I think I have a new fav airport!!!

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

I am flying out of Greensboro (20 miles away) to Denver for only $200 r/t and didn't have to go to either RDU or CLT to get a deal. I just rented an economy car for $108 TOTAL (including taxes) I haven't seen a rate like that in years!!! I might just have to explore Colorado with these rates.

I leave for Estes Park on 9/20 and I can't wait!!!

[Pstreet1 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pstreet1]

You're going to have a great time in one of my favorite states--I miss it.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

Which airline?

I have never flown out of Greensboro, but I like the smaller eastern NC airports like Greenville, Kinston, and New Bern. Unfortunately, no major airline flies from Kinston anymore. It had free parking an easy walk from check-in. One of the smaller LCC's I think is still flying from there but with limited service. Raleigh is not so bad, with the new terminal and lots of food options, and one of the better small AA Admirals Clubs.

My favorite domestic gateway airport was Memphis with Northwest, and favorite European gateway Amsterdam or Zurich. Now that I am flying AA, I avoid JFK like the plague and try for Miami or Dallas as a gateway, or if I cannot find that routing, fall back on Chicago. There is little real option to Heathrow for a European gateway with AA, but at least it is rather decent in the BA Galleries lounges.

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

Which airline?

I have never flown out of Greensboro, but I like the smaller eastern NC airports like Greenville, Kinston, and New Bern. Unfortunately, no major airline flies from Kinston anymore. It had free parking an easy walk from check-in. One of the smaller LCC's I think is still flying from there but with limited service. Raleigh is not so bad, with the new terminal and lots of food options, and one of the better small AA Admirals Clubs.

My favorite domestic gateway airport was Memphis with Northwest, and favorite European gateway Amsterdam or Zurich. Now that I am flying AA, I avoid JFK like the plague and try for Miami or Dallas as a gateway, or if I cannot find that routing, fall back on Chicago. There is little real option to Heathrow for a European gateway with AA, but at least it is rather decent in the BA Galleries lounges.

I'm flying Delta. Never saw the fair get any cheaper and it's still in the lower 200's

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Where ya staying in EP?

That used to be one of our regular weeks each year, second week of June, and the first week Trail Ridge was open.

EP is one of our favorite places.

Wow! '04 was our last time out there.

[Pstreet1 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pstreet1]

Shaggy, have you flown through Denver before? If not, prepare to love the Denver airport.

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

JLB , I will be staying at Worldmark in Estes Park. I wanted Rams Horn but I'll take what I can get. 2BR.
This is my very first time to Colorado and I can't wait to see the scenery and what kind of mischief I can get into!!
I know I won't be riding a horse because I promised GOD that if he let me off the horse in Banff in one piece I would
never ride a horse again and believe you me, I've kept that promise!!! lol

shaggy

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

If it's still there, get some taffy at the place on the main drag. Not the knock-off places with taffy as a sideline, but the one with the taffy machine in the window.

http://www.estesparkinformation.com/the-taffy-shop/

If the link works, it looks a whole lot like this:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=121+W...yVHkY2rRmv4ZPQ

& the Donut Shop on Moraine:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=40.37...Sj_JVek4ifXOkg

& the Egg and I:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=egg+a...13,182.67,,0,0

We always stayed at the Golden Eagle, AKA The Crags, with a nice view of EP, and next to the gondola:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=40.36...WKVNRH6snjcKPQ

Across town is the Old Stanley, built by the inventor of the Stanley Steamer, and where The Shining was filmed.

https://plus.google.com/+thestanleyh...gl=US&hl=en-US

A walk through downtown, maybe a sub alongside the river, is nice, but most of our time was spent out in RMNP, viewing wildlife. A quick drive takes you to Endovalley Park, with a sheep viewing area on the way, if you are lucky enough.

We have seen a bear and a mountain lion there, too. If you happen to see an elk with a calf (they have free reign of all of EP), steer clear.

Yeah, I could go on.

[susieq Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close susieq]

Have a great time in a great place!!! (Got room for a stowaway??)

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Have a great time in a great place!!! (Got room for a stowaway??)

In the wheel well?



I have always called EP and RMNP Summer Camp for Grownups.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

I am flying out of Greensboro (20 miles away) to Denver for only $200 r/t and didn't have to go to either RDU or CLT to get a deal. I just rented an economy car for $108 TOTAL (including taxes) I haven't seen a rate like that in years!!! I might just have to explore Colorado with these rates.

I leave for Estes Park on 9/20 and I can't wait!!!

I agree with you Shaggy.
Greensboro is a great little airport.
I love that it's nice and small and the rental cars are right there in the lot just outside the terminal.
No schlepping your stuff for miles and using the shuttles.

Only thing I don't like about Greensboro is that you have to fly on those little puddle jumpers from Miami on AA.
Other than that I've enjoyed my trips to Greensboro.

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

Susie, you are more than welcome to come along!! Thanks for the tips!! Chris you've been to GBS and we never met????

I am really hoping for lots of wildlife and do want to go to the Stanley hotel.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Just plain driving around is great, too. RMNP. Roads around EP. The road to the YMCA camp.

Big Thompson Canyon (HWY 36) is a nice drive going to and from EP. It's probably most common as folks stock up on the week's supplies in Loveland on the way up. The EP grocery store (I think it used to be Safeway) had a discount card/key ring thingie for locals.

The 2nd most popular route is through Longmont and Lyons, HWY 34.

We saw a bear cross the road in front of us on HWY 36, and we've seen Big Horn Sheep on the crags on that route. It's really hard to drive and keep from looking up. Sightings like that are rare and you gotta know what you're looking for or else they could be there and you don't see them.

We used to do a show in Longmont and drive back up to EP after dark. That's when we saw the mountain lion cross the road in front of us on one of the many curves on HWY 34 between Lyons and EP. We just took pause and both kinda said, "Wow! Was that really what it was?"

Because we were normally going from Longmont to EP, HWY 34 was our normal route.

Then there is the Peak to Peak Highway, another great drive, and the best route to the casinos in Central Central/Blackhawk, where we used to meet with fraternity brothers and their wives.

Don't forget a drive up Trail Ridge. My inner ears don't do altitude well, and that road will definitely play tricks with them.

http://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisi...ridge_road.htm

For an entire day trip, take Trail Ridge all the way to the Western Entrance to RMNP, and then 40 HWY through Granby, SilverCreek, Frazier, Winter Park. Then you have a decision . . . turn around and go back or go to I-70, Denver, & I-25 up north again.

Maybe you've heard this, but for many people it takes a couple days to acclimate to EP. A flight of stairs can leave you short of breath.

Oh yeah, if a person can't find enough stuff to do for a week in EP/RMNP, or is bored there, they just picked the wrong place. Mother Nature is not their thing.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Big Thompson Canyon Road:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=40.40...06.92,,0,10.06

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

Thank you for all the tips JLB. I am printing these out. I love nature and day drives I can't do any hikes but do want to do a short walk to a waterfall.