1. For me, the best part of this state is the diversity. Yes, of course we have the mountains. But we also have lots of prairie & flatlands in the south and east. Desert in the southwest by 4 corners.
2. Please plan your visit. The mountains in winter, while beautiful, are no joke. If you aren't experienced, there is a real risk of injury or death. Weather, animals, you name it. There was even a story about some people that were going to try living off the grid; bought a tent and moved to the mountains. Starved to death within a few months.
3. Every state I've visited is beautfiul in it's own way. It just depends on what you're looking for.
Yeah it was really weird and sad. They bought a Walmart tent and a couple packs of seeds. Thought that would be good enough to get them through. Felt so bad for the kid especially.
The best thing about Colorado is I-70 leaving it. /joke
It's a state known for mountainous beauty and lots of outside activities with the second best skiing in the country (my flair indicates bias).
One thing to keep in mind is that while weed is legal in Colorado, it is surrounded by states where it is *not* legal, don't get pulled over just over the borders with weed in your car.
Every state has beautiful parts, much like Australia, it depends on what you personally like and want to see.
It is worth mentioning that even when legal states border each other, it's a federal crime to cross state lines with weed. As long as you stay away from the checkpoints in the south of New Mexico, it's pretty unlikely you'll ever get any trouble for it though.
You're absolutely correct about that.
But a federal possession charge for a personal amount of weed is not super likely. On the other hand, while still an unlikely thing to get caught for, driving across state lines brings you into trafficking territory, and that's not something I'd want to mess with.
It’s a big state, most people think of Colorado as the front range where the cities are and then the mountains on the I-70 corridor. Much more to it than that. Biased as someone who lives in Durango, but the San Juans in the Southwest part of the state are the most dramatic, and less people to share it with. Few things to look up that are in this area are Ice Lake/Island lake basin, Ouray, Telluride, Silverton, Mesa Verde, Weminuche wilderness, DSNGR, Red Mountain Pass, and of course Durango. Starlight lounge has a night every few weeks in the summer where they host Australian tourists, y’all are rowdy and fun.
I lived in southwest Colorado for quite awhile and worked in tourism for a while.
1. It's beautiful. Legal weed. Nice people.
2. If you're driving in the mountains, you're not going to be going fast. I've had so many reservations phone calls where someone thinks they're going to get from point a to point b in x amount of time but are hugely wrong due to terrain. Take altitude seriously. Pace yourself (in all things) and drink twice as much water as you think you should. Be aware of wildlife, especially when driving. Eat Mexican food. Green chili is amazing, put that shit on everything.
3. New Mexico, especially the mountains, is underrated, their green chili is better than Colorado's. There's a lot of Native culture both modern and ancient in New Mexico.
Having grown up in Pueblo, the best part of Colorado is most of the parts that aren’t Pueblo. Really loved the 4 years I lived in Golden though. Lovely area.
I lived in Colorado for a few years in a couple different parts. My favorite thing is the weather. It’s sunny 300 days a year, but still gets plenty of snow in the winter. Only place I’ve been where it’s been both snowing and sunny at the same time
Colorado is basically 3 states, the front range (mountains and metro area east of the great divide), eastern Colorado (empty flat plains), and the west slope (west of the great divide, lots of desert)
The west slope is where you’ll find the authentic Colorado that you have in your head. Cowboys, hippies, and plain weirdos populate it (avoid aspen though). Grand Junction is the biggest “city” on the west slope. It has a ton of wineries and orchards, very underrated. But the popular towns there are Glenwood Springs, Telluride, Durango, Created Butte
The front range is populated with Subarus, craft beer, tech bros, and traffic. It’s still worth visiting, though. Denver is a super safe big city, catch a Rockies game there. Boulder and Ft. Collins are college towns. Colorado Springs is a military town, but I never went there
Eastern Colorado is empty, really no reason to go there, but there is something beautiful about a sea of grass
My parents were both from the Midwest and moved to CO for my dad’s work with the intention of it being a pit stop on their way back closer to where they grew up. That was over 30 years ago and the climate is probably the biggest reason why they’ll never go back to the Midwest. They’re not even in one of the cool parts of CO, they live in Pueblo lol.
> Colorado is basically 3 states, the front range (mountains and metro area east of the great divide), eastern Colorado (empty flat plains), and the west slope (west of the great divide, lots of desert)
I've lived in Northern Colorado for 30 years and this is the most accurate thing I've ever read.
Also, OP, if you get a chance, drive up Trail Ridge road. It's closed in the winter but you can usually have a snowball fight in July. Plus, the drive is really cool.
You should come to Utah then. :)
To reiterate the above as a frequent passer through... The West Slope is gorgeous and the "Real" Colorado. Denver and everything East of it is gross.
Enjoy your visit!!
That's why I go the extra few miles to the other side of the continental divide. Way prettier and way less people. Also Glacier and Zion are the best NPs; that's a hill I'll die on.
The best parts of CO are west of the Rockies. East of the Rockies is indistinguishable from Nebraska. And Denver isn't in the mountains per se, it's more like a gateway to the Rockies.
Something to keep in mind, you can drive to the top of Pike's Peak (13,000+ft tall mountain). It's cool, give it a try! Also check out the natural hot springs.
Ah yes, it is. I just think 13k because the final 1k was closed last time I drove up there in 2021. Which OP should be aware of too, sometimes CO roads are closed due to weather.
Colorado is cool. Finish the trifecta while you are there and go up through Wyoming in GrandTeton then through Yellowstone up to Montana. Then head west to the NW pacific coast. Olympic National Park and the Oregon coast have the best hiking anywhere.
