How to Use This Web Site - The Colorado Vacation Directory

How to Use The Colorado Vacation Directory Web Site

Exchange Links | Definition of Terms | Definition of Icons
Additional Definitions for Types of Accommodations | Rates
Reservations, Facilities and Fun Things to Do
State of Colorado Fun Facts

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Click on the tabs at the top of each page to go to different departments. Each department has its own buttons or menu which appears at the left edge of the page.

The "Places To Stay" and "Fun Things To Do" departments have search engines and lists. You can do a search for a town, an area, or a specific type of business. Searches can be started from anywhere in the department by clicking on a button. You do not have to go back to the Home Page to begin a new search.

When you click on one of the buttons along the left side of the screen it will take you to a screen where you have the option of doing a search by area & amenities, etc., or you can go straight to the A-Z list of businesses and search that way. Each business page lists contact information for that particular place. So you can email them, if that is an option, or contact them by phone or mail. You can contact them about open dates, amenities you may have questions about, pricing, reservations, or just to get some more general information about the facility.

DEFINITION OF TERMS:

This web site describes a variety of cabins, lodges, country B&Bs, campgrounds, RV parks, licensed outfitters, and fun things to do. Our web site is organized into sections. Each section covers a particular area. Searches can be done on the type of lodging or activity that you are looking for, or by what part of Colorado you would like to visit.

You can use the List of Towns & Areas to locate the town or area which interests you. Most towns are grouped together into a common geographic area. Map coordinates are also shown on the property and town pages. Use these to help you locate the town on our map pages.

On many of our town pages you'll notice we have "Display Advertisers" at the top of the list. These are businesses that have purchased a display ad in our printed Colorado Directory. In exchange, we have decided to give them a little preferential treatment. The businesses are listed in order from largest ad purchased to smallest.

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DEFINITION OF ICONS:

