Estes Park, Colorado

Lodges, motels, and places to eat abound in Estes Park where the local Convention & Visitors Bureau, 500 Big Thompson Ave (May– Sept Mon– Sat 8am–8pm, Sun 9am–5pm; Oct– April Mon– Sat 8am–5pm, Sun 10am–4pm; Tel:970/577-9900 or 1-800/443-7837, Web: www.estesparkcvb.com ), can provide full listings. Budget accommodation includes the Alpine Trail Ridge Inn, 927 Moraine Ave (Tel:970/586-4585 or 1-800/233-5023, Web: www.alpinetrailridgeinn.com ; Price: $101-130), and the family-oriented Bighorn Mountain Lodge, 1340 Big Thompson Ave (Tel:1-800/530-8822, Web: www.bighornmtnlodge.com ; Price: $101-130), both of which have clean, standard motel rooms and outdoor pools. If it's glamour you're after, head straight to the circa-1909 Stanley Hotel, with its fantastic mountainside location at 333 Wonderview Ave (Tel:970/577-4000 or 1-800/976-1377, Web: www.stanleyhotel.com ; Price: $161-200). For meals, the relaxed Molly B, 200 Moraine Ave (Tel:970/586-2766), has an extensive menu, while the excellent dinner buffet at the Baldpate Inn, 4900 S Hwy-7 (Tel:970/586-6151; hours vary by season), includes hearty soups, freshly baked gourmet breads, and a range of salads, all at reasonable prices.

Grand Lake has an excellent youth hostel: the gorgeous, log-built AShadowcliff Lodge, perched high in the woods on Tunnel Road (June– Sept only; Tel:970/627-9220; Web: www.shadowcliff.org ; Price: $36-50), with dorm rooms for $23 and clean and comfortable doubles for $54. Among a number of moderately priced motels is the attractive lakeside Western Riviera Motel and Cabins, 419 Garfield St (Tel:970/627-3580, Web: www.westernriv.com ; Price: $101–160); note that during summer, many places in Grand Lake insist on a minimum two-night stay. One of the better places to eat in town is EG's Garden Grill, 1000 Grand Ave (Tel:970/627-8404), where the menu ranges from burgers to grilled wild boar sausages to creative seafood specials – be sure to enjoy the beer garden (happy hour Mon– Sat 5–7pm).