CU Boulder, Colorado State, Northern Colorado and Denver in 3 Days: A Colorado Front Range Drive Trip
A parent-first plan for seeing the University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado State University, the University of Northern Colorado and the University of Denver from one hotel next to CU Boulder: official tour sign-ups, visitor parking at every campus, meals between tours, things for siblings and weather by season.
North side of Norlin Library, CU Boulder (Mar 2020). Photo: Lambroscues · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
Last checked Oct 26, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).
Check before you go. Tour times, sign-up rules, parking and seasonal closures change often, sometimes weekly. Every campus section below links to that school's official visit page and shows when we last checked it. Confirm there before you book or drive. College Visit Guides is not affiliated with or endorsed by any college or university. Names are used only to identify them.
The short version
Trip at a glance
Schools
University of Colorado Boulder · Colorado State University, Fort Collins · University of Northern Colorado, Greeley · University of Denver
Days
3: CU Boulder, then Colorado State and Northern Colorado on the same day, then the University of Denver before you fly home. Arrive the day before.
Fly into
Denver International Airport (DEN), about 50 minutes and 42 miles from the hotel with no traffic.
Best base
Limelight Boulder, across University Ave. from CU Boulder and about a 12-minute walk to the campus visit start.
Car or transit
Plan on a car: Fort Collins is about 56 miles from the hotel, Greeley about 57 and the University of Denver about 34. You can skip the car on the CU Boulder day.
Registration
All four schools take visit registration online. CU Boulder doesn't take walk-ins, and its sessions fill quickly.
1. Who this guide is for
This plan is for parents with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, who want to see four Division I universities along Colorado's Front Range in one trip: CU Boulder, Colorado State in Fort Collins, Northern Colorado in Greeley and the University of Denver.
Instead of changing hotels, you sleep at the Limelight in Boulder every night. CU Boulder is a walk, Fort Collins and Greeley fit in one long driving day, and the University of Denver is on the way back to the airport.
Why this order
Day 1: CU Boulder's free program is an information session followed by a student-led tour, and you can walk from the hotel to the CASE Building where it starts.
Day 2: Colorado State runs a 30-minute information session and a 90-minute tour Monday through Saturday, typically twice a day. Northern Colorado runs a 30-minute overview and a 90-minute tour twice a day Monday through Friday, plus select Saturdays, so you can pair a morning visit in Fort Collins with an afternoon one in Greeley.
Day 3: The University of Denver's visit runs Monday through Friday year-round: a 60-minute information session and a 90-minute tour, about 2.5 hours in all.
Book CSU's early session and UNC's later one for day 2
The drive is about 1 hour 13 minutes from the hotel to Colorado State, 53 minutes from Colorado State to Northern Colorado and 1 hour 18 minutes back to Boulder, all with no traffic.
Each visit is about two hours, so check both schools' calendars for a morning slot in Fort Collins and an afternoon slot in Greeley before you book. Colorado State asks you to arrive 15–20 minutes early to park and check in.
Tour availability varies by season.
CU Boulder's program runs most weekdays at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and select Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. from September through early May, and weekdays at 8:30 and 11 a.m. from June through mid-August.
Colorado State has no tours on university holidays.
Northern Colorado's Experience UNC open house is Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, 9:30 a.m.–2:45 p.m. at Campus Commons.
Fiske Planetarium closes during Folsom Field concerts, CU home football games and some basketball games.
The Limelight's rooftop pool is closed Nov. 16–29; guests get CU Recreation Center pool access instead.
2. The suggested 3-day plan
Drive and walk times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, using addresses geocoded with OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Denver-area traffic and winter weather can make them much longer. Some legs were measured in one direction only.
CU Boulder says it is about 35 minutes from downtown Denver, an hour from Fort Collins and Greeley, and 45 minutes from Denver International Airport by car.
All four campuses are on Mountain Time.
Arrival day: fly into Denver and drive to Boulder
DEN → Limelight Boulder (1295 University Ave., Boulder)
Driving (no traffic)
~50 min, 42 mi (routing estimate)
Walking
Drive (rental car), or RTD's AB1 bus, about 90 minutes
Check-in is at 3 pm and check-out is at 11 am, and the front desk will store luggage.
The hotel has no airport shuttle. RTD's AB1 bus stops in front of the hotel at University and Broadway; the fare is $10 one way.
Day 1: CU Boulder on foot, then Fiske Planetarium or Chautauqua
Hotel → CASE Building (1725 Euclid Ave.)
