General Information
- Native Language: English (Americanized)
- Currency: USD
- Region: Central USA
- Climate: Semiarid. Depending on region can be snowy during winter.
- Country: USA
- P safety rating: 9
Geography and Climate
Colorado is a temperate region, with warm summers and cold winters. Like the rest of the United States, their winters range from November to February, while their summers are from May to August. Winters can be quite frosty, so generally expect snow and ice. However summers are generally quite pleasant with highs in the high eighties.
Colorado is one of the more mountainous states in the US, due to the Rocky Mountains passing through it. It is also the only state that is entirely above 1000 ft in elevation. Expect to see mountains and a lot of evergreens.
What to Pack
What you should pack varies greatly on what time of the year you are going. If you are heading to Colorado in the winter, pack snow boots and a LOT of warm clothes. Don’t forget a waterproof jacket! The winter can be a great time to hit the slopes, so if you plan to do that pack accordingly.
I visited Colorado during the summer however, so my suitcase looked a little different. I brought a lot of light jackets, jeans, T-shirts, and tennis shoes. This was perfect for this weather. I even wore shorts most days.
The main point is to remember to pack for outdoorsy adventures. Is it really a trip to Colorado if you don’t make a couple of trips out into their beautiful wilderness? So pack hiking boots and walking clothes. Don’t forget to bring an empty water bottle for this trip!
Where to Stay
I actually went to Colorado to visit a friend of mine who goes to school there, so I was lucky enough to already have housing arranged for me when I arrived. Because of this, I don’t have any specific hotel recommendations. My friend lived near Fort Collins, and this was a great central point for all of our adventures. It was a cute, quaint little town that was very fun.
Central Colorado
Central Colorado is likely going to be the region you first visit when you travel here, through the Denver International Airport. This is where you will find large towns such as Boulder and Fort Collins, but also the Rocky Mountain National Park. Everything you may want to do in Colorado is packed into a mighty punch with Central Colorado. You can see nightlife in cities like Denver, but also go white water rafting or skiing. If you are on a limited timeframe, this region is a great place to stay.
I will say though that it may not be a great idea to stay in Denver. As a large city, it does have its fair share of problems and isn’t necessarily the safest place to stay. I would recommend staying in surrounding areas like Boulder, or even some of the smaller towns immediately outside of Denver.
Northwestern Colorado
Northwestern Colorado is less urbanized than Central Colorado, but with that said it does offer an even deeper look into the beautiful wilderness that is Colorado. With geothermic pools and skiing galore, this is a wonderful place to visit for winter. It also has several fossil and petroglyph sites for the archaeologists amongst us.
This is also where you will find the beautiful city of Aspen, which is known for its amazing ski slopes. If you are looking to play in the snow, look no further!
Eastern Colorado
Eastern Colorado is known as the plains of Colorado, and is the least densely populated region of the state. Out here you will see less of the mountains and trees, and more grasslands. Pueblo is the only sizable city in the area.
There are some regions of historical significance in Eastern Colorado, such as the Santa Fe National Historical Trail and the Pony Express National Historical Trail. However, if you are looking to experience “Colorado” I would travel elsewhere.
Western Colorado
Grand Junction is one of the larger cities in Western Colorado, and therefore would be the prime area to stay in this region. This region is significant for its farming and wineries, but there are also numerous outdoor activities to do. Black Canyon is a famous place to visit, and Aspen also borders this region.
Southern Colorado
Southern Colorado is entirely unique from the rest of the state, due to its dry climate and desert-like geography. The head of the Rio Grande can be found here, in the San Luis Valley. A lot of smaller hotel options can be found around this region. This could be a good home base for those looking for a slightly more unique experience while in colorado.
Getting around
Colorado is a big state, with a lot of empty space in between the cities. If you are planning on exploring at all, I would recommend renting a car for your stay. If you plan to go during winter, or are going to a snowy region of Colorado, make sure you rent a car that has four wheel drive. Also make sure you or someone in your party is comfortable with driving in the snow. Uber and Lyft are both options in the bigger cities of Colorado, and if you don’t plan on leaving the city they can be good options as well.
Culture Shocks
As someone who lives in the US, there weren’t a lot of culture shocks for me while traveling here. Looking back, I can’t think of anything that would be atypical for an American state in the way of culture. If you aren’t from the US, be on the lookout for an article coming where I will discuss US culture and what to expect from different regions and different communities in the United States.
Food
For my trip, I stayed mostly in Central Colorado, so all of my recommendations will be based on that region.
Ewe’s (Manitou Springs)
We spent the afternoon in Manitou Springs on our way to the Manitou Cliff Dwellings (which I’ll talk about later). They serve very good, hearty German food and beer. They are known for their beers. Their food was quality for a low price, ~$10 USD a plate.
