Our trip was from Salt Lake to Denver so the flights from our area were easy and non-stop on Delta. I arrived in Salt Lake early and used the Airport TRAX line which is the train from the airport to the hotel that we were staying in for the first night which was the Grand America. The TRAX line is very easy to use and easy to find once you claim your luggage. The cost is $2.50 each way and you purchase the tickets right there. The Grand America was at the Courthouse station which was about five 5 stops.
Hotels are really nice in Salt Lake and Denver, but they are not 5 star in Moab or in the Glenwood Springs areas.
In Salt Lake they use the Grand America hotel – The rooms are amazing and it was a great way to kick off the tour. The rooms were great and they offer several dining options on property. They also use the hotel across the street the Little America and you can dine and use the amenities at both locations. https://www.grandamerica.com
We then had a city tour of Salt Lake and there is so much to see and do that adding an extra day for some is a must do. https://www.visitsaltlake.com/things-to-do
We then left Salt Lake and headed to Moab and this is a 5 – 6 hour motor coach ride. The first several hours were just highway so it’s not the most scenic route. We did stop in Price Utah for a lunch stop and they gave us the link to pre order our lunch when we were on the Salt Lake City tour. It was really good food and it supported local business. (which Rocky Mountaineer likes to do) https://www.tangerineeatery.com
We arrived into Moab and we stayed at the Element Moab, and the location is just outside of town (it’s about a 1.5 mile walk from the city center). The rooms are nice and this is where clients could start if they want more time to explore. I would fly guests into Moab and add an extra nights because there is so much to see and do. Rocky Mountaineer partners with Moab Adventures so they actually do a pick up for the train at the Adventure center for the train itself. This area is really good for any family that is adventuress but depending on the time of year they need to plan what they want to do and the temperature during the day. We were there in early June and it was 103 so for hikers they need to include an extra so they are not hiking in the heat of the day. We had two nights here and some families may want two additional nights so they can hike and kayak. https://www.moabadventurecenter.com
From Moab we then got on the train and the train only offers silver leaf and silver leaf plus – there is NO gold leaf as the gold rail cars are too tall to enter the tunnels. Service was amazing on the train they really go out of their way to make it special. When reservations are made the system it will assign seats and those are for both days of the trip. This day we had dinner and drinks on the train and they give you several options for meal choices and can accommodate most meal requests. They did say that if someone is vegetarian or Vegan to make sure they are aware so that a meal can be ordered specifically for them.
We arrived into Glenwood Springs about 6:00pm (this time can vary as the train shares the tracks with freight trains and we ran into about 45 minute delays) In Glenwood Springs they use a couple of hotels and I was at the Hotel Denver. This is where in my opinion travelers need an extra night. There is so much to see and do in the area but the train leaves the next day at 9:00am so you really don’t have much time see the sights. We did make the hike up to see the cemetery where Doc Holliday was buried but many people were disappointed that they didn’t have more time to enjoy the hot springs themselves. (They closed at 9:00pm)
We then took the train the next day from Glenwood Springs to Denver and they offer both breakfast and lunch on the train. The meals are served at your seat and drinks are also included with these meals. This part of the trip is a little slower because of the elevation of the train into Denver.
We arrived into Denver and they have coaches that pick up and move passengers to the different hotels again they use multiple hotels for Denver. I was at the Oxford and it is a really unique hotel. Found at the intersection of timeless elegance and modern luxury, The Oxford Hotel stands today as an iconic Denver landmark, rooted in its unique history and groundbreaking beginnings of 1891. In the bustling heart of downtown, guests step through our doors and feel taken back to a simpler, quainter point in time. From the classic artwork hung on our walls to the custom, tailored service reminiscent of the Gilded Age, The Oxford offers guests a truly unique Denver hotel experience. The hotel offered a speak-easy which was really fun and we enjoyed dinner there. https://www.theoxfordhotel.com
Getting to the airport from downtown Denver is usually pretty easy they say, and you can take the train. (Oxford hotel is a two block walk to the train station) We were getting ready to purchase our ticket you can purchase them the day prior so you have it. We were advised that the train would not be running because they were doing maintenance on the tracks. The train is $10.50 per person one way and takes about 30 minutes to arrive. Some people tried to use Uber and the cost was $53.00 for a car for 2 people. I booked mine through the hotel and it was $65.00 for the one way and was a Cadillac SUV and could accommodate four people. https://www.denver.org/about-denver/transportation/denver-airport-rail
This trip is not for people who can’t climb at least 5 steps; this is for the train and also for the motor coaches and the national parks do not have ADA accessible walk ways in all parks. The parks try to have paths that may be gravel or paths that are smoothed out but some have larger stones and may not allow for easy walking even with a cane. They do try and advise how far someone could walk with a cane if they think they want to try a path.
The scenery was beyond amazing and pictures don’t do it justice!
