Looking for a budget-friendly vacation idea? Read my tips for planning the best affordable summer trip to Winter Park, Colorado.
We’ve been busy with all of the craziness of back-to-school, so this post is just a bit overdue. But as they say, better late than never, right?
Now that summer is all but over, I am finally getting a chance to recap our getaway to Winter Park, Colorado, and share a few tips for how we saved money along the way.
Planning The Best Affordable Summer Trip To Winter Park Colorado
This summer, my husband, Kirk, and I spent three days in Winter Park to celebrate our 15th anniversary. Just a short 90-minute drive from Denver, it’s a charming resort town nestled amongst the Arapaho National Forest and the perfect place to catch up on a little R&R.
Kirk is a Colorado native, and, over the years, we have visited quite a few places throughout the state including, Fort Collins, Denver, Estes Park, Boulder, Breckenridge, and Frisco, just to name a few.
However, this was our first experience visiting Winter Park. And to say it was amazing would be an understatement!
We packed a lot into our short stay but still managed to find plenty of time to rest and recharge before the busy school year.
Winter Park Trip Itinerary
We had a loose plan, but most of our travel itinerary was flexible, meaning we made it up as we went.
And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Some of our best travel experiences have come from impromptu adventures, including our hike on this trip (and I do mean HIKE) up Mt. Flora. More on that in a bit. Here’s a quick breakdown of how we spent our three days in Winter Park.
Day 1
- Travel to Winter Park
- Check into Airbnb
- Dinner at Hernando’s Pizza
Day 2
- Brunch at Goody’s Mountain Creperie
- White Water Rafting with Mad Adventures
- Rest and Relax
- Dinner at The Ditch on 40
- Explore Winter Park Resort
Day 3
- Breakfast at the Condo
- Hike Mt. Flora
- Lunch at Rudi’s Deli
- Rest and Recovery from our Hike
- Dinner at Mexicali Taco Co.
Day 4 (on our way out of town)
- Check out of Airbnb
- Breakfast at Goody’s Mountain Creperie
- Stop for Souveniers at Winter Park Resort
Day One
Dinner at Hernando’s Pizza
After a long day of travel, we checked into our Airbnb to unpack and made dinner plans. Nine plus hours of driving wore us out, so we opted to do take-out from Hernando’s Pizza.
Hernando’s came highly recommended to us, and it lived up to the hype!
We ordered two pizzas, the column one (Hernando’s version of meat lovers pizza) and the shrimp scampi. We were so hungry I failed to get any pictures of the deliciousness, oops!
The slices were very filling, and we had plenty of leftovers to enjoy for an afternoon snack the next day.
Day Two
Brunch at Goody’s Mountain Creperie
We started our first full day in Winter Park with brunch at Goody’s Mountain Creperie.
Goody’s is the top-rated restaurant for breakfast in Winter Park, and now I know why!
It’s soooooo good! So good, in fact, that we ate there twice!
On our first visit, Kirk had a breakfast burrito and I had the Mary Jane crepe with an iced turtle mocha. If you love sweet and savory foods, I highly recommend the Mary Jane. It’s stuffed with sautéed mushrooms, onions, swiss cheese, bacon, and spinach and finished with a raspberry glaze. Yum!
On our second visit, I tried the Goody’s crepe, stuffed with bacon, eggs, and cheese and served with a side of crispy hashbrowns. It was equally as delicious and maybe one of the best things I ate during our trip.
White Water Rafting with Mad Adventures
I was nervous about our first whitewater rafting trip. But the staff with Mad Adventures made it fun.
We chose the beginner-level trip. It is suitable for children as young as seven, and Mad Adventures provides you with all the necessary safety gear.
There are also great resources online with suggestions for what to wear and what not to wear for white water rafting.
Don’t forget to bring a towel and dry clothes, and shoes to change into after your rafting trip. (Soggy car rides aren’t fun!)
