Floating Lake House Safari in Thailand

The floating lake house safari in Thailand was one of our top travel adventures of all time. We visited temples and a coconut plantation, rode elephants, kayaked to bat caves and explored the town of Songkhlaburi, all while staying on a floating lake house towed by a boat.

 

This tour we did on the floating lake house was the highlight of our entire two and a half week trip to Thailand. It was a unique experience, and got us off of the beaten path to some areas that many tourists don’t go to. The floating lake house itself was amazing. Evening swimming and sunsets, kayaking around the lake, and delicious home cooked Thai food.

Excerpt from our Thailand trip post. Read the full post of our trip around Thailand here

 

Floating Lake House Safari in Khao Laem National Park

Day 1:

We were picked up at our hotel in Bangkok in the morning by our Lake Safari shuttle, along with a Danish woman named Susanne who was traveling alone. I was excited to be able to practice my Danish.

The four day floating lake house safari tour we were headed on was a tour on a two story floating lake house towed by a boat down Lake Khao Laem in Khao Laem National Park. The house and tour were started by another Thai friend of mine who I was an exchange student with in Denmark, who now lives in Denmark running their website while her family members and hired tour guides do the tour in Thailand. Unfortuantely she wasn’t able to visit Thailand while we were on the tour, but the tour was the biggest highlight of our trip and we greatly recommend it. Our guide’s name was Puddi, and he gave us a great tour.

We began our tour with a two hour or so drive to the town of Kachanaburi to visit the Kachanaburi War Cememtery, Thailand’s resting place for over 7,000 World War II POWs who perished during the construction of the famous Death Railway. We also visited  the Thai-Burma Railway Centre Museum, which gives detailed accounts of the horrors of the POW railway camps run by the Japanese.

Kachanaburi War Cemetery Thailand
Kachanaburi War Cemetery
Kachanaburi War Cemetery Thailand
Kachanaburi War Cemetery

The cemetery and museum is funded by the Thai government. The majority of the soldiers laid to rest here are British, with a few Americans and Australians. It was a very informative museum, and a sombering experience.

We also witnessed possibly the most disrespectful tourist display we have ever seen: Young Japanese tourist girls taking selfies in the cemetery. It was appalling.

After the musuem, we moved on to the Bridge over the River Kwai, part of the 250 mile long Death Railway from Thailand to Burma.

We stopped for lunch at a little open air roadside restaurant with a buffet, it seemed to be a place that tour groups stop often. We continued our long drive, making one last stop at a little town for a tour of their market.

Thailand 712

Thai market
Ducks at the market

Thai market

Thai market

Thai market chilis

Thai market

We continued driving and at long last, arrived at the Lake House to begin our floating lake house safari. It was gorgeous.

floating lake house safari, Thailand
Floating lake house safari. Our home for the next three days

It had six bedrooms on the top floor, a kitchen and two bathrooms with flush toilets and showers on the main floor, and an open air dining area. The front had four lounge chairs on a sizeable deck.

The boat was parked in a floating fishing village of the native Mon people. They had lots of floating cabins and fishing traps set up on the lake.

Mon fishing village Thailand
Mon fishing village
Thailand 719
Mon fishing village

Thailand 733

Our driver got in the boat and we were moving. We grabbed some beers and enjoyed the view as we floated down the lake.

floating-lake-house-safari-Thailand
Floating lake house safari Thailand

After about an hour, we arrived in a little cove and tied up for the night. It was still afternoon, and our guide Puddi told us it was time to swim. It was hot, and the lake water was perfect. There were a couple of kayaks and one inner-tube that we could use.

Floating lake house safari Thailand 092
Floating lake house safari
floating-lake-house-safari-Thailand
Floating lake house safari
floating-lake-house-safari-Thailand
Floating lake house safari
floating-lake-house-safari-Thailand
Floating lake house safari

For dinner we had Tom Kha soup and a chicken stir fry, made by the on-board cook, a sweet little old lady named Auntie Orr. It was fantastic.

Floating lake house safari Thailand
Dinner–Floating lake house safari
floating lake house safari Thailand
Dinner– Floating lake house safari

We spent the rest of the evening relaxing and talking, and getting to know Susanne from Denmark.

floating lake house safari Thailand
Floating lake house safari
floating lake house safari Thailand
Floating lake house safari

That night it was hot. We kept our windows open and didn’t even use the blankets provided in our room. We eventually got to sleep but Heather and Stephen spent part of the night sleeping on the loungers on the deck.

Day 2:

The next morning we woke up and found ourselves moving. It was kind of nice to wake up and be going somewhere, without having to actually get out of bed.

floating lake house safari Thailand
Floating lake house safari

Breakfast was eggs, hot dogs, white toast, and orange juice. Instant coffee and tea were also available. Breakfast was pretty much the same each morning, and wasn’t super awesome. The delicious home cooked Thai dinners more than compensated, however.

floating lake house safari Thailand
Breakfast- Floating lake house safari

Soon after breakfast, we arrived at “Coconut Island.” This is an island in the lake with a very small coconut plantation which grows and harvests coconuts specifically for coconut ice cream.

floating lake house safari Thailand
Trip to Coconut Island

Thailand 764

Thailand 766
Thai chilis growing on the island

Thailand 768

Puddi gave us a tour of the coconut trees and showed us how the workers get the coconuts down from the trees–with a bamboo pole. Kind of a dangerous job, as you have to keep out of the way of coconuts falling on your head.

Thailand 770
metal sleeve around the coconut trees keeps animals from climbing up and eating the coconuts
Coconut Island, floating lake house safari Thailand
Puddi showing us how to get coconuts down with a bamboo pole. Dangerous job.

coconut island floating lake house safari Thailand

Sometimes the coconuts are too high up in the tree for the pole to reach. That’s where this guy comes in:

monkey who picks coconuts, floating lake house safari Thailand
Coconut picking monkey
coconut monkey floating lake house safari Thailand
Monkey trained to pick coconuts

This poor monkey is trained to get coconuts down from the trees. When he’s not working, he spends his day tied to this pole in the shade. Not such a great life. We were told to keep our distance, as he was a “very crazy monkey.”

Puddi gave us a tour of the rest of the farm, including the workers’ houses, the kitchen/eating area, coconut husking production, and a pet pig. The workers were very busy husking coconuts as fast as they could for the shipment going out that afternoon. We felt kind of bad gawking at them while they were trying to work, but they seemed used to it.

Puddi told us the workers here make $5.00 a day, and all food and board is included. He said they would make $15.00 a day in the city, but they would have to pay for food and rent so this job is actually a better deal. Except for that whole isolation thing.

