Your Travel Guide to Colorado
Rocky Mountain National Park. Click on my photos to pin on Pinterest!
This blog will be about Colorado and all the adventures and fun Ross and I have had there over the years. Colorado is an outdoor enthusiast’s playground. It’s filled with picturesque mountains, gorgeous lakes, and even unique sand dunes. I’ll go over where to stay, best times to visit, what cities to check out, and my favorite outdoor adventures around Colorado.
Getting to Colorado
We’ve visited Colorado on multiple occasions. We just love it! Flying into the Denver Airport is the easiest way to get to Colorado. We’ve also road tripped from Wisconsin. Either way you decide to get to Colorado, you’ll likely want a car for exploring. I recommend exploring rental cars here.
Rental car tip: If you’re traveling in the winter or spring, make sure you book a rental car that can handle snow and icy road conditions. Even in the end of May, the roads can be covered in snow in the Rocky Mountains. Although Denver may be hot and snow free, once you’re through the The Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70, weather conditions can change in an instant.
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Pike's Peak Highway
Best Time to Visit Colorado
Colorado is amazing all throughout the year. There’s something special about each season, so I don’t think you can go wrong on your visit. Spring is a wonderful time to visit, because wildflowers are blooming, the weather is warming up, and it’s the end of ski season, so you still might be able to make it to the ski hills. Summer is great, because you don’t have to worry about snowy roads and you get long days of outdoor adventures. Fall is stunning, because the trees all turn bright reds and orange and it’s quite a sight to see. Finally, winter is so much fun, because that’s when you get primetime holiday magic and ski resort time!
Where to Stay
Where to stay in Colorado depends on what your main objective is for your visit. If you want to see a lot of different places on your trip, a good central location is Denver. We’ve enjoyed taking day trips all over the state to see the most during our time. Here are some highly rated vacation rentals around Denver to check out for your visit.
If you’re looking to spend all your time at the ski resort, I recommend staying in Breckenridge. This resort town is full of nightlife, fun, and of course, a great ski hill. An all-inclusive ski in/ski-out resort right on the mountain to check out is Grand Colorado on Peak 8. If you’re going with a group, here are some highly rated vacation rentals in Breckenridge to consider.
Denver
Denver is the gateway to the Rocky Mountains. During our visits, we’ve often used Denver as a central location. We would make day trips North, South, and West of Denver and return back in the evenings. Since our time in Denver was often spent at night after all day adventures and driving, we haven’t explored too much of the city. However, we have visited a few awesome spots in our downtime that I do recommend below.
Red Rocks Amphitheatre
If you get a chance to see a show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, you’re in for a treat! This venue is so amazing and we’d love to see a concert here. Although we haven’t seen a show here yet, we have made a visit during the daytime to see the views. It’s a gorgeous area. Red Rocks Amphitheatre also holds morning yoga sessions. How fun!
Polaroid photos from Voodoo Doughnut
Voodoo Doughnut
Grab breakfast or a midnight snack from Voodoo Doughnut. They’re open late! Voodoo Doughnut has playful flavors that are sure to please anyone with a sweet tooth like me. They also have a good selection of vegan doughnuts. We both tried their Voodoo Doll doughnuts, which had pretzel stakes in the heart of the doughnut and were filled with a berry jelly. Yum!
Little Man Ice Cream
After a long day of hiking, ice cream really hits the spot! Little Man Ice Cream has delicious ice cream, cookie sandwiches, and other tasty treats. You can’t miss it. It’s located in a giant milk can right in Denver.
View of the flatirons in Chautauqua Park in Boulder
Boulder
Only 45 minutes North of Denver, is the beautiful Boulder, Colorado. This is one of my favorite cities in Colorado. It’s much less populated compared to Denver and has a small town feel. It’s also a collage town, so during the fall, it’s bustling with energy. My favorite things to do in Boulder are hang out in Chautauqua Park, hike the Flatirons, shop on Pearl Street and grab a bite to eat with a view.
Pearl Street
While you’re in Boulder, make sure to check out Pearl Street. This street is full of awesome shops all year round. In the spring and summer, you can find pretty flowers, farmers markets, and even live music! In the winter, it’s transformed into a winter wonderland.
Rooftop Patio Restaurants in Boulder
When you’re visiting such a pretty city, a rooftop patio is a no brainer. Some restaurants to check out with great food and stunning views are Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant, Avanti Food and Beverage, and Corrida.
Chautauqua Park
Don’t miss the beautiful wildflowers blooming all over Chautauqua Park in the spring. It’s such a gorgeous spot to hang out with unbeatable views of Boulder’s Flatirons. Many hiking trails in the Flatirons are accessible from Chautauqua Park, like Royal Arch Trail.
Royal Arch Hike in Boulder, Colorado
Royal Arch Trail in the Flatirons
The highlight of my Boulder visit was hiking the Flatirons. We hiked Royal Arch Trail. This trail is considered hard on AllTrails. It’s 3.3 miles out-and-back and uphill most of the way. At the summit, you’ll get stunning views of Boulder and get to see a huge rock arch. It’s pretty cool! Make sure to pack water and pace yourself, especially if you’re not used to the altitude.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain High! 1.5 hours North of Denver and less than an hour away from Boulder, is the famous Rocky Mountain National Park. This National Park is beautiful in every season. We visited in March and it was still very much winter in Colorado. Even in the winter, you can still hike or snowshoe around the park. We had a blast! Make sure to wear warm attire if you’re visiting during the winter or early spring. It’s definitely cold up in the mountains! We wore heavy coats, but took them off for photos.
Don’t forget to secure a timed entry reservation if you’re planning on visiting Rocky Mountain National Park May-October. It gets busy during the warmer months. Read more about it here.
