In nice weather, it is fun to just sit on a bench along the main streets and enjoy the people watching and scenery. If outdoor activities interest you, there are plenty of shops geared toward your needs.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

The lodge is owned by Chris and Lori Wood and Michael Hodges, who are kind and extremely helpful. Just to give you an idea of how special the lodge is: when we arrived, Michael had just baked homemade chocolate cookies for the guests stopping by the front desk. The owners made us feel at home and provided us with games, hiking resources, warm cookies, and fresh coffee in the morning!

The lodge consists of 19 units, which range from single rooms to two-bedroom retreats. We stayed in the Heather Cottage, room number 12. It was described to me in a email as a secluded, one-bedroom cottage that honeymooners love. Though I wouldn't exactly call it a honeymoon suite, it was very suitable to our needs. It is as secluded as you can get at the lodge, though the front door does face the playground. It was very quiet for our 3-night stay. We were away during the days and it was mid-September, so we never saw any children.

The cottage had a full kitchen with microwave, coffee pot, and all necessary utencils. We had a fireplace and a fresh bundle of firewood for every night. Since the temperatures were fairly cool in the evenings, we took full advantage of this feature. The bathroom was of average size and had a bathtub and shower with water jets. The outside of the cottage has a deck with a very good view of the surrounding mountains. Wildlife do find their way onto the lodge grounds! We heard something with hooves on our deck one early morning, and we were told that a bear had climbed up on a dumpster the last day we were there.

Depending on the season and the length of your stay, the cost of Heather Cottage is from $85 to 185. We paid $135 per night for three nights in the fall.

The waitress never gave us our bill because she had again disappeared. We had to go inside the restaurant to hunt her down and get our bill in order to pay it. While deciding how small of a tip to leave, we discovered that she had charged us for the salad bar which a) should have been included with the special, and b) she never told us about. My husband complained and she had to redo the whole bill, which took her another 20 minutes. Finally she got it right; we paid and started to leave when we saw the manager (the waiter from before). He said, "She's new. You know, that happens sometimes."

The Food:

The food was below average and the portions were small. My piece of fish was over cooked and the breading was burnt. I also got fries with the meal, which were cold by the time I got to eat them. My husband's steak was a bad cut of meat smothered in bland sauce. We were not impressed.

Not only did we have to struggle through the entire dining process, but we never got a fair apology from anyone.

I would not recommend this restaurant.

The brewery offers free tasting of their beers if you are over 21. I believe we tasted about seven or eight beers all together. They included Long's Peak Raspberry Wheat, Stinger Wild Honey Wheat, Estes Park Gold, Trail Ridge Red, Estes Park Porter, Samson Stout, and their IPA. The bartender told us that their Hefeweizen was available in the beer garden bar. We gave him $1 each for a tip and went up to the beer garden for our favorites. I really enjoyed the Raspberry Wheat and my husband wanted to try to Hefeweizen. We had a couple small glasses of each.

The brewery also offers tours of their facilities during the daytime, and the inside of the brewery is visable from the stairs up to the beer garden.

There is a full-menu restaurant and a full-bar in the beer garden area. Also, in warmer months, you can sit outside on a large patio that has a spectacular view of the mountains.

The store features many well-known name brands of outdoor equipment like Kelty, Northface, Sierra Designs, Jack Wolfskin, Mountain Hardwear, and more.

One great feature of the store, which we used, is that you are able to purchase gas for your cooking stove in quantities that you need. We didn't have to buy a whole can of gas. When we realized that we were going to run out soon, we just refilled our canister at the store for $1.50! What a deal!

If you are looking for hiking suggestions or stories, ask the sales people. They have most likely hiked most, if not all, the trails in and around the park and they are happy to help you!

What To Buy:

High-quality backpacking and camping supplies.

What To Pay:

Average to high prices for all gear, accessories, and apparel.

Phone:

970/586-2995

Website:

http://www.warminghouse.com

(Funny enough, only four days after leaving Colorado, the state was hit with a winter storm leaving 3-4 inches of snow in some places.)

Camping at RMNP

The National Park encompasses 416 square miles of wilderness that includes 60 mountains over 12,000 ft above sea level. Wildlife roams freely throughout the park and often provides visitors with multiple animal encounters. Obviously, hiking is an main activity at the park, but things to do also include scenic drives, camping, nature centers, and museums. There is something for everyone at RMNP.

Suggested hikes:

Glacier Gorge Junction TH to Black Lake Hike

Bear Lake Nature Hike

Fern LakeTH to Odessa Lake