Must-see attractions in Colorado

  • Denver's Red Rocks venue in the foreground, exploits the full moon as the main event.

    Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre

    Denver

    When the setting sun brings out a rich, orange glow from the rock formations and the band on stage launches into just the right tune, Red Rocks…

  • Denver, CO, USA - January 12th, 2016: A night time photo taken of Union Station and the Crawford Hotel in downtown Denver Colorado at the corner of 17th Street and Wynkoop Street.

    Union Station

    Denver

    Gorgeously restored, historic Union Station is Denver's main transportation hub, used by RTD light-rail lines, commuter buses and Amtrak. But it's way…

  • Denver Art Museum, Civic Center Cultural Complex, Denver, Colorado, United States of America, North America

    Denver Art Museum

    Denver

    The Denver Art Museum (DAM) is home to one of the largest Native American art collections in the USA, and puts on special multimedia exhibits that vary…

  • Hispanic family biking in Confluence Park near downtown Denver, Colorado, USA

    Confluence Park

    Denver

    Where Cherry Creek and South Platte River meet is the nexus and plexus of Denver's sunshine-loving culture. Thousands of outdoorsy Denverites flock here…

  • The new Clyfford Still Museum is set to open November 18, 2011. The entry of the museum on Tuesday, November 8, 2011. Cyrus McCrimmon, The Denver Post  (Photo By Cyrus McCrimmon/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

    Clyfford Still Museum

    Denver

    Dedicated exclusively to the work and legacy of 20th-century American abstract expressionist Clyfford Still, this fascinating museum's collection includes…

  • The famous giant red sandstone formations at Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Colorado

    Garden of the Gods

    Colorado Springs

    This gorgeous vein of red sandstone (about 290 million years old) appears elsewhere along Colorado's Front Range, but the exquisitely thin cathedral…

  • Green Mountain and the Flatirons as seen from Chautauqua Park in Boulder, Colorado.

    Chautauqua Park

    Boulder

    This historic landmark park is the gateway to Boulder’s most magnificent slab of open space adjoining the iconic Flatirons; its wide, lush lawn attracts…

  • DENVER, CO - June 23: Joy Park is separated into many areas that include sand, water and even a fort building area Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at the Denver Children's Museum in Denver, Colorado. The one acre park opened behind the museum which includes a sand area, zip line and water play area for children and parents alike. (Photo By Brent Lewis/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

    Children’s Museum Denver Marisco Campus

    Denver

    This is one of the hottest tickets in town…well, at least for kids. Highlights include an enclosed three-story climbing structure (helmets provided), a…

  • Colorado School of Mines' Geology Museum

    Colorado

    With a collection of 50,000 minerals, fossils and gemstones, the School of Mines' Geology Museum is worth a stop, even if rocks aren't really your thing…

  • Morrison Natural History Museum

    Colorado

    This small but excellent museum has displays on Morrison during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. There are huge dinosaur skulls as well as a full…

  • Clear Creek History Park

    Colorado

    Explore the life of a homesteader by walking through this re-created pioneer settlement. Here, original and replica 19th-century buildings – a cabin, two…

  • Dairy Arts Center

    Boulder

    A historic milk-processing factory turned arts center, the Dairy is one of Boulder's top cultural hubs. It's a state-of-the-art facility with three stages…

  • Pearl Street Mall

    Boulder

    The highlight of downtown Boulder is the Pearl Street Mall, a vibrant pedestrian zone filled with kids' climbing boulders and splash fountains, bars,…

  • COLORADO SPRINGS, CO- 9 APR 2021- View of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, an animal park located at the foot of Pikes Peak mountain in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States.

    Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

    Colorado Springs

    High up on Cheyenne Mountain, the largest private zoo in the country was launched with holdovers from the private animal collection of Spencer Penrose …

  • Japanese garden at Denver Botanic Gardens

    Denver Botanic Gardens

    Denver

    If you’re hankering for greenery, this 23-acre Rocky Mountain garden is the perfect place to lose yourself. Local flora mixes with relatives from faraway…

  • April 24, 2004 -- Libraray officials gave a tour of the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library in Five Points neighborhood Thursday. The third floor houses a museum of black history in the west. The facility will open to the public this Saturday. Photo by Brian Brainerd  (Photo By Brian Brainerd/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

    Blair-Caldwell African American Museum

    Denver

    Tucked into the 3rd floor of a public library, this multimedia museum provides an excellent overview of the history of African Americans in the Rocky…

  • Bronco Buster sculpture

    Bronco Buster & On the War Trail

    Denver

    In the early 1920s, Denver sculptor Alexander Phimister Proctor was commissioned to create two bronze sculptures for Civic Center Park: Bronco Buster and…

  • (CM) AE92608Redline_CM01 Artists work at the new gallery/studio space RedLine in the RHINO art district on Friday, September 26, 2008. Seen from the main gallery, artist Jeff Page works in his studio space. Cyrus McCrimmon, The Denver Post  (Photo By Cyrus McCrimmon/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

    RedLine

    Denver

    This remarkable contemporary arts center has a huge gallery space where work by emerging Coloradan artists is exhibited year-round. Fifteen artists in…

  • Denver, MAY 6: Interior view of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science on MAY 6, 2017 at Denver, Colorado

    Denver Museum of Nature & Science

    Denver

    A classic natural-science museum with excellent temporary exhibits on topics such as the biomechanics of bugs, Pompeii and mythical creatures. Permanent…

  • R6J374 Denver History of Colorado Center, interactive museum with state history exhibits, lectures

    History Colorado Center

    Denver

    Discover Colorado's frontier roots and high-tech modern triumphs at this sharp, smart and charming museum. There are plenty of interactive exhibits,…

  • Denver Public Library

    Denver Public Library

    Denver

    Hardly a dusty bibliotheca, the Denver Public Library is an active and artsy place with whimsical postmodern architectural elements courtesy of renowned…

  • Fossilised dinosaur footprints, Dinosaur Ridge, Colorado.

    Dinosaur Ridge

    Colorado

    Two interpretive trails as well as a self-guided tour showcase the impressive footprints and sandstone-encased fossils that make up Dinosaur Ridge. If…

  • Scottish Angus Cow & Calf sculpture in Denver.

    Scottish Angus Cow & Calf

    Denver

    Created by Dan Ostermiller, these bigger-than-life bronze sculptures of a cow and her calf pay homage to the historic cattle culture of Colorado…

  • Bench by the lake in Washington Park, Denver, Colorado.

    Washington Park

    Denver

    People somehow just look better in Wash Park. They are fitter, trimmer, more tanned and even taller than your average Denverite. Must be the rec center…

  • A sculpture of the symbol of Denver, the bronco, stands outside the airport.

    Mesteño

    Denver

    Nicknamed 'Bluecifer,' this 32ft-high blue stallion with hellish, gleaming red eyes greets visitors to and from Denver International Airport, and is the…

  • Morning view of the famous big Blue Bear by the Convention Center in Denver, Colorado.

    I See What You Mean

    Denver

    Lawrence Argent’s I See What You Mean is better known around town as the Big Blue Bear. This beloved 40ft-tall symbol of the city peers into the mammoth…

  • American Mountaineering Museum

    Colorado

    If you’ve come to Colorado to climb, this museum will give you tingles of inspiration. There’s a pile of stunning photos, historic climbing gear (some of…

  • Colorado State Capitol Building in Denver; Shutterstock ID 216746869; Your name (First / Last): Emma Sparks; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Best_in_the_US_POIs

    Colorado State Capitol

    Denver

    Sitting commandingly atop Capitol Hill, this stately neoclassical government building houses the Governor's Office, Senate and House of Representatives…

  • Boulder, Colorado / USA - March 30 2017: Celestial Seasonings Tea Shop Entrance. A popular tea company based out of Colorado offering free samples, tours, products and merchandise. ; Shutterstock ID 1741578521; your: Bridget Brown; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI Image Update

    Celestial Seasonings

    Boulder

    If you like tea, you'll dig visiting Celestial Seasonings, one of the world's largest herbal tea producers. Visitors are treated to a 45-minute tour,…

  • Denver, MAY 3: Exterior view of the Byers-Evans House Museum on MAY 3, 2017 at Denver, Colorado; Shutterstock ID 1150914149; your: Bridget Brown; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI Image Update

    Byers-Evans House Museum

    Denver

    It’s a unique experience walking through this period house, painstakingly restored to the 1920s era with polished antiques, patterned wallpaper, thick…

  • G3YYM0 Cadets recite the Oath of Allegiance.

June 26, 2009 - The 1,376 members of the Class of 2013 recites the Oath of Allegiance in front of the cadet chapel, family and friends during their first formation at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado

    US Air Force Academy

    Colorado Springs

    A visit to this campus, one of the highest-profile military academies in the country, offers a limited but nonetheless fascinating look into the lives of…

  • Denver, USA - May 4, 2014: The home of the famous Unsinkable Molly Brown in the  historic Capitol Hill Neighborhood in Denver, Colorado. Molly Brown gained fame by surviving the sinking of the Titanic. Molly Brown house

    Molly Brown House Museum

    Denver

    This outstandingly preserved house, designed by the well-known architect William Lang, was built in 1889 and belonged to the most famous survivor of the…

  • DENVER, COLO. - JULY 13, 2005 - The restaurant at the newly-remodeled Downtown Aquarium, Wednesday afternoon, 7/13/2005. The aquarium, formerly known as Colorado's Ocean Journey, reopens to the public Thursday, 7/14/2005 with a new restaurant and other features. (Jerry Cleveland | The Denver Post)  (Photo By Jerry Cleveland/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

    Downtown Aquarium

    Denver

    Denver’s old Ocean Journey Aquarium was sold in 2003 to a business that specializes in aquarium-themed restaurants. So it is that Downtown Aquarium is…

  • Denver, Colorado - August 28, 2021: People cross the Millennium Bridge on 16th street downtown, in the LoDo (Lower Downtown) neighborhood.

    Millennium Bridge

    Denver

    Allow us to be geeky for a second: this is the world’s first cable-stayed bridge using a post-tensioned structural construction. If the technical jargon…

  • U.S. Mint

    United States Mint

    Denver

    The Denver Mint produces about 7.5 billion coins each year and offers free guided tours covering the history of the facility and detailed information…

  • Denver, MAY 7: Entrance of the Denver zoo on MAY 7, 2017 at Denver, Colorado

    Denver Zoo

    Denver

    Denver’s world-class zoo has more than 700 animal species housed in considerate enclosures that do their best to mirror native habitats. There are native…

  • Denver Colorado, USA - September 7, 2016: Dancing Statute In Front of Denver Performing Art Complex, Denver, Colorado.

    Dancers

    Denver

    Frozen in joyful two-step, Jonathan Borofsky’s whimsical Dancers invites rushing traffic to stop and play. The centerpiece of Sculpture Park, this 60ft…

  • Denver, Colorado, USA-June 9, 2016. Food trucks at the Civic Center for Civic Center Eats event.; Shutterstock ID 434429749; your: Bridget Brown; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI Image Update

    Civic Center Park

    Denver

    In the shadow of the State Capitol’s golden dome, this centrally located park hosts commuters waiting for their bus connections, politicos yammering into…

  • DENVER, CO - AUG 14, 2012: Elitch Gardens Theme Park, locally known as "Elitch's", is an amusement park in Denver, Colorado.; Shutterstock ID 175582775; your: Bridget Brown; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI Image Update

    Elitch Gardens

    Denver

    If you’re finding all the museums a bit too serious, loosen up at this amusement park near downtown Denver – your kids will love you for it. There's a…