Estes Park, Colorado

    This month I'm going to take you to one of my favorite year round Colorado locations. There are so many it's always difficult to choose. Estes Park, Colorado. The magnificent scenery of Rocky Mountain National Park combined with a small hometown setting, transforms your trip into the Colorado Rockies into a dream vacation you will remember forever.
    Visiting this eastern gateway community to Rocky Mountain National Park at 7,522 feet above sea level can leave you breathless. Literally. So remember to keep hydrated during your stay. No one questions that nature's playground comes first when planning activities. But even in Eden, there are times when you want diversions especially suited to children and the young-at-heart.
    A wide array of commercial activities expand the outdoor enjoyment of the area. Rent a bike. Take a fly fishing lesson. Ride the aerial tram to the top of a small peak for a breathtaking view of the valley and downtown below. Play miniature golf or slide down a giant slide. Take a spin on a go-cart track. From early spring through the holiday season, Estes Park celebrates life in the Rockies with special events that focus on the sights, sounds and heritage of those who live in the community.
    The summer season is packed with events ranging from rubber duck races to free jazz concerts, fine arts shows and classic car parades. Midsummer brings celebrations of fiber arts, Western heritage, classical music and, of course, Independence Day. Festivities through autumn focus on heritage, arts and crafts, big game wildlife, and much more.
    For more than three decades, Estes Park has been the backdrop for one of the nation's largest gatherings for those of Scottish heritage, those interested in Scottish heritage, those who like the sound of Scottish brogues, those who enjoy a Scottish malt beverage, those who enjoy the rhythmic sound of Scottish footsteps on a dance floor and more. The Longs Peak Scottish Irish Festival is the event that first introduced me to Estes park. My daughter and son love attending with me each year, and last year my daughter actually made a handsome kilted man blush when she asked if he was “going true scot?' (under his kilt!)
    Held annually the weekend after Labor Day, Estes Park's event is the largest gathering of its kind between the Mississippi River and California, and traditionally hosts bands from Great Britain, Scotland, Canada and, of course, the United States.  more >>