Photo by donahuem

Most of the hotels, cabins and lodges are worth a stay, but we prefer The Rapids condos.  The property is located close to downtown and the rates start at $95 per night (there is a nice multi-night discount).

The town’s main street is still reminiscent of its 1881 inception: A wooden boardwalk – which still boasts hitching posts – meanders in front of the shops.  Many of the restaurants offer tasty, relatively affordable food. Grand Pizza also serves up salads, paninis and calzones. The romantic Rapids Restaurant offers everything from seared elk medallions to pan baked trout almondine.

One of my favorite hikes is down to Adam’s Falls, about a mile east of the village center. For a longer adventure, try the seven-mile (round trip) jaunt to Cascade Falls.  Look back across the mountains for a breathtaking view. We’ve also spent hours in the saddle, climbing upward from the town’s stables into the park for glimpses of elk, marmots, black bears, moose and bighorn sheep.  If you take a trip to Estes Park, be sure to stop off at the Stanley Hotel (Stephen King stayed there while he wrote part of The Shining), for a drink and a guided ghost tour.  Advance reservations for the $13-per-person tour are a must.

If you’re venturing to Grand Lake mid-July, stop in on the 62nd Annual Western Weekend.  Either day offers live music, beer, wine, food and friendly locals while Sunday is Buffalo BBQ day. Be sure to check out the Rocky Mountain Repertory Theater (calendar available here) – if you know which night you want to go, order tickets ahead of time.  Shows start in mid-June and run through the end of September.

Not many locales boast great scenery, hiking, water sports and haunted hotels.  What more could you look for in a summer vacation?

By Anna Philpot