Puddi explained that the coconut was a human-made hybrid of a regular coconut and a fruit called a macapuno coconut. About 80% of the coconuts on the trees are macapuno, and the farmers can tell by knocking on them. The more meat in the coconut, the more valuable it is. The meat is soft and juicy, not hard like regular coconut. Puddi scooped some out for us and we ate it with sugar sprinkled on it. It was really good.

macapuno coconut plantation Thailand

macapuno coconuts Thailand 807
Macapuno coconuts

Puddi also showed us cashews and giant limes that grow on the island. We had no idea that cashews were actually a fruit.

giant limes Thailand 801
Giant limes
cashews growing in Thailand 798
Cashews
lake safari thailand
view of our lakehouse from the coconut island

We headed back to the boat and Auntie Orr cooked us lunch. We had chicken balls, fresh pineapple, and papaya salad. It was delicious.

floating lake safari Thailand

floating lake safari Thailand
Lunch

After lunch, we started moving again, and then spent the rest of the afternoon swimming and relaxing.

floating lake safari Thailand
Floating lake house safari
floating lake safari Thailand
Floating lake house safari
floating lake safari Thailand
Stephen kayaking near an old abandoned lake resort
floating lake safari Thailand
Floating lake house safari
floating lake safari Thailand
Floating lake house safari

We began moving one more time and finally tied up at another cove near some bat caves. Stephen, Susanne and I took the kayaks to the caves and they were creepy, but no bats.

Photo by Heather Smith

There were wild water buffalo on the banks of the lake. We kept our distance, but they were interesting to watch. Paddy and Heather saw one swim from one bank to the other while we were gone, he said they swim really fast.

water buffalo floating lake safari Thailand
Water buffalo- Floating lake house safari
water buffalo floating lake safari Thailand
Water buffalo– Floating lake house safari
floating lake safari Thailand
Floating lake house safari. Puddi fishing. He didn’t catch anything

That evening for dinner, Heather had Puddi ask Auntie Orr if she would show her how to cook the meal that night. Auntie Orr didn’t speak any English, so Puddi translated from the kitchen window. Auntie Orr had a giant wood chopping block on the kitchen floor, and prepped the ingredients for cashew chicken. She showed Heather how to make a small batch.

floating lake safari Thailand

floating lake safari Thailand

floating lake safari Thailand
Auntie Orr chopping veggies

We had green curry, soup, and cashew chicken. It was the best cashew chicken I’ve ever had.

dinner, floating lake safari Thailand
Dinner

The sky was hazy, and the sun was a bright red orb in the sky. After the sun set, we realized what was causing the haze–there was a wildfire across the lake in the jungle. Puddi assured us that we were fine (we did have an entire lake between us and the fire). It was scary to watch.

floating lake safari Thailand
Floating lake house safari
floating lake safari Thailand
Floating lake house safari Thailand
jungle fire thailand
Jungle fire. It was really hard to get a good picture.

We spent the evening drinking, talking, and watching the fire across the lake. The bamboo burning exploded and sounded like gunshots.

Day 3:

Songkhlaburi

The next day was adventure day. We took the boat across the lake to the town of Songkhlaburi and visited a Buddhist temple of the Mon people.

Songkhlaburi Thailand 848
Songkhlaburi
Songkhlaburi Thailand 851
Temple in Songkhlaburi

After Puddi gave us a tour of the temple, we walked down the road and up a hill to the town, passing the monks’ living quarters.

Buddhist monks in Songkhlaburi Thailand

Buddhist monks in Songkhlaburi Thailand

Buddhist monk house in Songkhlaburi Thailand

Buddhist monk house in Songkhlaburi Thailand

Buddhist monk house in Songkhlaburi Thailand

We arrived at another temple

Temple in Songkhlaburi Thailand

Temple in Songkhlaburi Thailand
Thai baht donations to the temple

Temple in Songkhlaburi Thailand Thailand 874

Puddi lead the way through the town quite a ways through the blazing afternoon heat. We stopped at a small store for some water and were told we had 100 to 300 meters more to go.

upper class Thai house in Songkhlaburi Thailand
Upper class Thai house
traditional Thai house in Songkhlaburi Thailand
Traditional Thai house

We made our way to the Mon Bridge, which was missing a big chunk and out of commission. We crossed on a makeshift floating bamboo foot bridge. It crunched as we walked, I was wary of punching my foot through the bamboo.

Bamboo foot bridge next to the crumbling Mon Bridge
Bamboo foot bridge next to the crumbling Mon Bridge
Crossing the bamboo bridge Songkhlaburi Thailand
Crossing the bamboo bridge
Mon village from top of the hill Songkhlaburi Thailand
Mon village from top of the hill

Finally, we made it to the other side where a man with a converted pick up truck was waiting to take us to the elephant camp. The ride was bumpy, and I spent it craning my neck at an uncomfortable angle to see through the back window to the road so I wouldn’t get carsick.

We passed many farms and farm workers’ homes.

Thailand 885

Thailand 886

People doing laundry in the river at the elephant camp
People doing laundry in the river at the elephant camp

 Elephants

Everyone wants to ride an elephant in Thailand. It was on my bucket list, and we did it. However, before you go riding elephants in Thailand, there are some things you need to know.

Elephants in Thailand 892

First of all, there are many abusive and bad elephant camps. Most elephants in Thailand were rescued from working in the logging industry. Rescued probably isn’t the right word for many of them. They are trained in abusive and torturous ways, and taught to associate disobeying humans with pain. Beatings, starvation, and overwork are common. Baby elephants are taken from their mothers, who agonize and mourn the loss of their children.

Many elephant camps in touristy areas force the elephants to carry tourists non stop all day with no breaks, wearing metal seats that dig into their backs and cause blisters. Elephants need a lot of rest, food, and water. The mahouts (elephant trainers) beat the elephants with bull hooks when they don’t obey their orders.

There are some humane elephant camps out there, however. Some people say that riding elephants should be boycotted. Unfortunately, the issue isn’t black and white. Elephants need care–food, water, and veterinary services are all expensive for such large animals. And people will never stop wanting to see and ride elephants in Thailand. So, tourism dollars are needed and in abundant supply to sustain their care. Also, people having interaction with such amazing creatures helps people care about them and want to protect them. I believe that supporting reputable elephant camps and rescues is important.

Unfortunately, I don’t know a lot about the elephant camp we visited. Here is what I know and observed:

* The elephants had an expansive property for their habitat, including forests, a river, and acres and acres of land.

