COME TO LIFE / Denver Day Trips Be sure to visit COLORADO.com/ FieldGuide for even more itineraries! bistros and coffee houses. Castle Rock has year-round hiking and biking trails and spectacular views from on top of The Rock — the historic name-sake for the community. Stop into the visitor center for ideas on exploring the area and beyond. Drive: 35 minutes 4 EVERGREEN Acres of forest and open space surround this vibrant downtown. The foothills community boasts miles of hiking and biking trails and an in-town lake packed with ice skaters each winter. Drive: 45 minutes 5 AURORA Seek out seven beautiful golf courses, unique muse-ums, U-picks, breweries, shopping at Southlands, Aurora Fox Arts Center in the Cultural Arts District and much more. Check out the Stanley Market-place, a collection of independently owned places to eat, drink, shop and play. Drive: 25 minutes 6 LITTLETON This tree-lined downtown somehow combines the sophistication of a relaxed urban center packed with local eats and unique boutiques with small-town charm. To get there, bike the Platte Riverside trail or take the RTD light rail. Drive: 23 minutes 7 BOULDER With 200 miles of trails, a laid-back vibe and the Pearl Street Mall — a charming outdoor shopping and dining locale — it’s easy to see why visitors fall in love with Boulder. Drive: 30 minutes 8 CENTRAL CITY & BLACK HAWK Home to 24-hour casinos, top-notch opera and gorgeous scenery, these two historic mining towns have burst to life recently. Drive: 45 minutes 9 COLORADO SPRINGS Iconic Pikes Peak is Colorado Springs’ show-piece, which features dozens of attractions, including the famed Garden of the Gods. Drive: 1 hour, 30 minutes 10 SUMMIT COUNTY A popular snow-sports destination in winter, this region attracts visitors year-round with quintes-sential mountain towns and scenic vistas. Drive: 1 hour, 30 minutes 11 ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK One of the nation’s top outdoor destinations, this natural wonder boasts 350 miles of trails, unparalleled wildlife sightings and Trail Ridge Road. Drive: 1 hour, 40 minutes q DENVER DAY TRIPS 1 LAKEWOOD Light-rail-connected Lakewood makes a good homebase between Denver and the mountains. The Lakewood Cultural Center hosts performances and events in pedestrian-friendly Belmar, which is home to shops and restaurants. Take advantage of a few close-to-civilization camp-grounds and 40 West Arts, a Certified Colorado Creative District. Drive: 15 minutes COLORADO Denver is an excellent hub for exploring the state beyond the city limits. 2 GOLDEN The historic downtown is packed with Wild West attractions and shops nudged up against dozens of mountain parks and hiking/biking trails. Drive: 25 minutes 3 CASTLE ROCK The Outlets at Castle Rock and upscale Promenade at Castle Rock are big draws, along with The Barn’s antique and specialty shops, 44 miles of trails, the year-round Castle Rock Zip Line Tours and Epic Adventure Tow-er at PS Miller Park (where you scale 40-foot climbing wall, zip and jump from a 42-foot platform or choose to free-fall from a 75-foot platform) pedes-trian-friendly downtown, galleries, golf courses, @xianye6 4 w 98 / 1-800-COLORADO CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: PENINSULA RECREATION AREA IN FRISCO, TODD POWELL; EVERGREEN, @XIANYE6; ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, MILES/ANDREA BUROLLA.
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2019: Page 98
