Colorado's Cities Welcome Travelers Back With Vibrant New Experiences and Offerings

DENVER (August 26, 2021) — As vaccinated travelers return to urban areas across the U.S., Colorado’s cities and metro areas are welcoming visitors with new attractions, lodging offerings, outdoor adventures, arts and cultural programming, inspired eats and more. From the Front Range to Colorado’s Western Slope, the state’s cities bring long-awaited vibrancy to vacation.

The Colorado Tourism Office encourages all travelers to Do Colorado Right and embrace the state’s new interpretation of responsible tourism — showing care not only for its destinations, but for the people who call Colorado home.

For more ideas on how to enjoy Colorado’s cities, visit Colorado.com

New, Unique & Boutique Lodging

With a climbing wall and toasty outdoor fire pit, The Basecamp Hotel in Boulder is pure Colorado. Guests can reserve The Great Indoors Room for a cool take on camping — in the themed accommodations visitors sleep on in-ground beds, marrying the illusion of roughing it with the reality of plush mattresses.
The 165-room Catbird Hotel just opened in Denver’s River North Art District neighborhood. The property is the first independent extended-stay hotel in Denver and features amenities such as a "creative lobby" where guests can gather to work and socialize and a four-bedroom house in the middle of the development that can be rented by larger groups.
Clayton Members Club and Hotel is a first-of-its-kind 63-room boutique hotel in Denver’s Cherry Creek North neighborhood. In addition to three public culinary outlets — Five Nines, Of A Kind and OAK Market — guests have access to the physical and experiential amenities of Clayton Members Club that include a members’ restaurant, fitness amenities, social spaces, lounges and co-working areas, rooftop restaurant and pool and member events.
The new Eddy Taproom & Hotel in Golden is situated on the site of the old Rocky Mountain Fire Brick Works and celebrates both the mining history of the region and the abundance of outdoor adventures found in the area. Located along the banks of Clear Creek, The Eddy features several amenities including Truck Eddy, the property’s food truck with BBQ and shakes, an outdoor lawn with weekly activities, specialty drinks and brews found only at The Eddy Taproom and more.
In the heart of Old Town Fort Collins, The Elizabeth Hotel features deluxe amenities like an Instrument Lending Library and in-room record players, plus an array of local artwork showcasing Fort Collins’ fun-loving, laid-back personality. Featuring locally-loved dining, an energetic live music venue and a chic rooftop lounge with mountain views, The Elizabeth Hotel embodies the very best of colorful Colorado.
Located on the breathtaking campus of Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Hotel Maverick immerses guests in experiences that feed their wanderlust offering complimentary cruiser bikes, a pump bike park, disc golf, pet-friendly accommodations and enormous grounds to wander. Plus, the hotel restaurant, Devil's Kitchen, serves up delicious bites and incredible views of the Bookcliff Mountains from its rooftop patio.
Kinship Landing, a new adventure-inspired boutique hotel concept in downtown Colorado Springs, features a Discovery Platform community space, gear storage and more. The property brings travelers and locals together around city and outdoor exploration.
Life House has landed in Denver’s hip Lower Highlands neighborhood, or “LoHi.” This marks the first luxury hotel for the burgeoning neighborhood and the first out west for the hospitality company. The property’s design draws inspiration from Victorian Industrialism, the contextual 1800s design movement, as well as the natural landscape of the Wild West.
The Rally Hotel in MacGregor Square is downtown Denver’s newest independent lifestyle hotel. Opened in April 2021, the hotel features 182 guest rooms, including 29 suites, as well as a rooftop pool and deck and an inspired local art collection. There are also three distinct dining and drink options: The Grandstand, The Rally Bar and The Original.
Red Daisy Farm, a working flower farm and bed and breakfast located in Brighton, offers a unique charming farm stay experience just 20 minutes from Denver International Airport. Guests can relax, stroll the beautiful gardens, or take a soothing swim in the farm’s all-natural swimming pool or a dip in the hot tub. There is an antique barn on-site full of charming vintage items and more.
Located on Pueblo’s famed Riverwalk, Station on The Riverwalk is the city’s first boutique influenced hotel. Repurposed and reinvented from what was once the town’s police station and jail, today features industrial-chic decor in cool guest rooms set in the former jail cells. The hotel’s lounge, The Clink, offers a swanky spot to enjoy craft cocktails and wine alongside upscale snacks.

