Berthoud

Visit Berthoud, Colorado

Historically rich and Americana-steeped Berthoud, 45 minutes north of Denver, is nicknamed the “Garden Spot of Colorado” with good reason – a small community surrounded by rich farmland, it hosts annual events such as “Berthoud Day” in early June for residents and visitors to gather and celebrate family-style with a parade, music, and picnic.

The Annual Quilt Show

The town’s persona comes through in its annual quilt show and in its expanding sculpture exhibit in Fickel Park. Wildlife and outdoor themes mix with contemporary designs in a wonderful way.

While conveniently providing a gateway to mountain fun in the nearby Rockies, Berthoud also offers the laid-back and welcoming atmosphere of farmer’s markets, a town swimming pool, and vibrant arts community that includes dance and live theater – truly something for everyone!

Berthoud’s Location

If you’re looking for a smaller-town vibe, try visiting Berthoud. The cost of living is higher than the national average by 25.7 points. This is mostly reflected in housing costs. However, it does have a desirable location. Access to Estes Park and RMNP is just 35 miles away. If you like access to mountain lakes and reservoirs, this location is ideal. With over 20 lakes and reservoirs nearby and twice that amount a little further away. Deciding where to go will be the greater problem.

Berthoud has easy access to several state parks and nearby campgrounds. If you’re passing through or just want to get away for a few days. There is a large selection of state parks and campgrounds to choose from.

Royal Gorge Dinosaur Experience

The Royal Gorge Dinosaur Experience provides an affordable, dynamic and high-value educational opportunity for kids of all ages and enables families to learn and recreate together on stunning property with views of the famed Royal Gorge Bridge and Colorado’s stunning Sangre de Cristo mountain range. Our state-of-the-art, 16,200 square-foot building houses an amazing collection of interactive displays, full-scale dinosaur fossil casts, real dinosaur fossils, entertaining guided tours of our exhibit halls. Our outdoor skinned animatronic dinosaur exhibits and our multi-story ropes course ensure a fine balance of science, learning and good old-fashioned family fun. Our goal is to ensure that our visitors leave knowing a lot more about Colorado’s rich paleontological history, while also carrying indelible memories of a great time spent learning, discovering and having fun with their friends and families.

Alpenglow Adventures Train Tours

Complete Train Tours – Your Choice

Choose from four different railroad adventures with 3-, 5-, 8- and 12- hour tours for the very best in outdoor family fun! You’ve never seen Colorado like this before! Complete van transportation packages include lunch on many of our tours, and free digital photos and videos of your smiling faces. Additional activities include cave tours, silver mine tours, gondola rides and scenic drives to the Top of the World. And our daily excursions feature 25% group discounts for as few as two folks. All Aboard!

A Summit County Brewery Tour

Brews, Booze, Bud Tours

Experience the Brewery Tour

Enjoy an afternoon or evening with a relaxing brewery tour with a visit to our local microbreweries (and dispensaries) in Summit County. We’ll buy a pint of handcrafted beer for you at each pub and include a full lunch or dinner, too! You’ll be delighted with amazing up-close magic illusions and hilarious bar tricks. Flex the golden pipes with our in-van karaoke and win even more free prizes! The Summit County Brewery Tour is a six-hour party on wheels! And best of all, you do all the drinking while we do all the driving. Daily tours start right from your front door at noon and 5:30 pm. Bottoms up!

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TOURS

About Joel Godfrey and the Brewery Tour

Joel Godfrey of Aces & Eights Casino Shuttle is adding the “perfect party” brewery tour for locals and out-of-town guests in the High Country. And his new idea is so much more than just a “Booze Cruise” on wheels! It’s the ultimate answer to the proverbial question, “What’s there to do that’s really fun here at night in Ski Country USA?”

