The Centennial State’s famed ski slopes and dramatic scenery may draw tourism, but Colorado’s dynamic cities and laid-back small towns easily match nature’s majestic appeal.

In Colorado, visitors will find an award-winning food and beverage scene, museums that celebrate the old and the new, historic grand hotels, endless access to the great outdoors and a climate that offers more than 300 days of sunshine annually. Colorado proudly marks its own milestone this year: the state’s 150th anniversary of statehood, paired with the nation’s semiquincentennial.

Popular Demand

Royal Gorge Route Railroad

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad line dates to 1879, but day-trippers have been enjoying this 24-mile round-trip ride along the Arkansas River since 1999. Running from the historic Santa Fe Depot in Cañon City, the route winds beneath granite walls that tower more than 1,000 feet above the tracks. The year-round excursion has earned a spot on Trains magazine’s list of America’s top trains. Groups can book dedicated tours, with seating options ranging from coach to the glass-topped Vista Dome. A first-class ticket adds a three-course dining experience to complement the ride. Beer, wine and specialty cocktails and mocktails are available.

Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre

Carved into glowing red sandstone, Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison has drawn household-name performers since its grand opening on June 15, 1941. The natural acoustics and dramatic setting draw acts to the amphitheater nearly every night from April through November. A visit to explore the legendary venue and hike the park’s surrounding trails is worth a spot on the itinerary, regardless of whether your group is interested in seeing a show.

Aspen Art Museum

This architecturally stunning, noncollecting institution in the state’s celebrity ski capital refreshes its galleries with a different exhibition each season, so there’s always something new to view. Its rooftop, designed by Pritzker Prize winner Shigeru Ban, holds a sculpture garden and cafe and offers Aspen’s only unobstructed public view of Aspen Mountain.

Up and Coming

General Bradley and Zita Hosmer Visitor Center

In Colorado Springs, the U.S. Air Force Academy’s long-awaited 34,000-square-foot visitor center opened in May. Designed to resemble an aircraft in flight, the center walks visitors through seven themed galleries and boasts a 105-foot glass atrium framing Pikes Peak. A pedestrian bridge connects the center to the sleek Hotel Polaris, which offers aviation-themed, mid-century modern decor and its own flight simulators.

Leonardo da Vinci Museum of North America

One of only six Leonardo da Vinci museums in the world and the first in North America, the Leonardo da Vinci museum opened earlier this summer near Pueblo’s art-filled Riverwalk. The 20,000-square-foot space houses life-size machine replicas hand-built by the Artisans of Florence, alongside STEAM exhibits and rotating displays.

Mighty Argo Cable Car

Less than an hour from Denver, the historic mining town of Idaho Springs opened a new $71 million gondola this year. The Might Argo carries visitors more than a mile, 1,300 feet up from the historic Argo Mill to the mountaintop destination of Miners Point. The 22-cabin gondola offers panoramic views of four 14,000-foot peaks and the Continental Divide, and the summit plaza is being built out with restaurants, event space and an amphitheater for concerts and gatherings.

Overnight Sensations

The Broadmoor

Founder Spencer Penrose set out in 1918 to build “the finest hotel in the United States,” and Colorado Springs’ storied resort has spent more than a century owning that title. The Broadmoor now holds Forbes Travel Guide’s longest-running five-star designation in the country, a run dating back to before Prohibition. Guests can play two courses that have hosted five U.S. Golf Association championships or fly fish, zip line and take up falconry. The historic halls hold a museum-quality Western art collection gathered by the world-traveling Penroses, alongside works commissioned for the hotel.

Kindred Resort 

Keystone’s first luxury hotel opened in May. A ski-in, ski-out property at the base of Keystone Mountain, Kindred is built around a “Campfire Luxury” concept. The 107-room hotel contains three dining venues, a full-service spa, a kids zone and the private Kindred Club, all located just steps from the River Run Gondola. Programming includes storytelling at more than a dozen firepits, guided meditations and a Thursday-night dining series tied to Colorado’s 150th anniversary.

Memorable Meals

The Penrose Room

The Broadmoor’s flagship restaurant reopened in 2025 after a full redesign, and every dish is meant to tell a story from the founders’ extensive travels. The signature dish is a tableside Beef Wellington, and the tasting menus offer alluring alternatives to the perfectly executed classics. A sommelier is on hand to help choose the perfect wines, and the whole meal unfolds under views of Cheyenne Mountain. Behind a hidden bookcase door, a speakeasy-style polo club with a walk-in wine and whiskey cellar tempts guests to linger after dinner.

Antithesis

Two blocks from the Royal Gorge Route depot in Cañon City, Antithesis opened in August inside the 1884 Robison Mansion — now called the Royal Gorge Mansion — on a 4-acre property enclosed by a circa-1880 iron fence, with a historic fountain and firepits scattered across the grounds. Chef Johnny Church builds the menu around Colorado sourcing and honest seasonality. Starters include housemade rosemary and sea salt focaccia, seasonal oysters with apple-ginger mignonette, and a Wagyu beef and octopus carpaccio finished with black garlic vinaigrette. Mains include a Colorado lamb rack crusted with pistachio and local honey and a New York strip with a South American-style chimichurri and piquillo pepper.

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