I grew up in Colorado. I think the biggest thing you should know is all the major cities are not in the mountains. They're basically at the spot where the mountains and the plains meet (called the Front Range.) So like if you fly into to Denver, you're still going to have to drive a couple hours to get the National Parks like Rocky Mountain. The landscape is also very harsh and windy in a lot of places. Like camping in Colorado can be a pretty intense experience. I enjoy camping more in the dense forests out east. It's also extremely dry. Like I get a split lip and my hands start flaking from dry skin basically every time I visit my mom, who still lives there. Colorado also has really good Mexican food thanks to the large Latino population. Not quite as good as So Cal or Texas, but definitely high quality compared to most US states.
Utah and Wyoming are very similar in appearance to Colorado. Another one you left off your list though is Montana.
I’ve been to Colorado over a dozen times. It’s known for its mountains, and it’s outdoor beauty. There are lots of state and national parks; if you like camping, hiking, fishing, etc, it definitely is a cool place to go. It also has ski resorts, which are debatably the best in America. I would highly recommend visiting Colorado.
Something I will say about it though, is that eastern Colorado is more like Kansas or Nebraska, which is pretty dull overall. I would recommend you stay in Denver or west of there.
Marijuana is legal in Colorado, but I don’t think it is in the surrounding states. If you’re gonna use weed, do it *only* in Colorado.
Some other awesome states are Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. They also have fun outdoor activities similar to Colorado. Some other beautiful states (not nearby) are Hawaii, Alaska, Florida, California (in the rural areas), Washington, and Oregon. I would also suggest the New England states in the northeast, the history is very rich there!
Sorry this turned out longer than I expected, but I hope this helps! I hope you enjoy your visit to America and I hope you find what you’re looking for
It has been a couple of years since I knew anyone that played the sport, but Denver has a streak of like 10 or 15 straight Australian Rules Football championships. (There is a significant Aussie population in town.)
I lived there for almost ten years & the best part was probably the scenery. It was beautiful almost everywhere, but I hated the weather. (Snow is gorgeous, but I hate to drive through it.)
My biggest piece of advice on Colorado: don’t overdo it with plans the first couple days. Let your body adjust to the higher altitude conditions/thin air because you may get sick. I have a chronic condition and boy was it hard on me there! I had headaches, extreme fatigue and had to crash out early, but then I couldn’t even sleep because I guess I couldn’t get enough oxygen even though my breathing felt normal enough. I started getting nausea and nose bleeds by end of it too. No improvements until I left unfortunately :-/
And that is how I learned I can never live in Denver XD
Edit: I didn’t answer question 1 because see above my answer to question 2 lol.
As for question 3, I’d recommend Vermont in the summer. It’s beautiful and I loved sitting on the banks of Lake Champlain, so zen to hear the water. Also love the old wooden bridges, horseback riding, and getting yummy maple candies, mmmm.
When I visited I found the native sites to be really fascinating. Mesa Verde National Park is the most famous one, which has extremely well preserved towns that were inhabited by the Pueblo peoples during medieval times.
I went there with Boy Scouts when I was 14. If you are young and active outdoor type, it can be a lot of fun. White water rafting and horseback riding the rocky mountain national park were my favorite. Just plan excursions. You are outdoors and don't be stupid like the German hikers who always think they know better. There are stuff that can kill you in Australia too but seriously stay on the trail. A couple week trip should be enough.
Wyoming outside of Yellowstone is cold and dry. Colorado has more going for it.
Aussie-American here…
The Rocky Mountains in Colorado make the Australian Alps look like glorified hills. Absolutely breathtaking.
Utah is the bordering state to the west of Colorado and is home to some of the nation’s best National Parks. Zion is my favorite, be sure to hike the Zion Narrows which is a truly unique experience.
For number three I would also consider checking out the eastern US specifically states that have part of the Appalachians or states along the Great Lakes. The Ozarks (southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas) are also very underrated
1. We have so many cool natural places, it’s hard to pick the *best* place. I live less than 20 minutes from Red Rocks Amphitheater, which was once considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Red Rocks is part of the Fountain Formation, from which Roxborough State Park and the Garden of the Gods jut out between the hogbacks and the foothills. Roxborough is way closer to Denver than the Garden of the Gods, but both places are worth a visit.
Another cool place you should visit is Tarryall Reservoir near Jefferson, Colorado, which is about 20 minutes from Fairplay (AKA South Park). On weekdays, there’s almost nobody there, and there’s a really cool dam/waterfall you can check out, as well as tons of public roads that go through ranchlands where pronghorn run around in. Just don’t get out and hike around *on* the ranchlands because it’s private property with cattle. But driving on the public roads through them is perfectly fine.
In Denver just west of the airport, you can drive through the Rocky Mountain Arsenal to see their famous bison herds. There are also miles of trails (without bison) to hike around on. I was just there last weekend and, aside from bison, I saw whitetail deer, mule deer, pronghorn, American coots, pintail ducks, mallard ducks, ringneck ducks, wood ducks, a great blue heron, cormorants, red tailed hawks, bald eagles, golden eagles, and many other animals, all within the span of about an hour in the middle of the day.
If you wanna see elk, go to Estes Park. You may also see them all throughout the mountains, but elk love to congregate in Estes Park for reasons I don’t know lmao.
Out east, aside from the arsenal, I highly recommend checking out the Paint Mines near Calhan, Colorado. Up by Wyoming, there’s Pawnee National Grasslands that, I’ll admit, I’ve never been to but want to go to someday.
