Idea for Visitors

My Dad came to visit in April. I wanted to make sure he got to do everything fun he wanted to do, but also didn't feel like he had to abide by an agenda I'd planned in order to squeeze everything in.

So I came up with an idea that my friend suggested I blog about. First, I researched everything fun to do in the northeast Colorado area. I sent my dad a list of the things I'd found (with links when applicable) and asked him to pick the ones that most interested in him. That way I could weed out the things he didn't even want to do. (I also had a space for him to add things he wanted to do that I'd left off.)

Then I took the things he did want to do and grouped them geographically. I used those groups to make "coupons" which he could redeem whenever he wanted to. So there was a "Fort Collins" package that had all the things in that area so we could hit them all in one day—but he got to decide what coupon to use each day. (And while there was one coupon per day, including one "relaxation" coupon where we just did things around my home and neighborhood, he didn't have to use them all if his priorities had changed.)

It worked out pretty nicely. We stayed busy and did a ton of stuff, but still had time each day to relax at home and play Yahtzee or watch a movie. I'd definitely use this idea again!

Things to do in Northeast Colorado

** SEPTEMBER 2013 UPDATE ** Some of these locations may have been damaged or become inaccessible in the recent floods. Specifically, Viestenz-Smith Park was almost entirely wiped out in the flooding. Highway 34 (leading to Estes Park from Loveland) has around 17 miles that need to be completely rebuilt, and estimates are that this will take 18 months. I would highly recommend visiting the websites linked below or calling ahead to confirm these places are open when you plan to visit.

** NOVEMBER 2013 UPDATE ** Highway 34 opened well ahead of schedule and is open to Estes Park now. Viestenz-Smith Park remains closed at this time.

Looking for things to do with a visitor, or just to get to know the Northeast Colorado area? My Dad came to visit in April, and I did a bunch of web research to find things for us to do. We didn't end up doing all of these things, but we did a lot of them. Of course, there are many more places to hike, but I didn't want to do anything too strenuous with him, so this was our list of possible excursions. Not all of these things were open during his stay, and those are listed at the end for summer visits.

Letterboxing scavenger hunt (available in many towns)

Denver area
Tour Downtown Denver on the Platte Valley Trolley
Butterfly Pavillion (my personal favorite!)
Denver Zoo

Fort Collins
Bike ride around downtown Fort Collins (bike rentals available)
Science Toy Magic

Rocky Mountain Raptor tour
The Farm at Lee Martinez (petting zoo)

City Park (walking, paddleboating)

Horsetooth Reservoir Inlet Bay Trail (walking, picnic)

Back Porch Café (breakfast or lunch)

Buttercream Cupcakery (dessert)
Fort Fun (mini golf, arcades, laser tags, bumper cars, etc.)

Loveland area

“Hearts of Loveland" scavenger hunt

Little Thompson Observatory (private viewings possible, schedule in advance)

Chapungu Sculpture Park

Justine’s Pizza (vintage pizza lunch or dinner) 
Chill is a great place for ice cream (frozen with liquid nitrogen!) or crepes

Greeley Area

Greeley Freight Train Museum (haven't gone there, but it seems fun!)

Estes Park/Rocky Mountain National Park

Dam Store scenic lookout (on the way to Estes via 34)

Viestenz-Smith Park (walking, picnic, horseshoes, kite flying) (on the way to Estes via 34, closed November-March)

Stanley Hotel tour

Just walking around Estes is fun, if you like shopping

Leisurely mountain walk around Sprague Lake 

Driving up Trail Ridge Road to Rainbow Curve is a great option during the summer

Poudre Canyon

Poudre Canyon scenic drive (*note: wildfires tore through this area since our drive; not sure how scenic it is now - we stopped in a couple places to walk on stones in the river)

Other
The Wild Animal Sanctuary (Keenesburg, CO)

Seasonal experiences (only available during summer):

Estes Park Aerial Tram

Fort Collins Trolley
For kids, there is a small train that runs around at North Lake Park in Loveland

Holiday Twin Drive-In (Fort Collins)