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Circular Road Trip from Denver - for pcg2001 and jackieblack
jfdi
Posts: 1,031 Forumite
Opened a new Thread so as not to take over the other one!
Thanks for asking about my trip last year - I had great fun planning it & spent HOURS on Trip Advisor & with a USA Road atlas (Michelin 2006 from Stanford's in London).
My DS was working in Colorado for the 3rd year of his Degree, so myself, DH & my Mum (76yo) went out to visit during his vacation time in May. We'd picked up return BA flights direct to Denver in the Sept 08 Sale for, I think £300 each (or maybe £400?) - half price so that was bargain no1! DS met us at the Airport.
I hired the car thru US Car Hire - a company I'd used & been very happy with in Oct 08 in Florida - we 'ordered' a Ford Escape - a small 4WD big enough for 4 adults, 4 cases & a load of 'stuff'! Alamo was the agent at Denver & they were great - Airport pick-up, 5 minutes to register 3 drivers & a choice of a dozen or so Escapes! That cost £506 for 2 weeks - & included an under 25yo.
We overnighted at the Quality Inn & Suites next to the Airport - £50.46 for 1 Room - 2 double beds, breakfast included! Temp was about 60'.
(I'd made a decision early on in the planning that we'd all share one room :eek: if it was over £50 a night - less & we'd treat ourselves to 2 rooms! DS & my Mum, me & OH for the 2 room set-up; me & Mum, DS & DH for the 1 room scenario! TBH it got a bit much over 2 weeks - but for money-saving reasons was essential! The $ was strong against the £ early last year - I think we got about $1.47 to the £1! )
Next morning we set off on a long drive towards the SW of Colorado - I70 & 470 round Denver to the 285 (stunning road!) & onto Salida. We stopped off at a supermarket to buy sandwich stuff & a case of water. We'd be climbing to 13,000 feet & had to take it easy & keep mega hydrated. The Rocky Mountains, still snow-capped, were stunning, South Park is real 'Little House on the Prairie' country - grass & trees everywhere. Great stop for our picnic lunch! The roads were virtually empty & easy. But we were shattered - long flight, 7 hour time change & the altitude certainly add up! We overnighted at the Days Inn, Salida - 1 room again, breakfast included, $85.00. Dinner that night was Pizza Hut! Temp was about 50'.
Next day we'd been advised (by one of DS's co-workers) to try & visit Sand Dunes NP if we could, so our 144 mile drive became about 230! Road got boring for a lot of the day - long & straight & little to look at! Although we did see a few Dirt devils which was interesting. Took 285 to 17, then the little local road to Sand Dunes NP where we bought our NP Pass. Wow! What a little gem! Miles & miles of dunes way inland! Apparently it's from the off flow when the snow melts - but it blew me away! Very much a 'locals' place - there's a stream running between the car park & the Dunes - & it's used as a beach! Brilliant! 100yds wide, max of a foot deep when we were there & wonderfully warm. Had a good paddle & chill out whilst DH & DS climbed the Dunes! Temp about 80' mid afternoon!
From there we went back to the 17 & dropped down to the 160. Stopped in Alamosa for a Dairy Queen! On along the 160, and into the San Juan Mountains, down Wolf Creek Pass (saw snow here!) to Pagosa Springs.
I'd booked here to really get over the flight & chill out a bit. The hotel owns the Hot Springs - sulphur ones - & has developed 16 or 17 pools within the grounds, ranging from a cool 98' up to 117', I think. If you stay in the Hotel entrance to the pools is available 24hrs & is included in your room rate, as are robes to wander round in. The site is on the San Juan River and it was lovely lazing in 108' water watching people white water rafting 10ft away! 1 room - $469 for 2 nights :eek: - free hot drinks!
cont in next post........................
Thanks for asking about my trip last year - I had great fun planning it & spent HOURS on Trip Advisor & with a USA Road atlas (Michelin 2006 from Stanford's in London).
My DS was working in Colorado for the 3rd year of his Degree, so myself, DH & my Mum (76yo) went out to visit during his vacation time in May. We'd picked up return BA flights direct to Denver in the Sept 08 Sale for, I think £300 each (or maybe £400?) - half price so that was bargain no1! DS met us at the Airport.
