Traveling Home from Colorado

Well, as they say, all good things must come to an end.  We returned to Guatemala after one of the most incredibly amazing vacations we have ever taken. Everything about it was phenomenal! I wish we could back up and do it all over again! I doubt there is anything I’d change or do differently. It was perfect, timely, and everything I hoped it would be. We were all a little sad to leave that stunning state. The beauty there was just indescribable! Colorado will always hold a special place in our hearts!!! It was the best vacation ever! 

On our last full day there we enjoyed a slow morning and took our time checking out of the hotel in Colorado Springs. We drove from Colorado Springs back into Denver where we stayed overnight near the airport.  We enjoyed lunch at Raising Cane's, made another visit to Bass Pro Shop, went to Wal-Mart, had our final supper at Chipotle, and then tried our best to get a good night's rest.  Here are a few photos I took before we left. 

 

We love Turo and had another wonderful experience with them.  Turo is a car-sharing marketplace where private car owners rent out their vehicles to individuals. It's often described as the "Airbnb for cars".  On this particular trip we had a Jeep Cherokee and absolutely loved it! The car was waiting for us as the airport, and we dropped it back off at the airport.  It was quick, easy, and convenient. We have used Turo multiple times over the years and never had an issue.  Check them out for your car rental needs. 

 

We passed this road sign on the drive to Denver from Colorado Springs.  We are definitely looking forward to our time in Mississippi later this month. 

 

sunset mountain view from our hotel in Denver 

 

snow mountain view on the drive to the airport  

 

dropping off our car at the Denver airport 

 

 

I saw this sticker on another car parked at the airport and smiled. I am already researching our next national park trip. 

 

 

leaving the Denver airport 

 

flying over the Rocky Mountains 

 

view of the Rocky Mountains from the plane 

 

View of Los Angeles as we landed.

 

View of the freeway in Los Angeles as we landed.

 

We flew into Guatemala later that night.  It was around 11:00 pm by the time we got to our house.  We were completely exhausted but also completely filled with many wonderful memories that will last us a lifetime.  It really was the best vacation I think we will ever take as a family because I'm not sure we'll ever be able to top this one.  

Flying to Denver and Driving to Estes Park

In our last stateside year (2021) we visited six national parks- Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier. We made plans then to visit the four national parks in Colorado on our next stateside year (2025). In mid- May we set off on that trip.

 

We had wanted to do it in July while already in the U.S., but our summer schedule filled up quickly. Instead, we went from Guatemala. We made it a combined trip celebrating the end of the school year, successfully completing our first year of high school, Cruz’s 15th birthday, and the upcoming end of our fifth term of service.

 

To say we were excited would be a huge understatement! We were all ready for some wide open, fresh air, outdoor, scenic spaces!

 

Here's my first of many posts about our incredible family vacation trip to Colorado.  

These are the places we planned to visit on this trip. 

 

 

on the plane ready to get the adventure started 

 

We flew Guatemala City to Los Angeles.  Here is a view of SoFi Stadium as we were landing.  The boys were excited to see it. 

 

 

A view of the ocean as we took off in Los Angeles. 

 

 

Next stop, Denver!!! 

 

 

A gorgeous view of the snow covered Rocky Mountains as we flew over them. My eyes filled with tears as I looked out and saw this view.  I think I was more excited about this trip than any trip I have ever taken in my life.   

 

A rainbow in the distance as we landed in Denver 

 

It was nearly 10:00 pm when we arrived at our Denver hotel.  There was a Chick-fil-A next door but the dining room was closed.  We got our food to-go and ate it in the room.  We could not wait to enjoy that delicious chicken!!

We were up early the next morning eager to get on the road.  We had breakfast at the hotel and then set out for Wal-Mart.  We love Wal-Mart and could not wait to get there! We picked up lunch picnic supplies for the week and then drove on towards Estes Park. 

The boys loaded up and ready to go. 

 

Our first view of the mountains in the distance. 

 

We drove through Boulder and passed by the University of Colorado.  Yes, we looked around for Coach Prime, but we didn't see him. 

driving to Estes Park 

 

Once arriving in Estes Park we stopped for coffee and then headed towards the national park.  We passed by the famous Stanley Hotel on the way there. It was fun to see it in person.

 

Next I'll share about our first visit to Rocky Mountain National park.  It was a snow filled day and one we will never forget.