I have been spending so much time in Colorado that I am starting to feel like a part-time resident. There was my birthday trip in January, a girls’ retreat in Steamboat Springs for my bestie’s birthday, and now a wedding weekend in Estes Park.

It was a quick trip, made shorter by a small family emergency the day before I was supposed to leave, but I still had a blast. This will not be an in-depth guide, but rather some ideas for what to do on a very quick trip to Estes Park. I’m also going to be talking about my adventures as a solo wedding guest, a role I’m becoming more accustomed to and surprisingly good at.

Read on for how to have a kick-ass wedding (guest) weekend in Estes Park.

A Slight Delay

I was due to arrive in Denver Friday morning around 10am, where I’d rent my car and spend the day kicking it around Estes Park. The wedding was Saturday afternoon, so Friday was to be my free day. Surprise, surprise, the universe had other plans.

Two days before I was to depart, my grandmother went to the hospital and found herself in need of an important surgery right away. Unfortunately, the surgery was scheduled for 1pm on the day I was supposed to leave. Even the most routine surgery can be risky, and putting an elderly person under general anesthesia brings about risks that can’t be ignored. There was no way I could take the morning flight to Denver and go gallivanting around Estes Park with this looming over my head.

Luckily, there were plenty of flights to take, and I scheduled myself, instead, for the 8pm flight. I would miss the day in Estes Park, but I’d be able to see my grandmother after a (god-willing) successful surgery. I’d leave late but with a clear conscience. Worry is the worst carry-on.

I’ll take a moment now, as I do in almost every blog post, to plug how awesome my job is. The flexibility in my work schedule is something I talk about a lot, but the flexibility in travel planning is great, too. Most people would have to pay change fees in an instance like this, but I can book and cancel and change flights as I please. There is, of course, the issue of getting a seat to contend with, but I’ll be honest—it usually works out in my favor.

It would turn out to be a very quick trip to Estes Park. I landed in Denver at 11pm, instead of 10am, and after picking up my rental and hitting the road, arrived at my little roadside inn around 1:15 am.

The Stay

The wedding I was attending took place at the Dao House Rustic Lodge, in Estes Park, and most of the guests stayed on property for the weekend. After calling the property to book—twice—and not getting a person to speak to or a callback, I decided to just book elsewhere.

I’m glad I did. Not only was everybody at the wedding complaining about the lack of cell reception at their hotel, but I like having a place of my own, being able to slip in and out of the crowd at will. Socializing is great, but I also love being able to escape, off-site,  to recharge my battery.

I booked a room in a little inn, minutes from downtown Estes Park. The reviews said it was a great location, and I found that to be true. The place was called Columbine Inn and was your basic roadside motel, but with updates.

If the aesthetic on the outside was creepy roadside motel—made creepier by my pitch-dark, late-night arrival, the new tile floors, fresh paint, hipster lightbulbs, and comfy bedding, made the inside feel cozy, clean, and fresh. (More on the lightbulbs later) This was the cheapest option that had great reviews and looked stay-able in the area. It’s one thing to splash out on a fancy hotel room for yourself on vacation, but traveling for someone else’s wedding is not the occasion I personally choose for this kind of luxury.

I would probably pick a different hotel option if I went back to Estes Park for vacation, only because many of them had desirable amenities like free breakfast, pools, hot tubs, and cute outdoor sitting areas. If you’re only doing a 1-2 night quick trip to Estes Park, though, and especially if you’ll be out of the room exploring most of the day, this place will certainly do the trick. The mattress was comfy, the bedding felt soft, and I slept like a baby both nights of my stay. There was a Keurig machine in the room and plenty of coffee to get my day started.

My only real gripe with this place was the lighting in the bathroom. Someone chose to install those hip-looking bulbs where you can see the light “vein” through the clear glass of the bulb. They look cool and everything, but they emitted an orange glow when illuminated. This makes me think it must have been a man who installed these. Women need a well-lit bathroom. I need to see my face while cleansing and lotion-ing, and, most importantly, while applying makeup. (For anyone who doesn’t know this—you need “Day Bright” bulbs or “Natural Light” bulbs for a basic bathroom fixture.) Luckily, the bulbs in the bedroom were light and bright, so I swapped them out for my stay and swapped them back before I left.