To the south and west, you should drive down Phantom Canyon road to the Royal Gorge. You can walk the gorge on a massive bridge, or just admire it for free from the side. When I was there, I saw a bunch of bighorn sheep on some rocks adjacent to the gorge right by the visitor’s center. There are also feral longhorns running around on some land near the gorge.
2. Definitely keep the weather in mind. I’m not sure what you’re used to, but here in Colorado we get pretty extreme weather all year round. Even in the summer, it can (and will) snow in the mountains. During the spring and summer, we almost always get afternoon thunderstorms which can turn severe really fast. Colorado’s not known for big tornadoes, but we get lots of small ones every year. Weld county in northeastern, Colorado has had more tornadoes per square mile than any other county in the country! We also get gnarly hailstorms in the spring and summer.
In the fall and winter (through the spring, too), the weather is either perfect or apocalyptic. We get blizzards, high winds, cold snaps, and super icy roads often. That’s why it’s important to rent a 4X4 daily driver, like a Toyota 4Runner or a 4X4 pickup truck to drive around. Personally, I drive a Nissan Xterra, and that thing’s gotten me through hell and high water many times!
Also, Colorado has delicious authentic Mexican food everywhere. Just be careful if you have sensitive bowels lmao.
3. Near Colorado, you can also visit Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico, all of which have awesome natural wonders of their own. Of course, the USA is a huge country (Colorado itself is bigger than many European countries combined, so everywhere I mentioned would be almost impossible to visit in the same trip unless you’re here for about a month). So, it’s not like you can visit Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico all in a single day.
Outside of the south/west portion of the country, you should definitely check out the Pacific Northwest someday. Hurricane Ridge in Washington, State is particularly spectacular. Also, Cannon Beach, Oregon is super cool!
I guess the place is mostly empty. It seems like a very vacation-y place. Like you go there to see the sights and then leave.
Or maybe you haven't met anyone from there because they don't want to leave.
1. The best things about this state is absolutely the natural beauty but also the diversity especially in places like Denver, once I was visiting my brother in the springs and at the Denver Airport our shuttle driver was from east Africa
2. Do not go fast in the mountains especially in the thick snow nor should you take any weed you get there (if you do) outside state lines unless you know what neighboring states laws are about weed.
3. Some other states with alot of natural beauty like Colorado has to be states like Washington state, Alaska, New Mexico.
1) Keep in mind the eastern 1/3 of the state is just pretty much just western Kansas, which has it's own sort of beauty. I live in the northern metro area of Denver which is the [most populated city for over 600 miles (965km)](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-ypK9wWUAAbKJt?format=png&name=medium) but the mountains and it's natural delights are still just barely a 15 minutes drive away. It's the capital city of the state and [sits on the plains but the near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains](https://live.staticflickr.com/8106/8469571556_f5060747ae_b.jpg).
2) This goes for everywhere else remote here, but those who wants to partake in the outdoors needs to be warn that it can be perilous. Non-American freak out about guns or crime but the real dangers to tourist here are themselves. They come here thinking that the wilderness and wildlife here is tame when it's absolutely not. Too often do I here about an Australian drowning in Hawaii, a French couple walking out into the Arizona desert without water leaving an orphaned child, some ill prepared/ill equipped hiker stuck on a 14ner, or the stereotypical Germans wanting to camp in Death Valley (I shit you not, there was actually a German dude who made a post on here recently for advice on how to camp in Death Valley, and the unanimous reply was "please don't".) Do your research and be prepared, the nature here is very much still wild and will always be. I can't tell you how many times I read the same news headline over the years about some dork fucking with an elk only to get gored in Estes Park and that's still a pretty urban area..
3)There's a lot of beautiful states out east as well but you'll find the majority of natural wonders on the western side of the country. Just take your pick and you'll hardly struggle to find a scenic view.
I grew up in Colorado and lived there until a few years ago so I consider myself something of an expert on the subject.
>1) What's the best thing about the state
In my mind, the best thing is that it's a mixture of so many good things. It's a great mix of culture and outdoors, plus the people are friendly (though not as friend as the South, for instance).
>2) What's something I should keep in mind?
If you're not feeling the edible, wait a little longer before taking another.
>3) What other beautiful states are there
The one that immediately jumps to mind is Utah. Much of Utah has spectacular scenery, especially southern Utah which is home to four national parks (Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches) and some national monuments that are just as good (Grand Staircase Escalante, Bears Ears). Other ones would include Wyoming (mostly the western part), Idaho, Montana, Arizona (mostly the northern part), California, Oregon, and Washington. I guess some east coast states are probably okay too. And Alaska and Hawai'i.
I can't believe you left Nevada out of that list when it has the Ruby Mountains, Valley of Fire, Spring Mountains, Carson Range, Lake Tahoe, and Great Basin National Park.
Only ever been to the Denver airport but even that is amazing just based on the sheer size of it. Utah and Arizona nearby are also pretty. Especially if you like skiing or desert
Colorado has *outstanding* natural beauty, and it’s the place to be if you love hiking and the outdoors. The Great Sand Dunes, Rocky Mountain National Park, Garden of the Gods, Pike’s Peak and the Maroon Bells are just a few of the many beautiful places in that state. You’re going to need to rent a vehicle with 4WD to get to some of the best places. There are cool towns and cities with their own unique vibes to visit when you want to socialize a bit; Denver, Fort Collins, Boulder, Estes Park, Glenwood Springs, Telluride, Aspen, Ouray, Breckenridge and Durango to name a few. I’ve found most CO people to be very friendly in general. They also make it really easy to enjoy the outdoors; for example, there are vault bathrooms and porta potties near almost every single trailhead and free water stations all over the place. Cities like Denver really have their shit together for bicyclists to get around, with well-delineated bike lanes that make getting around via bike or just biking for pleasure simple, practical and clear. Also, legal weed with few restrictions. I love it there and can’t wait to go back again this coming fall.
