If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Questions about visitng Colorado - Denver, Boulder and Aspen
Considering Colorado (Denver, Boulder & Aspen) for early April 2004
one week vacation. Got two young kids. Would like to know what the weather would be like? Would there still be snow as we never get it where we live and would love to experience some. Is driving between the above mentioned 3 cities pretty straight forward? In case of snow are chains required etc. Also any other ideas for things to do with young kids while in Denver would be appreciated. Not familiar with Colorado at all. Thanks. |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Questions about visitng Colorado - Denver, Boulder and Aspen
"Haroon" wrote in message om... Considering Colorado (Denver, Boulder & Aspen) for early April 2004 one week vacation. Got two young kids. Would like to know what the weather would be like? Would there still be snow as we never get it where we live and would love to experience some. Is driving between the above mentioned 3 cities pretty straight forward? In case of snow are chains required etc. Also any other ideas for things to do with young kids while in Denver would be appreciated. Not familiar with Colorado at all. Thanks. It's unlikely but not at all impossible that you'd have snow on the ground in Denver or Boulder in early April; actually, throughout the winter and into early spring, snowfall in the Front Range cities just east of the mountains tends to come and go quickly. Aspen will certainly have snow, at least on the mountains (and the ski area will likely still be open, albeit with "spring skiing" conditions), and you can still encounter pretty sizable snowstorms, with chains or at least "adequate snow tires" required (the State Patrol gets to decide what's adequate, at roadside checkpoints, if the chain law goes into effect. Travel between Denver and Boulder is trivially easy; in fact, it's ALMOST difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins, although there's still a bit of open space on the Boulder end of that drive (which is straight up - well, diagonally up, to the NW - US 36 from Denver). Aspen is a much longer drive, and can take 3-4 hours or more depending on road conditions. Take a look at a road map; Aspen from Denver involves going west on I-70, south on US 24, and then west again on CO 82, something like 180 miles or so and all on mountain roads. Kid-friendly attractions in Denver include the U.S. Mint (which offers a tour), Six Flags Elitch Gardens, Coors Field (the Colorado Rockies baseball team), the 16th Street Mall (a pedestrian shopping mall in downtown Denver), the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, the Denver Zoo, the Botanical Gardens, the Butterfly Pavilion, and Ocean Journey (an aquarium). I'm sure you can find detailed information on any of these via the web. Depending on how long you'll be in the Denver/Boulder area, you might also want to consider going further up US 36 to the town of Estes Park and into Rocky Mountain National Park. Bob M. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Questions about visitng Colorado - Denver, Boulder and Aspen
Haroon wrote: Considering Colorado (Denver, Boulder & Aspen) for early April 2004 one week vacation. Got two young kids. Would like to know what the weather would be like? Would there still be snow as we never get it where we live and would love to experience some. Is driving between the above mentioned 3 cities pretty straight forward? In case of snow are chains required etc. Also any other ideas for things to do with young kids while in Denver would be appreciated. Not familiar with Colorado at all. Thanks. It can snow in April in Denver and Boulder but generally not that much. Aspen can get considerable amounts of snow, especially early april. It is quite possible for the higher elevation portions of your drive to have icy road conditions. Denver much less likely. |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Questions about visitng Colorado - Denver, Boulder and Aspen
"Miles" wrote in message
news:hk1Lb.427184$J77.300119@fed1read07... Haroon wrote: Considering Colorado (Denver, Boulder & Aspen) for early April 2004 one week vacation. Got two young kids. Would like to know what the weather would be like? Would there still be snow as we never get it where we live and would love to experience some. Is driving between the above mentioned 3 cities pretty straight forward? In case of snow are chains required etc. Also any other ideas for things to do with young kids while in Denver would be appreciated. Not familiar with Colorado at all. Thanks. It can snow in April in Denver and Boulder but generally not that much. Aspen can get considerable amounts of snow, especially early april. It is quite possible for the higher elevation portions of your drive to have icy road conditions. Denver much less likely. And it's extremely unlikely chains will be required in April. KM -- (-:alohacyberian:-) At my website there are 3000 live cameras or visit NASA, play games, read jokes, send greeting cards & connect to CNN news, NBA, the White House, Academy Awards or learn all about Hawaii, Israel and mo http://keith.martin.home.att.net/ |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Questions about visitng Colorado - Denver, Boulder and Aspen
|
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Questions about visitng Colorado - Denver, Boulder and Aspen
We travelled from the UK and stayed in Denver for the last week in May 2002.
