Features
Colorado Explorer
Destination: Trinidad
By Linda DuVal
|
| Artist rendition
|
|
For years, Trinidad has been a stopping point to grab a tank of gas and a bite of fast food before heading over Raton Pass into New Mexico . But next time you're in town, plan to spend a day or so exploring what Trinidad has to offer.
The town's recent turnaround can be seen everywhere: For every boarded-up building, there's one being renovated. There are new shops and restaurants. Its terrific museums are getting spiffed up, partly thanks to the Colorado Historical Society, and a modern skate park sports some awesome runs.
Not only that, but Trinidad is poised to become the Southwest's next arts colony. More than 40 artists now live and work here.
“They've come from all over the place,” says Nancy Ellis, director of the A.R. Mitchell Memorial Museum and Gallery downtown, one of the jewels of the museum scene. The museum is dedicated to the Western illustrations and paintings of Mitchell, as well as many of his contemporaries.
Down the street, two well preserved homes—Baca House and Bloom Mansion—show how folks lived in the town's early days.
Situated on the Santa Fe Trail, Trinidad has a distinctly Western feel. “This really was the wild, wild West in its day,” Ellis says. That's part of the attraction for newcomers.
Robin and Jane Barker, formerly of Houston, have been operating the Stone Mansion bed-and-breakfast for seven years. Other accommodations include the Tarabino Inn, as well as popular chain motels and nearby campgrounds.
Visitors won't go hungry, either.
If you like some fire in your green chile, check out the Mission at the Bell downtown, where the sauce comes in hot, hotter and hottest (though they call it mild, medium and hot). Looking for Italian food? Locals rave about Rino's. And if you crave a hunk of steak, visit Black Jack's Saloon & Steakhouse.
There are plenty of ways to work off all that grub. Hike, boat or fish in nearby Trinidad Lake State Park . Try the nine-hole public golf course, named one of the nation's “Top 10 Hidden Gems” by Avid Golfer magazine. The new Jack Nicklaus course opens at Cougar Canyon this summer.
Strolling through town, stop to admire the brick sidewalks (imprinted with the town's name) and local public art, including statues honoring Western scout Kit Carson and the miners whose sweat built this town. In the summer, hop on the Trinidad Trolley for a free guided tour. You can come back and visit the shops that catch your eye later. Often, they're housed in interesting buildings.
If you have the time, drive the Scenic Highway of Legends, an off-the-beaten-path route from Trinidad to Walsenburg that meanders through the state's early history and some stunning scenery. Who says getting there isn't half the fun?
For information, call the Trinidad Chamber, 719-846-9285 or 866-480-4750. Online, visit www.historictrinidad.com or www.trinidadchamber.com.
Indoor cliff divers? You bet!
Activities
Pack up the kids and head to the Wonder of Science at Twenty-Ninth, where seven Boulder-area scientific entities have brought their various areas of expertise together into one fascinating science experience. Check out the interactive exhibits, learn about light and time, and explore the planets—all in a mall. 303-449-1189.
Pueblo has become home to what promises to be one of the nation's top labor museums, the Steelworks Museum. Old photographs, steel-making machinery and artifacts will be displayed. The first permanent exhibit is the medical dispensary. The museum has one of the nation's best-preserved collections of labor records, dating back to the 1800s at the CF&I steel mill. 719-564-9086.
Create your own art walking tour when you next visit Sterling, on the eastern plains. Fourteen sculptures created from tree trunks by local artist Bradford Rhea can be seen around town. In Columbine Park, five giraffes—dubbed Skygrazers—stretch for the sky from their single base. The town's information center can direct you to the others. 800-544-8609.
Families can head up to Copper Mountain on Easter Sunday, April 8, for the granddaddy of all Easter egg hunts—30,000 plastic eggs hidden around the resort. Finders of Copper Tickets will win prizes, gift certificates, cash and season passes. Children 12 and younger can participate. You might even be able to get in a last bit of skiing—the resort closes the following weekend. 866-841-2481.
Kids, wax up your …um, cardboard … and head to Telluride for the free annual Cardboard Sled Derby, March 18 at the Telluride tubing hill. Participants (ages 5–17) must craft their own sleds before the races. Call by March 15 to pre-register and get the rules. 970-728-0885.
Rub away the winter blahs at the new Spa at the Inverness, in Englewood. Organic products are used to cleanse and refresh your body in the form of massages, scrubs, waxes, nail care and more. The 4,500-square-foot retreat is part of a $9 million renovation of the Inverness property. 888-669-9040.
Dining
Over spring break, take the family to Mexico… or, if that's out of the question, take them to Casa Bonita. This bright pink Denver icon isn't known so much for its cuisine as for the fun, kitschy atmosphere that just screams “Fiesta!”
You don't need a passport to enjoy the dancers, mariachi music, flame jugglers, indoor cliff divers and other acts including an “escaped gorilla.” 303-232-5115.
Did you know that downtown Durango has almost as many restaurants per capita as San Francisco? Well, that's what they claim. If you want to try a few, we'd recommend Francisco's for Mexican food, Ariano for Italian cuisine, and Carver Brewing Co. for a late-night snack with a microbrew.
Lodging
Next time you visit the Grand Junction area, consider spending the night at a winery. The Chateau at Two Rivers Winery, just outside of town, not only serves some great Colorado wines, but has a gorgeous bed-and-breakfast inn upstairs. Have your morning coffee on a terrace overlooking the vineyard, or watch the sun set while sipping some of their award-winning vintages. 866-312-9463.
To celebrate 10 years in business, the Old Town GuestHouse in the Old Colorado City neighborhood of Colorado Springs is offering retro rates for 2007. It has won high ratings and awards for excellence and is a member of Distinctive Inns of Colorado. Besides being a charming place to stay, it's handicapped accessible and boasts a small conference center for executive getaways (up to 24 people). 888-375-4210.
Shopping
Florence calls itself the “Antiques Capital of Colorado,” and if you've ever wandered around this small southern Colorado town, you'll know why. One store after another is crammed with antiques and collectibles, from Coke trays to serious furniture finds. There are 10 such shops on Main Street alone.
And speaking of antiques, check out the 25th annual 2007 Denver Antiques Show & Sale, April 20-22 at Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum at Lowry. Besides buying quality antiques, you can hear lectures and see exhibits. Proceeds help support the Central City Opera. 303-806-5109.
Linda DuVal is a freelance writer and former travel editor for The Gazette in Colorado Springs.
 Back to Top
>>>Return to Table of Contents
Copyright © 2007 AAA Colorado. All Rights Reserved. Privacy
|
