denver Archives - Joys On A Journey

Sapphire Point (near Breck) had an amazing view you won’t want to miss. Even at 4 degrees!

Heaven is a little closer in the mountains! Golden Horseshoe Sleigh Rides so magical.

Our first journey of 2019 took us on an adventure to Colorado. We haven’t been to Breckenridge before so we decided it was time to check it out. It did not disappoint. Talk about a cute little mountain town….lots of character, good food, great skiing, and all the winter wonderland outings you can pack in. Being from North Carolina, we get an inch of snow and the whole city shuts down. But it’s usually just a lot of ice and not a lot of Snow or fun. This was REAL snow with all kinds of fun adventures to enjoy in it. Sleigh Rides, Snowshoeing, shopping, eating and of course, Skiing.

Our first stop was Denver. Talk about a Rocky Mountain High! Denver has that Big City feel with a lot of ART and Culture mixed in. First stop…..UNION STATION. If you are coming in from the airport you can hop on light rail that will take you into town and drop you at the real train stop in Union Station. You should make a stop here even if you aren’t taking the train in from the airport. It was recently renovated in 2017 to resemble the train stations of old. Very elegant with an Art Deco feel. We dropped by the Mercantile and watched as some of the days pasta special was being made. If only we could have stayed long enough to sample it. Its a neat little hub of action for Breakfast and Happy Hour. Be sure to check it out if you are there.

Next we ventured out for some of the Best Sushi ever–at Uchi. Uchi Link If you are a sushi lover you need to add this to your list. Talk about melt in your mouth. My husband and son shared the Chef’s 10 course tasting. The oooed and aaahhhhed over every course. Each piece was a piece of art. My other son tried the Wagyu beef hot rock. It was such a fun experience of cooking these tender slices of melt in your mouth steak on these sizzling hot rocks. As repeated many times….the sauce which accompanied it was to Die For! Our taste buds will never be the same.

As we made our way from Denver to Breckenridge. There was quite a bit of traffic. Everyone trying to get to the same areas with limited roads to carry everyone to their resort destination. So put on your package of patience. Though we got a great deal on a rental car we didn’t know until we got the the rental car dealership that if you are going to be driving to this area you have to have an SUV or chains on your car or there is like a $1000 fine. So we had to upgrade our rental. No choice. No longer a Great deal. It added another $200 to our total rental price. So be aware of this when booking your rental car. I will remind you later, in my tips and tricks.

Now to the Winter Wonderland part…….skiing is not one of my favorite things. I don’t enjoy it but the rest of my crowd does. Since they were going to be skiing the next few days, I scheduled something for us to do as a family when we arrived. Golden Horseshoe Sleigh rides set us up for a beautiful afternoon adventure. When we arrived we were able to meet our strong, stoic, almost royal looking black horse, Ashley. She took us on a ride through the forest as the snow glistened on the trees, the sleigh bells rang and the crisp air chilled our cheeks. It was like something from a dream. They furnished us with blankets and hot cocoa. It was all very cozy and romantic. As we rode we just took in the stillness of the forest and the breathtaking moment. It was for sure the highlight of our trip. After riding a bit, we were able to stop for the kids to take pictures and to make snow angels –something we don’t get to do in the snow back in NC. We also got to meet some of Ashley’s friends, Smith and Wesson, Salt and pepper and Mary Kate, Ashley’s sister. They were all handsome horses and they looked very happy and well cared for. Thanks for Golden Horseshoe Sleighrides for providing us with such a sweet memory. Check below in our tips and tricks for Golden Horseshoe Sleighrides location and info so you can check it out when you go. http://coloradosleighrides.com

Ashley our horse for the Sleigh Ride (Her sister is Mary Kate)

Finally, the boys got what they were waiting for Skiing! Over 12,000 feet!

While the boys took on their skiing challenge I wandered around Main street in Breckenridge. They have cute little shops for souvenirs. I stopped off at the Crepe Al La Cart for one of their famous crepes. It was good but not sure it was worth the hour wait. I heard there is also a restaurant location so I would suggest checking that out if you go. It just so happened that there was an International Snow Sculpting Championship going on the week we were there. It was amazing to see the masterpieces they created out of a single huge block of snow. It was totally worth seeing.

On our way back to Denver, we stopped off for a little Breakfast treat for the boys…..The Cereal Box in Arvada, Colorado. Imagine every old school/new school version of cereal plus toppings. A kids Saturday morning dream come true.

A SUGAR High to take us back home to North Carolina……

Tips and Tricks you don’t want to Miss…..