Kokomo Sno (Manitou Springs)
Kokomo Sno had some of the best shaved ice I have ever had. It was a fun stop before we got back in the car, and was fairly affordable for the amount of shaved ice you get! They are located in Manitou Springs in a food truck.
Krazy Karls (Fort Collins)
My friend who lives in Fort Collins claimed that this place had the best pizza in the town, and I have to agree. If you find yourself in this area, its a great place to stop and get a bite. The pizza was decadent for a reasonable price, and they staff mostly college students (as a college student myself, I always feel the need to help out my struggling peers). Don’t forget to try the grinders! ~$15 USD a plate.
Cafe Athens (Fort Collins)
As someone who strongly identifies with my greek heritage, it was refreshing to have authentic greek food. The food was delicious and affordable. Their gyros are exceptionally good, and their salads were fresh. I made my travel partners try the baklava and it was delicious and fresh. ~$10 USD a plate.
Experiences
Zip lining
We went zip lining with Denver Adventures, and I would highly recommend them if you are in that area. It was my entire group’s first time zip lining and we all had a blast. As someone who is afraid of heights, I was both terrified and excited to face my fears by pummeling through a canyon on a rope. For about $60 USD each, we went on the longest, the fastest, and the tallest zip lines in Colorado, and it truly was a blast! Wear comfortable shoes and clothes that hug you (so they won’t get caught in the straps of your harness). Everyone in our group wore light jackets and sunglasses and we were happy we did! The sunglasses helped us to see by blocking sunlight and the wind, which made it a much more enjoyable experience.
Plan to drive for quite a ways out to wherever you plan on zip lining, as generally the locations are fairly out of the way. Don’t plan on bringing anything that you wouldn’t want to drop thousands of feet.
Rafting
We went rafting with “Wanderlust Adventures”, for $60 USD for a half day trip. We went on the Taste of Whitewater, but by the end had wished we had done a more advanced tour. It was a general consensus in our group that this was the most fun excursion we had during the entire trip. Even though it was a more subtle, calm trip we all had adrenaline seeping through us and were laughing in joy by the end.
Expect to get wet and cold on this trip, and don’t bring anything you wouldn’t want to get wet! We were ferried in a bus from the business to the river (we went on the Poudre River) which took about an hour. We then did two loops around the river. Expect to be tired by the end of the trip, and I wouldn’t plan on doing anything else after this adventure.
Shambhala Mountain Reserve
Shambhala Mountain Reserve and the Great Stupa, were awe inspiring to say the least. We spend an entire day wandering around the reserve, took a meditation class, and hiked up to the stupa. I don’t believe you need to be buddhist to appreciate the beauty of this excursion. It is quite a drive out to the reserve, so start the day early. There also wasn’t much in the way of food, so eat before you head out or pack lunches. Finding the Stupa can take some time, and its easy to get lost in the reserve, so look up directions on how to navigate through the reserve before setting out. Also, expect your phone to lose service on the way to the reserve, and print out directions before you go!
Garden of the Gods
I will start this by saying we did not carve out enough time for the Garden of the Gods. Though it’s only about an hour to drive through it, to actually appreciate these feats of nature takes much longer. I wish we had planned to spend more time here, so that we could have gotten out and hiked around a bit. Otherwise, the stop is not as awe inspiring as it should be and leads to just a frustratingly slow drive. Plan to hike around for a bit, and get there early so you can find parking to do so! Note that the Garden of the Gods is usually very busy, and traffic can be very slow.
The Cave of the Winds
I felt as though the Cave of Winds was one of those tourist traps, designed to pull money from those who visit there, and we were sucked in to said trap. The rides are incredibly overpriced and completely not worth the money, and the same could be said for the food. We went on the cave tour, and though it was nice, it was not exceptional. The paths have been completely carved for tourists, so there is little adventure, and it is always crowded (With a tour group in front of you and behind you at all times). I wouldn’t recommend this excursion.
Manitou Cliff Dwellings
The manitou cliff dwellings are a set of Anasazi ruins that originated in the Mcelmo canyon (yes, this spot is not their original home). Although it is unfortunate that this is not the original site of the pueblos, it is still an exciting historical spot if you are unable to make it to Mesa Verde (if the pueblos are something you are interested in, this is a great stop! Unfortunately I was not able to make it up there on my trip). You have nearly complete reign to wander and explore the pueblos, with interesting historical artifacts inside the visitors center. Well worth the $10 admission!
I hope you all found this information helpful! Until next time, live free my fellow travel bugs!
Travelbug 