Gone Are the Days of Law Enforcement Issues

Gone are the days when a full night’s worth of libations risked a roadside chat with law enforcement. “Since we come right to your front door with our luxury vans and safely get you back home too, there’s just no chance of a DUI… or worse,” notes Mr. Godfrey. “We eliminate the risks and concentrate on the guests’ ability to relax and enjoy.”

“Now there’s a safe and responsible way for everyone to get out for a fun night of beers, games, and bar magic that works for locals and our out-of-town vacationers. Best of all, Summit County Brewery Tour guests can participate in all sorts of ways to maximize their enjoyment, whether watching big-screen televised sports, shooting a game of 8-Ball, or sharing a brew with someone special at an intimate table away from the crowd.”

Explore Colorado’s Recreational Marijuana

In Colorado, marijuana is as legal and enjoyable as a cold frosty beer or a shot of bourbon! This is your Colorado opportunity to take a brewery tour and visit a distillery, a brewery, and a legal dispensary without any unexpected pricey distractions. We know what you want and are here to get you there in style.

Best Western Ptarmigan Lodge

Best Western Ptarmigan Lodge, Dillion

Near Breckenridge and Keystone, our Dillon hotel is the perfect destination for guests looking to get away from it all while still enjoying convenience.

Oversized hot tub and sauna, and conference room available. Keystone, Breckenridge, Arapahoe Basin and Copper 6-15 miles away.

Complimentary continental breakfast

Includes juice, bread or sweet roll, cereal, tea, coffee, milk, fruits and bagels, hard-boiled eggs, and oatmeal.

The steam room opens from 10 am until 9:30 pm.

Colorado Jeep Tours

Off-Road with Colorado Jeep Tours

Immerse yourself in the scenic beauty and rich history of Colorado by traveling the road less traveled. Get out and about with Colorado Jeep Tours.

At Colorado Jeep Tours we pride ourselves on providing high-quality, scenic, and informative jeep tours. Our interpretive tours offer a variety of information, including western history, geology, and even paleontology while traveling on some of the most scenic roads and trails in Colorado. Our tours offer a fun and interesting way to see and learn about Colorado.

Choose Your Colorado Off-Road Tour

Each tour has its own unique scenery. Some tours take you along the rim of the famous Royal Gorge (on a half-day or full day with lunch, while other tours explore the bright red monoliths that makeup Red Canyon Park. Colorado Jeep Tours also can take you along the Gold Belt Tour through the late 1800s mining districts of Cripple Creek and Victor. All of our tours are incredibly scenic and accommodate most ages and abilities.

Open-Air Jeeps

Our customized open-air jeeps are modified with your comfort in mind. We use airbag suspensions to smooth out the ride and thick cushion seats so you can view Colorado’s spectacular scenery and wildlife without worrying about a rough bumpy ride.

Adventure Vacation Package Deals

We’ve partnered with the best attractions in the area to show you the best the Royal Gorge region offers. Consider packaging your half-day jeep tour with:

A ride on the Historic Royal Gorge Route Railroad through the Royal Gorge – purchase your jeep and train package deal here and get a free ticket to the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park.
Whitewater rafting and Jeep Tour – purchase your jeep, raft and lunch package deal here and get a free ticket to the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park.
Wine tasting and Jeep Tour -this package deal is an add-on option to most jeep tours. Wine tasting is through the Winery at Holy Cross Abbey.
Horseback Ride and Jeep Tour – an add-on deal with any jeep tour.

Whether you are looking for a scenic half-day tour, a historical and adventurous full-day tour, or a day packed with one of the best multi-packages in Colorado, we have an adventure that’s right for you. Want to see all the area tours and attractions we can book for you? Visit our website RoyalGorge.Info and be sure to download the Royal Gorge app to find deals, get area info, search local events, see the weather, and more.

Vacation Planning Ideas

Colorado Vacation Planning Ideas

You're ready to do some vacation planning. You could use a break, and you've seen pictures of Colorado's majestic landscapes reaching 2 miles into the American sky. This is someplace you'd like to see and experience. It would take a few lifetimes to see, enjoy, experience, feel, and reach what Colorado offers. So, we're here to help you with your Colorado vacation planning and the best way to maximize your time while in Colorado.

