Traveling to Colorado this summer

[numbers123]

I love the rockie mountains, but if anyone in your family has asthma or lungs that are compromised, just be cautious of the higher elevations. Both my husband and my sons had lung conditions and had some unusual reactions. Husband fainted on me during one visit (stayed hydrated the next visit), son had asthma episode during one trip - fortunately I had prednisone, ventolin aerosal treatments with us. Both were pretty scary, because they were unexpected reactions. If I had been prepared, it might not have been as scary.

[judiz]

I'm asthmatic so my allergist is giving me an inhaler to use before and while we are in Colorado, I don't plan on doing any climbing.

[Flatfoote]

I'm asthmatic too. I've also lived here all my life (well, since I was 3 anyway, which is pretty much all my life). So one would think I'd be acclimated to the altitude. We've made several trips to Central City/Blackhawk before and after their tranformations into gambling towns. And although I never had trouble before, my last trip was terrible. There are a lot of steep sidewalks. And on that last trip, it felt like someone had poured concrete down into my lungs and let it harden. Of course, it didn't help to be accompanied by a sister who had to "show me" how much more fit she was than me, and how incensed she was I dared to be not fit enough to keep up with her and breathe at the same time.

[Lizziebeth]

In short, probably a good idea not to run a 5k immediately upon landing. Stay hydrated.

A flatlander friend of mine travelled to Colorado with his wife and son. She is a runner and decided to run the evening they arrived. She and her son went their usual distance and finished OK. She was so sick the next day she had to stay in bed. Her son did not feel the effects as much. Maybe age can be a factor too??

[barbk]

Some hotel suggestions:
In Denver: Holiday Inn Select - Cherry Creek. On Colorado Boulevard, lots of businesses and restaurants around. About ten blocks from Cherry Creek Shopping Center and the surrounding Cherry Creek retail district. (Personally not a big fan of the shopping center, but the district is very lovely with lots of shops, restaurants, galleries.) About 30 blocks (just North on Colorado Blvd.) from the Zoo, the Museum of Nature and Science, and about 20 blocks from the Botanical Gardens. Even nicer (and better located) is the JW Marriott Cherry Creek - right in the midst of everything, but unless you can find a deal on it, well outside your range.

Downtown Denver is about 25 blocks away -- great bus service. I don't see much in the way of nicer downtown hotels in the price range you want, and those that do have better prices are either fewer stars or in dodgier locations.

Colorado Springs - Hyatt Place Garden of the Gods, Doubletree Hotel Colorado Springs World Arena, Crowne Plaza (couple dollars over, but maybe a splurge for a night)

Boulder - Quality Inn & Suites Boulder Creek. No restaurant on-site, but this is in a good location -- about four blocks to Pearl Street, the nice outdoor shopping/restaurant district. Days Hotel - Boulder: This is a little out-of-the-way (car definitely needed) but has the benefit of having on on site cafe open for breakfast and lunch that is good enough that we go there every month or so. Millenium Harvest House is the biggest hotel in town, you might get a better rate if you call them directly or have AAA. Several restaurants. The classic is the Hotel Boulderado, but it is going to be out of range in all probability. Marriott - need to look for a good price, but nice location. Has restaurants, and an Original Pancake House and Egg & I restaurants are both across the parking lot. (This is a regular Mariott, not a Courtyard). At a substantially lower pricepoint, Louisville, the next town over from Boulder (towards Denver, about 15 min. from Boulder) has a bunch of hotels.

Estes Park - Best Western Silver Saddle (A motel, but reasonably nice, in a very good location.) The Holiday Inn is nicer, but unless you can find a deal, probably outside your price range. There are some wonderful cottage complexes, often along one of the rivers -- let me know if that might be of interest -- typically no restaurant, though, and they may have a several night minimum.