Urban Adventures in Every Season

Convenient access, clear water, challenging rapids and beautiful scenery make the Cache la Poudre River near Fort Collins a river-runner’s paradise. Rafts, canoes and kayaks are suitable on various stretches of Colorado's only nationally designated Wild and Scenic River.
The Gateway Segment of Clear Creek Canyon Park in Golden is now open providing nearly two miles of new paved biking and hiking trail along Clear Creek. Visitors can walk, run and bike this spectacular new trail that clings to rock cliffs as it travels up into the scenic Clear Creek Canyon.
Denver’s Confluence Park sits at the edge of lower downtown where the Cherry Creek and South Platte River meet. During the summer months, Confluence Kayaks offers rentals and lessons for anyone looking to for a whitewater experience without leaving the heart of the city.
Explore Boulder on the back of a bike with Full Cycle rentals and tours. From mountain biking adventures and gravel rides to road cycling and ebikes, Full Cycle offers a variety of bike rentals and guided excursions in and around Boulder County. Cyclists can enjoy Full Cycle’s brand new location complete with a pre ride espresso or post ride beer at the on-site Tune-up Taproom and Espresso Bar.
Garden of the Gods Park in Colorado Springs is a unique biological melting pot. The 300 million years of geological history of the Garden of the Gods reveal one of the most extensive pictures of earth history found anywhere in the U.S. From nature walks, Geo-Trekker Theater, arts and crafts, children’s programs, and history talks — the Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center hosts a wide variety of fun and educational experiences year-round.
Known for its population of feisty large and small mouth bass, walleye, catfish and more, Lake Pueblo State Park is a treasured Colorado fishing destination near Pueblo. Boating, jet skiing, camping, picnicking and hiking are also popular activities at the park, known for having a mild year-round climate with plenty of sunny days — even in the winter months.
The newly opened 130-acre Riverfront at Las Colonias Park is located along the Colorado River in the heart of Grand Junction and offers people of all ages paddle boarding experiences at the new Butterfly Pond, kayaking and rafting in the whitewater park on the Colorado River, dog runs, a new amphitheatre, ziplining and more.
Located just west of Loveland, Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch offers horseback rides through gentle terrain to extended climbing rides with ridge-top views. The dude and guest ranch’s 3,200 acres offer a breathtaking horseback riding experience for all ages and abilities, and trail rides are offered year-round.
Visitors to Grand Junction can ride the area’s famed singletrack pretty much any day of the year. One of the most famous riding areas is the Tabeguache trailhead, better known as the Lunch Loops. Right outside of town, the trails were named by locals that could bust out of work and get a quick ride in during lunch.

Accessible Arts & Culture

Colfax Canvas, a collective of street art in the Aurora Cultural Arts District, is now offering self-guided mural tours available to the public as well as recorded audio tours providing insight into various murals and the artists who created them.
Fort Collins’ first comedy club in 30 years, The Comedy Fort, opened February 2021. The club, owned by local comedian and comedy show producer David Rodriquez, is located in Old Town and brings in a variety of local, regional and national acts.
The Denver Art Museum’s renovated and unified campus will reopen to the public on October 24, 2021. New and revitalized spaces include the J. Landis and Sharon Martin Building (previously the North Building), the new Anna and John J. Sie Welcome Center, eight levels of art galleries and programming space, as well as new outdoor public spaces. The campus will feature expanded guest services, new dining options, programming and events spaces.
The Denver Center for the Performing Arts recently announced the return of the Broadway, Theatre Company, Cabaret, and Off-Center seasons featuring 30 shows, which kicks off in November with the Theatre Company’s A Christmas Carol in the newly renovated Wolf Theatre. Broadway shows will also return, starting with Disney’s The Lion King, Hamilton is set to follow with a tentative February 2022 premiere, among several others.
The Fort Collins Museum of Discovery recently announced the return of the groundbreaking exhibition Mental Health: Mind Matters this fall. Slated to open September 25, 2021 and run through Jan. 2, 2022, this thought-provoking special exhibition provides informative, hands-on and hopeful experiences to help open the door to greater understanding, conversations and empathy toward the challenges of mental health.
History Colorado announces the return of an energizing speaker series, “Bold Women. Change History,” featuring trailblazers, visionaries, and history-makers who illuminate what happens when women have a seat at the table—and when they lead. Colorado business leader Linda Alvarado, the first female owner of a Major League Baseball team, kicks off the 2021–22 series at the History Colorado Center in Denver and live online on September 15, 2021.
Denver’s lauded Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art will reopen along with a temporary exhibition “Truth, Beauty and Power: Christopher Dresser and The Aesthetic Movement,” featuring the beautiful five-legged chair recently attributed to British designer Christopher Dresser. This exhibition showcases works from the Museum's permanent collections, many never seen before.
Opening in September 2021, Meow Wolf, the artist collective responsible for Santa Fe’s immersive art exhibit, will open its permanent installation in Denver. Meow Wolf creates immersive and interactive experiences that transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms of story and exploration. The Denver venue will feature the work from 110 Colorado-based artists on four floors of colorful rooms.
The city of Loveland is home to nearly 550 public works of art and visitors can enjoy them by participating in Sculpture Quest, A Public Art Scavenger Hunt. This free, family-friendly self-guided scavenger hunt offers a great opportunity to explore Loveland’s outdoor public art and win prizes. The Quest runs through November 12, 2021.
For those who cannot travel to Beijing for the winter 2022 Olympics, Colorado Springs offers visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in the games at the new U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum. The USOPM has been touted as one of the most accessible museums in the world and offers an array of tailored, high-tech exhibits dedicated to telling the story of America’s greatest athletes. The 60,000-square-foot attraction features 12 interactive galleries and is home to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame.

