All About Colorado's Winter Park

By Author: Jesse Henson
Total Articles: 4762
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Located in Grand County, in the southwest part of Colorado and just a few miles from Denver, the Home Rule Municipality of Winter Park looks like a sleepy little town. With less than 1,000 year-round residents, it may not sound like anything special, but it's one of the best winter vacation areas in the country.

History
Winter Park actually started as two small settlements. Construction of the Moffat Tunnel brought Old Town to life and Hideaway Park was a village developed in 1932 by L.O "Doc" Graves, who'd been in the valley for ten years. Even though the country was in a severe depression, Hideaway Park grew, thanks to tourist cabins, the cafe and the service station Graves built. The addition of a saloon, garage and nightclub nearly doubled the population.

The Winter Park Ski Area opened in 1940, and Winter Park itself was founded as a town August 1, 1978, encompassing both Hideaway Park and Old Town. In 1980, the West Portal Village was incorporated into Winter Park and, recently, the ghost town of Arrow.

It's Not All About Winter
Now, the Town of Winter Park, covering less than nine square ...
... miles of real estate, is quickly becoming a four-season vacation destination.

Dining
Like any vacation area, Winter Park has its fair share of restaurants (thirty dining establishments for one town may not sound like a lot, but when you do the math that's almost three restaurants per mile). Grilled halibut, salmon, prime rib, BBQ, homemade soup, fresh baked pastries, chili relleno and Szechuan are just a few of the choices available to tantalize your taste buds. If waiting for a meal isn't your idea of a good time, there's always the McDonalds of Winter Park, KFC, Subway or the Cosmic Dog Grill.

For the night owls that like to live it up, Winter Park offers at least nineteen different pubs and bars. Pool tables, television, live music and a friendly atmosphere are sure to keep the late-nighters entertained. Some places, like Adolph's Bar/Shipwreck Landing North and the Bear's Den Restaurant - Bar, are quaint. Proud to be a local "hole in the wall", Adolph's has a relaxed atmosphere and an "everything under ten dollars" tavern menu. They're proud of their place, and it's not hard to see why.

Shopping
While most people visit Winter Park for the activities, nobody manages to leave without doing a little shopping. Strolling through the town gives ample opportunity to get what you need, want - or just happen to see and like. Indian art, local paintings and prints, souvenirs, outfitters - even gourmet cookware - can all be added to your after-vacation luggage. From Southwestern jewelry to Western attire, you'll find exactly what you didn't even know you needed!

Activities
You've found your rustic cabin, luxurious hotel, guest ranch, economical hotel or bed and breakfast. You've already tasted the cuisine, spent a few bucks on souvenirs and you're looking around for something else to do. Well, whether it's warm or cold, Winter Park has a slew of activities to keep you busy.

During the warmer months, you can fill your days with boating and fishing at one of the watering holes, or golfing at one of the four courses. Ride around the mountainous country on horseback and see some of the most magnificent views in Colorado or climb on a mountain bike to ride over 600 miles of marked and unmarked terrain. Go rafting or kayaking, visit a working gold mine, take an ATV tour or a scenic train ride, listen to some blues or visit a museum. There are more things to see and do in Winter Park during the summer months than you'll ever have time for!

The cold months aren't anything to lift your nose at. Hideaway Park is still around in downtown Winter Park, offering free snowshoe classes for beginners as well as many other programs. If you aren't a beginner, you can snowshoe through the Arapahoe National Forest, with miles of tree-lined trails. Cross-country skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling are also available, with varying degrees of difficulty. If all that isn't enough, there are always sleigh rides, dog sled rides, ballooning, ice-skating and the cinema.

The name "Winter Park" is a bit misleading, as you may have guessed by now. With the activities, shopping, concerts, festivals, mountain bike races and more, the problem won't be what to do, but what to do next. Whether you're there in the spring, summer, fall or winter, you'll have the time of your life!
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