GET ACTIVE WITH COLORADO’S CULINARY OFFERINGS
DENVER (April 1, 2014) – Colorado is home to farms, ranches, breweries and wineries that have partnered up with active tours to provide one-of-a-kind experiences. From a jeep tour combined with a wine tasting and yoga followed by a locally-brewed beer, to biking from vineyard to vineyard and a mushroom festival featuring foraging hikes, experience Colorado-grown adventures across the state. Below is a sampling of tours and festivals that not only get the blood pumping but also stimulate the taste buds. For more information, visit www.colorado.com.
Tours
Beer and Bike Tours (Fort Collins) – Two things Colorado knows how to do best is biking and beer. Beer & Bike Toursoffers the chance to experience both in Fort Collins, Boulder, Denver, Rocky Mountain National Park and beyond. Tours span from day tours that start at $50 to customized Colorado itineraries. Spend the day seeing fall colors, Colorado’s famous passes and divides or some beautiful summer wildflowers by bicycle and end the day at Colorado’s many craft breweries.
Boulder Bike to Farm Tours (Boulder) – Experience the local farm culture by taking a private, group or electric bike ride through Boulder with Awestruck Outdoors for a price ranging from $35 to $150. Awestruck also offers a Thursday Night Bike to Farm Tour for $39. End both tours at one of the local farms and feast on local cuisine, which might include fresh farm grown salad, dessert or if you end at Lonehawk Farm, Southern inspired fare like fried green tomatoes or fruit cobbler. For a bigger feast, which features live music, go on the Tour de Farm tour held once a month. Snowshoeing to the farms is also an option in the winter months.
Colorado Jeep Tours and Wine Package (Cañon City) – From March through October, take a Colorado Jeep Tourthrough the historic gold mining towns of Victor and Cripple Creek. These towns are known as America’s Greatest Gold Camps, and this tour will weave through several abandoned mines. What makes this tour unique is ending at the local Winery at Holy Cross Abbey for a wine tour and tasting. Even children can partake with juice, fruit and cheese. Prices range from $74 - $134.
Dinner Float Trip (Gunnison-Crested Butte) – Take a scenic boat ride in the Rocky Mountains on a Dinner Float Trip. Gunnison-Crested Butte area’s only dinner cruise offers a boat trip down the Gunnison River to Garlic Mikes, an Italian riverfront restaurant that serves local cheese from Buena Vista, produce and wines from Paonia and beers and whiskey from across Colorado. Prices are $68 per person and $40 for ages 10 and under.
Dude Ranch – Staying on a Colorado Dude Ranch for a vacation is the best way to have a true Western experience. Spend your days horseback riding, hiking, fishing, or attend a local wine pairing demonstration, harvest produce or even help the ranchers herd cattle. Evenings can be spent around the campfire with your loved ones and guests from across the country.
Happy Hour Yoga (Durango) – Rejuvenate and find your inner peace at Happy Hour Yoga with Heather Hooten for $10 every Monday from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Durango. Reward your hard work with a free pint of beer from Ska Brewing Co., a local brewery that has been in Durango since 1995.
Festivals
FIBArk Festival (Salida) – The First in Boating on the Arkansas Festival will be held June 12-15. The nation's oldest whitewater festival will include whitewater education, competitions, local beer, food and more in order to promote and preserve whitewater paddle sports in Salida. There will also be running and mountain bike races as part of the 2014 event.
Crested Butte Wildflower Festival (Crested Butte) – Crested Butte is extending the Wildflower Festival from one week to three months, June through August 2014. During these three months in the Wildflower Capital of Colorado, see the current wildflowers via a 4x4 Jeep tour up to Paradise, a two-hour wildflower identification walk, a Garden Tour through the historic district and more. From July 7-13, participate in one of 200 workshops and classes. Art/writing, hiking and birding/butterfly classes are just a few examples of the classes offered. Prices vary by class and range from $13 - $225.
Telluride Mushroom Festival (Telluride) – For an opportunity to experience everything mushroom, the Telluride Mushroom Festival is coming August 16-19. Learn to identify edible mushrooms, see how mushrooms can be used for medicinal purposes and eat as many mushrooms as possible at the Chef Cook-off street party. Tickets will be available for purchase on March 1.
Tour de Vineyard (Palisade) – Colorado’s Western Slope is full of wineries, and on September 20 in Palisade, the 21stAnnual Tour de Vineyards offers the opportunity to see many of them in the Grand Valley. This 25-mile bicycle ride through Colorado Wine Country is a leisurely ride on paved roads with few hills. Along with the vineyards, cyclists can also experience fruit orchards along the way. Registration fee starts at $43.
Mountain Harvest Festival (Paonia) – From September 25-28, come enjoy the Mountain Harvest Festival in Paonia. In between the slow bike race or the Jumbo Mountain Trail Run, drink a locally-brewed beer from Revolution Brewing, try a tasty treat from a locally-sourced food vendor in the park or for $12 to $22, try a farm-to-table dinner at The Living Farm Café.
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 25 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, 11 national parks and monuments, and 58 mountain peaks that top 14,000 feet.
For more information or a copy of the 2014 Colorado Official State Vacation Guide, visit www.COLORADO.com or call 1-800-COLORADO. Follow Colorado on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, Foursquare, Flickr,Tumblr and YouTube.
Media are invited to visit the Colorado Media Room for story ideas, news releases, image gallery, and other resources.
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Contacts: Carly Holbrook / 720-289-9366, [email protected]
Elysia Myers / 970-623-7729, [email protected]