Welcome to Colorado

ASPEN — Aspen is an former silver-mining town that’s presently a year-round alpine resort. It’s a refuge for the rich and famous when they want to retreat the public eye and get casual. And even though you’ll hear long-time inhabitants talk about how Aspen’s lacking a bit of its appeal, it’s nevertheless a top-rank resort town, winter or summer. The city is reachable by highway,air and Amtrak from Denver to nearby Glenwood Springs. The latter takes all day and gives an
exciting perspective of Colorado sights, including Glenwood Canyon. Summer visitors can enjoy horseback riding, rafting, hiking, cycling, fishing, cultural activities and mountain climbing. The charming and vivid setting of Aspen contains interesting examples of Victorian architecture.

The Aspen Music Festival (June-August) is one of the foremost music festivals in the U.S. — 130 events, including symphonic, chamber, choral and jazz concerts. The town’s new Joan and Irving Harris Concert Hall is the all-weather home of the festival. Winter visitors find superb skiing (downhill and cross-country), sleigh rides, dog-sledding and snowshoe tours. In January, Winterskol Carnival at Snowmass Village features ice and snow sculptures, ski races,
hot-air-balloon races and the Mad Hatter’s Ball. Plan a minimum of three days in Aspen.

Boulder, a beautiful 2,500 foot high oasis of green lawns and clean trees-shaded streets where the sun shines over 320 days a year, overlooks the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Located 5 miles from the lake, 8 miles from Hoover Dam, and just 23 miles southeast of Las Vegas, Boulder became an incorporated independent municipality by a right granted then through an Act of Congress in 1958. Recognized as truly a family oriented and community minded city, one only has to visit for a short time to confirm this reputation.

The Colorado River is the longest river west of the Rocky Mountains at 1,450 miles long. The Colorado rises in northern Colorado just west of the Continental Divide and passes through a series of deep gorges and canyons in a generally southwestern direction. In southeastern Utah it joins its chief tributary, the Green River. After crossing the northern
portion of Arizona, the Colorado flows through the majestic Grand Canyon.

Modern-day Colorado Springs is flourishing, as the second largest city in Colorado. Fortunately, the unique features which attracted people long ago still remain. Nature entices with her array of textures and striking colors. People from all over the world visit to appreciate the countless natural and man-made attractions the Pikes Peak region has to offer.

Catch a glimpse of the region with attractions that offer breathtaking panoramic views. Reach for the clouds atop the 14,110 foot Pikes Peak. Peer down into the Royal Gorge from the world’s highest suspension bridge. Rise to the occasion as you explore Seven Falls. Why not visit one of the many attractions that can’t be found anywhere else in the world? Visit the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, the only zoo nestled against the mountain and beginning at 6,800 feet in elevation. Tour the only United States Air Force Academy and catch a glimpse of life as a cadet. How about the ProRodeo Hall of Fame and
Museum of the American Cowboy, the only museum dedicated to the world class sport of rodeo in America? These are just some of the “must-see” attractions the area offers.

More than 300 days of sunshine annually (more than San Diego or Miami Beach) earns Denver high marks with visitors and make sunglasses a must. For the city’s most energetic shopping, dining and entertainment spots, point your compass in the direction of Larimer Square, the Tivoli, LoDo and the 16th Street Mall. Summer, fall, spring and winter, people crowd the street to window shop, in-line skate, ride in a horse-drawn carriage and bask in the fun.

If you believe that the color green has a calming effect, add a visit to some of the more than 200 city parks, the Denver Botanic Gardens or 70 golf courses. Another 20,000 acres of parks are in the nearby mountains. If your doctor ordered you to see a museum a day for a month, you’d be in luck. Between the Denver Art Museum, the Museum of Natural History and nearly 30 others, you’d be in terrific cultural shape. The Denver Performing Arts. Complex is one of the largest in the nation boasting eight theaters and more than 9,000 seats. It’s not hard to find the pulse of the city’s restaurant scene. Denver serves up more than 2,000 eateries and innumberable choices of cuisine, which include such delights as Rocky Mountain Trout, buffalo and Mexican and Southwestern fare.

Located in the Rocky Mountains in southern Colorado. Ski area