People in shorts in the evening we arrived, in the morning a covering of snow - it didn't last thank goodness. The 16th Street Mall is pedestrianised but has a free bus which goes up and down at regular intervals. We didn't go to Aspen but we did go to Boulder and Estes Park and the high road back round to Denver - plenty of snow up there and magnificent views. We also went to Colorado Springs and up Pikes peak on the rack railway - more snow. May not be open in April so check. We had a great week, I'm sure you will enjoy your stay. BobS -- Reply without question to "Haroon" wrote in message om... Considering Colorado (Denver, Boulder & Aspen) for early April 2004 one week vacation. Got two young kids. Would like to know what the weather would be like? Would there still be snow as we never get it where we live and would love to experience some. Is driving between the above mentioned 3 cities pretty straight forward? In case of snow are chains required etc. Also any other ideas for things to do with young kids while in Denver would be appreciated. Not familiar with Colorado at all. Thanks. |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Questions about visitng Colorado - Denver, Boulder and Aspen
"BobS" wrote in message ...
We travelled from the UK and stayed in Denver for the last week in May 2002. People in shorts in the evening we arrived, in the morning a covering of snow - it didn't last thank goodness. The 16th Street Mall is pedestrianised but has a free bus which goes up and down at regular intervals. We didn't go to Aspen but we did go to Boulder and Estes Park and the high road back round to Denver - plenty of snow up there and magnificent views. We also went to Colorado Springs and up Pikes peak on the rack railway - more snow. May not be open in April so check. We had a great week, I'm sure you will enjoy your stay. BobS -- Reply without question to "Haroon" wrote in message om... Considering Colorado (Denver, Boulder & Aspen) for early April 2004 one week vacation. Got two young kids. Would like to know what the weather would be like? Would there still be snow as we never get it where we live and would love to experience some. Is driving between the above mentioned 3 cities pretty straight forward? In case of snow are chains required etc. Also any other ideas for things to do with young kids while in Denver would be appreciated. Not familiar with Colorado at all. Thanks. We also travelled from the UK. Was a little disapointed with Denver. The Mall was ok - worth a visit/walk also the mint was closed for tours (alert status will have this effect on a few tours). Boulder was ok but Estes Park was fantasic (a trivia must for S King fans)- as was the views! You don't say how old your kids are - if it is a snow experience (10 paces and start throwing!) then I'd def give Estes Park a go. |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Questions about visitng Colorado - Denver, Boulder and Aspen
|
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Questions about visitng Colorado - Denver, Boulder and Aspen
"Bob Myers" wrote in message ...
"Haroon" wrote in message om... Considering Colorado (Denver, Boulder & Aspen) for early April 2004 one week vacation. Got two young kids. Would like to know what the weather would be like? Would there still be snow as we never get it where we live and would love to experience some. Is driving between the above mentioned 3 cities pretty straight forward? In case of snow are chains required etc. Also any other ideas for things to do with young kids while in Denver would be appreciated. Not familiar with Colorado at all. Thanks. It's unlikely but not at all impossible that you'd have snow on the ground in Denver or Boulder in early April; actually, throughout the winter and into early spring, snowfall in the Front Range cities just east of the mountains tends to come and go quickly. Aspen will certainly have snow, at least on the mountains (and the ski area will likely still be open, albeit with "spring skiing" conditions), and you can still encounter pretty sizable snowstorms, with chains or at least "adequate snow tires" required (the State Patrol gets to decide what's adequate, at roadside checkpoints, if the chain law goes into effect. Travel between Denver and Boulder is trivially easy; in fact, it's ALMOST difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins, although there's still a bit of open space on the Boulder end of that drive (which is straight up - well, diagonally up, to the NW - US 36 from Denver). Aspen is a much longer drive, and can take 3-4 hours or more depending on road conditions. Take a look at a road map; Aspen from Denver involves going west on I-70, south on US 24, and then west again on CO 82, Ooops. I think you made a booboo. Colorado 82 is closed at Independence Pass in "winter" and I think it most unlikely it would be open from the Leadville area in early April; as I recall it does not open until the middle?? of May. Instead, ake I-70 west to Glenwood Springs, and up Colorado 82 from there. something like 180 miles or so and all on mountain roads. Kid-friendly attractions in Denver include the U.S. Mint (which offers a tour), Six Flags Elitch Gardens, Coors Field (the Colorado Rockies baseball team), the 16th Street Mall (a pedestrian shopping mall in downtown Denver), the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, the Denver Zoo, the Botanical Gardens, the Butterfly Pavilion, and Ocean Journey (an aquarium) I'm not sure about the status of Ocean Journey. It went bankrupt last year, and I think perhaps no one has been found to open it up. .. I'm sure you can find detailed information on any of these via the web. Depending on how long you'll be in the Denver/Boulder area, you might also want to consider going further up US 36 to the town of Estes Park and into Rocky Mountain National Park. Bob M. |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Questions about visitng Colorado - Denver, Boulder and Aspen
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|