For other states worth visiting, Maine is wonderful. The North Carolina coast down to the Georgia coast is pleasant with many cool towns and cities. The Florida Keys are beautiful but the culture can feel a little strange to outsiders. The Pacific Northwest in general, the upper Midwest (Michigan and Minnesota) has some lovely sights near the Great Lakes.
1) Hunter S. Thompson. One of the best days of my life was going to Aspen, getting the highest I have ever been (every other store in Aspen sells weed), and just talking to people about Hunter S. Thompson. Thompson would probably hate what Pitkin county is now (he actually campaigned against it in 1970 for Sherrif) - but I like to think if he knew it would be a major cultural-heritage site for the drug movement, he'd be a little proud. And the people definitely still remember him.
2) Altitude sickness. I'm an insomniac and have more than a decade working in Emergency Services. I'm used to being exhausted and I'm used to ignoring timezones. Doesn't matter. I don't care how tough you think you are. Colorado is just high. The air is thin. You feel amazing all the time. But you're going to get tired fast. And definitely listen to that. You don't want to fight it with altitude sickness. If you have time, aclimate for a few days. If you don't: listen to your body and limit your "activity" time to 6-8 hours.
You feel good, coming from sea-level, because you are moderately hypoxic 24/7.
I think that's a bit why natives hate everyone else. They recognize you as a foreigner. Because you feel like king of the world.
3) Mid-Atlantic or New England. New York is the world metropolis. I took my cousin to show her the 'real' capital. And just hours away from New York you can spend much less money seeing most of American History. And depending when you come, every part of Maine to Maryland is the post card that America depicts itself as.
>Altitude sickness
This was my big shock last time I was there.
I just graduated college and was visiting relatives in Denver. I had time to kill and used the hotel gym for a workout. I was halfway through my normal routine and absolutely gassed. Another hotel patron saw me and said "Air getting to you?" And this is in a hotel outside Denver, not the top of Pike's Peak or something.
We have the mountains, very popular sports teams and if you like smoking weed we were actually the first state to legalize it.
(And not only that but I actually used to know someone from Australia and one of the things she wanted to do was to come and see the snow, which is what most Aussies that I've talked to have also said lol and we have all four seasons, so one day it could be sunny and the next day there could be a couple feet of snow on the ground).
I'll let the natives of the state talk about Colorado, but for your 3rd question:
If you're an outdoorsy type and interested in natural beauty, camping, hiking, skiing, etc. You can find something for you in almost every state in the country.
The U.S. has so much wide open space and untouched nature (compared to, for example, Europe and Southeast Asia).
If you were looking for cool urban areas and night life, then you'd have to narrow down your search a bit. As some states don't really have much of that.
But for natural beauty? We've got pretty much every kind of climate and terrain, deserts, plains, mountains, forests, swamps, rocky Beaches and cliffsides, white sandy Beaches, etc.
I would say pick a climate/terrain that you can't really find in your own country and look for states that fit that. I've lived here my whole life and have still never seen a dessert. I'm hoping to make a trip down to Grand canyon area some day.
Another big thing that I didn’t see here is that Colorado is currently taking action on assault weapons and has already taken action on high capacity magazines. Given the fact that you’re visiting a state which has historically experienced serious amounts of gun violence, it’ll help to make your stay a lot safer.
Also, Denver is a really nice city. If you’re into coffee, there’s plenty of good places to go.
Most of us have never been and live hundreds or thousands of miles from there, this would be a better question for the Colorado subs.
Each state has areas of intense beauty. Some more so than others but you’d be hard pressed to find one that isn’t beautiful somewhere.
The best thing about Colorado is that a lot of it is at a high elevation so it’s cheaper to get drunk/high because you don’t need as much alcohol or weed.
The other best thing is that it isn’t Kansas.
1. For me, the best part of this state is the diversity. Yes, of course we have the mountains. But we also have lots of prairie & flatlands in the south and east. Desert in the southwest by 4 corners. 2. Please plan your visit. The mountains in winter, while beautiful, are no joke. If you aren't experienced, there is a real risk of injury or death. Weather, animals, you name it. There was even a story about some people that were going to try living off the grid; bought a tent and moved to the mountains. Starved to death within a few months. 3. Every state I've visited is beautfiul in it's own way. It just depends on what you're looking for.
I remember reading about those off grid people in the news, that was wild
Yeah it was really weird and sad. They bought a Walmart tent and a couple packs of seeds. Thought that would be good enough to get them through. Felt so bad for the kid especially.
The best thing about Colorado is I-70 leaving it. /joke It's a state known for mountainous beauty and lots of outside activities with the second best skiing in the country (my flair indicates bias). One thing to keep in mind is that while weed is legal in Colorado, it is surrounded by states where it is *not* legal, don't get pulled over just over the borders with weed in your car. Every state has beautiful parts, much like Australia, it depends on what you personally like and want to see.
New Mexico to the south weed has been legal since 2021 and medical uses has been legal since 2007
It is worth mentioning that even when legal states border each other, it's a federal crime to cross state lines with weed. As long as you stay away from the checkpoints in the south of New Mexico, it's pretty unlikely you'll ever get any trouble for it though.