Dream Lake
While visiting Rocky Mountain National Park, we hiked Dream Lake Trail. There was a lot of snow, but we wore our boots and it was fairly easy. Once we arrived to Dream Lake, we had the most beautiful views of Hallett Peak.
Bear Lake Overlook
Bear Lake Overlook Hike
Not too far from Dream Lake is Bear Lake. Bear Lake Loop is one of the most popular hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. We hiked over to Bear Lake and found this beautiful overlook. It was the perfect spot for photos!
Moraine Park
Moraine Park
Before ending our time at Rocky Mountain National Park, we made a stop at Moraine Park. It was full of gold hues, especially during sunset, and had 360 mountain views. This is a great spot to camp or simply take in more Rocky Mountain sights, like we did.
Colorado Springs
Another lovely city to visit is Colorado Springs. It’s just over an hour south of Denver and makes for an easy day trip. We explored both Pike’s Peak and Garden of the Gods during our time here.
Pike’s Peak
Pike’s Peak was really cool to drive up. It’s over 14,000 feet high! When you start the drive, don’t miss the big foot crossing sign. It’s a cute photo op! At the bottom of Pike’s Peak, there was no snow and it was a clear day. As we climbed to the top, more and more snow was along the road and the clouds became thicker and thicker. As we neared the top, there was so much snow that it towered over our car even at the end of May. The weather changes so quick!
It takes about an hour to reach the top of Pike’s Peak. At the top, you can get out and admire the views. The air feels thinner and you might find yourself feeling tired easier. It’s a pretty crazy experience. Pike’s Peek even hosts an International Hill Climb race each year. Learn more about this crazy racing event and how you can see it here. If you’re afraid of heights, this might not be for you. But if you’re a thrill seeker, this is right up your alley! You’ll need to pay a toll of around $15/adult to access Pike’s Peak Highway, and if you’re driving all the way to the top, you’ll likely need to purchase a $2 timed-entry permit.
Garden of the Gods
After Pike’s Peak, we ventured over to Garden of the Gods. This park was full of unique red rocks jutting out from the Earth. Here, you can hike, rock climb, take jeep tours, or simply admire all the beauty from below. Garden of the Gods is free to enjoy!
Glenwood Canyon
2.5 hours West of Denver, is the gorgeous Glenwood Canyon right along the Colorado River. The drive is beautiful! Here you can hike, bike, and even raft the Colorado River. We chose to hike to Hanging Lake Trail during our visit.
Hanging Lake Trail
Hanging Lake Trail is a very popular hike in the Glenwood Canyon. It’s so popular, you’ll need to secure a permit and reservation in advance. Grab yours here. It’s definitely worth it, because this hike is amazing! AllTrails considers this hike a hard trail and it’s 3.1 miles out-and-back. You’ll see waterfalls, beautiful views of Glenwood Canyon, and of course a gorgeous teal lake at the end. This was one of our favorite hikes in Colorado.
Breckenridge Ski Resort
Winter in Colorado is all about their ski resorts. Breckenridge is one we recommend! This ski resort has 34 lifts to explore all around. They also have some great terrain parks. Breckenridge Ski Resort is part of the Epic Pass lift ticket association, which is great if you plan to visit other ski resorts as well. Not only is the ski resort great in Breckenridge, but the town is awesome too. You’ll find plenty of nightlife and fun here.
Keystone Ski Resort
Another awesome ski resort we recommend is Keystone Resort. Keystone and Breckenridge are very close together, so you could even go to both during your trip. Keystone also has some fun terrain parks, but it is a bit smaller, with 20 lifts at their resort. However, Keystone may be a better bang for your buck as it’s a bit cheaper than Breckenridge. It’s also part of the Epic Pass lift ticket association, which means it can be used at all qualifying ski resorts around the world. It’s pretty cool!
Ross snowboarding at Keystone Resort
Trestle Bike Park
If you’re looking for some adventurous mountain biking trails, head over to Trestle Bike Park in Winter Park. Trestle is an intense bike park where you can test the limits and get a fun workout in. They have lifts to get up the mountain and a ton of awesome features. If this sounds up your alley, grab your lift tickets here.
Steamboat Springs
Steamboat Springs is another fantastic mountain biking town to visit. It’s a very bike friendly area and it’s easy to do lift access biking in town. Grab your lift tickets and passes here and explore all that Steamboat Springs has to offer!
Twin Lakes
Walk through the golden aspen trees during the fall on Hope Pass via Willis Gulch Trail near Twin Lakes, Colorado. This is the hike for you if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle! This hike is 8.6 miles out-and-back and AllTrails rates it as hard. It’s much more rugged of a hike compared to Hanging Lake Trail, but the views from the top are so pretty, especially in the fall. These lakes also have bikes trails and a bunch of other fun hikes, so make sure you check those out as well. Twin Lakes is near Leadville, Buena Vista, and also near Aspen if you take Independence Pass.
Great Sand Dunes National Park
One place I’d love to visit, but haven’t had the opportunity to yet, is Great Sand Dunes National Park. It’s 4 hours South from Denver, so it’s a bit of a hike. If I find myself near here in the future, I’m definitely making a stop. The landscape at Great Sand Dunes National Park makes you feel like you’ve transported to another part of the world! You can camp, sand sled, and view the vibrant Milky Way with ease since it’s far from major cities.
Overall Thoughts on Colorado
Overall, Colorado is an amazing state full of adventure! If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, you’ll love it here. There’s something for everyone as each season shines in Colorado. Once you make a trip here, you’re likely to come back and see more. There’s so much to explore all around Colorado and I highly recommend a vacation to this stunning state.
Camera used to document my travels: Canon EOS 5D Mark III 35mm lens, Fujifilm Instax Mini, and iPhone
