- Head to the Pawnee National Grassland, where you can see some of the last short-grass prairie in the United States as well as pronghorn, fox, hawks and the 500-foot-tall Pawnee Buttes near Raymer.
- Visit the Fort Morgan Museum and learn about former resident Glenn Miller, the big band leader who spent his high school years here.
- Follow the South Platte River Trail Scenic and Historic Byway to discover what life was like during the frontier days. Informational signs have been posted at the original sites of Julesburg, with some explaining the local history of the Pony Express.
- In the summer, enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides, can-can dancers and old-fashioned soda fountains in Burlington’s Old Town. And don't forget to check out the Old Town Emporium—a good place to stock up on collectibles and souvenirs.
- Browse and buy crafts at The Holly Daze Craft Show in Holyoke. This annual October event has been running for more than 40 years, with dozens of crafters setting up booths to sell their wares—and divulge the occasional trade secret.
- See the “living sculptures” in Sterling. These statues carved out of trees depict a variety of subjects—including two giraffes with outstretched necks, called “Star Gazers.”
- Take a ride on the Kit Carson County Carousel in Burlington, a still-functioning carousel built in 1905. The wooden animals—which include horses, dogs and a hippocamp (a mythological creature that is part horse and part fish)—are all original and hand-painted.
- Get a taste of the still-thriving west at the Cheyenne County Fair and Rodeo. Head to the county fairgrounds to meet the princess and queen of the rodeo, and sit in on a livestock auction, parade and rodeo. And don't forget to enjoy the barbecue while you're there.
- Marvel at the Rainbow Arch Bridge in Fort Morgan. One of the longest open-span bridges in the United States, it also acts as the beginning to the Pawnee Pioneer Trails Scenic and Historic Byway.
- Climb up the World’s Wonder View Tower in Genoa, which was the tallest building between Denver and New York City when it was built in 1934 by none other than P. T. Barnum.
- Catch a movie in Julesburg at the historic Hippodrome Theatre, which first opened in 1919.
- See the rare lesser prairie-chickens and more common greater prairie-chickens near Wray, as they dance and fight for a mate during their annual mating rituals in March and April.
- Combine arts and crafts with history and heritage at The Limon Heritage Celebration in Limon. Quilt shows and demonstrations showcase the area’s crafts, while cemetery tours delve deeper into the area’s history.
- Saddle up your steed and take a ride along the South Shoreline Trail at North Sterling State Park.
- Pitch a tent at Jackson Lake State Park for views of starry nights. Try to schedule a trip in mid-August for the dramatic Perseid Meteor Shower, where meteorites skip across the atmosphere like stones on a lake.
- Stop by a farmer's market in nearly any town for corn so sweet you’d swear it was candy. In late summer, this treat blankets the farms of Northeast Colorado. Just make sure to get to the market early for first pick.
- Stop at the Brush Area Museum and Cultural Center in Brush, which contains a little bit of everything, from artifacts and photographs to rotating exhibits.
- Learn about high plains agriculture through the antique farming and ranching implements at Limon’s Railroad Park.
- Stop along the Playa Trail, a waypoint on the Colorado Birding Trail just north of Burlington. In summer, listen to the lark buntings ethereal melody, and in winter, watch the tiny lapland longspurs hop along the prairie in search of food.
- In mid-September, descend on the Logan County seat of Sterling for Sugar Beet Days. It’s sweet fun on the sunny prairie with crafts, food and a variety of entertainment.
- Sit in on the Prairie Grass Bluegrass Festival held at the end of summer in Burlington. Gospel-inspired music brings talent from around Colorado and the surrounding states.
- Visit Grandpa Jerry's Clown Museum in Arriba, just east of Limon, where 3,000 pieces of clown collectibles—including cookie jars, music boxes and whiskey flasks—are on display.
- Participate in down-home fun at Haxtun’s Cornfestival, featuring cheerleading competitions, tractor pulls, baking contests, garden shows and more. For a kick of adrenaline during this September event, consider entering the demolition derby.
- Watch roping, barrel racing and other true-grit rodeo events at the Elizabeth Stampede and Rodeo, where cowboys and cowgirls prove they’re up to snuff.
- In October, after the high-mountain aspen have turned gold, visit Bonny Lake State Park for cottonwoods in full autumn splendor.