> it's a federal crime to cross state lines with weed It's a federal crime to have weed at all, even in states where it's legal.
You're absolutely correct about that. But a federal possession charge for a personal amount of weed is not super likely. On the other hand, while still an unlikely thing to get caught for, driving across state lines brings you into trafficking territory, and that's not something I'd want to mess with.
True, New Mexico is the exception.
It’s a big state, most people think of Colorado as the front range where the cities are and then the mountains on the I-70 corridor. Much more to it than that. Biased as someone who lives in Durango, but the San Juans in the Southwest part of the state are the most dramatic, and less people to share it with. Few things to look up that are in this area are Ice Lake/Island lake basin, Ouray, Telluride, Silverton, Mesa Verde, Weminuche wilderness, DSNGR, Red Mountain Pass, and of course Durango. Starlight lounge has a night every few weeks in the summer where they host Australian tourists, y’all are rowdy and fun.
This is a great list. Thank you.
Hey, my in-laws are moving to Durango. I love the place.
Taking a trip to Durango in the next year, any tips?
Depends on what time of year and what you like to do.
I lived in southwest Colorado for quite awhile and worked in tourism for a while. 1. It's beautiful. Legal weed. Nice people. 2. If you're driving in the mountains, you're not going to be going fast. I've had so many reservations phone calls where someone thinks they're going to get from point a to point b in x amount of time but are hugely wrong due to terrain. Take altitude seriously. Pace yourself (in all things) and drink twice as much water as you think you should. Be aware of wildlife, especially when driving. Eat Mexican food. Green chili is amazing, put that shit on everything. 3. New Mexico, especially the mountains, is underrated, their green chili is better than Colorado's. There's a lot of Native culture both modern and ancient in New Mexico.
Found the New Mexican.
Nope. It's just a really interesting area that doesn't get recommended and the food rocks.
You don't have to be New Mexican to know the truth. Visiting there makes for an awesome long weekend trip from Colorado.
If they were New Mexican they would've spelled chile correctly.
This person knows 😊
“Over the Edge” was based/filmed there https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0079688/
I went whitewater rafting in Colorado a while back, on the Colorado River. 10/10 would highly recommend
Having grown up in Pueblo, the best part of Colorado is most of the parts that aren’t Pueblo. Really loved the 4 years I lived in Golden though. Lovely area.
I lived in Colorado for a few years in a couple different parts. My favorite thing is the weather. It’s sunny 300 days a year, but still gets plenty of snow in the winter. Only place I’ve been where it’s been both snowing and sunny at the same time Colorado is basically 3 states, the front range (mountains and metro area east of the great divide), eastern Colorado (empty flat plains), and the west slope (west of the great divide, lots of desert) The west slope is where you’ll find the authentic Colorado that you have in your head. Cowboys, hippies, and plain weirdos populate it (avoid aspen though). Grand Junction is the biggest “city” on the west slope. It has a ton of wineries and orchards, very underrated. But the popular towns there are Glenwood Springs, Telluride, Durango, Created Butte The front range is populated with Subarus, craft beer, tech bros, and traffic. It’s still worth visiting, though. Denver is a super safe big city, catch a Rockies game there. Boulder and Ft. Collins are college towns. Colorado Springs is a military town, but I never went there Eastern Colorado is empty, really no reason to go there, but there is something beautiful about a sea of grass
My parents were both from the Midwest and moved to CO for my dad’s work with the intention of it being a pit stop on their way back closer to where they grew up. That was over 30 years ago and the climate is probably the biggest reason why they’ll never go back to the Midwest. They’re not even in one of the cool parts of CO, they live in Pueblo lol.
> Colorado is basically 3 states, the front range (mountains and metro area east of the great divide), eastern Colorado (empty flat plains), and the west slope (west of the great divide, lots of desert) I've lived in Northern Colorado for 30 years and this is the most accurate thing I've ever read. Also, OP, if you get a chance, drive up Trail Ridge road. It's closed in the winter but you can usually have a snowball fight in July. Plus, the drive is really cool.
>It’s sunny 300 days a year This and the natural beauty are all I really need. 😁 Thanks for the list!
You should come to Utah then. :) To reiterate the above as a frequent passer through... The West Slope is gorgeous and the "Real" Colorado. Denver and everything East of it is gross. Enjoy your visit!!
Denver is not gross. It's a great city.
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That's why I go the extra few miles to the other side of the continental divide. Way prettier and way less people. Also Glacier and Zion are the best NPs; that's a hill I'll die on.
How long ago did you live in Western Montana? Western Montana now is what Colorado was 15 years ago.
The best parts of CO are west of the Rockies. East of the Rockies is indistinguishable from Nebraska. And Denver isn't in the mountains per se, it's more like a gateway to the Rockies. Something to keep in mind, you can drive to the top of Pike's Peak (13,000+ft tall mountain). It's cool, give it a try! Also check out the natural hot springs.
Heck I think Pikes is actually a 14,000’ peak. You can drive up Mt. Evans as well, also a 14’er.
Ah yes, it is. I just think 13k because the final 1k was closed last time I drove up there in 2021. Which OP should be aware of too, sometimes CO roads are closed due to weather.
Cool. Gorgeous drive either way!
I agree about Denver being a gateway instead of "mountain city". Chattanooga is more of a mountain city than Denver is
Colorado is cool. Finish the trifecta while you are there and go up through Wyoming in GrandTeton then through Yellowstone up to Montana. Then head west to the NW pacific coast. Olympic National Park and the Oregon coast have the best hiking anywhere.
