Colorado. A state where the names of towns and mountains produce a sense of nostalgia for the past. A state of beautiful national parks, gorgeous mountains, and amazing scenery.
And what better way to learn about Colorado then speaking to a local? Today we bring Jason back to share his experiences living in Colorado and to hear what he would suggest for anyone looking to visit.
We cover the best cities, how to visit all the national parks for cheap, great ski spots, delicious food, and of course, great beer. Jason also shares his Rule of Three, a great way to tell the best restaurants in any area you visit!
Have you ever been to Colorado? Tell us about the things Jason’s been missing out on in the comments below!
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In This Episode:
- A great road trip itinerary around Colorado
- The best hot springs.
- Ways to save on National Park admission.
- How to camp for free on your trip.
- Some great festivals in Telluride to check out.
- Some of the best restaurants to eat at in Boulder, Denver, & Breckenridge
- An Epic way to save money on skiing during the season. (If you like to ski, this is a MUST do!)
- The top 3 ski locations if you’re on a time crunch
and much more!
Things we talked about in this episode:
Click on the map to see all the locations listed below on a Google Map! It’s a great tool for planning your own trip to Colorado!
A Great Roadtrip Path
Take the 285 starting in Denver and head towards Salida and Gunnison before turning south towards Telluride and the San Juan National Forest. Here you’ll find some of the youngest mountains in the state, which are craggier, and very different from mountains found elsewhere in Colorado. Turn west towards Mesa Verde National Park and then loop back up north towards Grand Junction or loop back to Salida before returning to Denver via Boulder.
Click here to see the route in google maps!
Distance: About 1,000 miles but you’ll never leave the state.
Recommended Time: 7 to 10+ days.
Denver:
The Little Man Ice Cream
The Yardhouse
Boulder:
Sherpa’s Adventurers Restaurant & Bar
The Bitter Bar
UpSlope Brewing Company
Fate Brewing Company
Larkburger
Illegal Petes
Breckenridge:
Colorado Springs:
Western Jubilee Recording Studio
National Parks & Camping:
National Park Annual Pass
Bureau of Land Management Camping Information
FreeCampSites.net
Parks Mentioned:
Garden of the Gods near Colorado Springs
Mesa Verde National Park
San Juan National Forest
Hot Springs:
Strawberry Park Hot Springs
Orvis Hot Springs
Skiing:
The Epic Pass – This Pass is good for the entire ski season with unlimited access to over 10 ski locations.
Top 3 Ski Locations:
Bear Basin – Close to Denver
Vail
Steamboat Mountain – Good open tree runs.
Festivals:
Telluride Bluegrass Festival
Telluride Blues and Brews Festival
Links:
Top 16 Breweries in America (#1 in Colorado!)
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If you happen to visit Denver again, you may want to check and eat at food trucks. They are stepping up in the food scene nowadays.
@Khloe Scott – Sounds good! I did love the Jerk Chicken truck in Denver. Was fantastic. Seek it out if you live there.
Hey, I’m travelling from the United Kingdom to Colorado next year with my boyfriend and we want to go mountain biking. Does anyone have advice on the weather in may?? Will it be too early to go and be muddy…?
Thanks.
Hi, Listened to this podcast a feww months ago just tp hear about Colorado and now I have booked tickets. My 12 yr old daughter and I are taking a short adventure out west. We will be alnding in Denver 3/21 and staying for 4 nights. Any advice on where to stay and what activities to plan for a short trip? I have a reservation for our 1st night in downtown Denver, but we are flexible after that point. Thanks!
@Mary Pat Miller- I’d rent a car and go to Estes National Park, maybe even spend the night up there or in Boulder if you wanted to try something different. You could also head south to Colorado Springs and see the Garden of the Gods, which I thought was really interesting.
Of course, if you wanted to stay in Denver, there is plenty to do there too. Lots of good food, and we rented bikes from the bikeshare program and just pedaled around. We stayed at the Marriott because we had a few free nights, and it was nice. Not sure of the actual price, but you should be able to find something pretty affordable in downtown.
Funny – I’m on vacation in Colorado right now! My son lives here and he uses the Epic pass, has attended Telluride festivals and likes Broken Compass Brewing also. I have not done the road trip but will have to save that for next time. For now I am headed to visit breweries in Fort Collins!
@Jill- What breweries are you visiting? Can’t go wrong with any of them, and I myself can’t wait to take that roadtrip Jason mentioned!