* The tour was booked by a friend of mine who owns the Lake Safari Tour, who I trust to choose an ethical company

* We were the only tourists there going on rides that I saw. It was not in a high tourist-traffic area

* There were many elephants resting and eating grass and plants throughout the expansive property

* The mahouts shouted things at the elephants, but we didn’t see any bull hooks or abuse. The elephants often stopped and bent down or lifted their legs to let the mahouts on them

* The elephants appeared healthy, well-fed, and seemed happy (almost bashful)

* The seats we were in were made of bamboo, with big heavy burlap/fiber pads underneath for the elephant’s comfort

I have no idea how the elephants are trained or what their life is like. I can only hope that all the positive things I saw means that they are well cared for and not abused. I’m not an expert in elephant care though, and I really can’t say for sure.

Here is an article on how to choose an ethical elephant encounter when you visit Thailand: http://takingtotheopenroad.com/choosing-an-ethical-elephant-encounter/ It has recommendations on certain parks and camps. I strongly encourage you to do the research and make sure that you support a company that treats the elephants humanely.

We arrived at the elephant camp and were given a fried rice lunch served in a plastic bag. While we were finishing our lunch, three elephants arrived to where we were sitting. They flapped their ears and batted their eyelashes and looked a little bashful. It was endearing and intimidating.

Elephant camp, Thailand 889

Immediately we were ushered over to the elephants, who laid down on their bellies and made a step with their legs for us to climb onto. It was intimidating to be near such large creatures. I wanted to ask the elephant’s name who we were riding, but the mahouts didn’t speak English. She was a sweetheart.

Mahouts and elephants Thailand 901

When riding an elephant, you have to hang on. The seat sways from side to side, and when the elephant goes down or up a hill, you have to lean back or forward and really hold onto the seat. You don’t want to fall off. One of the men from the camp took our cameras and ran ahead the whole time to take photos. We were very thankful for such great photos and gave him a good tip.

We ventured into the property for about a 30 minute ride. It was incredible.

elephants in Thailand 141

elephants in Thailand 932

elephants in Thailand 924
Puddi and Susanne

elephants in Thailand 936

elephants in Thailand 160

elephants in Thailand 137

elephants in Thailand 134

Thailand 169

elephants in Thailand 165

We arrived at a spot on the edge of the river and disembarked from the elephants. There is no graceful way to disembark from an elephant.

Thailand 173
Eeeek!

elephants in Thailand 948

A woman was at the river bank with chunks of raw sugar cane, which we bought from her and fed to the elephants. Heather and Stephen’s elephant kept poking Heather in the shoulder with her trunk for more.

elephants in Thailand
Eating sugar cane

The mahouts climbed back on the elephants and lead them back to wherever they needed to be. We continued on foot for a ways. The heat was intense, and I was losing steam. Finally, we arrived at another part of the river where some men were waiting with bamboo rafts. We were told to wear life jackets, which was kind of ridiculous considering that the river was between knee to ankle deep.

Stephen and Paddy got in front and helped guide and steer the raft down the river back to the camp.

bamboo rafting Thailand 184

bamboo rafting Thailand 186

bamboo rafting Thailand 188

The rafting was fun, but it was really hot, and we’d just run out of water. Paddy thought he was going to die before we got back to the camp and got a drink.

We returned to Songkhlaburi in the same bumpy truck, and were met by a small boat to take us back to the lake house. It had been a long, hot, but fun day. We were ready for a beer and a dip in the lake.

Thailand 955

Thailand 963

floating lake safari Thailand 964
Floating lake house safari Thailand

Dinner that night was curry, a really wonderful soup, and a whole fried fish. It was the best meal yet.

The fire in the jungle across the lake raged on and glowed and flickered after sunset. It came closer to the lake and we could see larger flames.

 

Day 4:

The next morning, our floating lake house safari was over. We had breakfast and said goodbye to our drivers and Auntie Orr and the beautiful lake house. It was hard to leave.

We took the boat back over to Songkhlaburi where our van waited for us. We drove for a short while, and reached the Three Pagodas Pass on the Thailand/Myanmar border. They were having a Sunday Market, but the Sunday Market only happens on Fridays. Don’t ask for an explanation.

Three Pagodas Pass Thai/Myanmar border
Three Pagodas Pass Thai/Myanmar border
Three Pagodas Pass Thai/Myanmar border
Thai/Myanmar border
The Three Pagodas--Thai/Myanmar border
The Three Pagodas–Thai/Myanmar border
"Sunday" market, Thai/Myanmar border
“Sunday” market, Thai/Myanmar border
"Sunday" market, Thai/Myanmar border
“Sunday” market, Thai/Myanmar border
"Sunday" market, Thai/Myanmar border
“Sunday” market, Thai/Myanmar border
"Sunday" market, Thai/Myanmar border
“Sunday” market, Thai/Myanmar border

I don’t think this area gets many tourists, because people were gawking at us. The market was a mix between “farmers’ market” and flea market–there were a lot of different things for sale.

After the market, we got back in the van for a long, winding, nauseating drive. After a couple hours, we arrived at a waterfall–a lot like the one we visited in Chanthaburi but smaller. There were lots of families picnicking with kids playing in the water, and a restored train monument to the Death Railroad.

Thailand 993

Thailand 995

We continued towards Bangkok for about another half hour, and stopped for lunch at the same place we ate at on the way to the lake. There was a pretty embarrassing tour group leaving when we got there, I think they were German. One of them was a man with no shirt on, tiny little shorts that weren’t buttoned up all the way due to his enormous gut, and black socks with sandals. I’m kind of kicking myself for not sneaking a photo of him.

After lunch we continued the home stretch to Bangkok for about two more hours. It was a long day. We arrived in Bangkok at around 5:00 PM and thanked Puddi  for an amazing tour. We all agreed that the Lake Safari had been the highlight of our entire trip to Thailand.

As of this year (2016), the floating lake house safari has changed their itinerary a bit. They replaced the elephant trek and bamboo rafting with a jungle trek. They were receiving a lot of concern from people about the elephant rides and decided to forgo the elephant camp altogether. They also removed the trip to coconut island, spreading the activities out in the mornings to free up more afternoon time for swimming and relaxing at the lake house. Removing the elephant trek helped them lower their prices a bit, and they have an easier online booking system on their website now as well.

If you are going to Thailand, I would recommend working the floating lake house safari into your itinerary. It goes weekly from Tuesday through Friday and transportation to and from Bangkok is included. Where else do you get to have an adventure out of a two-story floating lake house towed by a boat? If you do know of somewhere else that has a tour like this, please let us know!

 

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases from product links on this site.