- See Fourth of July fireworks pop and explode over small prairie towns like Otis, Brush and Holyoke. Music, rodeo and food are often preludes to the big show.
- Find fun for both kids and adults at the Phillips County Fair in Holyoke. Petting zoos, animal judging and bull riding are among the gamut of country fun.
- Be daring by trying a deep-fried Rocky Mountain oyster at the annual Tumbleweed Festival in Cheyenne Wells.
- Visit the Limon Wetlands, easily accessed via the Limon Pedestrian/Bike Trail. A multitude of waterfowl, including a variety of ducks, can be found lazily floating in the water as a respite during migrations.
- Learn more about the Overland Trail—a pioneer pathway once used to connect travelers from the Nebraska Territory to the West—at the Overland Trail Museum in Sterling.
- In late July, catch the premier rodeo event of Elbert Country, Cowboy Up in Kiowa. Be sure to watch the warmup events, which include a stick horse rodeo for the kids, as well as the always-entertaining mutton bustin’.
- Listen to the rumble as you watch stock cars race across the fastest quarter mile in Northeast Colorado, at the Phillips County Raceway in Holyoke. The season runs May though October.
- Experience history at the 1910 Limon Depot Museum, which has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The walls of the depot are covered with art, and displays of Limon’s Houtz Native American Collection are also housed here.
- Welcome the start of another pheasant season at Haxtun’s Pheasant Hunting Oyster Fry in November. In addition to fried oyster, a hunting dinner and tail feather contest are held.
- Attend the annual High Plains Expo Home and Garden Show in Sterling. Both those with a green thumb, and those hoping to grow one, can learn a few tricks of the trade or pick out that perfect plant to bring home.
- Play a prairie golf course in Elizabeth, Burlington or Limon, where there's no hassle in garnering a tee time that suits your schedule.
- Visit the Battle of Beecher Island Historic Site on the Arikaree River near Wray. On an island here in September 1868, civilian scouts battled Plains Indians for nine days.
- See rooster tails of mud spray dozens of feet in the air, as hot rods participate in the Rod Run Car Show/Mud Drags at the Cheyenne County Fairgrounds.
- Celebrate a major Mexican holiday in the northeast plains at Holyoke’s Cinco de Mayo Funfest. Taste a variety of salsas, let the kids play games, and watch traditional dances by local performers.
- Visit the Limon Heritage Museum in Limon to learn about the history of the town and its importance as a hub city during the western expansion. Photos and displays capture the hardships and triumphs of early life on the prairie.
- Provide an outlet for your quilting creativity, at Quilts of the Plains, held during June in Wray. You'll see demonstrations and get advice from expert quilters.
- Take a trip down memory lane at Haxtun’s Old Fashioned Saturday Night, held annually in July. This fun event includes dances, barbecue, car cruising contests and a homemade ice cream contest.
- Car enthusiasts, look under the hoods of A-plus machinery at the Hub City Classic Car Show in Limon. But pony cars and V-8 horsepower aren’t the only type of equines here—the event also plays host to a horse show.
- Learn about ancient Celtic culture at Elizabeth’s Celtic Festival held in July, where you can partake in Celtic activities and witness proud Celtic traditions.
- Witness the making of traditional handicrafts at the Grassland Rendezvous in Burlington’s Old Town. Watch as sheep shearers, candle makers and basket makers, among others, produce items in the traditional way. Then purchase your own handmade keepsake.
- Celebrate the famed frontiersman Kit Carson at Kit Carson Day in Cheyenne Wells. Watch the parade, chat with vendors and play a few games as the town commemorates this legendary man who traveled the region.
- Hunt for pheasant, deer and rabbit at Flagler State Wildlife Area in Kit Carson County.
- Attend one of the most popular events in Northeast Colorado: Dandelion Daze in Holyoke. Marvel over street rods driven in from around the country, and watch hot rods compete in burnout competitions as smoke and excitement fill the air. This event is held in June, making it the perfect Father’s Day outing.
- Hop on a trusty steed for the Limon Western Festival Trail Ride. This full-day ride is a great way to experience the wide-open prairie.
- Bring buckets, shovels and sand toys, and build a sandcastle on the sandy banks of Jackson Lake State Park.
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