Hi! I wanted to share more details on my trip to Colorado! I made several Instagram posts and Instagram Reels about my trip and got lots of DMs about the places I went. For direct links to those posts, feel free to click on the images below!
I don’t like to waste time, so here is a summary of the trip and I’ll break it down by day afterward!
Who went: Three adult females
When we went: Thursday – Sunday, March 2022 (3 nights, 4 days)
Where we Stayed: The Maven Hotel in Downtown Denver and Glenwood Hotsprings Resort
What we did/Excursions: Explore downtown Denver, Scenic Trainride on the way to Tubing at Winter Park, Redrocks Amphitheater, and Glenwood Hotsprings
Transportation we Used: Train from airport to Hotel (got off at Union Station which was very close to the hotel), Ubers around Downtown, Train to Winter Park (left from Union Station), Rented a car to have a road trip from Downtown Denver to Glenwood, and of course, walking!
Where we Ate: Ultreia Denver, Cantina Loca, ChoLon Downtown, Pigtrain Coffee Shop, Lime Cantina and Mexicali Taco Co. (both at Winter Park), Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar, Huckleberry Roasters, Food at Glenwood (they had their own grill which was out of pocket and then had breakfast included).
What luggage we brought: I believe we all had one checked luggage and a personal item/carry-on. It was in the winter months and those clothes and boots took up a lot of space and weight
Weather: It kinda shocked us, but there was no snow or bad weather. It got a little chilly in the evening but with a cardigan/sweater, it was fine. By the end of the trip, it was 80 degrees in Denver. So, if you’re not into super cold weather, the March timeframe in a good year would be something to consider.
The Instagram Reels! Click the images above to get to the video/reel.
Day by Day Breakdown
DAY 1
We were all flying from different areas on the East Coast and Arrived at the Denver Aiport (DEN) around 10:30 am which was great because we had the full day ahead. There is a train right at the airport and it was a beautiful day out so we opted to take the train. At the airport, we took the A-line and the stop closest to our hotel was the infamous Denver Union Station.
When we got to Denver Union Station, we were hungry and there were a lot of cute local restaurants in the station so we chose Ultreia Denver which had delicious tapas and great service. The food was so so good, I would go back – a five out of five for me. After eating, we headed to our hotel The Maven Hotel in Downtown Denver which was only a short 3-minute walk from Union Station. The Maven Hotel was by far one of the cutest and most well-designed hotels I have ever stayed in. It’s a boutique hotel and everything was amazing – the decor, the vibe, service – no complaints. Also, it is central to basically everything we did in Downtown Denver so most places were within walking distance which saved a ton of time, and money, and reduced the need for coordinating.
We settled into the hotel, freshened up, and went to go explore downtown Denver (also known as LoDo – lower downtown Denver). We were within walking distance (12 minutes) of some popular areas to explore like 16th Street Mall and Larimer Square so we walked there, explored the area shops, took photos, etc. Afterward, we took a ride-share car to another area to grab some food at Cantina Loca. The food at Cantina was interesting – it was tasty but I would give it a three out of five. Overall, I loved LoDo it has a really good vibe and blew my expectations – definitely spend time exploring.
We headed back to the hotel and to our surprise there was live soulful music playing at our hotel. I believe they have a rotation of artists come to perform on certain nights of the week. People were in the lobby relaxing, grabbing drinks, and just enjoying themselves so we sat down, relaxed, and soaked it all in too.
After that, we rested some and then got ready to go to dinner and chose to take a rideshare car to ChoLon Downtown! The food was really good – we got a mix of things on the menu and dessert – definitely a 4 out of 5 for me. The only complaint I had was this one dish said it came with potatoes but the potatoes were actually a thumbprint size of grated/grained potatoes – we all couldn’t stop laughing at how small the ‘potato’ portion was but the food was good nonetheless.
DAY 2
We went to Colorado during ski season, but we aren’t big snow sports people but definitely wanted to experience snowy mountains and the culture of it all. While planning the trip, we did research and decided to go to Winter Park. When figuring out how to get there, we found out there was an Amtrack train line that is specifically for those going to Winter Park during the season so we booked those! I definitely recommend booking those tickets ASAP online before you go to Colorado – they do sell out and become more expensive as time goes on. We went on a Wednesday and the train was sold out for that day. This is the only train to Winter Park and it leaves once per day so you have to make that train to get there. For more on the train check this and this out – FYI the station codes for booking the Amtrack train are DEN to WPR!
So, on day 2, we woke up early to head to the snowy Winter Park Resort. The train leaves at 7:00 am and it’s a 2-hour train ride. Since the train leaves from Denver Union Station, it was only a short 3-minute walk from the hotel. The train itself has a cafe car with snacks and food, however, before getting on the train we got some breakfast sandwiches and coffee from a coffee shop at Union Station called Pigtrain Coffee Shop and brought the food on the train.