Driving (no traffic)
Walk
Walking
~12 min walk, 0.6 mi
CASE → Fiske Planetarium (2414 Regent Dr.)
Driving (no traffic)
Walk
Walking
~11 min walk, 0.5 mi
Hotel → Chautauqua Park (900 Baseline Rd.)
Driving (no traffic)
~6 min, 1.5 mi
Walking
~24 min walk, 1.1 mi
The program is about 90 minutes to 2 hours. Afterward, you can meet the Counselor on Duty in Regent Administrative Center 125.
The hotel's free in-town car service, based on availability, can take you to places like Chautauqua, Pearl Street Mall and The Hill.
Day 2: Colorado State in Fort Collins, then Northern Colorado in Greeley
Hotel → University Welcome Center at Ammons Hall (711 Oval Dr., Fort Collins)
Driving (no traffic)
~1 hr 13 min, 55.6 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Walking
Drive
Colorado State → Old Town Fort Collins
Driving (no traffic)
~4 min, 1.2 mi
Walking
~21 min walk, 1.0 mi
Colorado State → Campus Commons (1051 22nd St., Greeley)
Driving (no traffic)
~53 min, 33.3 mi
Walking
Drive
Northern Colorado → hotel
Driving (no traffic)
~1 hr 18 min, 56.5 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Walking
Drive
At Colorado State, register your license plate when you sign up to get a free digital parking permit.
Northern Colorado's visitor parking is paid through the Passport app; there's no free parking on campus.
Day 3: University of Denver, then the Denver Zoo or the airport
Hotel → DU Lot I (2210 S. Gaylord St., Denver)
Driving (no traffic)
~47 min, 33.8 mi (routing estimate)
Walking
Drive
Lot I → University Hall (2197 S. University Blvd.)
Driving (no traffic)
Walk
Walking
~6 min walk, 0.3 mi
DU → Denver Zoo (2300 Steele St.)
Driving (no traffic)
~16 min, 5.9 mi
Walking
Drive
DU → DEN
Driving (no traffic)
~41 min, 31.4 mi (routing estimate)
Walking
Drive
Put the parking pass DU emails you (or pick up at University Hall) on your dashboard in Lot I.
Check out of the hotel before you leave; check-out is at 11 am.
3. Campus by campus
North side of Norlin Library, CU Boulder (Mar 2020). Photo: Lambroscues · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
The free program is a general information session followed by a student-led campus tour, about 90 minutes to 2 hours in all. It starts at the Center for Academic Success and Engagement (CASE) Building.
There are no walk-ins, and sessions fill quickly; once a date is full, it's full.
After your tour you can talk with the Counselor on Duty in Regent Administrative Center 125.
Visitor parking
From the Limelight you can walk. If you drive, visitor parking is in the Euclid Parking Garage, open 24/7, and in pay-to-park lots and the first level of the Folsom Parking Garage.
Hourly lots cost $2 an hour from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and $1 an hour overnight. Pay with the ParkMobile app or buy a daily pass online.
Getting there
About a 12-minute walk from the hotel to the CASE Building.
CU Boulder says it is 45 minutes from Denver International Airport by car.
What to know
Fiske Planetarium and the CU Museum of Natural History are on campus, and Chautauqua Park and its Flatirons trails are about 6 minutes from the hotel by car.
Contact
See CU Boulder's Plan your visit page for admissions contacts
Last checked Oct 26, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
A 30-minute information session is followed by a 90-minute campus tour led by student ambassadors, Monday through Saturday, typically twice a day.
Walk-ins are welcome, but space may not be available. If it isn't, you'll be offered a self-guided tour or a talk with an admissions counselor. Arrive 15–20 minutes early to park and check in.
Academic and student life tours change from day to day, so check several dates on the calendar.
Visitor parking
Park at the University Welcome Center at Ammons Hall, 711 Oval Drive. Register your license plate during visit registration for a free digital permit, good in the "Reserved Parking for Admission Guest" spaces and in A, Z, ZR and R lots, but not pay-to-park spaces.
No permit is needed on weekends, after 4 p.m. on weekdays or on university holidays. From I-25, take Prospect Road (exit 268); lots 315 and 310 are nearby.
In Old Town, city garages cost $1 an hour, and the first hour is free.
Getting there
About 1 hour 13 minutes and 56 miles from the hotel by car with no traffic.
What to know
The Fort Collins Museum of Discovery is about 5 minutes from campus by car, and Old Town is about a 21-minute walk.
