Get out of town to experience a journey back in time with a weekend escape to Estes Park Colorado. Estes Park is known as the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park where visitors can shop, dine, hike, bike, and even hunt for ghosts. A walk down the main streets of this charming mountain town will bring visitors back in time to when F.O. Stanley had the area booming with prosperity. Both built in the early 1900’s, the Historic Park Theatre and The Stanley Hotel will create a weekend adventure of old fashioned fun and elegance.
The highlight of any Estes Park trip is a visit to the historic Stanley Hotel. Widely believed to be haunted, this beautiful old hotel is best known for being the inspiration for Stephen King’s novel The Shining. Room rates vary from $219 – $339 per night. For the truly brave guests, room numbers 217 and 401 are regarded as two of the most haunted rooms in the hotel and require three to six months advanced reservations. For just $15.00 visitors can take the ghost tour to hunt for spirits and discover the fascinating history that surrounds F.O. Stanley. For the ghost tour, be sure to bring those smartphones loaded with the ghost radar and EMF applications as guests often report supernatural experiences.
Just as hotel guests did over a half a century ago, wake up each morning to mountain views and mimosas on the front veranda. Relax while planning out a day filled with browsing through the charming shops along the river, and then taking in a movie at the old Historic Park Theatre. Over a hundred years ago, F.O. Stanley set out to change the local economy. Many of the original buildings remain, including the Historic Park Theatre. Built in 1913, it is one of the oldest movie theaters in the United States. The building has been renovated but not redecorated. Therefore you have the distinct feel of stepping back in time for a film. They play first run movies as well as silent films.
The second day of this weekend adventure can be filled with an amazing hike on one of the 300 miles of trails in the Rocky Mountain National Park. Just ask the hotel concierge for information on hiking, biking, and even horseback riding in one of the most beautiful spots in America.