Colorado offers both rustic beauty and metropolitan charm.
Choosing the best places to visit in Colorado is like deciding the best places to eat in New York City. The choices are endless and best determined by your budget and your tastes. The state is filled with natural beauty and rustic allure as well as metropolitan charm. Colorado has a deep historical heritage filled with folklore and legend, and offers travelers plenty of destination options.
Colorado's National Monuments
Colorado teems with national monuments that provide eclectic natural history of the state. The Canyons of the Ancients National Monument boasts the highest density of archaeological sites in the country. Drive around the areas that were once tread by the ancestral Puebloans, using the Trail of the Ancients National Scenic Byway that circles the monument. Check out the Anasazi Heritage Center, which illuminates the history of the people who once settled the area. The Colorado National Monument features colorful cliffs, rock arches, high mesas and plenty of wildlife. Rock hounds appreciate the park's geology, as do fossil hunters; the park is the gateway to the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument has been a tourist destination since the 1870s with its groves of petrified redwood forests and thousands of fossilized insects.
Colorado Ski Country
Colorado boasts some of the most renowned ski resorts in the world. In Aspen is Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk, which provide 5,300 acres of terrain as well as plenty of dining opportunities and nightlife. In Steamboat Springs, the Steamboat Ski Resort boasts the world's first combined solar/wind-powered ski lift. The resort is actually four mountains, which offer 2,965 acres of terrain and a variety of trails for all levels of ability. Silverton Mountain in Silverton totals an average snowfall of 400 inches--more than the amount of daily visitors. It provides a true mountain experience with no groomers. Vail Resorts is one of the state's largest lodging entities. Its terrain spans seven miles. The area is noted for its award-winning dining, world-class entertainment and opulent accommodations that make it a popular destination for celebrities.
Colorado's Haunted Hot Spots
America's interest in the supernatural is piqued by the glut of paranormal shows on cable TV, such as "Ghost Hunters" and "Paranormal State." Colorado has more than its share of allegedly haunted locales that amateur ghost hunters should check out. Possibly the most famous is the Stanley Hotel, the inspiration for Stephen King's "The Shining." Located in Estes Park, the 100-year-old hotel offers ghost tours that take you to its most haunted rooms. In Glenwood Springs, the Frontier Historical Society has moonlit tours through Linwood Cemetery. Cripple Creek boasts an array of haunted locations, such as Buffalo Bill's Casino and The Palace Hotel. The Brown Palace Hotel in Denver offers tours for private groups. The city is also home to Chessman Park, which inspired the movie "Poltergeist."
Denver: The Queen City
Denver was founded in 1858 by a band of gold prospectors. It's situated a mile above sea level, earning the city its other popular nickname, The Mile High City. Visitors find a visual record of Denver as they tour its parks and neighborhoods. You can see the city by car, on foot or on bicycle on the Cherry Creek Bike Path. Visit the 9th Street Historic Park or Civic Center Park, as well as the city's myriad museums such as the Denver Art Museum, Black American West Museum, Molly Brown House Museum and the Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art. Enjoy a meal at Charlie Brown's Bar & Grill, where Jack Kerouac spent time while writing his famous novel "On the Road." Sports fans can take in a baseball game at the Colorado Rockies' Coors Field or a football game at the Broncos' Invesco Field. Plenty of historic hotels can accommodate your stay, such as the Brown Palace Hotel.
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