We love the holidays, but isn’t there something wonderful about the peace and quiet of the new year? The decorations are packed away, the last of the champagne bottles are resting in recycle bins waiting to be taken away, and we march out of our houses wearing the new clothes we found under the tree. But the end of the old year IS something to celebrate, and chances are, by New Year’s Eve, you are tired and may be thinking you need a break, making an Estes Park New Year’s trip and a stay in our Voyago Vacation Rentals seasonal sanctuaries the best way to start out the new year!
Celebrate the New Year
Our Estes Park hometown is a quiet one when celebrating the new year. You won’t find fireworks displays or torchlight parades, but you will find serenity, joy, and fun no matter how you spend the evening.
The Stanley Hotel is always offering some kind of unique event, including its Live Magic Show that is held in its Aiden Sinclair Underground event venue, with this year’s show offering a Dicken’s theme. Fine dining restaurants will offer special menus, including Bird & Jim, located at 915 Moraine Avenue, which features a four-course prix fixe menu with optional wine pairings.
Your favorite way to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Estes Park, however, may be choosing to spend the night at home in your seasonal sanctuary, preparing a special meal in our fully equipped kitchen and binge watching movies you’ve always wanted to see on our state of the art televisions. Cozy, warm, and oh so restful, this activity will set the stage for a year filled with serenity and peace!
Your First Steps into 2026
There can be a sense of letdown after the ball drops but in 2026, you will feel your energy coffers beginning to refill and discover what it feels like to wake up every morning feeling rested and ready to face a new day of winter adventures! Sleeping in late on New Year’s Day is, of course, your first priority, and our comfortable beds will ensure that you sleep well, dream happy, and begin each day feeling rested and ready to explore all that Estes Park has to offer in January.
Maybe you will start the first day of the year with donuts you pre-purchased from the Donut Haus, 860 Moraine Avenue, or maybe you will want to enjoy a hearty breakfast from Mountain Home Café, 457 E Wonderview Avenue Suite C-1. The best part of this first meal of the new year is that it doesn’t matter what you eat, because we promise no one here will judge you!
There Will Be Snow
The world of Estes Park will be blanketed in white, and although it is cold and wet, you will still want to play in it for at least a little bit. Experience a guided snow shoeing adventure with Kirk’s Fly Shop, sledding with the kiddos in Hidden Valley (you can rent sleds from Estes Park Mountain Shop), even ice skating at Dorsey Pond (the YMCA of the Rockies) are some examples of the fun outdoor activities you can enjoy during your January visit. The snow is as beautiful to play in as it is to look at, and when you get cold and/or wet, there are a number of activities you can engage in that will help you warm up again!
Warming Up After Your Outdoor Adventures
Bringing the fun inside will help you warm up after a day of cold and snow, and just as there were many things you could do outside, there are an equal number of things you can do inside as well. The Stanley Home Museum and Education Center, 415 Wonderview Avenue, was once the family home of F.O & Flora Stanley (yes, the Stanleys of Stanley Hotel fame) and is open Thursday through Sunday for guided tours, but chances are it will be closed on New Year’s Day 2026. For many travelers, their favorite activities may be exercising their charge cards and the shops of Estes Park will not disappoint. Souvenir shopping at the Mad Moose, 900 Moraine Avenue may elicit your happiest memories, but any store you visit will be sure to thrill.
Take This Time to Relax and Prepare for the Months Ahead
We hope that 2026 is a year filled with fun, love, and fulfillment for all our guests, and we also hope that the time you spend in Estes Park will help you prepare for whatever the new year tosses your way. We speak from experience when we say that a family night spent at home with fire crackling in the fireplace, children laughing as they learn the thrills of living life unplugged while they play board games, and the snow falling quietly outside will be a night you will never forget. Contact us to reserve your favorite New Year’s Estes Park vacation rental today!