Contact
Admissions: (970) 491-6909
Last checked Oct 26, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
Each visit is a 30-minute university overview and admissions presentation, then a 90-minute student-led tour, twice a day Monday through Friday plus select Saturdays.
You can add academic visits, such as a meeting with a professor or advisor, when you register.
UNC also runs Spanish-language sessions and tours.
Visitor parking
There's no free visitor parking. Pay with the Passport app: $1.25 for 30 minutes, $2.50 for 1.5 hours, $3.75 for 2.5 hours, $5 for 3.5 hours or $10 for the day.
Getting there
About 53 minutes and 33 miles from Colorado State by car, and about 1 hour 18 minutes back to the hotel, with no traffic.
UNC says Greeley is about an hour's drive north of Denver.
What to know
UNC says Greeley, about an hour north of Denver, has shopping, dining, trails, parks and a downtown close to campus.
Contact
Admissions: 970-351-2881, visits@unco.edu
Last checked Oct 26, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
Visits run Monday through Friday year-round: a 60-minute information session with an admission representative, then a 90-minute tour with a current student.
You can add other campus appointments when you register, subject to availability. Friday@DU is a half-day program that starts at 9 a.m.
Visitor parking
From I-25, take University Blvd. south and turn into Lot I at 2210 S. Gaylord St. Put the parking pass DU emails you, or one picked up at University Hall, on your dashboard.
DU has no free parking on campus otherwise, so use the visit pass.
Getting there
About 47 minutes and 34 miles from the hotel by car, and about 41 minutes to DEN, with no traffic.
A light rail station next to campus serves the E, F and H lines, and RTD's A Line runs from the airport to downtown Denver.
What to know
The Denver Zoo is about 16 minutes from campus by car.
4. Where to stay: one base next to the CU Boulder campus
Expedia hotel links are affiliate links: if you book through one, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Hotel · Our pick
Limelight Boulder
1295 University Ave., Boulder
Why here
It's next to CU Boulder, so day 1 is a walk, and it's about 50 minutes to Denver International Airport with no traffic.
The hotel has a heated rooftop pool and hot tub with Flatirons views, a game room, free cruiser bikes, free in-town car service (based on availability) and free Wi-Fi.
Good to know
Check-in 3 pm, check-out 11 am. Self parking in the Grandview Garage is $27 a night per vehicle, and valet is available.
There's no airport shuttle; RTD's AB1 bus stops in front of the hotel.
CU's planetarium, with Saturday and Sunday afternoon matinees and Friday and Saturday evening shows. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for ages 4–17, plus a $1.50 fee; 3 and under are free.
At CU Boulder, walk from the hotel; if you drive, hourly visitor parking is $2 an hour by day.
At Colorado State, register your plate for a free digital permit when you sign up.
At Northern Colorado, pay with the Passport app; a full day is $10.
At the University of Denver, park in Lot I with the pass DU emails you.
Hotel self parking is $27 a night.
Tour day comfort
Every tour here is about 90 minutes of walking, so wear comfortable shoes.
Boulder sits at the foot of the mountains and gets snow from fall into spring; November averages about 13 inches of snow, so pack layers.
Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Boulder, Fort Collins, Greeley and Denver airport)
Spring: April averages about 62–66°F highs and 34–35°F lows. March is Boulder's snowiest month, with about 16 inches.
Summer: July averages about 87–92°F highs and 57–60°F lows.
Fall: October averages about 64–68°F highs and 36–37°F lows; November highs drop to about 53–55°F.
Winter: January averages about 44–47°F highs and 18–22°F lows.
Parent checklist
Register for all four visits online: CU Boulder, Colorado State, Northern Colorado and the University of Denver. CU Boulder doesn't take walk-ins.
When you register at Colorado State, add your license plate for the free parking permit.
Download the Passport app for Northern Colorado's visitor parking.
Book Limelight Boulder for every night and reserve a rental car.
After each visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.
8. Student-athlete recruiting visits
For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.
Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.
Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.
Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
Division I (University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado State University, University of Northern Colorado and University of Denver): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.
Planning around the season
Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.
Add your dates and how you're getting there, and we'll pull this guide into one plan: tour sign-up links, the hotel base, parking or airport notes, the route and meals.
Coming soon
Planning more college trips?
Visit-season reminders and new trip guides from College Visit Guides. Newsletter coming soon.
Sources
All checked Oct 26, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.
