Colorado was a state that people had been throwing around in front of me for ages. I only heard good things about it and the more I heard about it, the more I wanted to go there. So, finally, I went there.
Invited along with my friend’s family vacation, I had the privilege of visiting the state of red (Color-rojo became Colorado). We flew into Denver, which is where our week-long road trip all began. If you want to drive along with our trip, here are some spots you don’t want to miss:
Denver
This lively red brick city is easy to walk or bike in, with a balance of towering structures and green parks to give busy city-goers a breath of fresh air. A good place to start is the historic Larimer Street, which is decorated with twinkling lights and dotted with boutique shops and trendy restaurants. If you follow 16th street down past Union Station, you’ll end up at a stairwell marked by a white contemporary structure, which leads you onto a bridge. My friend Devan and I followed the bridge into a pretty, dog-friendly park that had a perfect mound for some sunset watching.
For dinner, wander around Union Station for casual and formal restaurants ranging from burgers to fish, plus a Dim Sum spot hidden around a corner. Our favorite dinner spot was a rooftop bar and restaurant further away called Linger, with stunning views of the city and a great menu where anything you order is recommended. You can’t go wrong! If you’re looking for dessert, pop out of the restaurant and down to your right is a popular ice cream stop called Little Man Ice Cream. You will probably find a line 20 people long but the line will go fast and the ice cream is worth it. There are many vegan options as well (the vegan chocolate ice cream tasted anything but healthy so you won’t miss out on the taste).
Colorado Springs
Here, you’ll find out why Colorado was called Color-rojo (color red). Massive red rocks cover the landscape, complimenting the green pines and shrubbery. For a nice walk and some beautiful views, stop by Garden of the Gods, where god-like rocks tower into different peaks and shapes. Being a California native, I call this place Joshua Tree on steroids. Parking is free!
Outside of Colorado Springs, you’ll find Manitou Springs, where you’ll find an unusual community of buildings etched into a cliff. At Manitou Cliff Dwellings you will see a replica of where Cliff Dweller Indians lived, which you can climb into and roam about. Descriptions mark the different rooms, describing their lifestyle and making you want to build a home into a cliff overhang.
Go a little ways away and you’ll find Cave of the Winds, my favorite stop outside of Denver. Here you’ll find options for cave tours and even Colorado’s most extreme ride, the Terror-Dactyl. Think bungee jumping in a chair. As for the tours, choose the Lantern Tour that takes you into Manitou Grand Caverns. You’ll get to climb through low passage ways and hear about the colorful history involved in the cave systems, along with several ghost stories while in the dark. The best part is that you carry little bucket lanterns, just as was used when the caves first opened in the late 19th century.
Golden
Our next destination from Denver was Breckinridge, but on the way we stopped in Golden for beers – free beers! In Golden you’ll find the original Coors Brewery, founded by Mr. Coors in 1873. Here you can take a free tour which includes three free beers at the end. It’s a good break on the drive – as long as you have a DD.
After Golden, we made sure to stop by the unique and beautiful Red Rock Amphitheater. Even if you’re not going to see a concert, you should visit this rocky stage to learn about its history of performers from its mini museum, and to enjoy the red boulders that naturally project sound and add a great outdoor ambiance to the amphitheater.
Brekenridge
Breckenridge was my favorite by far of Colorado’s gems. This friendly little town has a lively street of shops, great restaurants, and bars, lined with a walkway so that you can take an easy stroll through this colorful place. If your hotel happens to be further away, free trolleys stop at certain routes on the main roads, so don’t be afraid of happy hour!
If you are looking for a great Italian restaurant with a 2 for 1 happy hour, Blue River Bistro is going to satisfy your tastebuds. It’s a nicer place to go out, so if you’re looking for a more casual vibe Canteen Tap House and Tavern is the way to go. There’s a sunny deck and great American food dishes are served, along with a bucket for a glass of Moscow Mule or Bloody Mary’s. For the bar scene, walk down the beginning of the street for Breckenridge Brewery & Pub. This is a good place to start your night for some great craft beers and good people. If you’re gluten-free, don’t worry because they have gluten-free drinks, even gluten-free beers, available. Sit by the bar and you may get to chat with some of the friendly employees. Due to the small size of Breckenridge’s population, everyone seems to know each other here and, if they don’t, they may ask where you’re from – this is where we got in on the good bar spots! When it gets closer to 10:30, you can go downstairs to Cecilia’s, where the party all starts. They have a separate room for a dance floor, equipped with a stripper pole and some fun tunes to get everyone dancing. Because of the friendly, happy people that live here, you’re bound to have a good time.
Outside of town Breckenridge is home to some beautiful hikes. We spent the afternoon enjoying a 5 mile roundtrip hike to McCullough Gulch. Due to the high altitude, you may want to take it easy, with plenty of beautiful views to enjoy and stop at along the way. If you want a longer hike, you can decide to take detours to the little railroad track, the riverbed, the trickling waterfall or the patch of snow across the lake at the top.You will be able to see how the green, clear water and fresh air makes locals so happy. Also, if you really want to see some beauty, try visiting at the commencement or middle of Fall, where the trees turn golden and then red, making the mountains burst with color. Breckenridge has several other hikes available, such as Spruce Creek, so feel free to explore other routes.
Vail
From Breckenridge, we drove to Vail, or rather, it’s next door neighbor, Avon. Here, we decided to exercise our adventurous sides and hop onto the Shoshone River for some rapids. Lakota Guides is a great company to raft with. You will spend the van ride listening to corny jokes and interesting facts about the surrounding area, making the pre-river-rafting drive feel like it’s part of the entertainment. As for the rapids, don’t be afraid of being a newbie to river rafting. Anyone can go and you’ll have a blast with this real-life water ride.
Joe, one of our raft guides, told us some interesting facts about Colorado’s native gem, the aspen tree. Turning into gold due to the coming Fall season, these trees could be seen dotting the slopes of the surrounding mountains and hills. While from above they look like individual trees, underneath they are connect as one large tree. Aspen are one of the world’s largest living organisms, but you have to look under the surface to see it. Below the ground lies its unique root system that spreads out and sprouts back up into new trees. My friend Devan pointed out that it was like a tree that was upside down – all of its “branches” were hiding underground.
Devan and I were able to spend time with this unique trees up close when heading to Vail for a hike to Booth Falls. Booth Falls is 4.8 miles one way, but if you want to keep the hike shorter you can take a break within the shady trees when you reach the rocky falls, and then turn around. This trail is covered in thin, white aspen trees, all marked by what looks like dark eyes, adding to their mystery. The ground is constantly littered with their little round leaves, and besides these mystical trees, you will find many other colorful shrubbery and towering pines to add to this gorgeous trail. This trail is also dog friendly, so you will meet plenty of furry friends here. I’ve found that Colorado loves their dogs! If you want to check out other hikes, there are plenty more to see here.
Lastly, Vail has it’s own charming downtown area with a wooden bridge leading you to restaurants and hotels. Community events are held here, such as Oktoberfest, so keep your ears open for Vail’s local activity.
Colorado will definitely be a place to return to, due to its happy people, beautiful landscapes, Native American history, good food, and multitudes of hikes. So if you’re up for a fun ride, give Colorado a thought for some road trippin’.
