Colorado · best-of list
30 Top Things to Do in Colorado
All 30 things to do our route editors picked in Colorado, across 7 destinations, gathered in one list. 1 spot on this list appears on more than one of our routes.
Our curated picks
30 things to do in Colorado, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Aspen 7 picks
Aspen Art Museum
Aspen · On our Colorado Rockies route + 1 more
Free contemporary art museum with a rooftop cafe and mountain views.
Photo: Bkthomson16 · CC BY-SA 4.0Aspen Highlands
Aspen · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
Ski area west of town known for Highland Bowl, a steep bowl reached by a hike along the ridge from the top lift.
Tip: Free snowcat rides cover the first part of the Highland Bowl hike when conditions allow.
Aspen Mountain
Aspen · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
Ski mountain rising straight from downtown Aspen, reached by the Silver Queen Gondola, with no beginner runs.
Tip: Ride the historic Lift 1A side for quieter laps and views over town.
Photo: AspenSkiingCompany · CC BY-SA 3.0
Crater Lake Trail
Aspen · On our Colorado Rockies route
3.6-mile round trip from Maroon Lake to a quieter lake right under the Bells.
Photo: Andre · Google
Silver Queen Gondola
Aspen · On our Colorado Rockies route
Ride from downtown to the 11,212-foot summit of Aspen Mountain in about 15 minutes.
Tip: Runs summer (mid-June to early Oct) and ski season (late Nov to mid-Apr); closed in between.
Photo: Aspen Colorado · Google
Snowmass
Aspen · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
The largest of the four Aspen Snowmass mountains, with long groomed cruisers and the Elk Camp Gondola.
Tip: The free shuttle from Aspen takes about 25 minutes.
Photo: Wolfgang Moroder · CC BY-SA 3.0
Wheeler Opera House
Aspen · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
Sandstone opera house built in 1889 by silver baron Jerome Wheeler, now hosting concerts, comedy and films.
Tip: Check the winter calendar; holiday weeks usually have shows most nights.
Photo: Wolfgang Moroder · CC BY-SA 3.0
Breckenridge 6 picks
BreckConnect Gondola
Breckenridge · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
Free gondola from the edge of town to the base areas at Peak 7 and Peak 8.
Tip: Park at the Gondola Lots or arrive by the free town bus; skiers and non-skiers ride free.
Breckenridge Nordic Center
Breckenridge · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
Groomed cross-country ski and snowshoe trails in the forest below Peak 8, with rentals and lessons.
Tip: A good half day off the lifts when legs need a rest.
Breckenridge Ski Resort
Breckenridge · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
Ski area across Peaks 6 to 10 of the Tenmile Range, with the Imperial Express chair topping out at 12,840 feet.
Tip: Peaks 6 and 7 hold the best intermediate bowls; Peak 9 is gentler for beginners.
Photo: Drew Stephens · CC BY-SA 2.0Breckenridge Welcome Center
Breckenridge · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
Visitor center on Main Street with a free exhibit on the town's gold-mining history.
Tip: Pick up a walking map of the historic district here.
Main Street
Breckenridge · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
Main Street of Breckenridge's historic district, lined with restored 1880s storefronts, shops and restaurants.
Tip: Walk it after dark in December when the trees along the street are lit.
Stephen C. West Ice Arena
Breckenridge · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
Town ice arena with an indoor rink and an outdoor rink in winter, with public skate sessions and rentals.
Tip: Check the public skate schedule; sessions are shorter on hockey nights.
Vail 5 picks
Bridge Street
Vail · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
Vail Village's pedestrian main street, running from the covered bridge over Gore Creek up to the lifts.
Tip: Walk it in the evening when the village is lit for the holidays.
Colorado Snowsports Museum
Vail · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
Museum and hall of fame for Colorado skiing, including the 10th Mountain Division soldiers who later helped found Vail.
Gondola One
Vail · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
High-speed gondola from Vail Village to Mid-Vail, the main way onto the mountain from the village.
Tip: Lines are shortest before 9 am and after lunch.
Lionshead Village
Vail · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
Vail's second base village, west of Vail Village, with the Eagle Bahn Gondola, shops and an outdoor ice rink.
Tip: Usually quieter than Vail Village for lunch and après.