The beginner-level trip did not have a lot of active paddling or big rapids (the water was low due to the hot, dry weather and time of the year), but it was a great introduction to rafting, and we both agreed that we would love to do it again.
Here we are with our guide and a nice family we met from Iowa.
*NOTE: If you sit in the front of the raft, be prepared to get wetter than anyone else. You can’t tell from this photo, but we were soaked!
Dinner at The Ditch on 40
After our white water rafting adventure, we grabbed a late dinner at The Ditch on 40. The Ditch is a quirky little roadside bar and grill that serves authentic New Mexican food.
Known for their chopped hatch green chili sauce and margaritas, it has a fun, funky atmosphere, and the food was amazing too!
I had onion rings and the Ditch burger, which is described on the menu as a highly addictive, 1/3 pound burger topped with chopped hatch green chiles and cheese. And if you want a little extra on your burger, say “all the way” for mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato & grilled onion.
Exploring Winter Park Village and Resort
After filling up on burgers and drinks, we drove back to Winter Park resort to do some exploring.
The village is filled with cute shops, restaurants, and several places to rent equipment like mountain bikes and skis for all of your Colorado adventures.
Aside from the shopping and restaurants, there are plenty of activities for the whole family to do, including putt-putt golf and a giant alpine slide for tubing.
You can also purchase a pass and take a scenic gondola ride to the top of the peak that overlooks Winter Park.
Day Three
Hike Mt. Flora
On our last full day in Winter Park, we enjoyed a quiet breakfast on the balcony of our condo, sipping coffee and soaking up the gorgeous mountain views.
After breakfast, we hit the road and headed back through the steep and winding roads of Berthoud Pass to find some hiking trails.
There are several easy-to-moderate hiking trails in and around Winter Park, including Mt. Flora. You don’t need a permit to visit Mt. Flora, and the best snow-free time to hike the trail is usually late June through early October.
Mt. Flora is located 3.2 miles from Berthoud Pass along the Continental Divide Trail. At an elevation of 13,132 feet, it’s the most intense hike we’ve finished to date.
The round trip trek is just a bit over 6.4 miles, and it took about 4 hours and 15 minutes to hike out and back.
The views were BREATHTAKING!
Literally and figuratively! We don’t have elevation changes like this in Nebraska.
Still, the hike was one of my favorite things that we did during our time in Winter Park.
We saw a wide variety of plants along the trail, including beautiful wildflowers like these that dotted the side of the mountain.
Wildlife like lynx, elk, bighorn sheep, and mountain goats have also been seen in the area.
Although we didn’t see any large game, we did notice plenty of birds, butterflies, and pika (aka ground squirrels). And, as we neared the top, we saw several marmots who darted in and out of the crevices in the rocks.
The hike does get steep and rocky toward the top, and there were times I thought about quitting. But I’m so glad we didn’t.
The views at the summit were worth the climb, including this stunning view of the turquoise-hued Ethel lake.
Lunch at Rudi’s Deli
We were exhausted after the hike, so we opted for another quick grab ‘n-go meal, this time from Rudi’s Deli.
Rudi’s offers dine-in or carry-out options. The sandwiches are served on homemade bread and are very filling! You can pair your sandwich with chips, coleslaw, pasta salad, or a fountain drink.
Rudi’s also has soup and salad, as well as vegetarian and gluten-free menu options. We were so hungry after our hike that I failed to get any photos, but it was delish! I would highly recommend it for a quick and inexpensive meal.
Dinner at Mexicali Taco Co.
After a few hours of rest, we went back to Winter Park resort to enjoy our last dinner.
Because of the ongoing pandemic, many places were closed due to shortened hours or a lack of staffing. After a quick walk around the resort, we landed on Mexicali Taco Co., and I’m so glad we did!
Their menu is full of traditional Mexican favorites, including several different types of meat, homemade tortillas, and a fresh salsa bar.
There is some indoor dining available, as well as a beautiful outdoor patio space to enjoy your meal.
It was a great way to wrap up our stay and enjoy our last evening in Colorado.