Create Your Vacation Plan

With so much going on in Colorado, it’s best to identify your vacation passion and the passions of the group or other person you are traveling with. Here is a list of considerations to help you get the best Colorado vacation experience.

Summer Vacation Planning

What summer Colorado activities are a priority for you and your group? Start by identifying the primary activity and prioritizing from there.

- Perhaps your bucket list includes visiting an adventure park, a scenic train ride, a hot springs visit, zip lining, getting a hike or two in, and rafting. Wow, that’s ambitious but it can be done. Once again, staying in a region like the Royal Gorge area can serve this up. If you look closely, you will find companies that even sell combinations of experiences in one day.
- Suppose you're planning a backpacking trip. You would want to select a region, such as Rocky Moutain National Park, and stay there.
- If day hiking is more your thing, you will get the most hiking in by exploring a region rather than trying to travel all over the state, but some travel is realistic.

Are you planning to tour the state? Will you need lodging, or will you be camping along the way?

- Summer tourist season in Colorado is popular. If you’re planning on camping, whether in a tent or RV, you will need to plan ahead. Reservations at public campgrounds are necessary, especially during “peak season.”

Identify what “other” activities are important.

Check in with your travel companions and find out what activities they have in mind. You might find mutual interests or complete diversity. Knowing this will help you map your route and where to find lodging. Below are some activity suggestions.

- Check the Colorado Events Calendar.
- Consider a historical tour.
- Find a Farmers Market.
- Whitewater Rafting and Adventure Packages
- Jeep tours.

Winter Vacation Planning

Will your winter vacation be at a ski resort?

- There are 25 ski areas in Colorado and 32 Nordic Centers to choose from. First, understand your group's expectations. Then, explore the resort options for what they offer, the type of terrain, the expense, apres-ski activities, and more.
- There are other resort options besides ski resort towns. Many neighboring mountain towns have excellent lodging and dining choices and even more alternative things to do. Consider more out-of-the-way natural hot spring resorts.

Are all members of your group skiers, or are there snowboarders too?

- Suppose you’re vacationing with a mix of skiers, snowboarders, and ability level. It’s best to closely examine the resorts with terrain parks and a mix of blue and expert-level ski runs. The larger resorts will have the most options.

Does your group want to travel to different resort destinations or stay at a specific resort?

- If you want to check out different resorts, staying in the Central part of Colorado is the most efficient option, as all these resorts can be reached by car in a few hours. Or, skip the winter driving around, stay at a designated resort, and focus on your fun there.
- Download the Summit Stage app and ride the FREE Summit Stage bus in Summit County. This bus services the entire area of Summit County, including Silverthorne, Dillon, Keystone, A-Basin, Breck Transit Center, Frisco, and all places in between.

Is vacationing on a budget a concern?

- If budget-mindedness is part of your vacation, try planning your trip during the “off-season” or not “peak-season” times. Check out these every day, more affordable resorts. In either case, you should be able to find deals on lift tickets and lodging.

Are off-slope activities appealing, such as shopping, dining, spas, events, or alternative activities?

- If your group needs alternative activities, the bigger resorts will have the most varied selection. However, popular attractions like winter scenic train rides, natural hot springs, and guided tours such as snowmobiling or sleigh rides are not necessarily at the resort. Check out “other attractions” first and then decide on the resort to stay at.

Colorado's Endless List of Vacation Options

Colorado offers an almost endless list of vacation options. The first step is to understand if you want to tour around or stay in one place. Either has much to offer. However, touring the state will require more vacation planning. Please use our free vacation planning itinerary tool. This will help you keep track of the sights and experiences you don’t want to miss. Plus, organize your lodging and travel routes along the way.

