My wife and 1 year old kid are going there for a week, the first week in August. Does anyone have recommendations on the best places to eat (cheap or fancy)?

I have lodging taken care of; what do ya'll recommend on family fun things to do?

Go to the Stanley Hotel. We ate there, too. Very good.

The Dunraven Inn is pretty good Italian food. I would consider it somewhat fancy, but not too bad I guess.

They encourage people to sign dollar bills and they hang them up in the entry way/front of the restaurant. It's fun to look for all the Aggies that have signed while you are waiting (but I would recommend reservations as the line can be long at times).

[This message has been edited by Skitch05 (edited 7/22/2009 1:39p).]

I just had dinner in the Estes Park Brewery and wasn't all that impressed

No character at all

Do NOT eat "Mexican food"!

All the local Coloradoans seem to think of Estes Park as a joke. I'm not sure why though. I think they may be ski snobs.

Estes is beautiful, and the Stanley is really cool, but the town itself can be explored top to bottom in 1 day easily.

Penelope's Burgers is pretty tasty. The line is usually out the door, but it's a pretty good burger.

Poppy's Pizza and Grill has great food.

One of the best places for food in the area is Meadow Mountain Cafe in AllensPark ( a nice 16 mile drive south of EP)

as far as family fun things to do----take a good child carrier and enjoy the outdoors. Current temp is 55 degrees, high today upper 70's. High over this weekend is low 70's.

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Estes is beautiful, and the Stanley is really cool, but the town itself can be explored top to bottom in 1 day easily.

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I agree with this.... good restaurants are very hard to find too.... we rented a condo and just ate in most of the time when we were there last year..... also, picnic in Rocky Mountain NP.......

I have to agree with most of the comments . I think Estes is beautiful, especially as you drive in on highway 36, but as far as food - I can't really think of an outstanding eatery. In fact, whenever we head up there, we usually grab a bag of fast food (taco bell!) and picnic in Rocky Mtn Ntl park. But make no mistake - it's really beautiful there.

Boulder has some awesome restaurants (check out Pearl St. and the new 29th Street shopping area for good eats). Also, there's Oskar Blues Brewery in Lyons, and we really love The Pumphouse in Longmont.

I went last year and the only place I remember eating was the Wapiti Grill.

I had a buffalo burger it was pretty good. They also sell Elk (wapiti) burgers and maybe steaks among other things. Pretty tasty, and something you cant find easily in Texas.

If you want to try Fly Fishing one day, I would recommend Kirk's fly shop there on the main street. For a half day guided trip, it was about 100 per person including equipment etc. The owners were very nice and friendly, and the woman went to Baylor. She even helped me get a hotel at about half price.

Drive through Rocky mountain National park. It is very pretty even if you just stick on the roads. You will probably be able to see Elk and other wildlife. There are also some short easy hikes/ walking trails that should be possible even with a 1 yr old.

Park entry permit is going to cost you $20 and it is good for seven days ... the best $20 you will ever spend. Go in the Beaver Meadow entrance to RMNP and make your way up Trail Ridge Road. Great pull outs along the way, road climbs to 12,000 feet, and wildlife sightings along the way should be abundant. As mentioned by others, take snacks/picnic stuff with you (there is a Safeway in EP). Alpine Visitors Center, basically at the top of Trail Ridge Road, has a cafe, also. That is a good turning around point, IMO, unless you want to keep going to Grand Lake and find some place to eat over there. You will have to return to EP via Trail Ridge Road ... and on weekend days for sure, traffic can be very heavy. But it is all worth it for the views, the short hikes off the road with your little one, and the majesty that is Rocky Mountain. Enjoy.

Update on Estes Park restaurants. We just returned from a wonderful stay at the YMCA Estes Park Center. We DO NOT recommend Penelope's Burgers or Wild Rose. Overpriced and poor quality. The Penelope Burger was soggy and lame. The Wild Rose was just creepy.

On the other hand, there is the most wonderful bakery and sandwich shop on the east end of town by Village Pizza. They have great cinnamon bread. We brought a loaf and ate in for breakfast in our cabin every morning. We also picked up sandwiches and cookies and took them on our hike to Dream Lake. Their baked goods are also available at the Country Grocery.

We also enjoyed dinner at Mama Rose's. Good quality food, reasonable price, and nice dining area.

oh I miss Estes... We were supposed to go this year but our cabin providers decided to not let us stay. It was quite disappointing... They said something about next year but somehow I doubt it..

Driving via 36 to EP today and staying in a cabin 3 nights. Appreciate any updated suggestions on what to do, where to eat, etc. Mostly there to relax and sight-see.

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but the town itself can be explored top to bottom in 1 day easily.

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If you're going to Estes Park to explore Estes Park you are doing it wrong.

Estes is the gateway to the Rocky Mountain National Park. It is an unbelievably beautiful and pristine national park. There are many things to do and explore in the national park. The abundance of wildlife is unparalled except for in 1 or 2 other National Parks.

If Coloradoans criticize Estes Park they are idiots.

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If Coloradoans criticize Estes Park they are idiots.

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I don't know that I criticize Estes Park, but if I'm staying near the park it's generally going to be in the Granby area. Estes Park seems better suited for out-of-state visitors. I've never been overly impressed with Estes Park itself, but it's one of the main entry points to RMNP so I've been through the town many times and stopped when we've vistited family staying at the YMCA site or with out-of-staters.

Of course we are here for RMNP, as well as the cool mornings with the awesome views from our cabin's deck. Will probably start with the drive up to the Alpine Visitor Center. Elk munching grass in the neighbor's back yard was neat to see.

Nothing special about Estes Park and We try to avoid spending time there. People that say they love Estes Park have not been to other Colorado Mountain Towns.

RMNP is amazing, but you do not need to stay in Estes Park to enjoy RMNP. Grand Lake is a much better place to stay, it is the Western Entrance to the park.

RMNP was perfect for camping this past week. Was not ready to return to Texas.

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Of course we are here for RMNP, as well as the cool mornings with the awesome views from our cabin's deck

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I would imagine most people come to Estes for RMNP, and not to hang out in a town that can be explored top to bottom in 1 day. If you chose to stay in Estes in order to visit RMNP then there might as well be a thread discussing what to do and eat while in the town.

My family and I really enjoy the Baldpate Inn for lunch. It has the world's largest collection of keys which can be cool and boring at the same time. But the lunch is a soup and salad buffet with a large selection of really good eats. It is a bit pricey but I think it's worth it.