Summer Road Trip 2016: Colorado and Utah

Our end of summer one-week road trip around Colorado and Utah: Rocky Mountains, hot springs, ancient Native American ruins, canyons and arches.

 

Our week-long road trip adventure through Colorado and Utah began as a plan to visit some of my family in Fort Collins, Colorado over Labor Day Weekend. Neither of us had ever been to Colorado, so we decided to rent a car and make a road trip out of it the week following.

In addition to Colorado, we decided to incorporate Utah into our road trip as well. When I graduated college back in 2004, one of my best friends and I went on a three-week road trip around Southwest USA. It was an amazing trip, and two of the places that I really wanted to go back to with Paddy were Arches National Park in Utah and Monument Valley in Utah/Arizona.

Days 1-3:

We arrived in Denver mid-morning on Saturday, an easy two and a half our flight from Seattle. We had reserved a car with Enterprise through Kayak.com, which we were able to pick up and return back to the airport. We chose Enterprise over the slightly less expensive Budget car rental because Enterprise does not charge for an extra driver if the two drivers are married. Budget wanted to charge an additional $20.00 per day if we both wanted to be drivers.

**Note: Always reserve a rental car ahead of time, especially on busy holiday weekends. I saw a gentleman turned away at the counter at Enterprise, as they weren’t accepting walk-ins for the holiday weekend. In addition, you often get a better rate if you reserve far in advance.

My parents joined us for the weekend as well, and the first three days were mostly spent visiting with my family. Paddy and I were staying with my cousin and her fiance in Severance, CO just outside of Fort Collins.

Our biggest adventure on Saturday was eating Rocky Mountain oysters with my cousin at Bruce’s Bar in Severance. Bruce’s is known for its “oysters,” and their sampler platter included buffalo, beef, and lamb oysters, cut in strips, breaded and deep-fried. They are all served with cocktail sauce.

Paddy and I are adventurous eaters, and they didn’t look that intimidating, so we dove right in.

Rocky Mountain oysters at Bruce's Bar in Severance, CO: Buffalo, lamb, and beef
Rocky Mountain oysters at Bruce’s Bar in Severance, CO: Buffalo, lamb, and beef
Rocky Mountain oysters at Bruce's Bar in Severance, CO
Rocky Mountain oysters at Bruce’s Bar in Severance, CO

The lamb oysters were our favorite. I didn’t try the beef ones because I don’t like beef, but Paddy said those were his least favorite as they were a bit tough. I liked the lamb ones. They kind of tasted like chicken nuggets.

 

On Sunday Paddy, my Mom, and I took a drive up to Estes Park in hopes of visiting the Rocky Mountain National Park and the Stanley Hotel. It was a really pretty drive into the Rocky Mountains, and only an hour long road trip to get to Estes Park from Fort Collins.

Road to Estes Park in the Rocky Mountains
Road to Estes Park in the Rocky Mountains

We were hungry when we arrived in Estes Park, so we had lunch at a mediocre Mexican restaurant off the highway and then headed to the Stanley Hotel.

The Stanley Hotel gets its fame by being the hotel that inspired Stephen King to write The Shining in 1977. He and his wife stayed there for a night in room 217. They were the only guests at the hotel that night, as the hotel was getting ready to close for the season. Contrary to popular belief, The Shining was not actually filmed at The Stanley Hotel. The exterior aerial shots of the Overlook Hotel in the movie are actually of the Timberline Lodge at Mt Hood, Oregon. The hotel interior shots in the film were a set.

However, the Stanley Hotel was a creepy inspiration to Stephen King, and is rumored to be haunted. You can request the Stephen King suite (room 217) or a “haunted room” if you wish, but the haunted rooms book up fast. Tours of the hotel also book up in advance, as we learned when we arrived.

We were able to walk around the lobby and peek into some of the event rooms on the main floor, and there were some more historical exhibits downstairs. There is a gift shop with souvenirs from The Shining if you feel so inclined. We now own a Redrum coffee mug.

The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado
The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado
The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado
The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado

It turned out that Labor Day weekend was the wrong weekend to try to go to the Rocky Mountain National Park. Traffic towards the park was bumper to bumper, so we decided to skip it. Before heading back to Fort Collins, we thought we might try to check out the downtown area of Estes Park. This was also a bad idea. There wasn’t one parking space left in town, and traffic was so bad it took us 20 minutes just to get back to the road. It’s a small town. Estes Park looked like a cute town to visit, but I would recommend visiting in the off-season.

rainbow severance co
Rainbow on Paddy’s birthday–good luck?

Sunday was also Paddy’s birthday, so later that evening my cousin took us to downtown Fort Collins to celebrate.

The first place we went was the oldest bar in Fort Collins, The Town Pump. Built in 1909, The Town Pump is small and cozy with a full bar and a good local beer selection (Fort Collins is all about craft beer). It was a good spot to start the night.

The Town Pump bar in Fort Collins
The Town Pump bar in Fort Collins
The Town Pump bar in Fort Collins
The Town Pump bar in Fort Collins

For dinner we headed down the block to The Crown Pub, an English style pub with good food. We shared the Prince Edward Island Mussels to start, and then Paddy had the New York Strip Steak and I had the Relleno Royale chicken burger. Everything was great including the service.

The Relleno Royale burger with a chicken breast at the Crown Pub in Fort Collins
The Relleno Royale burger with a chicken breast at the Crown Pub in Fort Collins
The New York Strip Steak at the Crown Pub in Fort Collins
The New York Strip Steak at the Crown Pub in Fort Collins

We ended the evening at the Trail Head Tavern on W Mountain Ave. My cousin told me it used to be a movie theater a long time ago, where our grandparents would go to the movies together. There is the remnants of an old theater box office to the left of the front door.

The Trail Head had cheap drinks, a college-y vibe (Fort Collins is a college town), and a casual atmosphere.

The Trailhead Tavern in Fort Collins
The Trailhead Tavern in Fort Collins

On Monday morning we had breakfast out at The Egg and I in Windsor near my cousin’s house. For a chain restaurant, the food was surprisingly good and had a lot of healthy options available in addition to classic favorites. I had the Hiker’s Benedict which was delicious.

We spent the rest of the day with my family.

Hiker's Benedict at The Egg and I in Windsor, Colorado
Hiker’s Benedict at The Egg and I in Windsor, Colorado

Day 4: 

On Tuesday morning, we hit the road at 7:00 AM to begin our road trip. Our first destination was Pagosa Springs, in the southern part of Colorado, which was about a 6 hour drive away.

