Springs, Gunnison, Buena Vista). Each has their own charm. Breck and Aspen may look very similar at first glance but they are distinctively different. One was built on gold and the other on silver. Steamboat Springs also may look like other ski towns but still retains a distinctive 'cowboy' ranching legacy. Vail, on the other hand, was nothing more than a small farm settlement until the 1950's, and was purpose-built to resemble a Bavarian mountain village. Each has its own distinct character.

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by Willy702

You are right, I was wrong. I will leave Denver opinions to others and keep mine to myself. Everytime I try to participate someone has to come in and call me naive or whatever so enough. Thankfully the people in this area are less rude than the posters in here.

Seriously? Do your friends have to walk on eggshells around you to avoid upsetting you?

Originally Posted by dude_reino

In terms of mountain towns, there are two distinct versions: Victorian mining towns (Breckenridge, Aspen, Leadville, Telluride) and historical ranching towns (Steamboat Springs, Gunnison, Buena Vista). Each has their own charm. Breck and Aspen may look very similar at first glance but they are distinctively different. One was built on gold and the other on silver. Steamboat Springs also may look like other ski towns but still retains a distinctive 'cowboy' ranching legacy. Vail, on the other hand, was nothing more than a small farm settlement until the 1950's, and was purpose-built to resemble a Bavarian mountain village. Each has its own distinct character.

The ski towns are also very different from the non resort towns. There is a much more distinct divide between visitors and locals since the tourist traffic is so heavy. Locals in Summit county really keep to themselves. They have their own bars where tourists don't go.

Ouray is one of my favorite mountain towns to visit because it is charming, quaint, beautiful and there is no ski resort.

[suzco]

Originally Posted by dude_reino

. . . Vail, on the other hand, was nothing more than a small farm settlement until the 1950's, and was purpose-built to resemble a Bavarian mountain village. Each has its own distinct character.

Not to nitpick - sure don't want to step on toes as above - but for those who are curious, Vail was not even a "small farm settlement." There was a ranch at the base of what is now Vail mountain, that the original developers/founders of Vail bought. Read all about it: Vail | Vail's 50th Anniversary - Historical Timeline

1958
Hanson Ranch, more than 500 acres of private land on what is now Vail Village, was acquired by charter members Earl Eaton, Pete Seibert, Bob Fowler and John Conway under the auspices of the “Transmontane Rod and Gun Club” – to distract potential competitors and imply the search for a simple hunting and fishing lodge and land – for just $110 per acre. George Caulkins and Jack Tweedy joined the club in 1959.

End hijack.