Move over Batmobile, and make way for the mighty McLaren. Car enthusiast Andy Stonehouse takes the futuristic McLaren Spider for a three-day spin on Colorado roads – and chronicles the adventure.
By Andy Stonehouse

Colorado homeowners face new realities as they navigate Covid. From home offices to improved home spaces, the local real estate market is thriving and sales are strong.
By Steve Blank

Unwind and watch the world go by aboard the California Zephyr. Eric Elkins explores a long weekend getaway on Amtrak’s famed route to the West Coast.
By Eric Elkins

Once home to dinosaurs over 100 million years ago, the Royal Gorge region now sees 2.3 million visitors per year. That’s because it’s practically designed for adventure. This central Colorado destination merely two hours from Denver is where guests can find stunning scenery, exceptional accommodations, adrenaline-pumping recreation … and a great bottle of wine.

There’s so much to do that the best way to book a vacation is through the tour booking website, RoyalGorge.info — or by downloading the Royal Gorge mobile app — where visitors can plan multi-adventure and multi-day packages all in one place. “We can help people plan and book their entire vacation with one call to our office,” says Will Colon, owner of Colorado Jeep Tours and Raft Masters.

Family vacations across the country were cancelled this year because of the pandemic, forcing people to get creative with their getaways. As travelers consider venturing beyond their quarantine quarters, there are abundant treasures right in our own backyard. (The state’s natural beauty is the reason we live here, right?) While people may express various comfort levels for travel, there are ample ways to give yourself a much-needed break from the stresses of life during COVID while still staying safe. Read on for some ways to make family memories, whether you plan tent camping or staying in a high-end hotel suite. In these times, every lodging option has adapted their own codes for safety and cleanliness, so ask about the policies before you book.

The pandemic has had a devastating impact on communities nationwide, leaving countless people unemployed and homeless. Often with nowhere to turn and no hope in sight, individuals who once lived with security are now faced with the harsh reality of abandonment, forced out of homes and relying on others’ goodwill to get through another day.

Enter Mercy Housing, a nationwide nonprofit that dedicates its time and resources to working with families, seniors and those with special needs – a mission vital for this vulnerable population. Founded in 1981 and currently operating in 41 states, the organization serves more than 152,000 people and to date has participated in the development, financing or operation of more than 56,000 affordable homes.

In viewing black and white photos of Grand Lake Lodge shortly after it was built 100 years ago, you’ll find the place looks very much the same as it does today. However, back in 1920, people didn’t flock en masse to mountain towns for summer weekend getaways of hiking, biking, camping and water sports like they do now. Still, at that time the scenic allure of the rugged Colorado Rockies, particularly the newly established Rocky Mountain National Park, was gaining traction.

Roe Emery, widely known as “the father of Colorado tourism” who once owned The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, had launched a popular scenic bus tour — the Circle Trip — from Denver through Rocky Mountain National Park, around Grand Lake and back. In order to provide bus passengers more than a passing glimpse of Grand Lake, Emery co-founded Grand Lake Lodge, a luxurious restaurant, lobby and collection of 70 cabins, all created from native lodge pole pine trees and located directly off Trail Ridge Road at the boundary of Rocky Mountain National Park, majestically perched above the lake.

s Colorado hotels and resorts reopen slowly and cautiously—like a dimmer dial rather than a light switch—a new essential worker is emerging: the hotel housekeeper. Once behind-the-scene employees, the housekeeping staff is now front and center as cleanliness, health and safety have become the most important aspects of a hotel stay. Indeed, housekeepers now are to hotels what healthcare workers are to hospitals.

Before the coronavirus, cleaning was kept in the background. “Housekeeping was done usually when guests were gone,” said Chris Daly, public relations professional in the hotel industry. “It’s not something we talked about. You might see a maid with a cart in the hallway and say ‘good morning,’ but it’s not something you interacted with. That’s gone. This [housekeeping] is now something guests want to know about. They want to be reassured.”

McLaren’s lightweight, hyper-powerful 570S Spider brings supercar prowess to an almost-affordable price point. And turns heads at the same time.

What do you do when all of your automotive dreams come true? A gleaming blue, hyper-futuristic McLaren sports car, 20 times as exotic as any run-of-the-mill Corvette or Porsche, materialized for a 72-hour period this summer, with no one to oversee my travels. And as someone who does not normally (i.e., ever) drive supercars, I discovered a fabulous juxtaposition at work with this very, very special British two-seater.

The 2020 570S Spider, a low-slung, mid-engined speed machine with a carbon fiber-chassis, upward-opening doors, a convertible roof and a twin-turbo V-8 engine making Formula One exhaust noises, does indeed become the instant center of attention anywhere it is driven, or even parked. Jaws drop, heads spin around, and everyone in the neighborhood is suddenly on alert, as if the actual Batmobile has rolled into their cul-de-sac.

Colorado Ski Country USA is offering children and adult ski passes for the 2020-2021 ski season. We may not yet know what the season will bring, but skiers and riders can rest assured that this winter will offer some epic slope time. Before you hit the slopes, visit ColoradoSki.com/COVID-19 for up-to-date information on a ski area. To learn about the ski pass option that best suits your needs, visit ColoradoSki.com