The 15 Best Things to Do in Estes Park (A First-Timer's Bucket List)

So, you’re plannin’ a trip to Estes Park? Heck yeah! Get ready for some of the most amazin’ mountain views you’ll ever see. Estes is awesome, it’s the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park and just a super cool town to hang out in.

But here’s the thing not everyone talks about: figurin’ out how to get here from Denver.

That’s where we come in. Here at Estes Direct, we’re your local guide for getting from Denver to Estes Park and back. That’s our whole deal. We know everything about making that trip easy. Whether you need a shuttle, a car rental, or some custom transfer, we handle it. You can trust us to have the most up to date info. Period.

We want you to have the best first trip ever. So, once you let us handle the drive (seriously, check us out at estesdirect.com, it’s no sweat), you can focus on the fun stuff. And man, is there a lot of fun stuff.

Here’s our bucket list for a first-timer in Estes Park.

The 15 Best Things to Do in Estes Park

1. Explore Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP)

This is the big one. You can’t come to Estes Park and not go to RMNP. It’s why most people are here! For your first time, there’s two things you gotta do:

Drive Trail Ridge Road: This is the highest paved road in North America. It’s… just… wow. The views go on forever, all the way to Wyoming. It’s only open in the summer and fall, so check if it’s open. But if it is, you HAVE to do it.
Hike to an Alpine Lake: The Bear Lake area is perfect for first-timers. The walk around Bear Lake is super easy and flat. From there, you can hike up to Dream Lake and Emerald Lake. It’s a little uphill, but totally worth it. The pictures you’ll get are insane.

Just a heads up, RMNP now requires a timed entry permit in the busy season. So plan ahead!

2. Get Spooked at The Stanley Hotel

Even if you’re not a horror movie fan, you know this place. It’s the hotel that inspired Stephen King to write The Shining. It’s this huge, white, beautiful (and definitely haunted) hotel on the hill overlooking town.

You can just walk around the grounds, grab a drink at their fancy whiskey bar, or take one of their tours. They have history tours and, of course, a ghost tour. It’s a classic Estes Park thing to do.

3. Shop ’til You Drop on Elkhorn Avenue

This is the main drag, the heart of downtown. It’s packed with all kinds of shops. You want souvenirs? They got ’em. You want homemade fudge and ice cream? Yep. You want art galleries, Christmas-all-year stores, and goofy t-shirts? You bet.

It’s just a fun place to spend an afternoon, grab a bite, and just soak in the mountain town vibe.

4. Take a Peaceful Stroll on the Riverwalk

Right behind all those busy shops on Elkhorn Avenue is the Riverwalk. It’s this lovely, peaceful path that follows the Big Thompson River right through town. It’s way quieter, lined with trees, flowers, and benches. It’s the perfect escape from the crowds. You can walk the whole length of downtown and barely see the street.

5. Watch the Majestic Elk (From a Distance!)

You won’t have to look hard. The elk basically own this town. You’ll see them just walking down the street, hanging out on the golf course, or chilling in the middle of a roundabout.

They are amazing to see, especially during the “rut” in the fall when the big males are bugling. But seriously, keep your distance. They are wild animals and can be dangerous. Don’t be that tourist on YouTube. Use your camera’s zoom.

6. Soar on the Estes Park Aerial Tramway

Want the best view of Estes Park without a long hike? This is it. This cool, red tram car has been running since 1955. It takes you right from downtown up to the top of Prospect Mountain. The ride itself is fun, and the view from the top is spectacular. You can see the whole valley, the Continental Divide, and all of RMNP.

7. Relax at Lake Estes

As you drive into town (especially if you take our shuttle from Denver!), you’ll see this beautiful lake. That’s Lake Estes. It’s got a great 3.75-mile paved trail that goes all the way around it. You can rent bikes, or even better, rent a pontoon boat, kayak, or paddleboard from the marina. It’s a super chill way to spend a few hours.

8. Sip on Local Brews (or Wine!)

After a long day of hiking, you need a good drink. Estes has you covered.

Breweries: Check out Estes Park Brewery (they have free pool tables!) or Rock Cut Brewing.
Winery: Snowy Peaks Winery is right downtown and does tastings of Colorado-made wines.
Distillery: Elkins Distilling Co. makes some awesome local whiskey.

9. Get Your Sugar Fix with Local Taffy

You can’t walk down Elkhorn Avenue without smelling the fresh, hot taffy. It’s an Estes Park tradition. There are a few famous shops, like The Taffy Shop (open since 1935!) and Purple Mountain Taffy Company. They pull it right in the window. You gotta get a box. It’s a rule.

10. Giddy Up on a Horseback Ride

This is the Rockies, after all! Why not see ’em like a cowboy? There are a bunch of stables in and around town that offer guided horseback rides. You can do a short one-hour ride or a half-day trip that takes you up into the mountains for some amazing views you just can’t get from the car.

11. Learn Some History at the Estes Park Museum

If you’re a history buff, or just wondering “how did this town even get here?”, this is a great stop. It’s a small museum, but it does a great job explaining the history of the area, from the native tribes to the first homesteaders (like Joel Estes, the town’s namesake) and the growth of tourism thanks to F.O. Stanley (of hotel fame).

12. See a Flic at the Historic Park Theatre

This isn’t just any movie theater. The Historic Park Theatre is the oldest working movie theater in the United States that was originally built as a movie theater. It opened in 1913! It’s got this iconic, crazy-looking tower on top. They show current movies, so it’s a perfect rainy-day or relaxing-evening activity.

13. Ride the Mustang Mountain Coaster

This is one of the newer attractions and it’s a total blast. It’s an alpine coaster, so you sit in a little cart and fly down the side of a mountain on a track. You control the brake, so you can go as fast or slow as you want. It’s super fun and gives you a good little adrenaline rush.

14. Take a Day Trip for White Water Rafting

Okay, so this isn’t in Estes Park, but it’s a classic Colorado adventure that a lot of folks base out of here. The nearest rafting is on the Cache la Poudre River, which is about an hour’s drive. Lots of companies will pick you up in Estes and take you for a half-day or full-day of thrilling rapids. It’s a great way to cool off on a hot summer day.

15. Hike to Gem Lake

If you want a great hike that’s not in the National Park (so you don’t need the RMNP permit), check out Gem Lake. The trailhead is right in town at Lumpy Ridge. It’s about 3.5 miles round-trip, and it’s pretty much all uphill on the way there. But the trail is cool, with crazy rock formations, and Gem Lake itself is this tiny, pretty little lake tucked into the cliffs.

Whew! That’s a List.

See? You’re not gonna be bored. Estes Park has so much to offer, and this is just the start.

But your first step is getting here.

Don’t start your vacation by stressing about the mountain driving, the traffic on I-70 and US-36, or trying to find parking (it’s a nightmare, trust us).

Let Estes Direct handle it. That’s what we do. We’re your local guide for getting from Denver to Estes Park and back. We offer shuttles, we can help with car rentals, we do private transfers, and we even have custom concierge services if you need something special.

Check out our website at estesdirect.com to book your ride. We’ll get you from Denver to Estes Park safely and easily, so you can get right to your bucket list.

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