From hiking in canyons and enjoying concerts in the mountains to sampling wines in the desert, you'll find plenty of ways to make Colorado your dream vacation destination. The state's unique geography means that no two towns are exactly alike, which gives you an array of activities and adventures to choose from.
Make memories that will last a lifetime as you take a scenic ride on a historical train, roam our enchanting backcountry on guided trips, learn to whitewater raft and sip craft beers. Check out some of our favorite ways to solo travel in Colorado.
1. Live Music
Colorado has a concert scene that'll be appreciated by anyone who’s mastered the art of curating a perfect playlist. Catching a show under the stars on the sandstone seats of Red Rocks Amphitheatre should be on every music-lover’s bucket list. Just outside the charming town of Morrison, the famous venue is renowned for unparalleled natural acoustics, created in part by the towering rock walls that surround the seating. Red Rocks boasts a full roster of talent late March through early November, with past acts including a range of artists from Louis Armstrong and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to Wiz Khalifa and Phoenix. Check out Red Rocks’ current lineup.
Farther west in the scenic town of Telluride, sweet harmonics fill the air during the Telluride Jazz Festival each August. Catch daytime performances at outdoor stages with the San Juan Mountains as the backdrop, and kick back with shows in historical, intimate venues at night. The festival has hosted the likes of Etta James, Herbie Hancock, Macy Gray and more since it first kicked off in 1977.
Find more events and festivals in Colorado.
2. Wineries, Breweries & Cideries
With nearly 700 makers crafting refreshing libations across the state, it’s hard to beat the Colorado Liquid Arts™ scene. Enjoy the fermented fruits of their labors while making new friends or solo-sipping some of our celebrated craft beers. Riff Raff Brewing Company in Pagosa Springs is Colorado’s first brewery powered by spring-fed geothermal heat. Customize a tasting flight so you can try several of their beers — including a green-chili ale and a malty red — and snack on nachos and wings from their "Big Lebowski"-themed menu. Golden’s Holidaily Brewing Company only uses locally sourced, gluten-free grains to craft their spiced saisons, fruity bitters and root-beer-infused stouts, and is raved about by reviewers with celiac disease and gluten intolerances.
On the western side of the Rockies, Palisade is in the heart of Colorado’s wine country. Sip on a glass of petit verdot and chilled white cabernet sauvignon at Colterris Winery, where you’ll be treated to views of the Grand Mesa and surrounding orchards. Billed as “the world’s highest-altitude winery,” Continental Divide Winery’s tasting rooms in Breckenridge or Fairplay are the perfect places to sample a glass of rosé or enjoy a curated tasting experience.
And our ciders are, without a doubt, a new type of Colorado gold. With its riverside seating and a menu that runs the gamut from crispy to complex, Fenceline Cider in the town of Mancos is sure to delight. The cidery is named for the thousands of apple trees that grow along the fence lines of rural America. As they only use wild and historical heritage varietals of local apples, you won’t taste flavors like Fenceline’s anywhere else in the world. You’ll also find numerous other cideries throughout the state.
Find more ways to explore Colorado Liquid Arts™.
3. Marathons
If destination marathons are your idea of a dream vacation for one, you’ve come to the right state. The Colorado Marathon in May is a real treat, with a gentle downhill course that weaves alongside the Cache la Poudre River into the heart of Fort Collins. The race is known as one for setting personal records and as an “easier” Boston Marathon qualifier.
Put your legs to the test during June's Leadville Trail Marathon & Heavy Half, where you'll make your way past mining artifacts to the top of Mosquito Pass at 13,185 feet up. Though challenging, this race pays off with vistas of some of Colorado's tallest peaks and turquoise alpine lakes. And the town's residents line up for the last half mile of the course to cheer runners over the finish line, giving your legs a bit of extra pep.
Or check off two bucket-list items at once by completing a marathon and summiting one of Colorado’s fourteeners at the same time during the Pikes Peak Marathon in September. With 7,800 feet in elevation gain, this challenging trail climbs 13.3 miles to the top of America’s Mountain, which caps out at 14,115 feet. Then it’s back down the way you came to the finish line in downtown Manitou Springs.