Cabins & Cottages	May be a Cabin, Cottage, Chalet, Cabin-ette, Cabin-suite or Guest House - what you call them often depends on where you're from. Cabins are usually log or log-sided; cottages are frequently frame construction. Here we use "cabin" to mean all of these. Click here for additional definitions
Motels & Hotels	Motel generally describes an accommodation which provides lodging and parking in which the rooms are usually entered from the outdoor parking area.
Lodges	Often called a historic hotel room, includes linens and a bathroom in the room or a shared bath down the hall. Rooms in a lodge are usually entered from inside the building. Some lodge rooms are more akin to a small apartment or suite of rooms, which may include a kitchen.
Vacation Homes	Generally describes an accommodation unit with three or more bedrooms, separate living areas (kitchen, living room, dining room) and more modern amenities than a cabin. This is truly a "home away from home." Often these homes are used for multi-family getaways or small retreats.
Suites & Condos	Suites may be in a lodge or B&B. These include a bedroom, fancy bath & sitting area. A motel suite is two adjoining rooms. Condos, which can also be called townhouses, include a bedroom, living room & cooking facilities.
Country Bed & Breakfast Inns	Room may be in a lodge, inn, or owner's home and always includes breakfast.
Tent Camping	Tent campsites are suitable for overnight camping for a family, usually have a fire ring or grill, picnic table, accessible to nearby drinking water, modern restrooms and hot showers. Tent Sites are for a tent, pickup, van, or car.
RV Parks	RV Parks have campsites suitable for overnight camping for a family, usually have a fire ring or grill, picnic table, accessible to nearby drinking water, modern restrooms and hot showers. RV Sites usually have utility hookups for an RV (Recreational Vehicle) such as a motorhome, camping trailer (pop-up), 5th wheel, or travel trailer, pickup camper, or van.
RV Sales and Services	These are mostly Dealers who sell and service Recreation vehicles, or RV's, that comprise of vehicles that combine transportation and temporary living quarters, such as folding camping trailers (pop-ups), truck campers, travel trailers, fifth wheel travel trailers, and type A, B & C motorhomes. Their services vary greatly some only do in shop service while others are mobile and can come to your RV. Many Dealers who sell RVs offer trade-in and financing options. Some RV dealers and other businesses rent RV's. The rental part of the industry may offer small pop-up campers that can be towed by most cars or class A or C motorhomes.
Romance Packages	Businesses listed offer special romance packages for honeymooners or anytime.
Family Activities	These accommodations offer Family Friendly Activities on site. The activities can be included in your rental cost like movie nights, chalk talks, playgrounds and game halls or they can be added on like a pancake breakfast, horseback riding, mini-golf and chuckwagon dinners. They usually don't have a staff activity director. Some businesses even offer youth programs that give Mom and Dad a chance to have some quiet time.
Dogs OK	Businesses listed welcome dogs. Please contact each place in advance to learn their specific pet policies.
By Water	List of properties with water on the property or some of the property is at the water's edge.
Swimming Pools	These businesses have an on-site swimming pool. Indoor pools tend to be open year round; while outdoor pools are usually only open between memorial day through Labor Day.
Guest Horses	Businesses listed can accommodate your horse while you stay at their property. Please contact each place to learn their specific horse policies.
Groups, Reunions & Conferences	Businesses listed can accomodate large groups with either an indoor meeting room and/or an outdoor picnic area. Many businesses offer catering.
Weddings & Elopements	Businesses listed can accomodate weddings and may offer wedding planning.
Open in Winter	Businesses listed are open in winter and offer winter activities such as snowmobiling, skiing and snowshoeing on site or within a short distance.
Calendar of Events	These are lists of events that are open to the public regardless of where you stay. They can be free or fee based. They happen during a specific set of dates rather than being open year round. You can usually contact the local Chamber of Commerce to get additional information about the event.
National Parks and Monuments	Most of the sites that are listed on this part of our site are areas of land set aside by an act of Congress or Presidential proclamation because of its unique physical and/or cultural value to the nation as a whole; and administered by the Department of Interior for public use. Also included are National Historic Sites, National Recreation Areas, Archaeological Sites, and National Grasslands. In addition we have listed a few places that are so well known in Colorado we could not leave them out like Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak both are in Colorado Spring and inspired the song "America the Beautiful."
Scenic Byways and Drives	All the Byways listed in this section of our web site have been designated by legislation that enacted "The Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways program" a statewide partnership intended to provide recreational, educational, and economic benefits to Coloradans and visitors. Scenic Drives are just that. We know of many additional roads that are worth seeing so we are including them, but they are not officially recognized Byways. This system of outstanding touring routes in Colorado affords the traveler interpretation and identification of key points of interest and services while providing for the protection of significant resources. Designated scenic byways are designated with a columbine flower that are also found along the routes you drive; while scenic drives are designated with binoculars on our site.
Fishing	Businesses listed have fishing in a lake, reservoir, pond, river, stream or creek on site or within a short distance. They may also have guided fishing trips or hourly lessons.
Hot Springs	Businesses listed may have a hot springs on site or may have a public hot springs within a short distance.
Horse Rides	Businesses listed may have horseback riding on site or within a short distance.
ATVing	Businesses listed may offer ATV rentals and/or tours on site or within a short distance.
Jeeping & 4WD	Businesses listed may offer Jeep rentals and/or tours on site or within a short distance.
Rafting & Kayaking	Businesses listed may have rafting/kayaking on site or within a short distance.
Attractions	These businesses usually stand alone and usually require an entrance fee such as historic sites, mines, museums, shows, theme parks, tours, train rides, zoos & botanical gardens.
Golfing	Businesses listed may be a public golf course or have a public golf course nearby.
Hunting	Businesses listed may have hunting, guided or unguided, on site or within a short distance.
Restaurants	List of properties that have a restaurant on site.
More Fun Stuff	Businesses listed offer a wide variety of fun, family oriented things to do such as train rides, cave tours, mine tours, western chuckwagon suppers, casino gambling...
Snowmobiling	Businesses that offer snowmobiling on site or within a short distance. Some businesses may offer snowmobile rentals or tours.
Downhill Skiing	Businesses listed are adjacent to or within a short distance of a downhill ski area.
Snowshoeing	Businesses listed may have snowshoeing on site or within a short distance. Some businesses may offer snowshoe rentals as well.
Cross-Country Skiing	Businesses listed may have cross-country skiing on site or within a short distance. Some businesses may offer cross-country ski rentals as well.
New Icon	Businesses are a new addition to our site if they have this icon next to their name.
E-mail Icon	You can e-mail businesses directly that have this icon next to their name.
Camera Icon	You can see photos of businesses that have this icon next to their name.
Virtual Icon	You can see 360 degree virtual tours of businesses that have this icon next to their name.
Rates Page Icon	Businesses have a separate rates page if they have this icon next to their name.
Link Icon	Businesses have a link to their personal Web site if they have this icon next to their name.