It was a long day of driving, but it was a beautiful drive. As soon as we passed Denver, we began an ascent into the Rocky Mountains, heading south.

rocky-mountain-road-trip-colorado-11

rocky-mountain-road-trip-colorado-10

rocky-mountain-road-trip-colorado-13

rocky-mountain-road-trip-colorado-4

rocky-mountain-road-trip-colorado-2

After four hours, we were ready for a lunch stop. We stopped in the tiny town of Saguache at the Saguache 4th Street Diner and Bakery.

Saguache 4th Street Diner and Bakery
Saguache 4th Street Diner and Bakery
Saguache Colorado
Saguache main street, Colorado
Saguache 4th Street Diner and Bakery
Saguache 4th Street Diner and Bakery

The 4th Street Diner and Bakery was a great place to stop for lunch. Tiny and eclectic, with mis-matched tables and chairs and a wood stove for cold winter days, it was homey and welcoming. Paddy had a burger with organic beef and I had a chicken quesadilla. There were a lot of tempting pies in the case at the counter, but we decided to pass and get back on the road.

We made a final stop at Wolf Creek Pass to get a photo at the view point there. The elevation was 10,856 ft, and it made me so light-headed that I stumbled a bit getting out of the car. It was a gorgeous view.

Wolf Creek Pass, Colorado
Wolf Creek Pass, Colorado

We made it to Pagosa Springs around 3:00 PM and checked into the Healing Waters Resort and Spa. It wasn’t really a resort, more of a budget hotel with a hot springs pool, steam room and sauna. It was clean and comfortable, and while I’m sure their pool was nice we were actually staying there because it was an affordable option next to the main hot springs.

Healing Waters Resort and Spa, Pagosa Springs
Healing Waters Resort and Spa, Pagosa Springs

The small town of Pagosa Springs is centered around the developed hot springs resort on the river, with several hot springs pools at various temperatures. They are open until 11:00 PM daily, so we planned on spending the evening soaking our troubles away.

Pagosa Hot Springs, Colorado
Pagosa Hot Springs, Colorado

We walked through the town and poked about in a few shops. We eventually made it up the main street to Riff Raff Brewing, and decided to relax and sample the local beer.

Mural in Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Mural in Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Riff Raff Brewing Company, Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Riff Raff Brewing Company, Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Riff Raff Brewing Company, Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Sampler at Riff Raff Brewing Company, Pagosa Springs, Colorado: Skallywag English Pale, Ele Duende Green Chili, Stepchild American Red, and the Plebian Porter
Riff Raff Brewing Company, Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Riff Raff Brewing Company, Pagosa Springs, Colorado

The beer at Riff Raff was tasty and diverse. I did a sampler with the English Pale, the El Duende Green Chili Ale, the Stepchild American Red, and the Plebian Porter. The El Duende was tasty but I expected a bit more green chili flavor. The Skallywag English Pale and the Plebian Porter were my two favorites. The Stepchild Red was a bit too hoppy for me, I’m not a huge fan of hoppy beers.

Pagosa Springs is at a fairly high elevation (just over 7,000 ft), (pretty high-especially for us sea-level dwellers). Alcohol effects everyone a bit more at high elevations, and after the beer sampler I was quite buzzed. We stayed for dinner, and the food was excellent. Paddy tried the yak burger, which he really enjoyed. Riff Raff makes their own pickles, which were delicious.

Riff Raff Brewing Company, Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Smokey the Chicken Burger at Riff Raff Brewing Company, Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Riff Raff Brewing Company, Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Yakkity-Yak Burger at Riff Raff Brewing Company, Pagosa Springs, Colorado

After dinner, we were ready for the hot springs. It was $30 per person for admittance, which was a little expensive but included a towel and a locker. They have an adults-only terrace with drink service which was very tempting but would have been $23 extra dollars each just to be able to use it. We couldn’t justify that kind of price. I tried to bargain with the guy at the counter, it being a Tuesday evening and all, but no dice.

The hot springs had a large pool (mostly used by children and families), and a series of small pools at a range of different temperatures from 92 to 111 degrees Fahrenheit. We found that we were most comfortable between 90 to 100 degrees. I tried to go in the Paradise pool at 109 degrees, but it was so painfully hot that I didn’t get past ankle deep.

Our favorite pools were Boulder, Aspen, and Serendipity. Serendipity had a waterfall and a good overlook for the river and the rest of the resort. The waterfall was a good shoulder massage. The adults only terrace didn’t seem like such a big deal, as all the kids seemed to be in the big pool and not the regular hot spring tubs. We were glad we hadn’t shelled out an extra $46.00.

Pagosa Hot Springs Colorado road trip
Pagosa Hot Springs, Colorado
Pagosa Hot Springs, Colorado
Pagosa Hot Springs, Colorado
Pagosa Hot Springs, Colorado
Pagosa Hot Springs, Colorado
Pagosa Hot Springs, Colorado
Pagosa Hot Springs, Colorado
Pagosa Hot Springs, Colorado
Pagosa Hot Springs, Colorado
Pagosa Hot Springs, Colorado
Pagosa Hot Springs, Colorado
Pagosa Hot Springs, Colorado
Pagosa Hot Springs, Colorado
Pagosa Hot Springs, Colorado
Pagosa Hot Springs, Colorado
Pagosa Hot Springs, Colorado
Pagosa Hot Springs, Colorado

There was a Canteen in the center of the pool complex where you could buy drinks and snacks, including beer and wine. We only got one drink each, we figured that high elevation and hot springs and alcohol probably weren’t a great combo. Drinks weren’t too overpriced.

We stayed and soaked our sore muscles until the stars came out.

 

Day 5: 

Aside from hot springs, we picked Pagosa Springs as a first night stop on our road trip because it was close to Mesa Verde National Park. Mesa Verde National Park is located in the southwest corner of Colorado, and contains over 5,000 archeological sites and 600 ancient cliff dwellings. Only a few are open to the public. A couple cliff dwellings can be toured with a ranger guide.

We stopped by the ranger station when we arrived, and considered signing up for a ranger-guided tour of the Cliff Palace, but since we only had the morning to tour the park we opted to just do a drive and view tour at our own pace.

The road into the park ascends dramatically, offering beautiful views of the surrounding landscape. There were several viewpoint areas to pull over at.

*Note: The drive down to the cliff dwellings and pit house sites is 45 minutes from the park entrance one way, so allow at least half a day to see the park.

Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado

We stopped at the remains of some early Anasazi pit houses along the Mesa View Loop road, a few dating back to 600 AD. The houses were dug into the ground, and then walls and a roof built up from the dugout with sticks and mud.

