Whether you’re planning a bachelorette party or just an indulgent retreat with a few close friends, Grand Junction has great options for a girls-only getaway. Grand Junction is in the heart of Colorado’s wine country, set in a beautiful valley that offers ample opportunity for hiking and biking. In town, treat yourself to spa treatments, cocktails, and world-class dining. So get together your best girlfriends and get ready for a fun weekend in the mountains—no boys allowed!
Day 1
While the day is still young, hit the trails at one of the many parks that surround Grand Junction. Just six miles from town, Colorado National Monument offers plentiful hikes both simple and strenuous. These are Colorado’s canyon lands at their most dramatic. Red rock walls shelter a rich variety of wildlife, including bighorn sheep and coyotes. Just outside of the official boundaries of the national monument, you can find the Mica Mine Trail. This easy, 2.6-mile round-trip hike leads to a historic mica and quartz mine, and visitors can expect to find sparkling sheets of mica within the red rock formations along the trail.
If you want more fresh air after your hike, take a tour at one of the local farms. Grand Junction peaches need no introduction, but they’re far from the area’s only offering. Take a tour of the orchards of Aloha Organic Fruit to find out about the eleven varieties of organic peaches that this family farm produces. For a sweet-smelling diversion, head to Sage Creations Organic Farm for a tour of their cherry orchard and lavender fields. Refresh after your tour with lemonade and lavender cookies in their farm stand, or take home one of their lavender-infused bath products from the gift shop.
There’s no better way to relax after a long day of hiking than with an afternoon at the spa, and Grand Junction has world-class offerings for the weary traveler. For a full-service spa with hot stone massage, try Crush Salon & Day Spa. They offer a full menu of pampering options, including massage, vichy showers, manicures, and pedicures. Salon Capelli is more beauty-oriented, with scalp treatments, facials, and manicures on the menu.
In the evening, try a local microbrew before dinner. Kannah Creek Brewing Company and Rockslide Brewery are both excellent, low-key choices for a quick sip. Or, for an indulgent meal with a great bottle of wine, skip straight to 626 on Rood. This upscale American restaurant plates up classics such as New York Strip and Colorado rack of lamb alongside an impressive wine list and cocktail menu. Authentic Italian cuisine shines at il Bistro Italiano, run by husband and wife team Brunella Gualerzi and Ronald Hall. Gualerzi brings the flavors of her native Italy to Grand Junction with dishes like ossobucco and veal Marsala.
A long day deserves a good night’s rest. If you prefer modern hotels with a little less quirk, head to the Doubletree by Hilton or Downtown SpringHill Suites. For something unique, try the Historic Melrose Hotel on Colorado Avenue. This hotel first opened in 1908, and the current owners turn up the Edwardian charm with interior décor that is reminiscent of a bygone era.
Day 2
Get your day started with brunch at the Dream Cafe on Main Street. Breakfast classics like benedicts and pancakes take center stage at this sleek, modern cafe in the heart of Grand Junction. After finishing your Bloody Mary, walk out onto Main Street for some of the best shopping the Grand Junction has to offer. Here you’ll find a bustling mix of galleries, boutiques, coffee houses and restaurants. Check out The Raw Canvas or Working Artists Studio & Gallery for a taste of the local art scene. If you’re dying to find some one-of-a-kind antiques, try A Robin’s Nest of Antiques and Treasures. If haute couture is more your style, be sure to stop by Razzmatazz.
After strolling through the town, head back out into the countryside to sample wine at one of the Grand Junction’s twenty+ wineries. Visitor favorite Whitewater Hill Vineyards prides itself on producing award-winning varietal wines that you can sip in their tasting room, along with a staff member to guide you. If you’re in the area in the summertime, be sure to check out their website for their extensive events calendar. Many of Grand Junction’s vineyards are clustered in a gorgeous stretch of land bordering the Colorado River, which allows for biking between tasting rooms. Brown Cycles offers a variety of bikes at a reasonable price. If you prefer to travel in higher style, consider A Touch With Class Limousine – they specialize in wine tours that allow you to pick your own destinations.
Grand Junction offers myriad flavors and sights that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else – and all are easily accessible in a weekend. For ladies on the move, this is one town where you’ll find both urban comforts and remote relaxation in one place.
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