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ADDITIONAL DEFINITIONS - TYPES OF ACCOMMODATIONS

Modern means a bathroom (toilet and hot shower or tub) are inside the cabin.

Rustic either describes atmosphere or style, or means a bathroom is not inside the cabin, but usually in another building.

Primitive or Pioneer means no electricity.

Camper Cabin usually located at a campground, means an inexpensive, non-housekeeping, rustic and sometimes primitive cabin. Bring your own sleeping bags or blankets. Camper cabins are usually not heated - think of them as a "wooden tent." They are also Yurts and Platform Tents. A brand of camper cabin is a Kamping Kabin�, which is a trademark of Kampgrounds of America, Inc.

Full Hookup means an RV site has its own electrical, water & sewer connections.

Efficiency Studios are one room units with a microwave and refrigerator.

Lodge Suites are units in a lodge with a bedroom, fancy bath & sitting area.

Motel Suites are two adjacent rooms in a motel.

B&B Suites are units in a B&B with a bedroom, fancy bath & sitting area.

Cabin-ettes are a cabin on the inside, but instead of being a stand-alone cabin on the outside, it is part of a mulit-unit structure. Think of it as a duplex, triplex or multiplex single-story cabin building. Sometimes the building is an old style motel with rooms in a row that have classic style knotty pine interiors with full kitchens or kitchenettes.

Cabin-suites are also part of a�mulit-unit structure. They�are new, modern, usually single-story, condo-style, luxury units with full kitchens and often indoor hot tubs. While the cabin-suites�themselves�are single-story, they may be part of a two story building. However, they are not multi-story units in high-rise buildings as found at ski resorts.

Cooking Facilities includes at a minimum a stovetop & refrigerator, plus either an oven or microwave, pots, pans, dishes & utensils.

Secluded cabin or vacation home is an individual structure which is isolated from other homes or businesses.

Remote is a business which is located far away from a community convenience store & restaurant.

Ranch Setting refers to a business which is located on open range, fields, praries or plains.

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RATES:

Cabin and room prices constantly change, both seasonally and annually, therefore, in most cases, we provide a price range. The rates for two people per night are indicated. Please note the rates listed may change at any time, so be sure to verify them and other important items and features when making your reservations.

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RESERVATIONS, FACILITIES, and FUN THINGS TO DO:

Be aware that reservations are recommended, sometimes months in advance for holiday weekends and during peak summer and winter seasons of June 15th to August 20th, and the week between Christmas and New Years. Depending on location, other busy times include the fall hunting seasons of mid-September to mid-November. In winter, properties near a ski area, President's Day weekend, Easter weekend, and spring vacation should also be reserved well in advance.

Consider a fall, winter or spring vacation when rates can be lower, reservations easier, fewer people are around and the scenery even more spectacular.

When selecting accommodations for your vacation, phone or e-mail the owner/operator to check what they have to offer: price, facilities, reservation deposit/refund policy, non-smoking units available, pet policy, and so on. Season opening dates may change, depending on weather.

Facilities at commercial campgrounds, cabin resorts and lodges often include a store with some groceries, ice, firewood, and camping and fishing supplies. They may also offer a game room, recreation hall, gifts and souvenirs, pool, hot tub, playground, basketball, volleyball, miniature golf and a snack bar or restaurant. Best of all the owner/operator lives on site - they should care about you and can serve as your personal hosts providing for your safety and security.

Activities in which you can participate may include fishing, guides and outfitters, nature walks, hiking, climbing, hay rides, water sports, barbecue cookouts, water raft trips and kayaking, four wheeling, square dancing, sightseeing, tours, gold panning, rockhounding and horseback riding. In the fall, viewing the aspen colors and small and big game hunting are popular pursuits. Winter brings snowmobiling, cross-country and downhill skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing, sleigh and snow-cat rides and snuggling up by a cozy fire. Inquire about rental equipment and instructions for activities when you talk with the owner/operator.

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Copyright by The Colorado Directory, Inc. This is a directory only; it is not and does not contain a recommendation,warranty, guaranty, inducement or endorsement of any kind. Representations herein were supplied by the individual businesses. The publisher, The Colorado Directory, Inc., does not assume any responsibility for truth, falsity or completeness of any representation made herein or any errors, changes, services rendered, or changes made in the use of this directory. This information was compiled as accurately as possible. Prices and services are frequently subject to change. Errors called to the publisher's attention will be corrected in the future. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher.