Colorado: New Age Meets Old West

When you think of Colorado, you probably think of snow-capped Rocky Mountains and skiing. While they are indeed impressive, they are just the tip of what Colorado has to offer. Limitless outdoor activities, warm, dry weather, world-famous festivals and a great city provide great adventures.

Denver

It's probably the most familiar Colorado city outside of the state, and with good reason: Denver is within hours of most of the state's ski resorts and also close to great hiking, camping and other outdoor pursuits. Denver is clean and green, with more than 200 parks and dozens of tree-lined boulevards. The central downtown area features hotels, a performing arts complex, and a wide variety of shops, department stores, restaurants and nightspots, all within walking distance.

Try the Denver Art Museum and Colorado History Museum. Or, take a walk down the mile-long pedestrian mall that cuts through the heart of downtown Denver. Lower Downtown (called "LoDo" by locals) offers a number of restaurants, art galleries, offices and shops in restored Victorian buildings and warehouses. Coors Field, home to the Colorado Rockies baseball club, is at the heart of "LoDo" and started the area's rebirth.

Aspen

An old silver-mining town, Aspen is now a year-round alpine resort. After the ski season, there are a variety of ways to spend your free time here. You can hike, bike, fish, horseback ride, mountain climb or white-water raft. Music lovers can enjoy the annual summer (late June-August) Aspen Music Festival, one of the premier music festivals in the United States.

Boulder

Boulder is home to the University of Colorado, which partly explains its laid-back atmosphere. Travelers can stroll through the pedestrian-only Pearl Street for a unique shopping experience and even more unique people watching.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Located northwest of Denver, Rocky Mountain National Park is 405 square miles of magnificent peaks, valleys and nature trails. With more than 350 miles of trails, Rocky Mountain National Park is a hiker's paradise. Outings can range from day hikes to challenging multi-day excursions. You might even see wild elk, mule deer, mountain sheep or moose on the park's west side along the Colorado River.

Telluride

Located in Colorado's Southwestern corner, Telluride is a fashionable ski destination and summer vacation spot. Even though its popularity has skyrocketed, Telluride is slightly funkier than other towns; the attitude, style and look of the town and its denizens is different than most of Colorado. Telluride is the Festival Capital of the Rockies - there's some kind of festival or event going on practically every weekend from May to October.

Vail

Like Aspen, Vail is one of Colorado's more popular resort destinations, both for winter skiing and summer recreation. The largest ski mountain in North America - with 95 miles of trails - Vail has a reputation for being one of the very best places to ski in the United States. It's also a great place to visit in the summer, thanks to the myriad hiking trails, mountain bike areas and festivals.