Only In Colorado Experiences

The Beer Spa, a modern-day wellness space that combines a day spa with a craft beer bar, opened recently in Denver. Enjoy beer-inspired spa services while sipping on a locally sourced craft beverage.
On Saturdays in Boulder, visitors and locals gather at the Boulder Farmers Market. This outdoor market has been a hub for local food and community for nearly 30 years. Unlike many markets, everything is strictly local — grown or raised in Colorado.
The Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway reopened after a multi-year hiatus for repairs in spring 2021. Recognized as the world’s highest cog railroad, the Railway is one of Colorado Springs’ top attractions, and since 1891, has taken thousands of people to the 14,115-foot summit of Pikes Peak and the new Pikes Peak Visitor’s Center, one of the most sustainable buildings in the U.S.
The Colorado Chautauqua in Boulder is considered the western representation of the “Chautauqua movement” that swept the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is the only Chautauqua west of the Mississippi that has continuously operated with its original structures intact. Located at the base of Boulder’s iconic Flatirons, the Colorado Chautauqua offers outstanding musical, arts and educational programs, charming accommodations in historic cottages and lodges, fine dining at the historic Dining Hall, and direct access to 40 miles of trails and thousands of acres of open space.
Experience America’s only mountain zoo at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo overlooking Colorado Springs. Visitors will discover more than 30 species of endangered animals, hand-feed the zoo’s giraffes and soar over favorite animal exhibits while taking in breathtaking views of the city below on the Mountaineer Sky Ride.
The Colorado Shoe School near Fort Collins offers a range of shoemaking workshops. From one day to five days, guests are invited to learn how to make their own unique shoes in the shoe school’s custom designed studio. All the materials, tools, guidance and creative space to cobble together a custom set of shoes are provided.
The Dinosaur Journey Museum near Grand Junction is a regional paleontological and geological museum that tells the story of the history of life in western Colorado and surrounding areas. The hands-on, interactive museum includes over 15,000 fossil specimens in its collections, exhibits and displays featuring discoveries from the region, a viewable paleontology laboratory where dinosaur bones are prepared for display, an earthquake simulator and a “quarry site” where kids can uncover actual Jurassic dinosaur bones.
Located near Golden, the legendary Red Rocks Historic Park & Amphitheatre, celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, is more than just a beautiful place to see a concert. It encompasses 738 total acres of deer, dinosaurs, pines and prairie, geological wonders and spectacular vistas. Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a geological phenomenon — the only naturally-occurring, acoustically perfect amphitheater in the world.

Diverse Eats & Local Libations

Avanti F&B, A Collective Eatery, opened a second outpost in Boulder in 2021. Inspired by European markets and food truck roundups, it is a modern-day food hall featuring six food stalls, a bar serving hand crafted cocktails, a coffee shop and a sprawling rooftop patio offering 360-degree views of Boulder’s famed Flatiron Mountains.
Colorado’s First Alcohol-Free Bar, Awake, has opened in Denver as an inclusive alcohol-free spirit store, bar and coffee shop with a charitable mission. Awake offers America's most comprehensive, carefully curated selection of alcohol-free beer, wine, spirits and mocktail elixirs.
CO.A.T.I Uprise is a new food-court style marketplace in Colorado Springs. The name (pronounced “Ko-Ah-Tee”) refers to the coati, a South American raccoon known for its playful spirit and curiosity. CO.A.T.I is home to an eclectic mix of vendors including established businesses as well as up-and-coming restaurants taking part in CO.A.T.I’s Culinary Incubator Program.
Cohesion Brewing Company is the first of its kind in the state, focusing on Czech-style lagers and Czech beer-drinking traditions. Opened in 2021 and located in Denver’s Clayton neighborhood, Cohesion Brewing showcases a variety of lagers brewed in the Czech tradition.
Denver’s premier gin distillery Deviation Distilling is set to open at Dairy Block in September 2021. Deviation Distilling transformed an 1800s firehouse into a lively patio, intimate lounge and event space in the heart of Dairy Block’s mixed-used alley in Downtown Denver. Deviation Distilling, known for its use of unique global ingredients, will be releasing a new cocktail menu and Dairy-block exclusive spirits as well as offering light, sharable bites.
Extra Arts & Drafts, Fort Collins’ first maker’s bar, celebrated its grand opening in March 2021. The business is a hands-on crafting studio where customers can create upscale DIY projects while sipping a beer, wine, cider or non-alcoholic offering.
The Golden Mill is a new indoor/outdoor food hall and beer garden built in a historic 1865 mill on Clear Creek in downtown Golden. The new destination offers multiple food concepts and an extensive selection of self-pour beers, wines, ciders and cocktails. The 5,000-square-foot rooftop deck — downtown Golden’s first — provides 360-degree views of the North and South Table Mountains, the Clear Creek and Mount Zion.
Loveland’s Grimm Bros Brewhouse specializes in German inspired beers with a fabled fermentation. Each of their beers is named and inspired by the famous German writers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. With over 250 stories, they pride themselves in telling a fairy tale and a story about each of their beers.
The new Highlands Distillery in Grand Junction serves up unique handcrafted spirits including vodka and gin. Visitors can enjoy cocktails made in the distillery’s renovated 80-year-old farmhouse while soaking in the fragrance of lavender coming from the lavender farm next door.
Philippe, a French bakery and bistro, will open in fall 2021 in Fort Collins. Soon decadent pastries, desserts and authentic regional French dishes will be served up in an unfussy, cheerful atmosphere.
Offering an unparalleled vantage point to the junction of skyline, mountains and cityscape, The Red Barber is Denver’s newest backyard gathering place — a convivial rooftop bar retreat with 360-degree views perched high above the city. The Red Barber presents guests with opportunities to connect with friends around intimate fire pits or make new acquaintances amongst unexpected life-sized yard games. Visitors can enjoy live music, surprise chef appearances, fanciful activities and endless entertainment that changes every day.
Red Leg Brewing Company in Colorado Springs opened a new “destination brewery” in summer 2021. The $10.5 million project includes a 15,000-sq.-ft. craft beverage, food and entertainment complex on 2.5 acres of indoor and outdoor space including a taproom with panoramic rooftop deck that boasts views of Pikes Peak and Garden Of The Gods, an outdoor food court with eight vendors and an outdoor community event center that is the “first of its kind” in the city.
Rise Westwood Collective is a new resource sharing network of Latinx/BIPOC/woman owned food-based businesses, artists and artisans that are predominantly based in Denver’s Westwood neighborhood. The Collective’s mission is to work together to bring in and keep money in the local economy and help preserve the cultural identity of the community by creating culturally relevant, community focused events that are accessible. Programs include Veggie Viernes, which takes place on Fridays through October, highlights vegan food from Latinx/BIPOC/woman owned businesses alongside an art show, Aztec dancing, live music, youth activities and more.
Opening this September in Denver, Three Saints Revival promises to be a vibrant, bohemian wine and cocktail restaurant offering tapas and small plates inspired by every edge of the Mediterranean, from Spain, Provence and Italy to Israel, Egypt and Greece. This new concept will be anchored by a Med-centric spirit and craft cocktail program with a culinary backbone of tapas and small plates.
The new Tí Cafe is Denver’s first Vietnamese coffee shop. Owned by three sisters, Ti Cafe hopes to offer a sense of community, a place that gives everyone a chance to connect over a single common interest, coffee, while nurturing individuality within a shared space. The interior is impeccably decorated with hip, simple design, and the menu offers traditional Vietnamese favorites such as Cafe Sua Nong, a traditional Vietnamese hot coffee, and Banh Cam, sesame balls.
Since opening in 2008, the popular fast-casual Denver restaurant Tocabe has helped elevate Native American food culture and made Native grown and produced foods more widely available. In order to bring Native ingredients and recipes to more people and to better support producers during the pandemic, Tocabe has expanded operations to the Tocabe Indigenous Marketplace. The platform aims “to create a robust ecosystem for Native and Indigenous food traditions to thrive” and the virtual pantry offers staples and ingredients from Native and Indigenous producers, farmers, ranchers and suppliers throughout the contiguous United States.

###

ABOUT COLORADO: Colorado is a four-season destination offering unparalleled adventure and recreational pursuits, a thriving arts scene, a rich cultural heritage, flavorful cuisine and 28 renowned ski areas and resorts. The state's breathtaking scenic landscape boasts natural hot springs, the headwaters of seven major rivers, many peaceful lakes and reservoirs, 12 national parks and monuments, 26 scenic and historic byways and 58 mountain peaks that top 14,000 feet. For more information or a copy of the 2021 Colorado Official State Vacation Guide, visit COLORADO.com or call 1-800 COLORADO.

Follow Colorado on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Media are invited to visit the Colorado Media Room for story ideas, news releases, image gallery, and other resources.