Where to Stay in Winter Park
There is no shortage of places to stay when visiting Winter Park. We booked our rental through Airbnb and stayed at the Iron Horse Condo located just a short walk from Winter Park resort.
Our suite, the Caribou Cabin II, is hosted by Marina and Ben. If you are looking for a vacation rental in the Winter Park area, I highly recommend booking with them.
You have all heard the horror stories about online bookings gone wrong. But Marina and Ben were very attentive to our needs. From start to finish, their friendly emails both before, during, and after our stay helped to make us feel at ease about our trip.
There was even a sweet welcome note and a bottle of wine waiting for us when we arrived!
Our room was on the 3rd floor of the unit and had the most amazing mountain view off of our private balcony!
How gorgeous is this?
The studio space is newly remodeled. It is filled with rustic farmhouse charm and was very comfortable and cozy.
The size of the condo was perfect for just the two of us and large enough that we could have comfortably slept our family of four with a murphy bed and a pull-out couch.
We also took full advantage of the fully stocked kitchen. Which brings me to my first money-saving tip.
Tip #1 – Find somewhere with a kitchen
A kitchen will allow you to brew your own coffee and cook some of your own meals while you’re vacationing. Plus, you’ll have somewhere to store and heat up your leftovers when you dine out. (Like the amazing Hernando’s pizza I mentioned!)
We also brought our own snacks and drinks, including bottled water, sodas, and popcorn Shopping before we left saved us both time and money while we were in Winter Park.
We love to eat out and try new restaurants when we travel, but even eating one meal in our vacation rental was much more cost-effective. And the money we saved from not eating out was used to fill up our gas tank instead!
Tip #2 – Take advantage of the free amenities
Some other amenities to note were the free parking on the property (both covered and outdoor), as well as two hot tubs, a pool, and a game room.
The pool and hot tub were undergoing renovations during our stay, so we missed out. But they are also great free activities to take advantage of. Especially when vacationing with kids.
Overall, we loved our time at the Iron Horse Condo. It was truly the perfect place to stay, and if we visit Winter Park again, we’ll be back!
Seeing the Sights
Colorado is known for skiing, but there are so many fun (and affordable!) activities to do in the summer too. Here is tip number three for planning an affordable summer trip to Winter Park, Colorado.
Tip #3 – Schedule free fun
Save money on your trip by taking advantage of many of the free activities in and around Winter Park. There is an abundance of trails for hiking or biking.
Or, if you love music, hit up the High-Note free summer concert series on Thursdays from July through August. It is held in the Rendezvous Event Center in downtown Winter Park.
There is also an extensive list of free activities and an updated monthly calendar on the Visit Winter Park website.
Other Places To Eat in Winter Park
When it comes to eating out while traveling Kirk and I have one rule.
No chains!
The best places we have eaten on our getaways have always been small, local establishments, and the Winter Park eateries we tried were amazing!
Since our trip was so short, we only got to try a few. Here is a list of some of the other top places to grab a bite in Winter Park.
Breakfast
- Carver’s Bakery Cafe
- Wake N’ Bacon
- The Perk
- Moon Frog Coffee Shop
Lunch/Dinner
- Deno’s Mountain Bistro
- Randi’s Irish Grill & Pub
- The Back Bowl Soup Company
Drinks
- Idlewild Spirits Brewpub and Restaurant
- Winter Park Winery
- Hideaway Park Brewery
Planning The Best Affordable Summer Trip To Winter Park Colorado
Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you enjoyed reading about our summer vacation to Winter Park, Colorado, and, got some helpful planning tips and ideas for ways to make the trip fun and affordable!
We were so impressed with the laid-back, family-friendly atmosphere and the variety of things to do and places to eat. We’re already making plans to hopefully take the girls back with us next summer.
And, if you skipped to the bottom of the post (because it was a looooong one!), here’s a fun video recap of our travels that I made for TikTok. It’s the perfect 30 second summary of our three-day getaway.
Cheers and happy travels!
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