Take a vintage vacation at this small town in Colorado! Georgetown is filled with attractions from train rides to chocolate shops. This is one destination that has a little bit of everything for everyone: history, outdoor recreation, shopping, and scenery that will leave your jaw dropped! Let's take a trip and explore this small-but-spectacular Colorado town:
Nestled in the mountains west of Denver, Georgetown is quite the small town to visit!
This quirky town may be small (population under 2,000) but it's packed with family-friendly adventure. In addition to the attractions, you'll also be walking through history. The town is a frozen snapshot in time, not much has changed since its start in 1859!
We'd also like to take a moment and mention they have an honorable mayor: Parker the Snow Dog. The town celebrates his birthday every July so do with this information what you will.
The scenery is breathtaking when you first spot this town in the valley but the charm really begins when you start exploring the streets.
This historic mining town is one of the few to still have many of its original (and restored) Victorian buildings. Many of the shops have a long history and are well worth a visit or two during your stay! The oldest shop in town is the import-grocery store: Kneisel And Anderson. Some other longstanding must-sees include the Gateway Visitor Center, Georgetown Valley Candy Company, Santa Fe Trail Jewelry, and the Georgetown Gallery. The tiny town also has four museums as well as multiple walking tours.
The one attraction you don't want to miss is the Georgetown Loop Railroad.
Chug along in a historic steam locomotive up the canyon and pass multiple gold and silver mines. This immersive mobile museum will delight kids and kids-at-heart! The round trip takes a little over an hour and ticket information can be found right here.
We mentioned the train passing the mines but you can take an even deeper exploration.
In addition to a standard round trip, the Georgetown Loop Railroad also has mine tours and gold panning! You and your family will get a first-hand look at why Georgetown was known as "The Silver Queen of the Rockies." The Lebanon Mine (pictured) is at the halfway point of the train tour and can be explored at either 500-ft. or 900-ft. below the surface. Children under 5 are not recommended for this tour add-on but older kids will thoroughly enjoy getting to pan for the precious metals!
For more details on this part of the tour, visit this page.
After exploring underground, head to the surface for some more scenic beauty!
Multiple hikes traverse in and around Georgetown. Hells Hole Trail, Griffin Memorial Trail, and Rutherford Trail are all popular but do keep in mind they're best for experienced hikers. A more family-friendly option is the Tom Bennhoff Lake Trail. It's an easy loop around the lake that's under two miles. You can see the map of it here.
You can walk around the lakes or even walk on one during winter!
Georgetown Lake has rainbow trout year-round but also has ice fishing available during the winter months! The lake has multiple ice racing events during this time which are just as fun to watch as they are to participate!
Non-motorized boats are welcomed (when the lake is thawed) and a fishing license is required.
Georgetown can also begin your next Colorado scenic drive.
Georgetown is one of the starting points to the unbelievably gorgeous Guanella Pass Scenic Byway. Between Georgetown and Grant, the byway traverses 22 miles of some of the prettiest scenery in the state. Be sure to have your camera ready for this tour! In addition to the scenery, drivers will also spot numerous bighorn sheep, beavers, and other fauna.
Plan a vintage vacation to Georgetown for your next family getaway!
Take this inspiration and research your trip further by visiting Georgetown's official website. For upcoming city events and such follow their Facebook Page right here.
Where's your favorite small town for a Colorado family adventure? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
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