Check the Colorado Chain Law before picking up your rental car. The representative at our rental car place made it sound like were had no choice but to upgrade an extra $200 or be fined. After returning home and reading some forums on Trip Advisor it seems that this might just be a money making ploy. Now I can tell you once we got to the resort area with all of the snow, I am happy that we had the SUV. But I don’t like being taken advantage of and will research this in more detail. I will update this post if I find out something different.

Golden Horseshoe Tours 6061 Tiger Road Breckenridge CO 80424 (970)453-2005

They have private Sleigh rides and Group Dinner rides. Call to set up a reservation.

International Snow Sculpture Championships Breckenridge snow sculpting championship Mid January Check for Dates for 2020.

The Cereal Box – 5709 Olde Wadsworth Blvd Arvada, CO 80002 (720)746-9762

thecerealboxinc.com

UCHI-2500 Lawrence Street, Denver, CO (303) 444-1922

Be Sure to ask a Local where Sapphire Point is. It’s worth the drive.

Let us know if you visit any of our stops. We would love to hear your feedback! Until the next Journey…..

Joys On A Journey

PART 1-MIDWEST AND WESTERN US

“And into the forest, I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” unknown

Our National Park Tour is our most requested itinerary for U.S. summer vacations. It’s a great Bucketlist of Ideas. But we didn’t just pick one stop….we chose 12!

*Covid 19 Update: Due to closures, check before you head out. Some access may be limited or still closed. This is changing daily.

I’ve mentioned before, the Joys usually don’t take things slow and easy! We rise with the sun and fall when we can’t go anymore. So imagine this….8 States in 9 days. We drove over 3,000 miles, explored 6 different national parks, stayed at a wolf sanctuary, chilled at a water park, and went glamping! Glamping you say? I know. It’s not REAL camping. But before this trip, I would not have considered REAL camping!! No not me! But let me just say, I fell in LOVE! The beautiful views, the fresh air, the animals. and the raging waterfalls……I could go on and on. I did actually lose my mind and I just took it all in and I do believe I found my soul! Normally I am a little Creeped out in the woods where there are snakes, bears and all the other creatures that belong there. But the more we hiked the more I wanted to soak up every bit of the experience. Glacier National park was the one that hooked me. I have never seen the sky so blue and mountains so majestic. Even though the pictures are quite nice, they don’t even begin to describe the beauty that you can experience in person. So maybe you won’t be up for ALL of our stops but we hope this itinerary will give you a guide to pick and choose where you would like to explore. Here is a taste….

Denver, CO– Colorado Rockies are no joke. They call to you the minute you see them. With the cool fresh mountain air, and with the altitude, you might get a little winded from a short walk. It was just a quick stop but this is a good starting point. We knew that we would have other occasions to come back to Denver. But during our short stay there we decided to catch a Rockies game. We had never been to a baseball game where they sell Elk Dogs. So of course, we had to try one! Oh and we may have had some of the best sushi ever at Sushi Den. It was delish and my little chef had to try the Wagu steak he cooked on a salt block! It was “melt in your mouth” good! Food to check out, Sushi Den 1487 pearl st. https://www.sushiden.net
Chimney Rock, NE. Windmills and rattlesnakes! Wide-open spaces. The first settlers passed by in the mid-1800s going to Oregon, California and the Mormon Trail. The spire rises 325 feet from the core base. It’s made up of layers of volcanic ash and clay. Opens at 9 am Closes at 5 pm. Located 1.5 miles south of Hwy 92 on Chimney Rock rd. Near the town of Bayard in Morrill County. $5 entrance fee. https://www.nps.gov/cali/planyourvisit/chimney-rock.htm
Badlands National Park, SD Approx 3.5 hrs from Chimney Rock. –The pictures don’t really do this justice. With the pastels of windblown design, you feel as if you are the only one here. Every once in a while you can spot the wildlife on the top looking down at you. It’s very peaceful and breathtaking. Rich fossil beds, ancient mammals roamed here. Some marine fossils from 75 million years ago. 400 different plant species that survive extreme temps. It’s an amazing stop! $20 entrance fee. National park pass Free. Open 24 hours. If you are a History buff, The Battle of Wounded Knee Memorial is close by. It’s so worth the visit and a great way to Support the Lakota Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. https://www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm
Mt. Rushmore National Park, SD Approx 1.5 hours from Badlands. Sculpted faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln surrounded by the Black Hills of South Dakota. Walk the Presidental Trail and Sculptors studio. Open 5am-11:30 pm. The Lighting Ceremony at 9 pm is supposed to be great but we missed it because the kids wanted to do the waterpark at our hotel that evening. We had been driving so much it was a nice break. Tip*So if you want a hotel with a waterpark check out the La Quinta in Rapid City. https://www.nps.gov/moru/index.htm
Teddy Roosevelt National Park, ND– Approx 4.5 hrs from Mt. Rushmore. Be sure to do the Scenic View Drive loop and the Painted Canyon Overlook. Huge Bison patties. Watch out for the Bison they are out there! Deep hikes in the valley. Blue skies. Peaceful. But very hot! Take lots of water. Open range. Free to access from the I-94 Rest Stop. *For a fun eating experience try out the Pitch Fork Steak Fondue. In Modera ND. They have these huge pitchforks loaded with steaks. They fondue them and serve them up with a ton of food. Beautiful views. You have to buy a ticket. It was a fun touristy experience. But we had never done anything like that so it was a hit. https://www.nps.gov/thro/index.htm
Glacier National Park, MT -LONG DRIVE approx.9hrs and 40 mins. You can drive forever without seeing another car. Many times we lost signal so have directions and a map handy. Gas up! Glacier is known as the Crown Jewel. I will have to say I fell in love with this place. It is so majestic and just beautiful. Don’t miss this one. I hope to go back one day. We needed more time here for sure. There are over 700 miles of trails! *TIPS: Check the weather and be prepared for all things. We were there in shorts and a storm blew in and we were freezing. Be sure to check out Virginia Falls, Lake Mcdonald, Avalanche gorge, rainbow falls. Trail of cedars, Going to the Sun Road was unfortunately closed when we were there. But it is a Must-Do if open! Oh, Don’t forget your Bear Spray!!! Its’a must! You can rent it at the gift shop or rangers stations. Check hours here before you go. One of our favorite places that we stayed was Under the Canvas Glacier. It’s a glamping experience. It was so much fun. Our kids loved it. We loved it. We will totally do that again. https://www.nps.gov/thro/index.htm
Howlers Inn Wolf Sanctuary, Bozeman, MT appox 5 hour drive.. A real treat. Our son had seen a story about this wolf sanctuary on tv. When he found out we were heading to Montana he was so excited. He wanted to go to stay there. I was like I doubt that’s possible but I would check into it. So after some investigating, i found that they had rooms available and they were very reasonable. The location was beautiful, the owners were very accommodating and helpful. The Wolves were the attraction and they did not disappoint. Tip –ask for Western Room.https://www.howlersinn.com Check out the website. It is a beautiful location and the Wolves are the highlight.
Yellowstone National Park, WY approx 1 hr away. We were so excited to get to Yellowstone. It lives up to the Hype for sure. Old faithful, grand prismatic spring, and so much more. It gets crowded. If you want to stay in the park at one of the lodges you have to make reservations a year in advance. So plan ahead. Take your time here there is a lot to cover. Lots of Animals. Be prepared for the Bison and keep your distance. Bear spray here is a must also. https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/app.htm
Grand Teton National Park, WY approx 3 hrs. Native Americans were first here after the glaciers receded. Another amazing view. *be sure to take the famous pictures at Schwabacher Landing, Moulton’s Barn on Mormon Row, Lake Jenny, and the Chapel of the Transfiguation. https://www.nps.gov/grte/learn/news/newsreleases.htm
Craters of the Moon, ID approx 5 hr drive. 400 sq miles of lava fields, size of Rhode Island, beautiful night sky but we didn’t see. Cinder, pumice, and lava. Calvin Coolidge made it a monument in 1924. Paleo Indians visited 12,000 years ago. It’s a very interesting place, unlike anything we’ve ever seen. Open 8-6 during the summer. $20 entrance fee.https://www.nps.gov/crmo/planyourvisit/caving-at-crmo.htm
Shoshone Falls, ID Apprrox 3 hour drive. It’s known as Niagra of the west $3.00 per car. 212 ft higher than Niagra. Walk or Drive across the Peririe Bridge 500 ft drop. Famous for Bungie. Snake River Canyon, water flow high due to snowmelt. Formed by catastrophic outburst flooding during Pleistoscen Ice age. Important fishing for Native Americans. https://visitsouthidaho.com/adventure/shoshone-falls/
Salt Lake City, UT approx 3hr drive. We were pretty worn out by this point. So we just walked around Downtown Salt Lake, toured the Mormon Tabernacle and then walked around a garden before heading out to the airport.

We hope you enjoyed PART ONE this journey with us. Part two, Coming up later in July for Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and California. We can’t wait to share it with you. If you found this helpful please subscribe for more Itineraries, tips, and adventures. Don’t forget to put on your Bear Bells and carry that Bear Spray!

Joys On A Journey

Tag: denver

Winter Wonderland: Breckenridge and Denver

The Ultimate National Park Itinerary

PART 1-MIDWEST AND WESTERN US