Colorado 4-Day Itinerary 🌄🚗

Day 1️⃣: Arrival in Denver ✈️ Late-night flight to Denver (arrived ~11 PM) 🚆 Took the A-Line train from the airport to Union Station (safe, even at night!) 🏨 Checked into downtown hotel Day 2️⃣: Garden of the Gods + Pikes Peak Tour 🌄 Morning: Garden of the Gods ⛰️ → Stunning red rock formations (wish we had more time to hike!) 🏔️ Afternoon: Pikes Peak 🚗 → Summit views = unreal! (Altitude hit hard—bring water & layers!) 🛍️ Lunch in Manitou Springs – Cute shops & fun T-shirts! 🛒 Evening: REI Flagship Store 🎒 → Outdoor gear heaven (two whole walls of backpacks?!). Day 3️⃣: Rocky Mountain National Park (Highlight!) 🏞️ Morning: Deer Mountain Summit Trail 🦌 → Missed Bear Lake entry (late by 40 mins 😅), but this hike had panoramic views! 💙 Afternoon: Bear Lake → Emerald Lake 🌊 → Bear Lake = most stunning (later lakes were shadowed). 🌅 Sunset Drive to Alpine Visitor Center (closed but worth it!) → Saw elk herds! Chased golden hour → blue hour → total darkness. Magic! 🍽️ Dinner in Estes Park → Back to Denver by 10 PM. Day 4️⃣: Red Rocks + Boulder (Unexpected Gem!) 🎸 Morning: Red Rocks Amphitheatre 🎶 → Even better than Garden of the Gods! Natural acoustics + skyline views. 🏙️ Afternoon: Boulder (40-min drive) 🛍️ Pearl Street Mall – Adorable shops & zero homeless vibe! 💒 Chautauqua Park – Stumbled upon a mountain wedding! 💐 🚶 Hiking/biking trails galore – Outdoor paradise! ✈️ Flight delay = extra exploring time (lucky us!). 💡 Key Takeaways ✅ RMNP = Must-do (but arrive early for timed entry!). ✅ Red Rocks > Garden of the Gods (more dramatic + less crowded). ✅ Boulder = Best surprise – Young, clean, & full of life! #ColoradoTravel #RockyMountainNP #Denver #Boulder #RoadTrip