If you are interested in staying at Columbine Inn, check them out on booking.com.

The Wedding

The entire reason for my quick trip to Estes Park was to attend the wedding between my cousin and his new bride. The wedding was held at the Dao House Retreat and was simple, intimate and lovely.

The ceremony was supposed to take place outside, with the reception indoors, but mother nature had other ideas. As I was driving to the venue, the sky opened up and not only did the rain fall, but lightning lit the sky, and the thunder could be heard echoing between the mountains. I had heard that the bride was insistent on the vows taking place outside, but was so relieved, upon arrival, to find that the plan had been changed.

Apparently, the outdoor area used for weddings is a “brisk walk” away from the reception venue. Those who attended the rehearsal dinner the night before said it was a full 15 minutes (or more!) walking. I am never one to shy from a stroll in the woods, but decked out in wedding attire, this just didn’t sound fun. I came prepared with yoga pants, hiking shoes, a raincoat and umbrella, just in case the plan went forward. And though I was ready to go with the flow, I was happy to save the hiking for Sunday and keep my heels on, and intact.

Truthfully, I don’t know the couple very well. I’m just now, as an adult, beginning to form and strengthen the relationships with my cousins on this side of the family. We didn’t hang out a lot when we were young, but it’s been really nice getting to know one another, growing closer, and feeling like I’ve gained family where I didn’t have it before.

That being said, I was going to an out-of-state wedding, no date, and knowing only four people in total. I won’t go so far as saying I was “nervous,” but I wasn’t sure how it would feel to be there.  I knew the groom, his sister, and their parents. (The levels of cousin—2^nd, 3^rd, etc.—are confusing to me, so I call both generations of the family my “cousins”.) I had met the bride once, on a flight, a few years ago, and though she seemed great, it was hardly enough time to form a bond. I knew my cousin and his wife (the parents of the groom), of course, but I assumed they would have parental responsibilities at the wedding—schmoozing, meeting people, posing for photos with every guest.

Apprehension formed a fine mist in the background, as I braced to attempt socialization—alone, in a room full of people I’d never met. I didn’t let it take over though; my excitement to spend time with family, to solidify the bonds we’ve been building, and my honor at making it onto the small guest list took up far more space than any social anxiety. I decided to go in with a positive attitude, ready to have fun.

And I did.

I don’t know if it is getting older that has made me more comfortable in my own skin, and therefore out in the world, or whether it is the not drinking—the confidence gained by learning how to socialize all over again, from scratch. Maybe it was the people at the wedding, perhaps they were especially nice and easy to mingle amongst. Or maybe it was a combination of all three. Either way, I had a great time, despite attending alone and despite being sober.

This was my third alcohol-free wedding, so you might think I’m a pro at it by now. But it still blows my mind that The Artist Formerly Known As ‘Three Drink Minimum’ is able to dance and talk to strangers and have actual fun doing it, without a drink in her hand. If you’ve never felt socially awkward and drank to counteract it, then good for you (weirdo). For those of you who have, you’ll understand why I feel so proud of myself for dancing at the wedding, talking to people I don’t know, and saying YES to the opportunity in the first place. We’ve come a long way.

I had such a good time that I stayed after the reception ended, and the afterparty began. I got up in front of the group to pantomime music and movies and celebrities in a raucous game of charades that took place before the great hearth in the rustic, high ceilinged lobby. I found myself in front of the crowd over and over, because, as it turns out, I am a shark at guessing movie titles in Charades. I ended the night with goodbyes and nice to meet yous and promises to “See you at brunch!”. I got in my 7-passenger Buick SUV and took the dark, winding road back to the little roadside inn, contented, flushed with how pleased I was, looking back on how well the night went, and looking forward to the unwinding and tucking myself in, to the waking up alone in my room.

The wedding was a good time. The vows were beautiful, to match the bride’s dress, and the love of the couple, and the scenery outside. I ate, I shook hands, I danced my face off and felt like I left with something like new friends.

Downtown Estes Park

Food, and coffee, and books, oh my!

