There is a place called Winter Park, Colorado that is aptly named because it is a giant playground made of snow in the winter. However, in the summer, I believe it should be renamed Bliss because that is the feeling I have whenever I am there.
While we have been there in the winter, and enjoyed it immensely, we have chosen it as our summer destination this year. My husband is a teacher, and I am a stay-at-home mom, so we are lucky to have a lot of time in the summer to spend in a new place and make it our home for a month.
Our trip started last winter when we were researching places to go that we could afford, and would actually want to go. The places on our list were the Upper Peninsula in Michigan, Door County in Wisconsin, and Bend, Oregon, as well as Winter Park. Last summer we spent a couple of days in Winter Park, and with that experience in mind, our final choice became Colorado.
There is such a freedom in being able to pack up a vehicle and enter into a month long adventure, knowing that the place you are going has everything you want, need, and enjoy. We were able to bring the parts of our lives out here that we needed for the month, while leaving behind the things that could wait. I have a lot of volunteer obligations, but given enough notice, I am able to pass those on to others for the month, or they can simply be put on hold.
That is the allure for my husband and me. My children, ages four and eight, look forward to the pool that comes with the condo we rent, the giant bike park a short riding distance from our place, and having mom and dad all to themselves for a month.
Winter Park/Bliss has so much to offer for free in the summer. I filled out a calendar with all of the events and not a day was untouched by my pen. Every day we are finding more things to add. There are not two, but three free days of yoga a week! These are just the events offered by the local chamber of commerce and the Winter Park Resort.
There is so much more than that! The extensive bike trail system is free! There is everything from the paved Fraser River Trail that we can take our bike trailer on easily to reach just about everything! Then there are the famous mountain bike trails in this Mountain Bike Capital USA that my husband and I enjoy. These trails are also perfect for hiking and wildlife viewing. While riding on a dirt trail next to the Fraser River, my son and I saw an Osprey flying overhead looking for fish in the many ponds available for fishing!
Our days are free from restraints and we can pick and choose from any of the outdoor activities we want to that day, and if we don’t get to it because we are busy enjoying the beauty of the mountains, there is always tomorrow.
Part of the freedom we feel from this place is being able to be here for so long that we feel like we are locals. The other part is simply because it’s Winter Park. The mountain air, inspiring views, and endless amount of activities to take part in every day, allow for a leisurely stay and a schedule that is completely up to our moods for the day. Four year old wants to go swimming, no problem! I’ll take the eight year old to the bike park! Happy summer!
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