Vail Ski Resort
Vail · On our Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route
One of North America's largest ski areas, with groomed front-side runs, the open Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin.
Tip: Head to the Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin on a powder day; the front side gets crowded first.
Rocky Mountain NP 4 picks
Alberta Falls
Rocky Mountain NP · On our Colorado Rockies route
Easy 1.6-mile round-trip hike to a 30-foot cascade on Glacier Creek.
Tip: Start from Glacier Gorge Trailhead to save distance.
Photo: Jess Robach · Google
Alpine Visitor Center
Rocky Mountain NP · On our Colorado Rockies route
Highest visitor center in the National Park System, with tundra trails and a cafe.
Tip: The steep Alpine Ridge Trail behind it is short but tough at altitude.
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Dbenbenn assumed (based on copyright claims · CC BY-SA 3.0
The Stanley Hotel
Rocky Mountain NP · On our Colorado Rockies route
1909 hotel that inspired Stephen King's The Shining; offers history and ghost tours.
Tip: Book tours in advance; the Whiskey Bar has a large spirits list.
Photo: Carol M. Highsmith · Public domain
Trail Ridge Road
Rocky Mountain NP · On our Colorado Rockies route
48-mile drive topping out at 12,183 feet, with tundra overlooks the whole way.
Tip: Usually open late May to mid-Oct; check road status before going.
Photo: martina gressani · Google
City Park 3 picks
Blossoms of Light
City Park · On our Denver New Year's Eve route
Denver Botanic Gardens' winter light display, which typically runs from late November to mid-January.
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
City Park · On our Denver New Year's Eve route
Natural history museum with dinosaur halls, wildlife dioramas, a planetarium and an IMAX theater.
Tip: It closes only on Christmas Day, so it is one of the few big sights reliably open on Jan 1.
Photo: Sarbjit Bahga · CC BY-SA 4.0Zoo Lights at Denver Zoo
City Park · On our Denver New Year's Eve route
The zoo's evening light trail through City Park, typically running from late November into the first week of January.
Tip: Buy a timed entry for just after dark and dress for an hour outdoors.
Denver 3 picks
Denver Art Museum
Denver · On our Colorado Rockies route
Strong Western American and Indigenous art collections in a jagged titanium-clad Libeskind building.
Tip: Book timed tickets online on weekends.
Photo: David Shankbone · CC BY 3.0
Denver Union Station
Denver · On our Colorado Rockies route
Restored 1914 rail hall with bars, shops and a lounge-like Great Hall at the heart of LoDo.
Tip: Grab a coffee in the Great Hall and people-watch before exploring LoDo.
Photo: Darkshark0159 at English Wikipedia · Public domain
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre
Denver · On our Colorado Rockies route
Concert venue set between 300-foot sandstone monoliths with views back to the Denver skyline.
Tip: On non-show days, walk the Trading Post Trail and climb the amphitheatre steps free.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
Downtown Denver & 16th Street 2 picks
Civic Center Park
Downtown Denver & 16th Street · On our Denver New Year's Eve route
Park between the State Capitol and the City and County Building, which is lit in color for the holidays.
Tip: One of the two official fireworks viewing areas, with more room than 16th Street for the 9 p.m. show.
Photo: Jolly2bjolly · CC BY-SA 4.0Downtown Denver New Year's Eve Fireworks
Downtown Denver & 16th Street · On our Denver New Year's Eve route
Free fireworks launched from downtown rooftops at 9 p.m. and midnight, best seen along 16th Street.
Tip: The stretch between Tremont Place and Arapahoe Street fills first; arrive 45 minutes early for the midnight show.
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the things to do in Colorado?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 30 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Colorado has the most things to do on this list?
Aspen has the most (7 of 30), followed by Breckenridge (6) and Vail (5).
Are any of these free?
15 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: Aspen Art Museum, BreckConnect Gondola, Bridge Street, Alberta Falls, Civic Center Park, and more. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for Colorado
Top things to do nearby
Destinations on this list
- Aspen 7 on this list
- Breckenridge 6 on this list
- Vail 5 on this list
- Rocky Mountain NP 4 on this list
- City Park 3 on this list
- Denver 3 on this list
- Downtown Denver & 16th Street 2 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.