Things to Do in Colorado
Ten stops running from an actual sand dune field to a bridge that used to hold the title of highest in the world.
Colorado runs on elevation, mountain towns, thin air, and a skyline of peaks that stays visible from most of the state on a clear day. Ten stops below, plus a quiz elsewhere on this site if you fancy testing what stuck.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous paved highway in the country, climbs to over 12,000 feet and runs directly through the alpine tundra above the treeline, a properly rare chance to drive through terrain that most visitors would otherwise need a serious hike to reach. Elk roam visibly through Moraine Park and the surrounding meadows, particularly during the autumn rut when their calls carry across the whole valley.
Bear Lake, a short, mostly flat trail from a popular parking area, gives a proper mountain payoff without much elevation gain, a good option if you're travelling with kids or anyone who'd rather skip a strenuous climb.
Best time June-September for Trail Ridge Road, which closes seasonally
Address Rocky Mountain National Park, CO
Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs
Towering red sandstone formations, some leaning at properly dramatic angles, set against a backdrop of Pikes Peak, all free to walk through on well-marked, mostly flat trails. The visitor centre runs guided nature walks daily, a good option if you'd rather have context on the geology than just walk through independently.
Rock climbing is permitted on several of the formations with the right permits, watch for a few minutes even if you're not climbing yourself, the scale only really lands once you see someone partway up one of these towers.
Hours Daily, dawn to dusk
Address 1805 N 30th St, Colorado Springs, CO
Mesa Verde National Park
Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings, some of the best-preserved examples anywhere in the country, built directly into natural alcoves in the canyon walls and occupied from roughly 600 to 1300 AD before being abandoned for reasons still debated by archaeologists. Cliff Palace, the largest dwelling, holds over 150 rooms and requires a ranger-guided tour involving ladders, book that specific tour ahead given limited daily spots.
Several overlooks along the mesa top require no climbing at all, a good option for seeing the dwellings from a distance if the guided ladder tours aren't for your group.
Best time May-September for full tour access
Address Mesa Verde National Park, CO
Pikes Peak Cog Railway
One of the highest railways in the world, climbing over 14,000 feet to a summit that inspired the song 'America the Beautiful' after the writer saw the view from the top. The full round trip runs about three hours, a considerably easier way to reach the summit than the hiking trail, which takes most people a full, demanding day each way.
Temperatures at the summit run considerably colder than at the base, a jacket earns its keep regardless of how warm it feels when you board.
Best time Summer for the fullest schedule
Address 515 Ruxton Ave, Manitou Springs, CO
Great Sand Dunes National Park
A properly strange combination, sand dunes reaching over 750 feet tall directly beside the snow-capped Sangre de Cristo Mountains, formed over thousands of years as wind carried sand from an ancient lakebed against the base of the range. Sandboarding and sand sledding both run well here, equipment rentable from nearby outfitters if you don't want to carry your own.
Medano Creek, which flows along the base of the dunes each spring, gives kids a shallow, safe spot to cool off after climbing, time a visit for late May or June when the flow runs highest.
Best time Late May-June for Medano Creek; September for cooler dune hiking
Address Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO
Royal Gorge Bridge
A suspension bridge spanning a canyon roughly 955 feet deep, the Arkansas River running far below, built in 1929 and held the title of world's highest bridge for over 75 years before being surpassed. The bridge itself is walkable, and the surrounding park runs a zip line and gondola for those wanting a different angle on the canyon.
Not one for anyone properly uneasy with heights, the bridge deck has gaps between the boards in places, worth knowing ahead of time.
Hours Daily, roughly 10am-5pm, hours vary seasonally
Address 4218 County Rd 3A, Cañon City, CO
Denver Zoo & Downtown Aquarium
Denver Zoo runs a properly large collection across a walkable campus, including a well-regarded reptile house and an African elephant herd with considerable space to roam. The Downtown Aquarium, a separate attraction built inside a former power station, adds a shark tunnel and a decent-sized tiger exhibit for a full day of animal-focused stops.
Both work well for younger kids specifically, wide paths and plenty of seating throughout make either a manageable half-day without excessive walking.
Hours Daily, roughly 9am-5pm
Address 2300 Steele St, Denver, CO
Colorado's Craft Beer Trail
Colorado holds one of the highest concentrations of craft breweries in the country, Denver's River North district alone runs dozens within walking distance of each other, most offering flights for a modest fee. Golden, home to a major national brewer's original headquarters, still runs tours covering the brewing process alongside tastings.
Great Divide Brewing and Odell Brewing both rank among the more established, well-regarded independent operations if you're short on time and want a strong starting point.
Address River North district, Denver, CO
Breckenridge & Ski Country
Breckenridge and its neighbouring resort towns, Vail and Aspen among them, run some of the best-regarded skiing in the country come winter, and switch to hiking, mountain biking, and alpine coaster rides once the snow clears. The historic downtown retains its 1880s mining-era buildings, a proper mix of old mountain town character and considerably more polished modern resort infrastructure.
Summer visits run noticeably cheaper than peak ski season, a good option if the mountain scenery matters more to you than the skiing itself.
Best time December-March for skiing; June-September for hiking
Address Breckenridge, CO
Denver's Union Station
A beautifully restored historic railway station in the heart of downtown Denver, still functioning as a working transit hub while the grand main hall now runs restaurants, a boutique hotel, and a proper cocktail bar tucked into what used to be a ticket window. The surrounding LoDo district holds a dense concentration of Denver's better restaurants, a good base for a full evening without much walking between stops.
Free walking tours of the building run periodically, check the current schedule if the architecture and history interest you beyond just the food.
Address 1701 Wynkoop St, Denver, CO
Best time to visit Colorado
June through September covers the most comfortable window for the majority of this list, mountain roads and trails all run at their fullest access during these months.
December through March flips the priority toward ski country specifically, plan a separate, dedicated trip around that window if skiing is the main draw.
Getting around Colorado
A car is essential, the distances between Denver, the mountain towns, and the southern stops run into several hours each. Denver itself runs a solid public transit system if you'd rather leave the car within the city for a day or two.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Colorado worth visiting beyond skiing?
- Yes, easily, Rocky Mountain National Park, Mesa Verde, and the Great Sand Dunes all offer completely different landscapes that justify a summer trip on their own merits.
- How many days do you need in Colorado?
- Seven days gives a comfortable pace to cover Denver, Rocky Mountain National Park, and either Mesa Verde or the ski country stretch.
- Is Colorado expensive to visit?
- Moderate, national park entry stays affordable, most of the cost on this list shows up in mountain town accommodation and ski season specifically.
- What's the best Colorado trip for kids?
- Denver Zoo and the Great Sand Dunes both rank as the most reliably kid-friendly stops on this list.
That's ten decent slices of a state that runs entirely on altitude.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government's latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