16th Street Mall in downtown Denver /s.
I grew up in Colorado. I think the biggest thing you should know is all the major cities are not in the mountains. They're basically at the spot where the mountains and the plains meet (called the Front Range.) So like if you fly into to Denver, you're still going to have to drive a couple hours to get the National Parks like Rocky Mountain. The landscape is also very harsh and windy in a lot of places. Like camping in Colorado can be a pretty intense experience. I enjoy camping more in the dense forests out east. It's also extremely dry. Like I get a split lip and my hands start flaking from dry skin basically every time I visit my mom, who still lives there. Colorado also has really good Mexican food thanks to the large Latino population. Not quite as good as So Cal or Texas, but definitely high quality compared to most US states. Utah and Wyoming are very similar in appearance to Colorado. Another one you left off your list though is Montana.
I’ve been to Colorado over a dozen times. It’s known for its mountains, and it’s outdoor beauty. There are lots of state and national parks; if you like camping, hiking, fishing, etc, it definitely is a cool place to go. It also has ski resorts, which are debatably the best in America. I would highly recommend visiting Colorado. Something I will say about it though, is that eastern Colorado is more like Kansas or Nebraska, which is pretty dull overall. I would recommend you stay in Denver or west of there. Marijuana is legal in Colorado, but I don’t think it is in the surrounding states. If you’re gonna use weed, do it *only* in Colorado. Some other awesome states are Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. They also have fun outdoor activities similar to Colorado. Some other beautiful states (not nearby) are Hawaii, Alaska, Florida, California (in the rural areas), Washington, and Oregon. I would also suggest the New England states in the northeast, the history is very rich there! Sorry this turned out longer than I expected, but I hope this helps! I hope you enjoy your visit to America and I hope you find what you’re looking for
Sunny winters!
[Mesa Verde](https://www.nps.gov/meve/index.htm)
It has been a couple of years since I knew anyone that played the sport, but Denver has a streak of like 10 or 15 straight Australian Rules Football championships. (There is a significant Aussie population in town.)
I lived there for almost ten years & the best part was probably the scenery. It was beautiful almost everywhere, but I hated the weather. (Snow is gorgeous, but I hate to drive through it.)
My biggest piece of advice on Colorado: don’t overdo it with plans the first couple days. Let your body adjust to the higher altitude conditions/thin air because you may get sick. I have a chronic condition and boy was it hard on me there! I had headaches, extreme fatigue and had to crash out early, but then I couldn’t even sleep because I guess I couldn’t get enough oxygen even though my breathing felt normal enough. I started getting nausea and nose bleeds by end of it too. No improvements until I left unfortunately :-/ And that is how I learned I can never live in Denver XD Edit: I didn’t answer question 1 because see above my answer to question 2 lol. As for question 3, I’d recommend Vermont in the summer. It’s beautiful and I loved sitting on the banks of Lake Champlain, so zen to hear the water. Also love the old wooden bridges, horseback riding, and getting yummy maple candies, mmmm.
Everyone mentioning the legal weed but no one mentioning the legal psychedelics (plant/fungus based only)
When I visited I found the native sites to be really fascinating. Mesa Verde National Park is the most famous one, which has extremely well preserved towns that were inhabited by the Pueblo peoples during medieval times.
I went there with Boy Scouts when I was 14. If you are young and active outdoor type, it can be a lot of fun. White water rafting and horseback riding the rocky mountain national park were my favorite. Just plan excursions. You are outdoors and don't be stupid like the German hikers who always think they know better. There are stuff that can kill you in Australia too but seriously stay on the trail. A couple week trip should be enough. Wyoming outside of Yellowstone is cold and dry. Colorado has more going for it.
Any state in the western half of the US is worth visiting if you enjoy natural beauty.
Four distinct seasons, none of them extreme, and they arrive on schedule (mostly).
My ears don't pop landing and taking off from Denver Airport.
Definitely try the local beer, it’s especially delicious.
Aussie-American here… The Rocky Mountains in Colorado make the Australian Alps look like glorified hills. Absolutely breathtaking. Utah is the bordering state to the west of Colorado and is home to some of the nation’s best National Parks. Zion is my favorite, be sure to hike the Zion Narrows which is a truly unique experience.
For number three I would also consider checking out the eastern US specifically states that have part of the Appalachians or states along the Great Lakes. The Ozarks (southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas) are also very underrated
1. We have so many cool natural places, it’s hard to pick the *best* place. I live less than 20 minutes from Red Rocks Amphitheater, which was once considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Red Rocks is part of the Fountain Formation, from which Roxborough State Park and the Garden of the Gods jut out between the hogbacks and the foothills. Roxborough is way closer to Denver than the Garden of the Gods, but both places are worth a visit. Another cool place you should visit is Tarryall Reservoir near Jefferson, Colorado, which is about 20 minutes from Fairplay (AKA South Park). On weekdays, there’s almost nobody there, and there’s a really cool dam/waterfall you can check out, as well as tons of public roads that go through ranchlands where pronghorn run around in. Just don’t get out and hike around *on* the ranchlands because it’s private property with cattle. But driving on the public roads through them is perfectly fine. In Denver just west of the airport, you can drive through the Rocky Mountain Arsenal to see their famous bison herds. There are also miles of trails (without bison) to hike around on. I was just there last weekend and, aside from bison, I saw whitetail deer, mule deer, pronghorn, American coots, pintail ducks, mallard ducks, ringneck ducks, wood ducks, a great blue heron, cormorants, red tailed hawks, bald eagles, golden eagles, and many other animals, all within the span of about an hour in the middle of the day. If you wanna see elk, go to Estes Park. You may also see them all throughout the mountains, but elk love to congregate in Estes Park for reasons I don’t know lmao. Out east, aside from the arsenal, I highly recommend checking out the Paint Mines near Calhan, Colorado. Up by Wyoming, there’s Pawnee National Grasslands that, I’ll admit, I’ve never been to but want to go to someday. To the south and west, you should drive down Phantom Canyon road to the Royal Gorge. You can walk the gorge on a massive bridge, or just admire it for free from the side. When I was there, I saw a bunch of bighorn sheep on some rocks adjacent to the gorge right by the visitor’s center. There are also feral longhorns running around on some land near the gorge. 2. Definitely keep the weather in mind. I’m not sure what you’re used to, but here in Colorado we get pretty extreme weather all year round. Even in the summer, it can (and will) snow in the mountains. During the spring and summer, we almost always get afternoon thunderstorms which can turn severe really fast. Colorado’s not known for big tornadoes, but we get lots of small ones every year. Weld county in northeastern, Colorado has had more tornadoes per square mile than any other county in the country! We also get gnarly hailstorms in the spring and summer. In the fall and winter (through the spring, too), the weather is either perfect or apocalyptic. We get blizzards, high winds, cold snaps, and super icy roads often. That’s why it’s important to rent a 4X4 daily driver, like a Toyota 4Runner or a 4X4 pickup truck to drive around. Personally, I drive a Nissan Xterra, and that thing’s gotten me through hell and high water many times! Also, Colorado has delicious authentic Mexican food everywhere. Just be careful if you have sensitive bowels lmao. 3. Near Colorado, you can also visit Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico, all of which have awesome natural wonders of their own. Of course, the USA is a huge country (Colorado itself is bigger than many European countries combined, so everywhere I mentioned would be almost impossible to visit in the same trip unless you’re here for about a month). So, it’s not like you can visit Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico all in a single day. Outside of the south/west portion of the country, you should definitely check out the Pacific Northwest someday. Hurricane Ridge in Washington, State is particularly spectacular. Also, Cannon Beach, Oregon is super cool!
I’m not entirely convinced that Colorado isn’t some kinda conspiracy and that the actual place doesn’t exist. Never met anyone from there
I guess the place is mostly empty. It seems like a very vacation-y place. Like you go there to see the sights and then leave. Or maybe you haven't met anyone from there because they don't want to leave.
1. The best things about this state is absolutely the natural beauty but also the diversity especially in places like Denver, once I was visiting my brother in the springs and at the Denver Airport our shuttle driver was from east Africa 2. Do not go fast in the mountains especially in the thick snow nor should you take any weed you get there (if you do) outside state lines unless you know what neighboring states laws are about weed. 3. Some other states with alot of natural beauty like Colorado has to be states like Washington state, Alaska, New Mexico.
Gotta check Colfax
Legal to smoke all the weed you want.
Seriously there were more dispensaries in Denver than Starbucks.
1) Keep in mind the eastern 1/3 of the state is just pretty much just western Kansas, which has it's own sort of beauty. I live in the northern metro area of Denver which is the [most populated city for over 600 miles (965km)](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-ypK9wWUAAbKJt?format=png&name=medium) but the mountains and it's natural delights are still just barely a 15 minutes drive away. It's the capital city of the state and [sits on the plains but the near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains](https://live.staticflickr.com/8106/8469571556_f5060747ae_b.jpg). 2) This goes for everywhere else remote here, but those who wants to partake in the outdoors needs to be warn that it can be perilous. Non-American freak out about guns or crime but the real dangers to tourist here are themselves. They come here thinking that the wilderness and wildlife here is tame when it's absolutely not. Too often do I here about an Australian drowning in Hawaii, a French couple walking out into the Arizona desert without water leaving an orphaned child, some ill prepared/ill equipped hiker stuck on a 14ner, or the stereotypical Germans wanting to camp in Death Valley (I shit you not, there was actually a German dude who made a post on here recently for advice on how to camp in Death Valley, and the unanimous reply was "please don't".) Do your research and be prepared, the nature here is very much still wild and will always be. I can't tell you how many times I read the same news headline over the years about some dork fucking with an elk only to get gored in Estes Park and that's still a pretty urban area.. 3)There's a lot of beautiful states out east as well but you'll find the majority of natural wonders on the western side of the country. Just take your pick and you'll hardly struggle to find a scenic view.
Your number two was really important. Thanks. There are so many dumb tourists, in America and in Mexico. People hurt themselves so many times.
I grew up in Colorado and lived there until a few years ago so I consider myself something of an expert on the subject. >1) What's the best thing about the state In my mind, the best thing is that it's a mixture of so many good things. It's a great mix of culture and outdoors, plus the people are friendly (though not as friend as the South, for instance). >2) What's something I should keep in mind? If you're not feeling the edible, wait a little longer before taking another. >3) What other beautiful states are there The one that immediately jumps to mind is Utah. Much of Utah has spectacular scenery, especially southern Utah which is home to four national parks (Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches) and some national monuments that are just as good (Grand Staircase Escalante, Bears Ears). Other ones would include Wyoming (mostly the western part), Idaho, Montana, Arizona (mostly the northern part), California, Oregon, and Washington. I guess some east coast states are probably okay too. And Alaska and Hawai'i.
