Traveling makes me happy. One of the things I love most is finding favorite places and revisiting them. I think this was ingrained within me growing up, since my dad is such a Wisconsin homebody, we had our family favorite vacation spots in-state. Once we found somewhere we loved, it became a tradition to revisit each year. This left us hard-pressed for time to travel outside of our favorite spots. But eventually, we made our way outside the state to Colorado to visit family in the Springs.
Getting outside of Wisconsin was really exciting for me. I remember how in awe I was to see the mountains for the first time. Adjusting to the elevation was both an amazing and slightly annoying experience I also remember vividly. After seeing parts of the state once, I knew I’d be back.
Fast-forward to a Colorado vacation with my husband (then boyfriend) that we loved so much we came back three years later to elope.
Throughout my experiences visiting the state, I’ve created a list of my absolute favorite places to visit. Are you visiting soon? Don’t miss these:
Garden of the Gods
One of the more well-known destinations in Colorado, it’s so worth a visit. The scenery goes on for miles, and you can walk seemingly endless trails and pathways (watch for snakes!).
Bishop Castle
Okay now, this is just a really neat story that you can explore in real life. This castle was hand-built by Jim Bishop on land that he had saved up and purchased at 15-years old. The stairs leading up to the castle are way steeper than they appear in the pictures, and there are multiple iron walkways and a bridge on the outside of the actual castle you can walk on, but you can walk around the inside levels of the castle if you aren’t up for the walkways. There’s a mote around the castle and a cute little gift shop. I highly recommend checking this place out!
The Wild Animal Sanctuary
Here are my journaled notes from this experience: ‘We visited The Wild Animal Sanctuary, where we got to see so many animals that were rescued from circuses, illegal and abusive owners and other terrible situations. They are given their own enclosures that are really spacious, and visitors are only able to view the animals from the pathways high above the enclosures. This way the animals aren’t stressed out. It was a really neat experience, but we got some intense sunburn as well, so be sure to have sunscreen next time!’
Mount Evans
Honestly one of the most unique experiences I’ve had to date. As you drive up the summit, you reach Summit Lake, where you can park in a little lot and get out to a stunning lake and mountain view. There are trails around the lake that weave in and around the jutting rocks. We found the perfect place to stop for lunch while hiking around the summit (see me hanging out above the little bodies of water, below!).
After stopping by Summit Lake, you can hop back in your car to drive a little further up the mountain before parking and hiking all the way to the top. It’s a pretty insane view, and on the day we went, half of the world appeared to be in a storm and the other half was bright. And it hailed on us!
Royal Gorge
Sadly, the Royal Gorge burned badly in the gorge a few years back and destroyed much of the terrain. However, it is still a beautiful site to see. The bridge is absolutely crazy if you’re afraid of heights!
Indian Peaks Wilderness
Are you ready for a full-on, 8-hour minimum hike that is so worth it? Get your butt to Indian Peaks, find a trailhead and get started!
Red Rock Ampitheatre
I mean not only is this place known for hosting legends like The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan, it’s also just breathtaking. You can hike around the trails, exercise if you’re feeling up to running the stairs of the amphitheater, check out the Music Hall of Fame and get a little gift at the shop.
Dinosaur Ridge
If you’re out at the Red Rocks Ampitheatre, take a quick detour over to Dinosaur Ridge. You can take a bus tour (I recommend this, as they have great details to share) or hike the ridge yourself to see dinosaur fossils in the mountainside.
There are so many places to explore that I couldn’t fit them all on this list, and I can’t wait to get back out to this gorgeous state again soon. Do you have favorite spots to visit in Colorado? Share in the comments!
Leave a Reply