Whether you're looking for urban, hip cities, ski resort towns, outdoor activities or historic sites, Colorado provides it all. Home to what Frommer's refers to "as the most breathtaking mountain scenery in America" and Eastern plains, Colorado provides a contrast in experience and a range of activities.
Dubbed the "mile-high city" for its altitude of 5,280 feet, Denver provides many attractions including museums, diverse restaurants, active nightlife and sporting events. Denver also provides easy access to the Rocky Mountains. In the downtown area, 16th street mall provides a range of retail shopping along with eclectic restaurants or check out the LoDo area or Larimer Square for art galleries, more shopping and dining. You may also take in a Rockies game at Coors Field or a Broncos game at Invesco field. The Denver Art Museum contains a large collection of Western art and Native American art along with ancient artifacts, modern art and European art collections.
With prominent mountains and abundant wildlife, Rocky Mountain National Park offers hiking, camping, fishing and breathtaking views. Located 80 miles from the Denver International Airport, you may enter the park from the town of Grand Lake on the west or Estes Park on the east. The park contains hundreds of miles of hiking trails that will take you to waterfalls, scenic vistas, lakes, valleys and mountain peaks. The park includes plenty of wildlife such as bighorn sheep, elk, deer, falcons, hummingbirds and the occasional black bear, mountain lion or bobcat. The park operates year-round, though summer and fall may be the best to visit due to road closures in the winter and spring. The park offers several campgrounds and cabins; Estes Park and Grand Lake offer hotel accommodations.
Rocky Mountain National Park
1000 Highway 36
Estes Park, Colorado 80517
970- 586-1206
nps.gov
You will find Colorado Springs 65 miles south of Denver at the base of Pikes Peak. You may visit the top of this 14,110 foot mountain by car or by the Pikes Peak Cog Railway. For fascinating red rock formations, visit Garden of the Gods. You may tour the park by car or by paved or dirt walking trails. Colorado Springs is also home to the Air Force Academy. The Academy does allow visitors; visitors may tour the Cadet Chapel, Air Force Academy Visitor's Center, the Cadet Field House and Falcon Stadium.
To learn more about the lives of the Ancestral Pueblos, explore Mesa Verde National Park. Located in the southwest corner of Colorado, the park contains over 80 miles of cliff dwellings. The park's archeological museum displays thousands of ancient artifacts excavated from the park. Scenic drives and designated walking trails allow you to tour the park. The park offers campgrounds or the nearby cities of Cortez and Durango provide lodging alternatives.
Mesa Verde National Park
P.O. Box 8
Mesa Verde, Colorado 81330
970- 529-4465
nps.gov