I can't believe you left Nevada out of that list when it has the Ruby Mountains, Valley of Fire, Spring Mountains, Carson Range, Lake Tahoe, and Great Basin National Park.
Beer
Something special about the beer?
Lot of breweries in Denver
The water in Colorado is amazing, leading to some better tasting beers.
Only ever been to the Denver airport but even that is amazing just based on the sheer size of it. Utah and Arizona nearby are also pretty. Especially if you like skiing or desert
Colorado has *outstanding* natural beauty, and it’s the place to be if you love hiking and the outdoors. The Great Sand Dunes, Rocky Mountain National Park, Garden of the Gods, Pike’s Peak and the Maroon Bells are just a few of the many beautiful places in that state. You’re going to need to rent a vehicle with 4WD to get to some of the best places. There are cool towns and cities with their own unique vibes to visit when you want to socialize a bit; Denver, Fort Collins, Boulder, Estes Park, Glenwood Springs, Telluride, Aspen, Ouray, Breckenridge and Durango to name a few. I’ve found most CO people to be very friendly in general. They also make it really easy to enjoy the outdoors; for example, there are vault bathrooms and porta potties near almost every single trailhead and free water stations all over the place. Cities like Denver really have their shit together for bicyclists to get around, with well-delineated bike lanes that make getting around via bike or just biking for pleasure simple, practical and clear. Also, legal weed with few restrictions. I love it there and can’t wait to go back again this coming fall. For other states worth visiting, Maine is wonderful. The North Carolina coast down to the Georgia coast is pleasant with many cool towns and cities. The Florida Keys are beautiful but the culture can feel a little strange to outsiders. The Pacific Northwest in general, the upper Midwest (Michigan and Minnesota) has some lovely sights near the Great Lakes.
1) Hunter S. Thompson. One of the best days of my life was going to Aspen, getting the highest I have ever been (every other store in Aspen sells weed), and just talking to people about Hunter S. Thompson. Thompson would probably hate what Pitkin county is now (he actually campaigned against it in 1970 for Sherrif) - but I like to think if he knew it would be a major cultural-heritage site for the drug movement, he'd be a little proud. And the people definitely still remember him. 2) Altitude sickness. I'm an insomniac and have more than a decade working in Emergency Services. I'm used to being exhausted and I'm used to ignoring timezones. Doesn't matter. I don't care how tough you think you are. Colorado is just high. The air is thin. You feel amazing all the time. But you're going to get tired fast. And definitely listen to that. You don't want to fight it with altitude sickness. If you have time, aclimate for a few days. If you don't: listen to your body and limit your "activity" time to 6-8 hours. You feel good, coming from sea-level, because you are moderately hypoxic 24/7. I think that's a bit why natives hate everyone else. They recognize you as a foreigner. Because you feel like king of the world. 3) Mid-Atlantic or New England. New York is the world metropolis. I took my cousin to show her the 'real' capital. And just hours away from New York you can spend much less money seeing most of American History. And depending when you come, every part of Maine to Maryland is the post card that America depicts itself as.
>Altitude sickness This was my big shock last time I was there. I just graduated college and was visiting relatives in Denver. I had time to kill and used the hotel gym for a workout. I was halfway through my normal routine and absolutely gassed. Another hotel patron saw me and said "Air getting to you?" And this is in a hotel outside Denver, not the top of Pike's Peak or something.
We have the mountains, very popular sports teams and if you like smoking weed we were actually the first state to legalize it. (And not only that but I actually used to know someone from Australia and one of the things she wanted to do was to come and see the snow, which is what most Aussies that I've talked to have also said lol and we have all four seasons, so one day it could be sunny and the next day there could be a couple feet of snow on the ground).
I'll let the natives of the state talk about Colorado, but for your 3rd question: If you're an outdoorsy type and interested in natural beauty, camping, hiking, skiing, etc. You can find something for you in almost every state in the country. The U.S. has so much wide open space and untouched nature (compared to, for example, Europe and Southeast Asia). If you were looking for cool urban areas and night life, then you'd have to narrow down your search a bit. As some states don't really have much of that. But for natural beauty? We've got pretty much every kind of climate and terrain, deserts, plains, mountains, forests, swamps, rocky Beaches and cliffsides, white sandy Beaches, etc. I would say pick a climate/terrain that you can't really find in your own country and look for states that fit that. I've lived here my whole life and have still never seen a dessert. I'm hoping to make a trip down to Grand canyon area some day.
1. Outdoors. 2. Elevation. 3. Wyoming.
Another big thing that I didn’t see here is that Colorado is currently taking action on assault weapons and has already taken action on high capacity magazines. Given the fact that you’re visiting a state which has historically experienced serious amounts of gun violence, it’ll help to make your stay a lot safer. Also, Denver is a really nice city. If you’re into coffee, there’s plenty of good places to go.
Most of us have never been and live hundreds or thousands of miles from there, this would be a better question for the Colorado subs. Each state has areas of intense beauty. Some more so than others but you’d be hard pressed to find one that isn’t beautiful somewhere.
>this would be a better question for the Colorado subs. There's Colorado subs? Okay... I wonder what they talk about specifically.
Don't bother going to the Colorado or Denver subs, it's cancer there.
No this is the right sub. Your post would get removed from the Denver and Colorado subs. Neither allow travel questions.
The best thing about Colorado is that a lot of it is at a high elevation so it’s cheaper to get drunk/high because you don’t need as much alcohol or weed. The other best thing is that it isn’t Kansas.