I hired the car thru US Car Hire - a company I'd used & been very happy with in Oct 08 in Florida - we 'ordered' a Ford Escape - a small 4WD big enough for 4 adults, 4 cases & a load of 'stuff'! Alamo was the agent at Denver & they were great - Airport pick-up, 5 minutes to register 3 drivers & a choice of a dozen or so Escapes! That cost £506 for 2 weeks - & included an under 25yo.
We overnighted at the Quality Inn & Suites next to the Airport - £50.46 for 1 Room - 2 double beds, breakfast included! Temp was about 60'.
(I'd made a decision early on in the planning that we'd all share one room :eek: if it was over £50 a night - less & we'd treat ourselves to 2 rooms! DS & my Mum, me & OH for the 2 room set-up; me & Mum, DS & DH for the 1 room scenario! TBH it got a bit much over 2 weeks - but for money-saving reasons was essential! The $ was strong against the £ early last year - I think we got about $1.47 to the £1! )
Next morning we set off on a long drive towards the SW of Colorado - I70 & 470 round Denver to the 285 (stunning road!) & onto Salida. We stopped off at a supermarket to buy sandwich stuff & a case of water. We'd be climbing to 13,000 feet & had to take it easy & keep mega hydrated. The Rocky Mountains, still snow-capped, were stunning, South Park is real 'Little House on the Prairie' country - grass & trees everywhere. Great stop for our picnic lunch! The roads were virtually empty & easy. But we were shattered - long flight, 7 hour time change & the altitude certainly add up! We overnighted at the Days Inn, Salida - 1 room again, breakfast included, $85.00. Dinner that night was Pizza Hut! Temp was about 50'.
Next day we'd been advised (by one of DS's co-workers) to try & visit Sand Dunes NP if we could, so our 144 mile drive became about 230! Road got boring for a lot of the day - long & straight & little to look at! Although we did see a few Dirt devils which was interesting. Took 285 to 17, then the little local road to Sand Dunes NP where we bought our NP Pass. Wow! What a little gem! Miles & miles of dunes way inland! Apparently it's from the off flow when the snow melts - but it blew me away! Very much a 'locals' place - there's a stream running between the car park & the Dunes - & it's used as a beach! Brilliant! 100yds wide, max of a foot deep when we were there & wonderfully warm. Had a good paddle & chill out whilst DH & DS climbed the Dunes! Temp about 80' mid afternoon!
From there we went back to the 17 & dropped down to the 160. Stopped in Alamosa for a Dairy Queen! On along the 160, and into the San Juan Mountains, down Wolf Creek Pass (saw snow here!) to Pagosa Springs.
I'd booked here to really get over the flight & chill out a bit. The hotel owns the Hot Springs - sulphur ones - & has developed 16 or 17 pools within the grounds, ranging from a cool 98' up to 117', I think. If you stay in the Hotel entrance to the pools is available 24hrs & is included in your room rate, as are robes to wander round in. The site is on the San Juan River and it was lovely lazing in 108' water watching people white water rafting 10ft away! 1 room - $469 for 2 nights :eek: - free hot drinks!
cont in next post........................
:mad: :j:D:beer::eek::A:p:rotfl::cool::):(:T
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Comments
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Just found the Springs Resort leaflet - 1 Day entrance to the Pool Area is $43 for over 10yo, + $2 locker charge + tax - so in that light we'd've paid $360 + tax for 4 Adults for 2 days - so my $469 doesn't look too bad! :rotfl:
Eating was a bit of a problem here, as we were visiting off season - the first night we took the recommendation of the Receptionist (who was married to a Brit!) and drove about 5/6 miles to the 'normal' residential area & ate at a super family restaurant. Loads of choice, salad bar, beer & about $60 for the whole lot! 2nd night we ended up picnicking in our room! Daytime temp about 90'.
