Looking for a quick and easy day trip from Parker? When we need a place to go or things to do away from Parker we head to Westcliffe, Colorado. It's a little over two hours but well worth it. In the summer warmer months they have great shops, festivals, a rodeo and parades. Kids actually like walking around the town since there are plenty of kid shops, bakeries and ice cream stores to keep them busy. We love it and enjoy visiting there anytime of year. The valley is beautiful and the mountains are often compared to the Alps. No kidding!

There's plenty of hiking, biking, horseback riding, 4 wheeling and 4wheeler trails and whatever else you can hope to find in a small Colorado town.

Directions. Head south on I-25 to the Springs then west on 151 to Florence. Follow the signs from Florence to Westcliffe. There is only one small pass to cross and I've crossed it year round and never had a problem.

Photo: Sunset Westcliffe Colorado November 29, 2008.

Steven Beam is a Full Time real estate broker in Parker, Colorado.

Small slide tour of our last vist a few weeks ago.

The kids love it. If you haven't taken the time to drive up to Rocky Mountain National Park lately you are missing the boat. You don't even need to go inside the Park to have a great time. There is almost always something fun going on in Estes Park, Colorado. Heck, just walking around town is fun. I will say for some of the best salsa and Mexican food in the state of Colorado try Chelitos Mexican Restaurant. It rocks and they make the salsa homemade and FRESH! Just the way I like it.

You may be too late this year to hear the Elk bugle and see the Aspen trees in their beautiful gold colors but there's always next year. We enjoy heading up there year round. There is always something to see, a trail to hike or even just hang out in the little town park and relax for a few hours. The point being ...get out and do something.

Head north out of Denver on I-25 and then take 36 up to and through Boulder. You can follow the signs to Lyons and then onto Estes Park. Takes about an hour and a half to get thee from Parker.

Pay or PASS? You can opt to pay for the day or buy a yearly National Park Pass. We ALWAYS opt for the yearly PASS. If you are going to visit two or more parks in a year it's well worth the $60 for a years pass. Two years ago we figured the pass saved us over $300 in park admissions and that was just for 2006.

Rocky Mountain National Park is a true treasure right in our back yard and I'm always surprised when talking to people living on the Front Range and finding out that they rarely ever go take a visit. They only go when friends or family come to visit from out of state. WHY? Go see it and have fun.

Steven Beam is a local Parker, Colorado real estate broker. 303-941-4663

You can find great local Parker, Colorado real estate information on Localism.com Steven Beam is a proud member of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network, a free online community to help real estate professionals grow their business.

Steven Beam is a real estate broker selling Parker Colorado real estate. These opinions are his alone.

Top 10 things to do on your day off and stay in Parker, Colorado.

Do you have other ideas? Post a comment and let us know your thoughts.

1.    Go to the new Parker Fieldhouse and workout, play soccer, basketball or roller hockey.

2.    Go to the Wildlife Museum with a kid and catch an IMAX movie! (Just outside Parker but close enough)

3.    Go to the Challenger Park Recreation Center for a swim or other exercise.

4.    Visit "H2 O'Brien Pool." Great way to spend a hot summer day in Parker, CO. Slides, a zero depth entry, water cannons and a fort in the pool allow for kids and adults to play and relax.

5.    Catch a movie at the Twenty Mile Movie Theatre. 

6.    Stroll the Town of Parker and visit the shops. I guarantee you that you will run into someone you know and end up talking for at least an hour. Most of you know that we are currently undergoing a 2 million dollar expansion in the Town of Parker. The sidewalks are being widened just to accommodate more pedestrian traffic.

7.    Go horseback riding at one of the local facilities or even better take a riding lesson. You might be surprised just how little you know about horses when you start talking to a local expert and we do have plenty of horsemen and horsewomen in Parker that would love to help you learn.

8.    Take a ride on the bike path. One of my favorites! We have miles and miles of bike paths just in Parker. You can easily take a 20 mile bike ride without leaving the Town of Parker. If you feel more adventurous try the Hidden Mesa open space trail just south of town near Franktown. Hidden Mesa is great for an after work mountain bike ride that adds a little challenge to the workout. You can ride up and around the loop in about an hour and the views are some of the best around. Watch out for and be courteous to the horses. Some of the horses don't like bikes and some could care less. Be kind.

9.    Play golf at one of the local public courses. Black Bear Golf Club over in Canterberry Crossing is a great plae to enjoy an afternoon of gold and soak up some of the best views of the front rage. The food at their new $2 million + clubhouse is very good. You may want to try and hook up with a member of the Pinery Golf Club or the  Club at Pradera too. Both are great courses and should be on your list of "to play" courses in the area.

10. Castlewood Canyon. My most favorite of all! Even after hiking this area hundreds of times I still love it the most. If you don't want to hike try a picnic and just hang out. It amazes me when I talk to people that have bought Parker Colorado Real Estate and they have lived in the area for years and never visited Castlewood Canyon. It's like a mini Grand Canyon right in your backyard. Go visit it and have some fun!

Have you noticed a theme for Parker Colorado?  It's all about the activities. People here are generally outside doing something fun. Parker is a very active community and we love living here.

If you are interested in taking a look at this area and possibly buying or selling a home here I would love the opportunity to interview for the job. I've been selling parker Colorado real estate for years and I actually live right here in Parker.

Please call Steven Beam at 303-941-4663 or Email Steve for a tour.

Yes I would like to know how much my home will sell for. Please prepare a market analysis for me. CLICK HERE for your market analysis.