Mesa Verde National Park pit houses
Mesa Verde National Park pit houses
Mesa Verde National Park pit houses
Mesa Verde National Park pit houses
Mesa Verde National Park pit houses
Mesa Verde National Park pit houses
Mesa Verde National Park pit houses
Mesa Verde National Park pit houses
Mesa Verde National Park pit houses
Mesa Verde National Park pit houses

At the end of the park are several cliff dwellings to view. Cliff Palace was the most spectacular one that we saw, and you can get a really great view of Cliff Palace from above on the Cliff Palace Loop Road.

Note that if you decide to tour Cliff Palace, Balcony House, or other open dwellings in the park, they do involve climbing stairs, steep trails, and ladders. Cliff Palace sounded like it was the least strenuous, but all of them are at high elevation. Higher elevations make exercise and hiking a lot more strenuous, so if you have a heart condition or any type of physical disability, you may want to skip the tours.

Canyon where cliff dwellings are located, Mesa Verde National Park
Canyon where cliff dwellings are located, Mesa Verde National Park
Cliff dwellings, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
Cliff dwellings, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
Cliff dwellings, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
Cliff dwellings, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park
Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park
Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park
Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park

It is amazing to imagine these dwellings alive and full of the daily activity of the Anasazi people. Tiny cities tucked into the steep cliffs in the canyon. I wonder if there were more cliff trails along the canyon between the dwellings back in 1300 AD, it doesn’t look easy to access them currently. I’m sure there has been some significant erosion since they were populated.

After checking out the Cliff Dwellings, it was 1:00 PM and we were starving. Mesa Verde has two cafeteria-style restaurants, one at Far View Terrace closer to the entrance, and one at Spruce Tree Terrace closer to the cliff dwellings. Prices were reasonable, with many Southwest-style options. Paddy ordered the Navajo Taco, which was huge. It was a dinner-plate sized Navajo fry bread with chili and all your standard American taco fixings. He said it was really good, but didn’t quite make it through the whole thing. I had the black bean burger and fries which was also good.

Navajo taco at the Spruce Tree Terrace restaurant in Mesa Verde National Park
Navajo taco at the Spruce Tree Terrace restaurant in Mesa Verde National Park

The high elevation (and the big lunch) made us pretty tired, and we still had a couple hours to drive to our next destination, Monument Valley.

On the way to Monument Valley as we crossed from Colorado into Arizona, and we passed the Four Corners monument. We figured we should stop and do the obligatory photo op of us standing in four states at one time (Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico).

The Four Corners Monument is part of the Navajo Nation, and requires an entrance fee of $5 per person. Unfortunately, it is out in the middle of nowhere and requires cash payment, no credit or debit cards. We only had $8 cash, so we moved on. If you want to see the four corners, be sure to have cash on hand to cover your group. If you need an ATM, there is one at the Teec Nos Pos trading post store and gas station is about a 10 minute drive away. They also have restrooms.

An hour and a half later, we finally approached Monument Valley. The first time I visited Monument Valley was on my road trip with my friend in March 2004, and I had been so excited to see it. We just did a drive through and unfortunately, there was a dust storm that day. The iconic wild-west views of red buttes were something I had always wanted to go back and experience again, in better weather and with more time.

We had a reservation at The View Hotel in Monument Valley tribal park, which ended up being worth every penny of the high $250/night price tag. It was our one big hotel splurge of the trip.

*Note: The View Hotel is inside the Navajo Tribal park and requires a $20 entrance fee per vehicle for up to two days. This isn’t included in the price of the room.

The View Hotel Monument Valley
The View Hotel Monument Valley
The View Hotel Monument Valley
The View Hotel Monument Valley

The View Hotel is aptly named, as every room has a balcony and a panoramic view of the iconic “Mittens,” The two buttes in the valley that look like right and left hand mittens. It was a stunning view, and my number one plan was to drink some wine on the balcony ad watch the sunset all evening.

*Note about wine/alcohol: The Navajo Nation does not permit the sale of alcohol, so no alcohol can be bought anywhere near or at the hotel. There isn’t a rule against bringing your own and drinking it in your room, however. If you plan on having adult beverages and enjoying the sunset like we did, be sure to stock up beforehand and bring your own. Each room is equipped with a fridge.

The View Hotel Monument Valley
The View Hotel Monument Valley
The View Hotel Monument Valley
The View Hotel Monument Valley
The View Hotel Monument Valley
The View Hotel Monument Valley

The View Hotel has a restaurant, with halfway decent prices and solidly mediocre food. The food isn’t bad, but it’s on par with good cafeteria food. That being said, it is convenient and the view from the restaurant is stunning. If you want to come here just for dinner and are staying elsewhere, be aware that the restaurant only serves hotel guests after 7:00 PM.

The View Hotel restaurant, Monument Valley
The View Hotel restaurant, Monument Valley
The View Hotel restaurant, Monument Valley
The View Hotel restaurant, Monument Valley

We decided to share the Navajo Sampler platter and the fried chicken dinner. The Navajo Sampler platter actually has enough food for two people, and we ended up with leftovers (good thing our room had a fridge). The sampler consisted of Green Chili Stew (be warned, it’s spicy), Red Chili Posole, Sheep Camp Mutton Stew, a mini Navajo fry bread taco, and Navajo fry bread with honey.

We highly recommend getting the Navajo tea, it was delicious. They also sell it in the gift shop.

The Navajo sampler platter: Green Chili Stew, Red Chili Pork Posole, Sheep Camp Mutton Stew
The Navajo sampler platter: Green Chili Stew, Red Chili Pork Posole, Sheep Camp Mutton Stew
Fried chicken dinner at The View Hotel restaurant
Fried chicken dinner at The View Hotel restaurant
The Navajo sampler platter: Green Chili Stew, Red Chili Pork Posole, Sheep Camp Mutton Stew, mini Navajo Taco, and Navajo fry bread with honey
The Navajo sampler platter: Green Chili Stew, Red Chili Pork Posole, Sheep Camp Mutton Stew, mini Navajo Taco, and Navajo fry bread with honey

After dinner, it was sunset and wine time. It was everything I’d hoped it would be. The View Hotel faces east, so while you can’t see the sun going down over the buttes, the sunlight from the setting sun in the west illuminates the buttes in a gorgeous red-orange light. The photos I took can’t do it justice.

