Home to the Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, and part of Lake Erie, Michigan is rich in natural vegetation and beauty. Families looking for an adventure should explore the Upper Peninsula region that houses famous natural attractions such as the Porcupine Mountains, Pictured Rocks, Mackinac Island, Isle Royale, Tahquamenon Falls, and the Seney National Wildlife Refuge. Then there is the heavenly Lower Peninsula region with its placid lakes, rivers, forests, sand dunes and beaches. Canoeing, fishing, sailing, and motorboating are popular activities. You'll love returning to your Michigan cabin rental to unwind after an action-packed day exploring.
Snow-fed rivers tumble over granite boulders in the Rocky Mountains, creating an ideal environment for fly-fishing and whitewater rafting. The state's most famous river -- the Colorado -- flows from headwaters in Rocky Mountain National Park, with alternating stretches of heart-pounding hydraulics and quiet areas where you can wade out and cast your fly. Stay at a Bureau of Land Management campground along the shore, or at private riverside cabins such as those found at Colorado Cabin Adventures 3 miles from Grand Lake. For a more remote experience, stay at Cottonwood Cove, tucked along the banks of the Rio Grande just downstream from the picturesque mining town of Creede.
After your fireside meal, retreat to one of the private, wooden hot tubs tucked in the middle of the woods. A hand-held stroll along the forest path to a bubbling tub overlooking the city's lights will set the perfect mood. Take it to the next level and request a night's stay in the old firehouse on the tip-top of the mountain. There's no better view — maybe anywhere in the state.
Rocky Mountain National Park’s 415 square miles encompass and protect spectacular mountain environments. Enjoy Trail Ridge Road – which crests at over 12,000 feet including many overlooks to experience the subalpine and alpine worlds – along with over 300 miles of hiking trails, wildflowers, wildlife, starry nights, and fun times. In a world of superlatives, Rocky is on top!
Colorado Springs stands out from its mountainous counterparts because it's not a ski destination. But what the city lacks in slopes it more than makes up for in incredible hiking opportunities. Mix that in with a good helping of small-town charm and a diverse array of attractions (including the U.S. Olympic Training Center) and Colorado Springs has all the makings of a great vacation. Read More »
In the shadow of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, the quirky town of Hooper sits atop a natural artesian hot spring, with water flowing year-round into the family-friendly Sand Dunes Pool. On the same property, The Greenhouse is an all-indoor, all-adult oasis with three small soaking tubs and a 10-by-75-foot zero-entry pool. The Greenhouse also has a 10-person sauna, indoor gardens and an onsite bar to help you stay even toastier.
Outdoor adventurers, skiers, nature lovers and history buffs a return to Colorado year after year for memorable vacations surrounded by spectacular scenery. Colorado is famous for its first class ski resorts such as Aspen, Telluride and Crested Butte and elegant cities packed with cultural attractions, including Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs and Estes Park. You can get back to nature in the beautiful state parks where you can admire everything from towering sand dunes and waterfalls to gushing white water rapids and historic scenic railways. Here are the best places to visit in Colorado.
Another addition to the Denver skyline is the 165-room ART Hotel, which opened early summer of 2015. Located in downtown Denver’s Cultural District, the boutique hotel is simply unique, capturing the contemporary art scene as if the hotel were its sketching pad. When my husband and I stayed there, one of our favorite things to do order a cocktail at the rooftop bar and then step out onto the FIRE Terrace, a unique Denver rooftop bar and restaurant experience with a fourth-floor patio that overlooks the bustling life of the Broadway Street below.
Cheyenne Mountain Resort offers a honeymoon escape that includes breathtaking mountain views, outstanding dining and especially luxurious rooms. It has a good menu of special romance packages to choose from too, including having Champagne, locally-sourced gourmet cheeses and fresh fruit delivered to your room. You can look forward to indulging in a romantic dinner buffet for two, or even go all out by booking the boudoir portrait session, which includes complimentary Champagne. Activities abound too, with a 35-acre lake for water sports, five indoor and outdoor pools, a spa, 18-hole golf course, tennis courts and a fitness center.
Estes Park is one of the most beautiful mountain retreats in all of Colorado — and we’re not just saying that because they’re our neighbors! OutThere Colorado named the village on their list of the 10 Most Beautiful Places to Spend a Weekend in Colorado. It was chosen for its proximity to Rocky Mountain National Park and the stunning views from Estes Park Aerial Tramway.
