The state of Colorado is one of the premier spots in the United States for mountain vacationing. A Colorado mountain vacation can be the adventure of a lifetime. There are many attractions in Colorado, including skiing, shopping, hiking, biking, and enjoying live entertainment.

A Colorado mountain vacation is a great trip for the whole family. Children can enjoy the outdoor activities like hiking, skiing, and rafting. Families can go shopping together and eat at world-class restaurants. Attractions like Pike’s Peak are designed for the whole family.

Couples looking for a good way to unwind are also advised to check out a Colorado Mountain vacation. Many lodgings are designed for couples and feature romantic amenities like private hot tubs, candlelit dinners, and breathtaking mountain views.

Colorado includes six of Ski Magazine’s top ten North American ski resorts.

Skiing and snowboarding are major attractions of a Colorado mountain vacation. Some of the major ski resorts in Colorado are Aspen, Vail, Snowmass, Steamboat Springs, Breckenridge, Beaver Creek, and Telluride.

Each of these resorts offers a variety of amenities, including accommodations, ski equipment rental, fine dining, and some of the greatest ski slopes on the continent. Many resorts also offer lessons to beginners, assuring that visitors do not have to be great skiers to have a good time. The slopes range in difficulty from beginner’s level to extremely difficult.

Each ski lodge rates its slopes somewhat differently, but the color code system applies to most of them. A green circle signifies a beginner’s slope, slopes for skiers with intermediate experience are designated by a blue square, and difficult slopes are marked with a black diamond. Some skiers are skilled (and brave) enough to try a double or triple black diamond. The most difficult ski slopes are marked with a yellow exclamation point.

A Colorado Mountain vacation can be the adventure of a lifetime. Aside from all of the breathtaking outdoor activities, visitors can also make the short drive to Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Denver to catch a concert or go to the annual Telluride Film Festival. Vacationers on a budget can find lodgings and activities that will fit within their price range, too.

Aspen is one of Colorado’s most popular year-round resort areas. Visitors will not be at a loss for activities ranging from recreation to the arts to culinary delights. During winter or summer, an Aspen holiday is the perfect choice for any season. Aspen sits at the upper end of the Roaring Fork Valley, with the Roaring Fork River, a superb trout stream, running through town. It offers an interesting history, challenging outdoor recreation opportunities, abundant cultural activities, pleasant climate and beautiful natural scenery. Aspen is world renowned for its downhill skiing. Aspen Mountain rises imposingly from town and is one of four ski areas in the valley. Snowmass, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk mountains all lie within 12 miles of town and offer some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the world.

Much of the area around Aspen is public land within the White River National Forest. The spectacular Elk Mountains rise to the south and west of Aspen, with the Williams Mountains and the Sawatch Range to the east. The Maroon Creek, Castle Creek and Hunter Creek Valleys are all easily accessible from town and play host to plentiful hikes. Much of the high mountain area surrounding Aspen lies within designated wilderness areas in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass, Hunter-Fryingpan, and Collegiate Peaks wildernesses.

DINING, BARS AND NIGHTLIFE

With more than 100 restaurants, you are spoilt for choice. Travel by dog sled, sleigh, SnoCat or gondola in the winter or simply dine al fresco any time of year on one of the many outdoor patios. For any meal of the day, there is a restaurant, coffee shop, lounge or deli that can fill your cravings.

You can also enjoy poolside cocktails into the early evening in the summer then browse through a few galleries before heading out for an extraordinary meal in the summer. There is also dancing or wine tasting at one of the lively clubs and bars.