The View Hotel, Monument Valley
The View Hotel, Monument Valley
Sunset from The View Hotel Monument Valley
Sunset from The View Hotel Monument Valley
Sunset from The View Hotel Monument Valley
Sunset from The View Hotel Monument Valley
Sunset from The View Hotel Monument Valley
Sunset from The View Hotel Monument Valley
Sunset from The View Hotel Monument Valley
Sunset from The View Hotel Monument Valley

Once it was dark, the hotel showed an outdoor John Wayne movie outside the restaurant, projected onto the wall of the building.

The View Hotel Monument Valley
The View Hotel Monument Valley–outdoor John Wayne movie

We didn’t stay up late enough to watch the stars come out, but I did wake up in the middle of the night and went outside and looked at them. It was a  surreal glitter display over the dark shadows of the buttes.

We did set our alarms for the sunrise, however. Trust me, it’s worth it.

 

Day 6:

Sunrise over Monument Valley, seen from the balcony in our room:

Sunrise from The View Hotel, Monument Valley
Sunrise from The View Hotel, Monument Valley
Sunrise from The View Hotel, Monument Valley
Sunrise from The View Hotel, Monument Valley
Sunrise from The View Hotel, Monument Valley
Sunrise from The View Hotel, Monument Valley
Sunrise from The View Hotel, Monument Valley
Sunrise from The View Hotel, Monument Valley

Monument Valley was the highlight of our entire road trip. We were sad to leave and wished we’d had another day to go on the slow dirt-road drive through the valley or go on a guided tour with a Navajo guide. I think we’ll be back though. It is a truly magical place.

We had breakfast a 10 minute drive away at Goulding’s Stagecoach. The breakfast there was outstanding, we both had their signature dish of Navajo fry bread huevos rancheros with green chili. We recommend skipping the View Hotel breakfast and coming here. Had we stayed a second night, we would have come back to Goulding’s for dinner as well.

Navajo fry bread huevos rancheros at Goulding's Stagecoach in Monument Valley
Navajo fry bread huevos rancheros at Goulding’s Stagecoach in Monument Valley
Navajo fry bread huevos rancheros at Goulding's Stagecoach in Monument Valley
Navajo fry bread huevos rancheros at Goulding’s Stagecoach in Monument Valley

After breakfast we drove around for a little bit to get some photos, and stopped at a Navajo handicraft stand to buy some souvenirs. We wanted to buy directly from the local Navajo people instead of the hotel gift shop.

The best roadside photos of the Valley are taken on the Utah side facing south. There are many pull-outs along the highway 163 to top and take a picture from.

Monument Valley
Monument Valley
Monument Valley
Monument Valley–classic view

Our next destination was Moab, where we planned on staying for two nights. The drive was only 2.5 hours and fairly scenic. On the way into town we passed Church Rock and Wilson Arch.

Church Rock, Utah road trip
Church Rock, Utah
Wilson Arch outside Moab, Utah
Wilson Arch outside Moab, Utah

We checked into the Inca Inn, a budget hotel that prides itself on “budget done right.” I’d have to say that we agree. The rooms are small but very clean, beds comfy, the towels weren’t sandpaper, there was a minimal complimentary continental breakfast and Starbucks coffee provided, and a small swimming pool. In addition, they care about the environment. The roof was lined with solar panels and there were prominent recycling bins in the parking lot. Rooms also include fridges and microwaves.

inca-inn-moab-utah-1

The Inca Inn, Moab Utah
The Inca Inn, Moab Utah
The Inca Inn, Moab Utah
The Inca Inn, Moab Utah

The bonus we discovered in our room the following morning: Disco shower.

Color-changing disco shower head at the Inca Inn in Moab Utah
Color-changing disco shower head at the Inca Inn in Moab Utah

We checked into the hotel and then walked around town a bit. Moab was HOT. It was in the 90’s, and although it was a dry heat the sun beat down on us.

Moab is a liberal, youthful outdoor adventure town. It is situated on the Colorado River and in very close proximity to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. The area is very popular with rock climbers and river rafters, and is very busy in the summer. Be sure to make your hotel reservations in advance for the summer season.

Around 4:30 we took an air-conditioned drive through Arches National Park. Arches was my favorite National Park that my friend and I visited on our road trip in 2004, and I’d always wanted to go back. There are some pretty cool day hikes in the park, but if you want to hike in the summer I would recommend going at dawn when it is not so hot and the crowds are less. Take lots of water with you.

Arches National Park, Utah
Arches National Park, Utah
Arches National Park, Utah
“Organ Pipes,” Arches National Park, Utah
Arches National Park, Utah
Arches National Park, Utah
Arches National Park, Utah
Arches National Park, Utah
Arches National Park, Utah
Arches National Park, Utah

The rock formations in Arches National Park are like no other I’ve seen anywhere else. The natural sandstone formations are created from wind and rain soil erosion. The park is home to the largest amount of natural rock arches in the world. Read more about how they are formed here.

Evening is a good time to drive through the park, as the low sun sets the red sandstone ablaze with orange light, creating some dramatic photo opportunities.

The most famous arch in the park is the Delicate Arch. You can see it from walking a very short trail from the parking lot, but it is pretty far away. To reach the arch, you have to hike a three mile round trip trail up the sandstone rock ledge, which can be a fairly strenuous hike–especially in high heat. We opted to just get a photo from the view point with a zoom lens and call it good.

delicate arch, Arches National Park
Delicate Arch seen from the lower view point
delicate arch, Arches National Park
Delicate Arch, Arches National Park

If you just want to drive through the park and check out the viewpoints, allow about two hours or so. Allow a half day if you want to get out and do some short hikes. Take lots of water with you and wear sunscreen.

Firey Furnace, Arches National Park, Utah
Firey Furnace, Arches National Park, Utah
Arches National Park, Utah
Arches National Park, Utah
Arches National Park, Utah
Arches National Park, Utah

When we arrived back at our hotel, we were starving. The hotel front desk guy had recommended La Hacienda Mexican restaurant right next door, so we checked it out. It was very good. Great atmosphere, nice booths, and an extensive margarita menu. The sweet barbacoa pork is highly recommended.

La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant, Moab
La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant, Moab
Burrito at La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant, Moab
Barbacoa pork burrito at La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant, Moab
Seared ahi tacos at La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant, Moab
Seared ahi tacos at La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant, Moab

 

Day 7:

Friday was our only day with no driving to a different location, so we took it easy. We started the day with some sight seeing in Canyonlands National Park. Canyonlands has two main entrances, Island in the Sky and Needles. Island in the Sky is about 30 minutes north of Moab, and Needles is about an hour south of Moab and then another 45 minutes northwest. We opted to just go to the Island in the Sky portion of the park.

Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Canyonlands National Park, Utah

There are many overlooks from the “Island,” as well as several hiking trails. We did the extremely short and extremely popular half mile round-trip hike to Mesa Arch. It is an easy hike with stunning views. You’ll have to take your turn for photos at the arch, unless you want to get there really early.

Mesa Arch hike, Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Mesa Arch hike, Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Mesa Arch hike, Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Mesa Arch hike, Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Mesa Arch hike, Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Mesa Arch hike, Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Mesa Arch hike, Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Mesa Arch hike, Canyonlands National Park, Utah

We checked out some more overlooks, and then headed back to Moab. Overall including the short Mesa Arch hike we spent about three hours there. If you have more time, you can also check out Dead Horse Point State Park on the way in or out of Island in the Sky. We opted to skip it on this trip, but I went with my friend in 2004 and it does have nice views.

Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Back in Moab, we ate lunch at the Moab Brewery on the south side of the main drag through town. Their beers were a little hoppy for my taste, but the salads and chicken wings were excellent. We also tried a cup each of their beer and cheese soup, but it was a lot more like cheese fondue than soup. Skip the beer cheese soup.

Moab Brewery
Moab Brewery

We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing back at the hotel and enjoying our day of not driving. The pool didn’t have umbrellas, but at around 3:30 there was enough shade in the corner of the pool area for me to sit and enjoy myself without feeling like I was in an oven. The water was refreshing.

Relaxing by the pool at the Inca Inn
Relaxing by the pool at the Inca Inn

That evening we went for dinner at the Sunset Grill. The main reason to eat at the Sunset Grill is the view. Perched high on the cliff overlooking the north part of town, The Sunset Grill is the former home of Charlie Steen, who came to Moab in the 1950’s in search of uranium and struck it rich.

View from Sunset Grill, Moab, Utah
View from Sunset Grill, Moab, Utah
View from Sunset Grill, Moab, Utah
View from Sunset Grill, Moab, Utah

The food was decent, and the service was great. It was a bit of a splurge dinner as entrees run around $25-$32 each, but they come with a choice of soup or salad and fresh baked bread or cornbread muffins. We just had an entree each and it was more than enough food. I wouldn’t come back here just for the food, but the view and good service made the experience one we would definitely recommend.

New York Strip Steak at The Sunset Grill, Moab, Utah
New York Strip Steak at The Sunset Grill, Moab, Utah
Raspberry duck at The Sunset Grill, Moab, Utah
Raspberry duck at The Sunset Grill, Moab, Utah

 

Day 8: 

Saturday was the last day of our road trip and we had a long 6 hour drive back to Denver. We got an early morning start at 7:00 AM, and took a detour to Woody Creek for lunch.

Woody Creek is a small town near Aspen, Colorado and the home of of the late writer Hunter S Thompson. Paddy is a huge Thompson fan, and so we had to go check it out.

Hunter S Thompson had a large property called Owl Farm in Woody Creek, but we didn’t know exactly where it was. Google Maps led us down Owl Creek Road in Aspen but all we found was some nice farm scenery.

Aspen, Colorado
Aspen, Colorado
Aspen, Colorado
Aspen, Colorado

After touring the Aspen countryside, we went for lunch at Hunter’s favorite watering hole, the Woody Creek Tavern. We got there pretty soon after it opened and Hunter’s favorite corner table was available. Paddy was stoked.

Hunter's favorite table at the Woody Creek Tavern, Colorado
Hunter’s favorite table at the Woody Creek Tavern, Colorado
Woody Creek Tavern, Colorado
Woody Creek Tavern, Colorado
Woody Creek Tavern, Colorado
Woody Creek Tavern, Colorado

The food was good and the people were friendly. It seemed to be a popular lunch spot for bicycle tourists in the area.

Ralph Steadman doodle of Hunter S Thompson on the wall at Woody Creek Tavern
Ralph Steadman doodle of Hunter S Thompson on the wall at Woody Creek Tavern

After lunch, we drove the last  three and a half hours to Denver, where we were staying our last night with our friends Sean and Lillian at their apartment.

We didn’t have a whole lot of time in Denver, just enough time to get some dinner and go out for a few drinks. Sean and Lillian took us to Ace Eat Serve, an Asian fusion restaurant with house-made sodas and a room full of ping pong tables.

Ace Eat Serve restaurant in Denver, Colorado
Ace Eat Serve restaurant in Denver, Colorado

We shared the shumai and the kimchi fritters to start, which were delicious. I had the Shoyu Ramen and Paddy had the Bulgogi (Korean dish with marinated ribeye steak and kimchi). Everything was fantastic and flavorful and pretty reasonably priced. The cocktails were expensive, but that’s to be expected. They make all their own kimchi and pickles in house, and they were outstanding. I couldn’t stop picking the radish kimchi off of Paddy’s plate.

Ace Eat Serve restaurant in Denver, Colorado
Ace Eat Serve restaurant in Denver, Colorado
Ace Eat Serve restaurant in Denver, Colorado
Shoyu Ramen at Ace Eat Serve restaurant in Denver, Colorado

After dinner we walked over to Colfax Avenue, a main drag in Denver with ample nightlife. Lillian and Sean took us to the Nob Hill Inn bar for more drinks. Nob Hill has been a Denver institution since 1954, and the furniture and decor don’t look like it has changed much since then. Drinks were cheap. I think if we lived in Denver it would be a favorite spot of ours.

We ended our (not so late) evening at Charlies, a gay cowboy bar with line dancing lessons. We figured we should give line dancing a shot. It was a $5.00 cover, and the evening was young so it was not very crowded yet. A very nice and very patient line dancing instructor invited newbies in to learn the basic “Freeze,” which he said is similar to the Electric Slide disco dance of the 70’s. It kind of reminded me of basic aerobics to country music. We weren’t the most coordinated people in the group, but it was fun. Afterward the dance instructor came over to our table and gave us free drink coupons. Bonus!

Line dancing at Charlie's bar in Denver
Line dancing at Charlie’s bar in Denver
At Charlie's Cowboy Bar in Denver
At Charlie’s Cowboy Bar in Denver
Cowboy boots disco ball at Charlies in Denver
Cowboy boots disco ball at Charlies in Denver

They did some more advanced dances afterward and we were impressed with the quick-stepping talent on the floor. It looked like a lot of fun. I’d try it again.

 

Our road trip around Colorado and Utah was quick and pretty fast-paced, but it was fun. I wished we’d had more time at each place we visited. I really want to go back to Monument Valley again and spend some more time there exploring the Valley. Colorado and Utah are very different and very beautiful states, each with a lot of different things to offer. We’d love to spend more time in Denver as well.

 

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases from product links on this site.