Staying put at that special place in Colorado is also a good way to spend your vacation. With so much to explore in any given region of the State, it might make more sense for you just to find lodging in a favorite place and base all your activities on that location. In either case, feel free to request some of our free visitor guides, and use our free itinerary tool to help organize all the activities, keep the dates and times handy, and make your vacation more relaxing.

Lake George

Visit Historic Lake George, Colorado

The first Colorado Midland passenger train from Colorado Springs reached the settlement of “Rocky” in 1887. A manufacturer from Boston named George Frost constructed a dam at the mouth of Granite Canyon (now Elevenmile Canyon) and platted the nearby town of Lake George.

County Road 96 now follows the old Colorado Midland Railway grade through Elevenmile Canyon where locomotive residue can still be seen around railroad tunnels that were blasted through solid granite. Along the way are public campgrounds, picnic areas, bird watching pullouts, rock climbing routes and world-class trout fishing.

About Fairplay

Discover Fairplay, Colorado

The discovery of gold in 1859 brought thousands of prospectors to Fairplay, once South Park. Latecomers pushed west and established mining camps in the area called South Park. After several prosperous years, Fairplay became the county seat in 1867.

If your curious about how Fairplay relates to South Park and the modern-day sitcom cartoon South Park.
There are some interesting historical relationships and parallels that help shed light on the topic.

Today, Fairplay is the center of commerce for Park County, with a thriving business and vibrant local arts community. The many lodging, dining, and retail options reflect the unique character of this quaint mountain town. Surrounded by majestic peaks and pastoral beauty, Fairplay calls out to artists of all media, many of whom have made Fairplay home.

Fairplay Year-Round

Seasonal Events

True to its quaint mountain character, a variety of fun and colorful events are hosted, such as the signature Burro Days race, the Bead & Fiber Show, the free summer concert series and the one-of-a-kind South Park Arts Celebration. This four-day open-air celebration of nature, history, and art, capitalizes on the unusual abundance of scenic and historic sites that make South Park, including Fairplay, so captivating.

Winter

At almost 10,000′, Fairplay is an outdoor enthusiast paradise in the winter. Embraced by the Mosquito Mountain Range and minutes to world-class skiing, boarders and skiers alike can explore pristine backcountry or groomed resort trails. Diverse and interesting ice climbing terrain welcomes beginners and challenges experts. Additionally, snowmobiling and snowshoeing provide travel access to remote back-bowls and rolling terrain. Hunters thrive on a nearly year-round season, as do anglers, with fly-fishing in summer and ice-fishing in winter. Named the “Fly-Fishing Capital of Colorado,” anglers can expect to experience a thrill a minute. Fairplay is home to the award-winning Fairplay Beach, where one can cast a line, pan for gold, and even camp overnight – all less than a minute from Main Street and historic Front Street, where dining, wine-tasting, local art galleries, South Park City Museum and shopping entice.

Spring – Summer

Summer comes alive with bright wildflowers, lush meadows, and snow-capped mountain peaks. Outdoor adventures abound, from mellow strolls through the forest to challenging climbs—beginner trails to extreme single-track calls out to mountain bikers of all levels. Rock climbers and hikers can summit a myriad of 14,000-foot peaks. Take a horseback ride, ATV or off-road vehicle along 100-year-old mining trails. In Town, a custom skate park puts even a seasoned skater to the test.

Alma

The settlement of Alma sprang up in 1873 when the Boston and Colorado Smelting Company built an operation there. At 10,578 feet, Alma currently is the highest incorporated town in the U.S. Listed on the State Register of Historic Properties, the 1925 Alma School is a rare local example of Mission-style buildings. It now serves as Alma’s Town Hall and is open to the public during regular business hours.

Also listed on the State Register, the 1936 Alma Community Church is a well-preserved stone church of the Rustic style. The 1871 Clesson Cabin was one of the first permanent residences in Alma. Contact Town Hall (719-836-2712) to arrange group tours of the town’s historic buildings.

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