Colorado Vacations

With an average of 300 days of sunshine per year (yep, more than Florida) and an outstanding variety of outdoor recreation, there's really no bad time to visit Colorado. Snowfall from October to April means fresh powder on the ski hills … and mountain road closures.

For the best Colorado vacation, plan your visit based less on the weather and more around what you most want to do. Snow skiers love the fall through the spring, while hiking and rafting are prime in the spring. For the best off-season deals, visit Colorado from August 15 through Labor Day, Memorial Day through mid-June, and in January.

Discover the "Napa Valley of Beers" with a tour the world-famous Coors and New Belgium breweries, and a visit to the annual Great American Beer Festival.

For fresh powder guaranteed, sign up for the free "First Tracks" experience in Aspen/Snowmass, which lets skiers enjoy fresh powder or first runs of the day.

Head to Keystone for inexpensive snowcat skiing in the Outback Bowl. For only $5 USD, you can experience some great backcountry skiing!

For award-winning dining and the chance to rub shoulders with Colorado's finest, try LoDo's Vesta Dipping Grill and the Denver ChopHouse.

For trendy Denver dining scenes inspired by both Coasts, try Cholon's Modern Asian Bistro, Euclid Hal, Root Down and Colt and Gray.

Hike, drive or take a train, you decide how to earn the summit of this 14,110-foot Colorado Springs landmark. The summit offers some of the best views in the state, including Colorado Springs and the Continental Divide. But the 19-mile journey to the top is no slouch -- mountain reservoirs, clouds beyond timberline, plus souvenirs stops, world-famous donuts and sluice mining all await an adventurous ascent.

Flaunt your black diamond skills in Aspen/Snowmass, a haven for celebrities and the glamorous crowd. Copper Mountain is a local favorite, but to mix skiing with après-ski fun, hit popular Vail and family-friendly Breckenridge. Snowboarders and advanced skiers flock to Steamboat and Telluride.

Two hours from Denver, find the gates of Colorado heaven: 415 square miles of magnificent Rockies. Trail Ridge Road covers 48 breathtaking miles of the park and offers one of the most scenic drives in the country. Or choose from 359 miles of hiking trails to get really deep in the woods. Elk and big horn sheep are regulars, but moose, black beers, cougars and many other animals call it home. Come springtime, wildflowers sweep the park with vibrant colors.

With continuous whitewater set against the Colorado mountains, and rapids that range from intense to mind-blowing, the Arkansas River serves up some seriously wild Colorado rafting. Paddle Class III-V rapids through Royal Gorge, Browns Canyon and The Numbers. Add an extreme zip-line tour and/or rock climbing, which many outfitters will also offer in the same place.

Set your sights on these giant red sandstone rock formations with Pikes Peak in the distance. Walk the kid-friendly (read: paved) hiking paths to experience former Ute Indian grounds and 300-foot rocks with names like Tower of Babel, Rocking Chair and Kissing Camels. The Central Garden is considered the most popular rock climbing spot in Colorado. Stop at the Trading Post for lunch and souvenirs.

What started with one black bear now spans 80 acres of exhibits housing 4,000 animals like King Cobras, rare okapi, vampire bats, red-bellied lemurs, Siberian tigers and black rhinos. Unique exhibits house three species extinct in the wild, but there's plenty more not to miss. First stop: Predator Ridge where African animals live in spacious, natural exhibits, and hyenas and lions actually communicate with one another.

Take a free tour of the legendary Golden, Colorado brewery, formerly known as the Coors Brewery. The 30-minute, self-guided tour reveals more on the brewery's history, survival through prohibition plus modern malting and brewing techniques. Guests over 21 can sip a cold sample in the beer room. Spend time after the tour sampling favorite brews like the Belgian-style Blue Moon or shopping in the gift store.

Carved into geologically-formed, 300-foot sandstone monoliths, this naturally spectacular open-air theater is known for its phenomenal acoustics (enjoyed by performers like Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, U2 and Fleetwood Mac) and panoramic views of Denver. If you miss a show, hit the Park's trails to hike or bike against dramatic scenery.

Home to the Colorado Rockies, Coors Field has a reputation for being the most fan-friendly ballpark in the U.S., but the players like it, too. The highest park in the MLB, Coors Field is the most hitter-friendly, thanks to the thin air. See the rocket-launching effects at the next "Coors Canaveral" game. And covet the nosebleeds -- those purple seats on the upper deck -- for the chance to sit one-mile high.

Drive 14 brave miles toward the heavens on the highest paved road in the U.S. OK, so it's not really the heavens but it will get you darn close and nearly to the top of the 14,264-foot-high Mount Evans. On the way up, you'll traverse three distinct life zones, experience steep grades, and see mountain goats and big horn sheep. Reaching the summit is only a matter of hiking the last quarter-mile.