Andrea with a statue of a deer outside the Stanley Hotel.

Estes Park

Felix Wong's avatar
by |

After Rocky Mountain National Park, we headed to downtown Estes Park to refuel. Andrea had never eaten elk or buffalo before, so we went to Penelope’s Burgers and Fries, where burgers made from those animals are available.

“Not bad,” we decided. Honestly, I didn’t think the burgers tasted much different from the beef variety, but they were tasty. Penelope’s also had a lot of vintage car memorabilia on the walls worth checking out.

After that and doing some window shopping, we went to another icon of Estes Park: the Stanley Hotel. The Stanley Hotel’s claim to fame was being the inspiration for the hotel in the Steven King thriller/movie The Shining, along with being in other movies like Jim Carrey’s Dumb and Dumber.

The Stanley was also a lovely place to enjoy a cup of coffee or hot chocolate by a fireplace. It was an excellent way to cap off a fun day in the region.

Andrea in Estes Park.
Andrea in Estes Park.
License plates, hubcaps, and Route 66 posters on the wall at Penelope's Hamburgers & Fries.
License plates, hubcaps, and Route 66 posters on the wall at Penelope's Hamburgers & Fries.
Andrea looking at some Estes Park T-shirts.
Andrea looking at some Estes Park T-shirts.
The Stanley Hotel.
The Stanley Hotel.
Andrea with a statue of a deer outside the Stanley Hotel.
Andrea with a statue of a deer outside the Stanley Hotel.
Mountains as seen from the Stanley Hotel.
Mountains as seen from the Stanley Hotel.
Felix Wong a green car inside the Stanley Hotel that was around 120 years old.
Photo by Andrea
Felix Wong a green car inside the Stanley Hotel that was around 120 years old.
Andrea with a cup of coffee by the fireplace inside the Stanley Hotel.
Andrea with a cup of coffee by the fireplace inside the Stanley Hotel.
Felix sitting in a chair next to a cup of coffee inside the Stanley Hotel.
Photo by Andrea
Felix sitting in a chair next to a cup of coffee inside the Stanley Hotel.
Andrea with a black London taxi outside the Stanley Hotel.
Andrea with a black London taxi outside the Stanley Hotel.