The Snow Queen Lodge is a Victorian jewel built during Aspen's Wild West Silver Boom that was later converted to a family-run cozy bed and breakfast. It has nine charming rooms with private baths and tasteful Victorian details and a spacious loft at a different location. The lodge is located in downtown Aspen at the base of Aspen Mountain, walking distance from the gondola, world class skiing, and the free shuttles that will take you to other mountains such as Snowmass, Highlands, or Buttermilk.
From 9,000 ft (2,700 m) to 11,000 ft (3,400 m),[72] the montane forests give way to subalpine forests.[69] Forests of fir and Engelmann spruce cover the mountainsides in subalpine areas. Trees grow straight and tall in the lower subalpine forests, but become shorter and more deformed the nearer they are to the tree line.[72] At the tree line, seedlings may germinate on the lee side of rocks and grow only as high as the rock provides wind protection, with any further growth being more horizontal than vertical. The low growth of dense trees is called krummholz, which may become well-established and live for several hundred to a thousand years old.[72]
Escape from the city with a romantic getaway just 30 minutes west of Denver to the Highland Haven Creekside Inn in Evergreen. This family-owned and operated Colorado Mountain B&B will charm you upon the moment of entering the wooded grounds. Their website describes it as an opportunity to create your own “Colorado Woodland Fairytale.” And it is that adorable. Rustic. Quiet. Charming. And far enough away from it all to feel like a romantic getaway.
The Broadmoor Hotel, built in the late 19th-century, offers lots of historic elegance and luxury for honeymooning couples along the shores of Cheyenne Lake at the edge of Colorado Springs. The vast resort offers just about everything you could ever want in a romantic getaway, including the chance to sip cocktails alongside the infinity pool while enjoying spectacular views of the lake and the jagged peaks of the Rockies. There are eight restaurants onsite, a spa, three championship golf courses and a wide range of outdoor activities at your disposal from paddle boating to horseback riding and fly fishing. The property also offers a variety of romantic getaway packages that include things like a romantic dinner for two or sparkling wine and chocolate-covered strawberries at turn-down on your first night.
Located in in southwestern Colorado, Mesa Verde is home to the famous cliff dwellings of the ancient Anasazi people. It is one of the most significant archeological preserve of Native American culture in the US. In the 12th century, the Anasazi start building houses in shallow caves and under rock overhangs along the canyon walls. The most famous of these is Cliff Palace. The Ancient Puebloans constructed it from sandstone bricks, and mortar made from ash, clay and water. It encompassed 150 rooms and 76 open areas. Climatic change and increased population placed the communities under stress and by the late 1270s, the Ancestral Puebloan population began migrating to what is now New Mexico and Arizona.
Glacial geology in Rocky Mountain National Park can be seen from the mountain peaks to the valley floors. Ice is a powerful sculptor of this natural environment and large masses of moving ice are the most powerful tools. Telltale marks of giant glaciers can be seen all throughout the park. Streams and glaciations during the Quaternary period cut through the older sediment, creating mesa tops and alluvial plains, and revealing the present Rocky Mountains.[61] The glaciation removed as much as 5,000 feet (1,500 m) of sedimentary rocks from earlier inland sea deposits. This erosion exposed the basement rock of the Ancestral Rockies. Evidence of the uplifting and erosion can be found on the way to Rocky Mountain National Park in the hogbacks of the Front Range foothills.[60] Many sedimentary rocks from the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras exist in the basins surrounding the park.[62]
The mountain biking trails around Fruita are some of the top-rated trails in the state. Most notably are the 18 Road Trails, with the infamous Zippity Do Da trail, and the Kokopelli Loops. This is desert terrain, with trails that run along the tops of ridges and everywhere in between or alongside cliff ledges with views over the Colorado River. This area has, for many mountain bikers, become an alternative to Moab, Utah. During the spring, you can even combine sports; mountain biking in Fruita one day and skiing at Beaver Creek or Vail - just over two hours away - the next.
The Experience: Denver is the perfect urban adventure for anyone who likes midsize cities. It's easy to navigate and manage and doesn't feel at all claustrophobic, but offers endless cultural excursions, gourmet dining experiences, and a fun nightlife you'd expect from large cities. Make sure you visit the Denver Art Museum, check out the breweries in the RiNo neighborhood, and stay at the Crawford Hotel, which is in the old Denver Union Station. For a boutique hotel, stay at The Maven Hotel.
