Kim’s Colorado Bucket List

More “let’s go.” More “that was worth it.” More Colorado memories.

Make 2027 the year you take that day trip, explore a new town, and finally visit the places you keep saving.

Start close to home or plan a weekend away. There’s plenty to discover.

The big Colorado experiences

  • Visit Rocky Mountain National Park and choose a trail that matches your pace.

  • Explore Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve.

  • Discover the history of Mesa Verde National Park.

  • Take in the views at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

  • Explore Colorado National Monument near Grand Junction

Let the journey be the adventure

  • Ride the Georgetown Loop Railroad.

  • Travel aboard the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

  • Take the Pikes Peak Cog Railway for a mountain experience.

  • Ride the Royal Gorge Route Railroad through the Arkansas River canyon.

  • Explore the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad.

  • Take an Amtrak trip from Denver to Glenwood Springs and spend a weekend exploring.

A little closer to home

  • Hike at Chautauqua in Boulder and take time to enjoy the Flatirons.

  • Pack a picnic for the Chautauqua lawn.

  • Spend an afternoon browsing Pearl Street’s independent shops.

  • Visit the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse.

  • Take a walk beside Boulder Creek.

  • Explore a new section of Erie’s trail network.

City days worth putting on the calendar

  • Explore Denver Union Station, then stay for a meal.

  • Wander through Larimer Square.

  • Spend an afternoon at the Denver Art Museum.

  • Visit Denver Botanic Gardens in a season you haven’t experienced there.

  • Explore the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

  • Learn something new at History Colorado Center.

  • Book tickets to a performance at the Denver Performing Arts Complex.

  • Cheer on a Colorado professional sports team in person.

Getaways with room to slow down

  • Plan a hot-springs weekend in Glenwood Springs.

  • Book a relaxing escape to Pagosa Springs.

  • Pair mountain views with a soak in Ouray.

  • Explore Steamboat Springs and its hot-springs options.

  • Plan a getaway around Buena Vista or Nathrop.

  • Discover the hot springs around Durango.

Detours worth a photo

  • Catch Pueblo’s Neon Alley after dark for vintage signs glowing against the brick.

  • Explore the Paint Mines near Calhan for pastel clay and striped rock spires.

  • Ride Burlington’s vintage carousel and snap a close-up of the hand-carved animals.

  • Soak in a tropical greenhouse in Hooper at Sand Dunes Recreation.

  • See all three cascades at Rifle Falls and fit them into one frame.

  • Pick fruit at Big B’s in Hotchkiss and grab a photo between the orchard rows.

Here’s to getting a little sidetracked.

Some of my favorite Colorado days are the ones that take an unexpected turn. You stop for coffee, someone tells you about a place down the road, and suddenly you’ve got a whole new plan.

I hope this list gives you a good place to start and a few reasons to take the long way home.

Happy exploring!

-Kim Clancy