Freezing nights and brisk mornings present the eternal weekend dilemma: sleep in, or leap out of bed for new adventures? Not necessarily snow-covered adventures, either. With bed and breakfasts, lodges and other small venues catering to special interests, a weekend on the road might mean staying inside to explore venerable architecture, read, or learn new art techniques. Here’s a starter list. Claire Martin
YMCA of the Rockies winter art workshops
Estes Park Center, 2515 Tunnel Road, Estes Park; 970-586-3341, ext. 1132 and online at (click on Estes Park Center, then Recreation and Activities, then Art-Inspired Winter Workshops)
Heaven on Earth for crafters and artists, with sophisticated, intriguing workshops on painting, creating art books and other projects that appeal to anyone who salivates over Somerset Studio publications.
Hooper Homestead B&B
210 Hooper St., Central City; 303-582-5828 and online at
This is one of the few local structures that survived the fire that devastated Central City in 1874 — the brick that Thomas Hooper used to build the house was employed to reconstruct Central City, and known colloquially as Hooper Brick.
In a town reborn as a gambling destination, the B&B’s Blissful Spirit spa is a dramatic contrast to bells and flashing lights.
Old Library Inn
210 S. Fourth St., Sterling; 866-941-3800 and online at
In 1916, philanthropist Andrew Carnegie donated most of the money to build the Sterling Library, but the Women’s Temperance Union helped too. (Total cost: $20,000 for the building, lot, fixtures and books). Now the elegant library is a B&B, with rooms named after former librarians and meals served on Columbia Crystal Depression glass table settings. Lots of inviting nooks for reading and browsing. Reopens (after a short hiatus) on Friday.
Cedar’s Edge Llamas B&B
2169 Colorado 65, Cedaredge; 970-856-6836 and online at
Wake up to a small herd of llamas waiting expectantly at the split-rail fence outside the guesthouse. A little appaloosa llama, born late last year, is absolutely adorable, and the older llamas are brave enough to accept apples or alfalfa from a guest’s outstretched hand.
Vistas and Vineyards
3587 G Road, Palisade; 970-464-7478 and online at
Six vineyards with wine-tasting rooms are within 2 miles of this B&B, which has its own fruit orchard. A TV in the common area collects dust while neglected by guests favoring views of those vineyards, along with the Colorado National Monument, Grand Mesa and the Book Cliffs.
Craig Ranch Bed & Breakfast and Horse Motel
90452 Lincoln County Road 23, Limon; 719-775-2658 and online at craigranch
How many B&Bs invite guests to bring their horses? And ponies can sleep over even if their owners take lodging elsewhere. There’s also parking for recreational vehicles, campers and big rigs.
Pioneer Trails Lodge
47490 Weld County Road 155
Stoneham; 970-735-2426 and online at
No in-room phones or TVs, just wide open spaces at this Christian-oriented B&B on the edge of the Pawnee National Grassland. The former Elk Echo lodge offers wildlife-watching and is an hour’s drive from Cabela’s, the outdoor sporting goods store outlet in Sidney, Neb.
Bunkhouse Lodge
Colorado 9 at Fairview Street, Breckenridge (3 miles north of town); 970-453-6475 and online at
This long-established guesthouse caters to gay men, and their pets are welcome too. The free ski shuttle (Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Keystone, plus Dillon, Frisco and Silverthorne) stops at its doorstep.
Los Manos B&B
32889 Chaffee County Road 371, Buena Vista; 719-395-4567 and online at
Stay in a genuine green house that’s totally off the grid with straw-bale construction, wind- and solar-generated electricity, adobe floors, sustainable coffee served at breakfasts cooked on a 1927 QuickMeal gas range. It’s run by two certified massage therapists, who promise guests “two sunsets and two sunrises every day.”
The Keepsake Inn
102 Navajo Ave., Manitou Springs; 719-302-5958 and online at
Home away from home for any devoted cropper or scrapbooker, with two ginormous studios set up with Xyron, die-cutting systems, a Making Memories tool set, stamps, lumbar-support chairs, architect- style tables and more. The check-out time, thoughtfully, is late — 4 p.m. The only danger is that guests won’t want to check out.
