The GF and I will be visiting Colorado next Monday, the 18th - Thursday, the 21st. We are flying in to Denver, renting a car, then driving out to Silverthorne. I think we may stop at Coors for the brewery tour. Tuesday, we are planning on going to Breckenridge to do some skiing.

Is there anything cool or exciting to stop at along the way between Denver and Silverthorne? anything within about an hour drive we could do Wednesday?

also looking for any spots for some nice pictures

 

Hi,

The high country is challenging this time of year. However, between DIA and Silverthorne you might like to check out the State Capitol building and the 16th Street Mall (a section of 16th st closed to car traffic featuring fancy retail and food; Hard Rock, Wolfgang Puck etc).
Heading up I-70, the Brewery tour is a must-do and Lookout Mountain (next on the route) has some spectacular views of the Front Range and downtown Denver, in addition to Buffalo Bill's grave and the Cabrini Shrine - a gigantic statue of Mother Cabrini, a Catholic Saint.
Also, I always like going to Georgetown (I take my dogs there for walks and adventure). it's a typical little mountain town founded in the gold rush days. The downtown walk is nice but short - about 4 blocks. You'll find interesting shops and good food in 19th century buildings.
There is a steam train there from the gold era that runs to Silverplume - not to be confused with Silverthorne - but only in the summer. The train station is interesting off season if you're into touristy attractions.
If you're adventurous, Guanella pass begins at Georgetown and goes up above 14,000 feet in altitude. There are fantastic views of the Contintinental Divide from there, although it might be a challenging drive this time of year. It's a connector to the south, so CDOT keeps it plowed and clear; also, the snowfall has been light in the last few days so I'd expect it to be drivable next week. If you want to see what it looks like in the fall, go to http://www.ajaxoftherockies.com and select the "Favorite Hikes" link. There is a slideshow of the drive and summit. It's a great place for mountain-high photos and is quite specatcular in the winter. Plan on about 50 minutes drive from Georgetown to the summit

That - and skiing - is about it on the I-70 corridor for mid-winter. Welcome to Colorado and I hope you enjoy your stay!

- k -