THREE-DAY COLORADO VACATION FOR THE FAMILY

Speeding down the alpine slide in Glenwood Springs - Photo by Matt Inden/Weaver Multimedia Group

A three-day vacation can be a whirlwind of experience and activities, or it can be an extended weekend holed up in just one fascinating locale. Either way, our suggested itineraries will help you enjoy a three-day weekend of family fun in Colorado.

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Three-Day Tour of Colorado’s Parks and Public Lands
Three-Day Tour of Colorado’s History and Heritage
Three-Day City Tour

Parks and Public Lands

The Draw
If four walls just aren't for you, then spending an extended weekend in Colorado's wide-open spaces may be a perfect fit. The state lays claim to four national parks and five national monuments, giving vacationers ample outdoor choices. This sample itinerary to two of the state's national parks will provide a helpful starting point.

Days One and Two

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
The highest sand dunes in North America formed just north of modern-day Alamosa in what is now the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. The dune field covers 30 square miles and tops out at 8,700 feet above sea level, with the highest dune reaching 750 feet above the valley floor. The dunes are ever changing, and their transient nature makes a trip here a perpetually new experience.

In addition to dunes, the 150,000-acre park and preserve abuts the serrated mountaintops of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range and is an ecosystem for innumerable species of wildlife, including some exceedingly rare insects. Visitors to the park are able to hike atop the dunes, and since there are no established trails, they are free to follow any tract they choose.

This national park provides ample camping and hiking opportunities. Four-wheel driving is available along the challenging Medano Pass - an off-road route that stretches roughly 25 miles from within park to the town of Gardner.

Learn more about things to do in the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Days Two and Three

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
The dark, light-engulfing deep reaches of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison have been well documented since American Indian tribes inhabited the land. Today, the gorge retains its raw appeal of sheer cliff walls and torrential rapids carving the canyon ever deeper. Hiking to the bottom of this 2,000-foot fissure is strenuous, but beautiful.

For the adventurous, rafting companies shoot the canyon's whitewater and even offer fishing trips. If steep inclines and whitewater-soaked smiles are a bit too intense, the national park also provides a wonderful driving tour of the rims, with flat, easy-to-navigate hikes that overlook the canyon's immensity. Wildlife, such as bighorn sheep, can sometimes be seen scaling rocky cliffs in the area, as can bevies of boisterous songbirds and other wildlife.

Learn more about things to do in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

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History and Heritage

The Draw
One of the best ways to understand a state is to revel in its historic offerings. Pan for gold, tour prehistoric communities or compare shoe sizes with dinosaurs while exploring Colorado's vast and varied history and heritage.

Day One

Pueblo
The city of Pueblo is steeped in Colorado history and holds great importance to the several cultures that once inhabited this region. Fur traders and trappers used it as a convergence point, Ute Indians made their homes in the area and Spanish conquistadores explored the region in search of precious minerals. It has been a true crossroad of cultures and continues to serve this same purpose, bringing visitors from all over to experience Colorado's vast history.

Suggested Stops in Pueblo
El Pueblo History Museum
Historic Arkansas Riverwalk
Rosemont Museum
Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum
Southeastern Colorado Heritage Center

Tour Pueblo's history

Day Two

Georgetown and Silver Plume
Laden with silver deposits, the Georgetown and Silver Plume area quickly became known for its ability to make people rich ... very rich. In fact, during the 1800s, Georgetown rivaled Leadville as the most prolific mining center of Colorado. The opulence brought in by silver mining near Georgetown can be seen in the town's Hamill House. The compound, once belonging to silver baron William Hamill, now stands as a period-accurate museum.

Notwithstanding silver's current worth, what fuels visitors' interest today with Georgetown and Silver Plume is the wealth of history left behind. The towns of Georgetown and Silver Plume are wonderfully preserved Victorian-era communities. Exploring their quiet lanes reveals a townscape that has withstood the passage of time, thanks in large part to caring citizens and the work of dedicated preservationists. Be it a legendary railroad, a vintage hotel, an immaculate late-1800s house or a museum devoted to hydroelectric power, the Georgetown-Silver Plume National Historic Landmark Districts beckon travelers to step into the past.

Suggested Stops in Georgetown and Silver Plume
Georgetown Energy Museum
Georgetown Loop Narrow Gauge Railroad and Lebanon Silver Mine
Historic Georgetown, Inc.
Bowman-White House Museum
Hamill House Museum
Hotel De Paris Museum George Rowe Museum

Day Three

Glenwood Springs
You can swim, soak in one of the pools or ride a water slide at hot spring spas in Glenwood Springs. You can even steam yourself in the underground Yampa Vapor Caves. Ute Indians prized the caves long before Westerners arrived; the word "yampa" is Ute for "big medicine."

It's said that when the first explorers encountered the springs in the 1860s, the Utes showed them how to use the water's healing powers to help an injured member of their party. It didn't take long for word to spread. The springs, claimed by settlers and developed as a tourist destination, became a hot spot for visitors starting in the 1880s.

North of town is an old cemetery with some fascinating headstones — including gunslinger Doc Holliday's. Holliday, and many other famous folks spent time at the nearby Hotel Colorado, which is said to be haunted (and now offers ghost tours). It's one of two grand historic hotels in town, the other being the Hotel Denver near the railroad depot (Amtrak still rolls through here daily). For even more area information, pay a visit to the Frontier Historical Museum.

Suggested Stops in Glenwood Springs
Glenwood Hot Springs
Yampa Vapor Caves
Glenwood Caverns
Frontier Historical Museum
Hotel Colorado
Hotel Denver

Tour Glenwood Springs’ historic places

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City Life

The Draw
Spending an extended weekend in Colorado's urban centers offers non-stop activities. Major museums, art galleries and award-winning restaurants can all be found throughout the state's larger cities and towns. Most of the major cities are found at the foothills of the Rockies, adding depth to already stunning cityscapes.

Day One

Fort Collins
Established as a military fort to protect the Cherokee Trail and Overland Stage Line from attack, Fort Collins transformed into an agricultural center of Northern Colorado and was recently voted America's most livable city according to Money magazine. Fort Collins has evolved quite a bit in its 143-year history. Today, it's a laid-back urban center where Colorado State University students study in coffee shops and local performers put on shows.

Find urban adventure in and around Fort Collins

Day Two

Denver
As Colorado's largest city, Denver is the epicenter for urban activities. Vacation experiences range from daylong shopping sprees to late-night sojourns though the city's nightlife.

Denver has attractions and educational opportunities for all ages and walks of life. Maybe you're interested in shopping at trendy boutiques and department stores. Or perhaps you'd like to spend a leisurely afternoon surrounded by the latest in contemporary art. And if you've always wanted to get to know the real Unsinkable Molly Brown of Titanic fame, there's no better way to do so than exploring the house where she lived, near the state's stunning Capitol Building.

Find urban adventure in and around Denver

Day Three

Colorado Springs
The city sits at the foot of one of America's most famous landmarks, Pikes Peak, and thrives on culture with its own symphony and performing arts center. But there's much more to attract and hold visitors' attention. There are dozens of area attractions, ranging from the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum to the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and the American Numismatic Museum, a must-visit for coin collectors. One of the nation's three U.S. Olympic Training Centers is also located here, and visitors can watch top-flight athletes practice for the world’s greatest competition. Near town is Garden of the Gods, a popular park where sunset-colored sandstone boulders and ridges stand as an ethereal rock garden.

Find urban adventure in and around Colorado Springs

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Updated: 05/07/2008