Summer vacation--Estes Park/Colorado Springs

We're going to Colorado Springs in July for our family vacation, too! We could caravan! ;) My boys are a bit older (8 and 14), and we're planning to go white-water rafting (there's a 50 lb. weight minimum requirement that my 8yo barely meets). We're going to the Royal Gorge, and will go hiking on Pike's Peak. The boys want to go zip-lining with dad, but I have no interest in that. We're staying at the Marriott that is at the base of Pike's Peak. I'm so excited! I hope you have a great time; I know we will! :)

I would definitely go up Pikes Peak - you can drive or take a train and look around at the top. The drive is a little scary but there's plenty of times you can stop to enjoy the view. I would also hike around the Garden of the Gods. You can also visit the zoo.

That is so funny- we are headed to BOTH of those places tomorrow!! My kids are 7,5, and 2! In the Springs the Cheyenne Mountian zoo is awesome! Santa's North Pole Workshop is neat. Garden of the Gods, 7 Falls, Air Force Academy and also the Denver zoo is great!

You will have a great time!!

Estes Park is great, right on the edge of the Rocky Mtn National Park, which has awesome hiking and even just driving through. The town is cute to walk and shop, we went horseback riding, and there is a lake where we rented surreys and rode along a path, tons of fun. You'll have a blast.

You have some great ideas already... to add... in Estes at the YMCA there is a craft store (where you can make many things inexpensively), a zipline, horseback riding, and so much more. Of course, hiking, biking, fishing, and Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park.

Let me know if you have questions... Have fun!

I live in colrodo but don't know a ton about either of these places! LOL! But the other posters are right. The colorado springs zoo (cheyenne mountain zoo) is awesome and you can feed the giraffes which is really awesome. I also took a train up pikes peak many years ago and it was really really cool! But, it is quite steep, and sometimes I felt like the train was going to fall right off the mountain! Just to warn you! Have a wonderful time, Colorado is awesome in the summer and both of these cities are just beautiful!