Colorado
If you’ve been following us for a while, you probably know that traveling is one of the things that Steven and I love to do. We took 17 trips together in 2017, and haven’t had a non-wedding related getaway just the two of us since Noah was born until now!
We found a great deal to Denver on Frontier Airlines for $215 roundtrip for the both of us in total and decided to carpe diem. We didn’t need to pack a ton of stuff since we were only gone for the weekend and actually had a great experience flying them! Despite being a budget airline, we got to sit next to each other for no extra cost, used mobile boarding passes, and the service was great. Our flight got delayed on the way back, and Frontier graciously gave us airport meal vouchers of $10 each as well as a $50 credit for a future Frontier flight…say what?? We’re normally both United loyalists, but have never gotten that treatment from them. This gesture definitely impressed us!
Anyways, back to the trip. One of my childhood friends, Evelyn, lives in Colorado Springs, so we got to spend our first day with her! We did a leisurely hike through the red rocks of Garden of the Gods.
Who doesn’t love a good DSLR selfie? Never gets all the people in the photo, but you know :p
I found a Venezuelan place called Pig Latin Cocina for lunch, which started off as a food truck so you know the food’s good ;) It had a casual hip hop vibe with trendy decor like Edison bulbs and swings hanging from the ceiling. I adored my pineapple pulled pork arepa, which came with the best maduros (fried sweet plantains) I’ve ever had!
I love the open land in Colorado. Such a nice change from the bustling skyline of buildings galore in Chicago.
In the afternoon, we took it easy and drove up Pike’s Peak, one of the famous “fourteener” 14,000+ ft of elevation mountains. Little drops of hail rained on our heads and we shivered our way into the lodge. It’s actually currently under construction, so we hopped out for a shot at the top only briefly!
What’s better than Oka Ramen after summiting a huge mountain? Not much :)
We even got to meet up with our friends, Zack & Lauren at Storybook Brewing at night! They lived in Chicago up until 1-2 months ago to pursue new jobs (and new baby on the way + a cute new pup)! All the life changes. Colorado is well known for breweries and we can attest it was awesome!
Steven found us a “mountain retreat” Airbnb in Conifer, CO. It was about an hour away from most scenic attractions, but was SO beautiful and one of the best Airbnb’s we’ve ever stayed at. The host gifted us a bottle of white wine for staying 3 nights and even had a basket of snacks for when we went hiking. We loved the place so much we actually ended up cooking a few meals in the kitchen just to enjoy the space.
The next morning, Steven and I went hiking for 3-4 miles at Meyer Ranch Park. Man, I have definitely gotten more out of shape since having a child.
I feel like this is a great photo that speaks to society. Always seeing the world through a phone or camera screen rather than enjoying the moment (I am guilty of this).
In the afternoon, we visited the shining star of our trip and the highest paved road in North America: Mount Evans. The summit stands at an amazing 14,264 feet. You drive up 9,000 feet of elevation gain! Steven’s a champ driving up mountains so luckily I simply got to enjoy the ride. First stop, Summit Lake Mountain Park!
Thank you for the best time, Colorado. We’ll be back!
Bonus: We’re sharing the photography equipment we use below! If you purchase through our links, that helps us take more fun trips that hopefully inspire you too :)