Left here, back on to the 160 to Durango, where we lunched & checked out the shops & the railroad! Then on to Mesa Verde NP - ancient Pueblo Indian dwellings carved into the cliff face of the canyon. Stunning! And HOT! Saw a local school girl being attended to by ambulance crew because of altitude sickness & heatstroke. Take care. Overnight at the Tomahawk Motel in Cortez. Brilliant 1940's style motel - rooms in a square, park outside your room. Free coffee. 2 rooms (YAY!) @ $73 each. DH & I had the biggest bed! 7ft at least! DS & Mum had a double each! Nice meal just down the road. Cortez is the start of the desert. Flat, dry, barren, beautiful.
Next morning on the 160 again to Four Corners - small charge to get in as it's Indian Tribal land. Colorado, Utah, Arizona & New Mexico meet here (they don't really - but that's a tale of modern methods of triangulation for you!). Good photo opp & stuff to buy!!! Indian jewellery, my favourite! From here along the 160 a bit, & then south on the 191 to the Canyon de Chelly. A baby version of the GC, with lots of lookout points etc. Free. A considerable amount of off-roading later (:rotfl:) (& a very panicky mother!) we ended up on the 264! At one point we had to stop at a junction & ask the way of a Navajo lady who was driving her kids around - 'Oh! Doesn't she speak good English' was the typical comment from my Mum, bless her! But 2 weeks of that.............:rolleyes:!
Because of our - cough - detour, we missed the Hubbell Trading Post we'd been recommended, but fortunately drove like the clappers along the 40 to Holbrook, & arrived just as the sun was setting to our reservations (geddit?) at the Wigwam Motel! I hadn't told Mum we were staying here - her face was a picture!
2 x wigwams - lost the receipt but it must've been cheap! Very quaint, old-fashioned. Comfy beds. It's fun to stay IN a tourist attraction! I know I'm in lots of peoples holiday snaps! LOL! Ate at a Mexican & did Maccy D's for breakfast!
to be continued........................:mad: :j:D:beer::eek::A:p:rotfl::cool::):(:T0 -
From Holbrook we backtracked (coz of yesterday's shennanigans!) and drove through Petrified Forest NP - where we did a short walk from the shop - & Painted Desert NP, which are linked. Think they're both free. Back onto the 40, missed out Winslow (:mad: coz I'd REALLY wanted to visit 'Standin' on the Corner Park' & had been playing the Eagles for 2 days!) due to lack of time, through Flagstaff (looks nice!) via the 180 (snow on the ground here) to the 64 & to Tusayan. I'd been here before & so had booked again into the Best Western in an Executive room. Nice & big. Lots of space. Breakfast included. 2 nights $509! Nowhere near the GC is cheap! Ate at Pizza & Pasta in Tusayan. Cheap & filling.
Next day - OH's birthday - we started with the 1hr Papillon helicopter flight. $700 for 4! That included a 10% discount you get if you sign up to their website! ONLY discount I could find!
Well worth it though - whatever the cost! One hour & a box of tissues later........ drove into the NP to GC village, got the FREE bus to the western side & walked along the rim. Gorgeous. Have no memories of food at all that day, but I think we ate in the Sports bar at the hotel. Altitude-wise this was the lowest point on our trip & it felt like sea level - even though it's about 7000ft! Last time I was here I could hardly breathe! Amazing.
Left Tusayan about 10am via GC NP to the North East. The intention was to stop off at the view points along the rim on our way out but it was very thick fog. Road was really scarey - silver cars & no lights seems to be the American way in fog :rolleyes: - until we reached the 89 where it cleared. Felt very sorry for all those people who only had that day at GC - the view was zero.
Up the 80, stopping off en route at roadside stalls selling more jewellery (great presents - very good value eg 2 x silver & turquoise necklaces for $10; 24 inch haematite & turquoise man's necklace for $25!), back east along the 160 again (different bit - it's a long road!), then the 163 where we stopped into Goulding Trading Post for the loo & a good mosey round. Out of there & across the road into Monument Valley itself.
