Mulling between Denver or Chicago trip next month.

If we fly into Denver, I'm kicking around the idea of driving up I-70 for a night. Wife isn't a skier, but we'd like to hit the mountains and find a place with a good tubing mountain.

Any places that will let you ride a gondola to the top of mountain for a lunch during ski season?

You can do a gondola lift ticket at Keystone for maybe $35 I think?

We recently stayed overnight at the Silver Lake Lodge about 10 miles north of Idaho Springs. Small B&B with great views. You wont be disappointed.

Keystone has a tubing hill at the top and you can ride the gondola up for lunch before. My non skiing family members enjoyed that's. Keystone has a nice little village over by the gondola (River Run I believe). Lots of places to stay as well right there.

For an all inclusive town, Breck is nice since there is a little more to do but the tubing is just outside of town.

I'm guessing it would be worth staying a night up in the mountains instead of making a day trip out of Denver?

You could do it in a day, just depends on how long you want the day to be. If I wasn't skiing, I'd head up around 10, late lunch/tube and relax and spend the night. Then head back in the morning so you miss most of the mountain traffic. Or leave late like 8pm but that's a long day and it's super dark.

Yeah, I'd rather spend the night up in the hills and walk downtown Breck or somewhere like that after dinner.

If we did that on a Thursday/Friday morning, is there enough to do in Denver for 2 nights?

I lived in Ft Collins years ago but never spent much time in Denver.

I'm boring and live in the suburbs but I think there is plenty to do downtown or head to Golden for some food/hiking. All depends on what you like.

I'd say head out I70 and stay in Frisco. Plenty of beautiful mountains to look at and good tubing at the Friso Adventure Park. Lodging will be more reasonable than the ski towns, but Breckenridge is only a 15-20 minute drive away.

https://www.townoffrisco.com/play/winter-tubing-skiing/tubing/

That's what I've been leaning towards.... staying in Frisco, Silverthorne, Dillon, Fairplay etc and spending some time in down town Breck.

Also, I do like to ski. Any suggestions of ski hills in that area that aren't super pricy where I could go ski a little while on my own? Doesn't need to be fancy, just enough to get a little fix in. Loveland Ski Area? Silverthorne?

Loveland might be the "cheapest " in that area. If you are a REI coop member they will be selling discount tickets soon for Loveland from I saw last week. Looked like about $20 off but I didn't pay super close attention since I have the Epic pass.

I never have been to Loveland. Is it a decent area for a guy who hasn't skied in eons?

https://www.liftopia.com

Never been to Loveland but they do have a learning hill area separate from the main lift access. Maybe something to get your feet under you before going up the main lift.

I wouldn't stay in Fairplay, not much to do over there. My parents used to have a house only 15 minutes from there.

Any thoughts on the tubing in Fraser vs Keystone? Fraser looks like an open hill vs lanes....

I don't like going over to Fraser way to far and pain in the ass going over Berthoud Pass for a short trip.

Player To Be Named Later said:

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Any thoughts on the tubing in Fraser vs Keystone? Fraser looks like an open hill vs lanes....

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Fraser tubing hill is the most fun tubing I've ever done.

So, we grabbed airfare today for a Denver trip... $40 wanna get away fares each way.

We get into Denver on a Thursday at about 7:30am. Thinking we will stay that night in Frisco, Silverthorne, Keystone area.

The next night we will stay back down by Denver. We'd prefer to be in an area we can get a quick hike/walk in Friday evening and Saturday morning. Would staying around Golden be a better idea for that on Friday night?

We just stayed for a night at the Hampton Inn Silverthorne. Nothing spectacular but clean.

I'd still check to see if Silver Lake Lodge has any availability.

Golden has nice dining and easy access to trails. Keep in mind though it will be getting pretty dark around 4:40 for your evening hike.

Down around me i like Deer Creek Canyon Park and South Valley Park for nice hikes. Top of Deer Creek Canyon trail has a nice view of downtown Denver. South Valley reminds me of Garden of the gods a bit. Not as grand but the same red rocks and no tourists

Actually considering staying that last night in Boulder. I've never seen Boulder... sounds like some good hiking/biking as well as dining/shopping?

I haven't really spent much time in Boulder other than the BolderBoulder race but I'd reference
https://www.alltrails.com/us/colorado/boulder

Depending on when you get into town maybe hit up Boulder Running company (or a similar store) and someone there might have good suggestions. If we get any snow some of the trails might not be good.

Will probably have breakfast up in the mountains, then head down to Boulder. That'll give us all afternoon/night in Boulder and then won't have to be to DIA until about 5pm Saturday. So should get a couple hikes in and hit some good restaurants.