Breakfast

Because of my delay in arrival, Saturday, the morning of the wedding, was the only chance I had to venture into downtown Estes Park. I didn’t have a ton of time, but managed to have a sweet little morning for myself. I met up with some family for breakfast at The Egg of Estes, a casual breakfast spot. The place was packed, as you’d expect of a breakfast place in a tourist town. I ordered the Athena Scramble, which was delicious and would also fit into my Greek-themed hike the next day (though I didn’t know it yet!) The Egg has lots of options available for those with dietary restrictions. We were a table of three vegetarians and one gluten-free, and everyone was happy with their choice of meal. This is a great breakfast spot to hit up on a quick trip to Estes Park.

Coffee, Books, & Little Treats

After breakfast, they went to get ready for wedding photos and I went to spend some time alone in town. First, I hit up Inkwell & Brew, a cute coffee & fine paper shop that sells artwork, small trinkets, and unique cards for all occasions. Greeting cards are my go-to item in cute shops when I’m traveling. I buy a few I like at each place, and when a card-giving occasion rolls around, I have one handy, usually picked out with someone specific in mind. (You won’t catch me giving a basic bitch Hallmark card for a birthday!) I browsed through the selection in Inkwell & Brew and purchased a few to add to my ever-growing (and ever-shrinking) collection. The shop also has an upper level with tables for sipping coffee and shelves full of board games to play while caffeinating. Some of the artwork sold here was very cool, too. I considered buying myself a print, but I’m on a bit of a budget so I refrained.

Next was a stop to Macdonald Book Shop. It was cozy with some cute merch, and I picked up a couple heavy-duty bookmarks with quotes from F. Scott Fitzgerald and Alice in Wonderland. Finally, my last stop was into Raven’s Roast Coffee Lounge, where I bought a raspberry fritter that was every bit as delectable as it was artery-clogging and blood-sugar spiking. Then it was back to the hotel to swap my lightbulbs and get wedding ready.

Brunch

On Sunday, some of the wedding guests gathered at the famous Stanley Hotel for brunch. The Stanley is famous for being the inspiration for Stephen King’s ‘The Shining’. The Shining movie was not, in fact, filmed at The Stanley, but another great film was—Dumb & Dumber!

The food was pricey, but the veggie burger with truffle aioli was filling and pretty darn delicious. The groom’s parents were sweet enough to treat all 20 of us to lunch and drinks at The Stanley Hotel, and it was a really nice way to wrap up a great wedding weekend in Estes Park. We caught up, filled up, and said our goodbyes before going our separate ways. Most of them were heading to the airport to fly home. I was heading to the trail to get my hike on and make the most of my quick trip to Estes Park.

I would have loved to try another restaurant or coffee shop in Estes Park, they seem to have some cute ones, and the giant marquis sign of the Sugar Shack was seriously calling my name. But I just didn’t have enough time. I think if I’d arrived Friday morning, when I planned to, it would have been the perfect length of time for a weekend visit to Estes Park.

Hiking in Estes Park

You can’t not hike in Colorado. It simply isn’t allowed.

Estes Park is a mountain town that butts up against Rocky Mountain National Park. It is SURROUNDED by mountains, which makes the views stunning from every angle, and makes me want to walk amongst the alpines and catch a summit or two.

I won’t pretend to know the best hikes here, since I only had time for two on my quick trip to Estes Park. I’ll tell you about the two hikes I did, which were great, and then link to some other bloggers who seem to know what they’re talking about and can point you in the direction of “Best” hikes in Estes Park.

Had I arrived as planned on Friday morning, giving me three full days in Estes Park, I probably would have picked one of them to spend in Rocky Mountain National Park. I’ve been to the park before, years ago, but would love to visit again. The more national parks you see, the more you realize you’ll never be able to fit all the hikes you want into one trip. There is always more to see and do! That being said, my plans changed, and I was left with one half day, before the wedding, and one full day, Sunday, to explore the area.

You already know I spent Saturday kicking around downtown Estes Park, so Sunday became my designated hiking day. It wasn’t a fully-free day, though. As mentioned before, we had a pre-scheduled 12:00 wedding bunch brunch at The Stanley Hotel. Because of this, I wasn’t able to do a long day hike, and instead had to split my hiking activities into two parts. I decided to do an easy morning hike before brunch and then a more strenuous one afterward (to burn off the parmesan fries!)

The two hikes I decided on were Lily Lake and Mount Olympus. Read on for more info about both of these Estes Park hikes.