Travels Days and General Tips
Travel Day – Friday, 10/4
In our opinion, a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park should include a stay in Estes Park, CO. It’s a charming small town just outside the park, offering plenty to see and do. In fact, Estes Park is worth visiting even without the park—it’s the perfect little getaway spot.
We arrived in Estes Park on a Friday. If you’ve never been to Denver, be prepared: the airport is a bit hectic. While it’s not terribly inefficient, navigating it requires a railway and shuttle to reach the rental car facility—it’s not your typical one-stop-shop airport experience. From Denver International Airport, Estes Park is about a two-hour drive northwest, excluding tolls. Make sure to set your GPS to “no tolls.” While tolls might save you 15 minutes, it’s vacation—there’s no need to rush, right? Plus, rental agencies often charge extra to cover tolls. Skip the tolls and enjoy the scenic, stress-free drive.
We recommend holding off on eating until you arrive in Estes Park. We found it challenging to locate anything besides fast food along the main roads heading north. If McDonald’s is your thing, go for it. But if not, wait until you get to town for better options. Now that we’ve covered planes, trains, and automobiles—let’s move on to the fun part: your arrival! Here are some general tips for when you get there.
What to Expect Upon Arrival
Denver is dry. If you’re expecting rolling hills, lush mountains, and streams at every turn, you might be surprised. While Colorado is indeed beautiful, keep in mind that the Rockies mark the start of the Great Plains. East of the Rockies, the terrain is flat, dry, and desert-like. This area might not match your mental picture of Colorado’s iconic landscapes.
If you’re prone to allergies—or even if you aren’t—it’s worth noting that the dry air and high altitude can be tough on your sinuses. I don’t typically get allergies, but I immediately felt their effects during the drive north. Consider stopping at a pharmacy to grab allergy medicine just in case. Flonase in the morning and Zyrtec before bed worked wonders for me throughout the trip.
Stay in Estes Park
We highly recommend staying in Estes Park. While there are plenty of great accommodations in town, we’re Airbnb enthusiasts, and our Airbnb met all our needs—and then some. With permission, we’ve shared the link below for those interested. One unforgettable highlight was the wildlife. A harem of elk greeted us in our backyard as soon as we arrived. The bull elk, resting calmly in the evening sun, watched us without a care. We also spotted both baby and adult mule deer throughout our stay.
The elk calls at night were particularly memorable. During the rutting season, bull elk bugle to attract cows and assert dominance over other bulls. This behavior typically peaks in early October but can start as early as late August and continue into early November. Hearing their calls in the stillness of the evening was truly magical.
Tips Before Check-In
If you need to kill time before your check-in, downtown Estes Park is the place to go. Public parking is plentiful and managed via the ParkMobile app, making it easy to explore. There’s plenty to see and do while waiting, though we must warn you about the food: it can be hit or miss. In our experience, restaurants were either really good or really bad, with little in between.
Here’s our advice: if a place doesn’t feel right when you walk in, trust your instincts and move on. A prime location in town doesn’t always guarantee great food. We made that mistake on our first day but learned quickly and didn’t repeat it. We’ll share our favorite spots in future blog posts.
Settling In
After settling into our Airbnb and getting some much-needed rest, we were ready to embark on our week-long adventure. Stay tuned for our day-by-day agenda and highlights in subsequent blog posts.