The train ride was definitely a highlight of the trip! There is a part of the train that is all windows so you can see the views. It’s called the Sightseer Lounge which offers panoramic views of the Rocky Mountains and Moffat Tunnels. There is no additional cost for the Sightseer Lounge so my pro tip is just to get on the train early, find that train car, and grab those seats! There are also tables in that train car as well. We sat at the tables, had our coffee, ate, chatted, and were in AWE of the beautiful scenery of the Colorado mountains. Every second we just couldn’t believe how beautiful it was. We just weren’t expecting it and it blew our minds. I would ten out of ten recommend this train ride.
Winter Park is primarily a ski resort and many people take day trips there, but there are a lot of other winter activities, restaurants, and activities to do. We chose to only do tubing while we were there and it was really really fun! When we got to Winter Park we headed to the locker room, changed into our snowy gear, and left our bags in the lockers. Afterward, we got some water (always stay hydrated to beat altitude sickness) and hot drinks from Starbucks, relaxed, took in the view, and took A LOT of photos lol. Shortly before heading on the lift to get to the tubing station, we had a small snack – some tacos at Mexicali Taco Co which were really good and authentic – five out of five. Then we went tubing which was so much fun!! We had an hour time slot and it was more than enough time to go down and up the mountain several times to tube. After that, we explored more of the resort area, ate at Lime Cantina, relaxed, and before we knew it, it was time to head to the locker room, change, get our belongings, and head back on the train before it left at 4:30 pm and returned back to Union Station a little before 7:00 pm.
It was a LONGG day, but we managed to relax at the hotel and get ready to go out to dinner at Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar which was a short 3-minute walk away. The food here was AMAZING! Just so so good and the service was incredible – definitely a five out of five. The food in Denver was just so good and every place was curated so intentionally. After dinner, we walked down the Dairy Block alley just to see what was down there and then called it a night.
DAY 3
We were headed to Glenwood Hotsprings Resort this day which was about 2.5 hours away by car so we decided ahead of time to reserve a rental car and make a little road trip out of it. The rental car company was about a 10-minute drive away from the Maven Hotel which was very convenient. There may be trains into Glenwood but the drive was just so beautiful so renting a car and throwing all our luggage in it and having that independence was worth it! The car also gives you the freedom to stop when you want and where you want. For example, on the way to Glenwood, we made a stop at Redrocks Amphitheater which was SOO beautiful! It blew our minds and our expectations – there wasn’t a concert event happening so we explored the area freely and took lots of photos and took in the view. I would highly recommend this stop if it’s on the way to where you’re going. After Redrocks, we were on our way to Glenwood – we blasted music, talked, and even saw wildlife randomly on the mountains which were cool – some true Nat Geo moments.
We stayed at the hotel at the lodge owned by Glenwood Hotsporing Resort and purchased the Wellness package which includes access to the hot springs and upgrades you to the Athletic Club, which has a wet lounge with steam room, sauna, and whirlpool, and you get breakfast included in the mornings. I do have mixed reviews about the facilities and the pool which I’ll spend some time on. The hotel rooms are VERY outdated, the hot springs pool was PACKED with people, and after the poolside grill closes at 3 pm, there is no food available on the resort site. Don’t get me wrong, it was a great experience but with so many people in the hot springs, it made it a little difficult to enjoy. After a little bit in the hot springs, we went inside to the steam room and sauna and then spent most of our time in the whirlpool/hot tub. Looking back, maybe I would’ve chosen a better hotspring location or one that limited the number of people and/or stayed at a hotel in the area and bought a day pass to the springs. We were really excited because the photos online look stunning and the geography is stunning but the pool was lukewarm and was the most packed pool I’ve been to. Perhaps it was the season and day of the week (Friday) we went, but I would encourage you to look up other reviews and make a decision that fits you best. The next morning when we were checking out, we did walk around the property more and the pool was definitely emptier (see photos below) so that could be something to keep in mind as well.
Day 4
The next day, we got breakfast at the Glenwood resort that was included in our stay, checked out, and it was time to head to the Denver airport to conclude our vacation. On the way back, however, we enjoyed the scenic ride in the car and stopped in Vail, Colorado to see what it looked like which was nice! We then made it back to the rental car place by the airport, took a shuttle to the airport, checked in for our flight, and ate at the airport before parting ways.
Overall, Denver was amazing! The food, the vibes, the views, the weather just everything. As you can see, we did so much in 4 days but it didn’t feel exhausting. It was relaxing and felt like we have a full week there. I think because our strategy was to plan key things/excursions, we left a lot of the trip to be more spontaneous and play things by ear. I hope this short guide was helpful to you and if you have any questions, feel free to message me. This is a trip I wish I could go on every year!