Very plain looking hotel, virtually brand new, opened Feb 2008. Lovely inside. Nice room with a balcony with table & chairs overlooking the Mittens - & you could smoke on the balcony! :T
Dumped our cases & set off on the drive through the Valley. Would be VERY hairy if you didn't have a 4x4 - especially if it's wet (it was mizzling when we were there). Beautiful drive thru, lots of stops, hundreds of photos, sun setting. Just got back to the Hotel as the light went. And it is DARK. Pitch black! Ate in the restaurant (see colinw's thread http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2207631&highlight= for info on that!) & then went & sat out on the verandah's / decks (they wrap all round the hotel) & just chilled & connected to the land & spirits. My heaven. $263, one room.
Had leftovers from Dinner for breakfast - very MSE styley - then reluctantly left here, back onto the 163 & up the 191 to Moab & the Best Western Greenwell Inn - 2 nights, 1 room, $370 (but it was Memorial Day weekend!). VERY touristy town, I loved it! Loads to see, do & lots of restaurants to choose from.
tbc..........................:mad: :j:D:beer::eek::A:p:rotfl::cool::):(:T0 -
Spent a whole day at Arches NP - VERY hot, very busy & you drive miles! Not really sure it was worth the effort tbh. Bad timing picking a Holiday weekend, I guess - & cooler weather would've been good. I'd really been looking forward to this & was disappointed, so will probably try & come back one day when I can take my time a bit. It is still beautiful but......... I think we were all a bit 'red-rocked' out by now - I just wanted trees & grass! Ah well!
Finally we left Moab & took the 128 -a gorgeous road alongside the (young) Colorado River up a Canyon - to the I70 & along to Glenwood Springs. Horrendous weather towards the end of the day - torrential rain. Hard to drive in it, especially as the I70 is a very busy interstate. Overnighted at Holiday Inn Express - $149, 1 room.
After that we spent 3 nights at staff rates at the 4* Hotel DS was working in - in a full-on 2 bed apartment! Let's just say at Christmas it'd cost you about £10000 for a week! :j Was superb!
Then home..................
We had £1000 in cash on us (in $), Mum had £500. DS had his cash point card! Flights were already paid for by the time we went. TOTAL CC bills (all hotels, helicopter, few meals) was under £2000. DS paid for the last 3 nights in his Hotel. Including the Walmart shop I did with DS for him before we left (!) we worked out it cost the 3 of us from UK about £1500 each. DS got off largely free!
Total mileage was just under 2000m.:mad: :j:D:beer::eek::A:p:rotfl::cool::):(:T0 -
Thanks so much for sharing this. :beer: And you not only shared the itinerary and tips along the way, but did this in a wonderful trip report. Thanks for sharing your stories and your impressions. I just loved reading it.
By the way, have you been back?0 -
By the way, have you been back?
Back?!
Gissa chance! That was only 8 months ago! :rotfl:
I've been visiting the USA on & off since I first went there to visit penpals in 1976! Worked out there in '79, & loads of hols since - including some (eg Oct 08) where I've done voluntary work. :A
OH & I plan to do a 6 month trip when we retire - or maybe 2 x 3 months coz I think they've changed how long you can stay with this ESTA. Borrow a car from our friends there, pick up some camping gear in Walmart or somewhere & hit the road! _party_
Can't wait!
PS - I've c & p'ed this over to Trip Adviser coz I forgot to do my Trip Report on there!:mad: :j:D:beer::eek::A:p:rotfl::cool::):(:T0 -
:TWow! Thanks for all that info! Must confess I've only skimmed through it, but will print out to refer back to and peruse in greater detail at my leisure!
Sounds like you had an interesting trip - the 1 room scenario made me laugh:rotfl:, we have enough problems with myself, DH and DD (now almost 14) sharing a room for two weeks. Didn't used to be a problem when she was younger, but now she's a teenager she's not as readily co-operative as she used to be! 2.22kWp Solar PV system installed Oct 2010, Fronius IG20 Inverter, south facing (-5 deg), 30 degree pitch, no shadingEverything will be alright in the end so, if it’s not yet alright, it means it’s not yet the endMFW #4 OPs: 2018 £866.89, 2019 £1322.33, 2020 £1337.07
2021 £1250.00, 2022 £1500.00, 2023 £1500, 2024 £13502025 target = £1200, YTD £9190
Quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur0
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