Day two! On our second day in Denver we actually decided to head out of town to do a little Rocky Mountain Hiking. Now if you’ve been reading this blog for awhile you know that when I go touring a new place {or old!} I don’t mess around. Give me your best and your badest and I AM THERE.
This trip clearly was no exception.
To get to Rocky Mountain National Park from Denver it’s about an hour and a half drive– first you drive to Boulder {which we will discuss more later}, and then you head on up to Estes Park, CO, which is PURE BEAUTY.
Sigh. Every time I think about those mountains I get dreamy eyes. Talk about picturesque!
When this little red bug turned onto the road in front of us I just about died. Driving to the mountains in the state of Colorado does not get any better than this, I promise! Well, actually, one thing does make it better and that is a case full of CDs from your early days, just ready for the playing. And play them did we ever.
After picking up a map and some children’s books on moose and bears for my classroom at the gift shop (!) we started up the mountain with the sun on our faces and the promise of some great views on the trek…
We didn’t make it all the way up to Gem Lake because the altitude really started to get to Bailey and me {being the traditional East Coasters that we are}. Rocky Mountain National Park, and a lot of Colorado in general, is a mile or more above sea level— and when you’re not used to it {as we were not} you can really feel it! So after hiking for awhile– catching some views and snapping some pictures– we decided to ditch the light headed-ness and turn around to make a trip to Boulder for lunch!
Most everybody told me I would love Boulder before I left. And I sure did.
Pearl Street with mountain views? Glory.
We didn’t spend too much time there, but we did walk around for a bit, get lunch, and hit up the Fairy Festival, so everything I saw and experienced is enough to make me feel like Boulder is truly a special place.
We ate lunch The Kitchen [Next Door] on Pearl Street {farm to table! subway tiles! CHALKBOARDS!} and joked about how if you have anything worth saying these days it better be written in chalk.
We drove back to Denver listening to our mixed CDs from the early 2000s, loving the wide open views and each other’s company, talking about the silly to the serious and everything in between.
After that it was naps and showers, then out to dinner at D Bar with some of Beth’s good friends from town. We laughed the whole time ordering glass after glass of wine, filling ourselves with good food and even better desert. From dinner we went straight to ACE where the fun continued and the bistro lights were sparkling. The restaurants in Denver, people! They are so good.
And then? Well, then we did the only thing appropriate for a Saturday night with your best girls…
DANCE PARTIES FOREVER.
{there are way more dancing pictures where that came from and a video to boot, but dancers eyes only, I was warned, so for today, this will have to do!}
Full of terrific, that day two was. Full of ALL KINDS OF TERRIFIC. ♥
Oh I love CO! I spent a week visiting a friend in Boulder and had the best time. Such a pretty state and love that there is so much to do outside!
It’s amazing! All of it!!
I really enjoyed these posts! Beautiful photos & lovely stories! Now I need to go plan a visit there! xo
Two more days to go!
And yes, I think everyone should visit! Such an experience!
Boulder looks like so much fun! I love the little shopping area with the mountains in the background. I want to visit so bad!
And I want to go back SO BAD!
The mountains took my breath away. That part is the coolest.
Pearl Street, Estes Park, dance parties!! You guys know how to do it up! And it always seems that my pictures of the mountains never quite capture the incredible beauty in person..but these really do! ..soooo FUN!
Thanks, Casey! ♥♥
It sounds like a great place and looks absolutely beautiful from your pictures. The water, the mountains, and the wide open sky — I love it. The terrific time you had really makes me want to go there too.
Oh, the open sky. I felt like I was living inside a country song the whole time. Nothing better.
I could FEEL this place through these photos. And I want in. Totally on our list of places to visit asap…and maybe even to live…?
If you move there I WILL VISIT!
But seriously, it’s an amazing place! You would LOVE IT!
DANCERS EYES ONLY! love it. that red bug is…truly the best. so photographic and so funny. i spent most of my time and only a little in denver (just the opposite). it was so much fun, so much beauty and YES – so much good food!
You are KILLING me with this amazing trip. So freaking great. D has been to CO, but I never had the greatest desire until reading your posts. Boulder…I just have to go. And what perfect weather you were graced with. The Beetle too. What are the chances?
I live in Colorado & see the mountain everyday. I love it! I could never get tired of it. This state is beautiful & I would encourage anyone to come see it and experience it!