Your favorite Colorado places (Denver, Colorado Springs: home, neighborhoods, school)

[iknowftbll]

I currently live in Monterey, California, and before moving here I was down in San Diego. These are both excellent places to live and have a family. But I constantly find myself wishing I could move back to Colorado and am usually browsing the Colorado pages on this site to see what people are talking about back home.

So I decided to start a thread about our favorite places in Colorado. List a few of your favorite places and why you like them. Now we all know that Joss is going to list a bunch of Pueblo-area places, just do me one favor? Respect his opinion and don't turn this into "all of us against Joss and why he's wrong about Pueblo" thread. After all, these are ultimately a matter of opinion for all of us.

Thanks.

[soscrewed]

For towns, Westcliffe and LaVeta - The last (mostly) unmolested livable small towns that are actually up against the mountains. Ouray would be on the list if it hadn't totally sold out to tourists. Mancos gets an honorable mention, as does Walden.

On the Front Range, Berthoud is still hanging on, but barely.

In places that are not towns, if I told you they would be ruined, so I'm not telling you, but rest assured there are still some really cool places in Colorado.

In the end though, it is all a competition for second place because Utah kills Colorado in nearly every category.

[Dewmik]

Castlewood Canyon at the old dam. I am kinda bias though because my family settled there and it's like visiting my grand parents in a way.
However it is a beautiful area and even though they added all those little parks there are still spots to hide and think about anything you want.

[iknowftbll]

I'll start with a few of my favorites. These are in no particular order and are not necessarily my top favorites, just a few that come to mind.

1: Coors Field. An absolute gem of a ballpark. I can't tell you how many games I've been to down there. Even before the Rockies were a competitive team I enjoyed watching baseball at Coors Field. It is probably the most fan friendly ball park in the league! And following the game, there is a great neighborhood just outside the gates where you can either celebrate a win or drown your sorrows after a loss. Coors Field is very much responsible for reviving the Lo-Do area and ranks among my favorite places in Colorado.

2: Confluence Park, Denver. My wife and I used to hang out here when we first started dating so there are sentimental reasons for listing this one. Our first date was the aquarium, followed by sitting outside and watching the world go by at Confluence Park. In the summer this is a popular destination for tubers seeking to beat the heat and have a little fun. The trails here are a great urban network for joggers or even commuters who do not wish to drive. It's a great addition to central Denver.

3: Great Sand Dunes National Park. Just an all around cool spot on the map. Hiking the dunes is challenging enough, then to make it interesting, you start out at over 7,000 feet! I believe the highest dune reaches over 750 feet. For a break from dune climbing, there is nearby Zapata Falls, just a short drive away on the side of nearby Mt. Blanca. There is also a path up the side of this massive 14er, so if you want to take on an additional challenge, Mt. Blanca is a worthwhile endeavor. I did it a few years back with my dad and two brothers, and will jump at the opportunity to do it again.

4: Western Colorado Springs. Garden of the Gods, Helen Hunt Falls, Seven Falls, Cave of the Winds, Pikes Peak, Cliff Dwellings, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. What's not to like? Park your car, and get out and walk Manitou Springs or Old Colorado City. Many of these attractions are either free or inexpensive. Where else can you find the kind of hiking and outdoor rock climbing within the city limits of a city of over 400,000? And nearby is downtown Colorado Springs. Intimate and charming, with some pretty good dining it's worth the stop for dinner if you are not in a hurry. Overall, it's an area that does Colorado proud, and has given me many fond memories.

5: Flat Iron Range, Boulder. When I went to school at CU, I lived in Westminster, so I would drive in every morning and see this awesome range in the Colorado Foothills every day...and never got tired of it. Especially right after a snowfall. At Chautauqua Park you'll find several trailheads all come to a point. Pick one and you're off to wilderness for a fantastic day hike or in my case trail running. From some of the points along these trails you can see all the way to downtown Denver. Last summer I visited the area and wanted to stay.

Despite living in Coastal California, I'd move back to Colorado in a flash. My next destination is going to be Washington D.C. or somewhere nearby. I lived there briefly a few years ago. I've been fortunate to live in some great places, but without a doubt Colorado is tops. I look forward to hearing your favorites.

[iknowftbll]

Originally Posted by soscrewed

For towns, Westcliffe and LaVeta - The last (mostly) unmolested livable small towns that are actually up against the mountains. Ouray would be on the list if it hadn't totally sold out to tourists. Mancos gets an honorable mention, as does Walden.

On the Front Range, Berthoud is still hanging on, but barely.

In places that are not towns, if I told you they would be ruined, so I'm not telling you, but rest assured there are still some really cool places in Colorado.

In the end though, it is all a competition for second place because Utah kills Colorado in nearly every category.

I agree with you on La Veta. Great little town. And I do like Utah, but I disagree with you here. I'll take Colorado, thank you!

[sesamekid]

Been all over the state looking for the "perfect place" for me and these are my top 5 picks:

1) Manitou Springs - just pure delightful, gorgeous views

2) Beuna Vista - love the park with the pond, slow pace of life

3) Salida - beautiful, feels like true Colorado

4) Old Colorado City - neat old Victorians, interesting history

5) Canon City - intriguing place, affordable living, weather is great!

... and Evergreen is very scenic but a little too snowy in the winters for me.

[Dewmik]

If you like to hike there is a place outside of Perry Park that is real cool. You take 105 to Perry Park, go left on Cheyenne Trail and follow it a ways. After you cross the stream you drive to where the road curves around away from the stream and park.
Then walk up the stream about 2 miles and there is the remnants of an old miners camp that is really cool. It's not really a ghost town but there are remnants of the miners.

[iknowftbll]

Remnants of the miners? Or did you mean mines? Remnants of the miners would be quite creepy.

[Dewmik]

lol. It was a camp for the miners. not the actual mines. Basically an encampment, a place to keep warm and sleep. However I suppose that back in the time when you buried someone anywhere, there is probably a grave or two. I have never seen any markers though.

[wanneroo]

My favorite places in Colorado:

1. Vail. A hometown for me and still have family there so it's a place that will always be a part of me. Expensive of course but it is a nice place to visit with a lot to do.

2. Near Estes Park. Great grandparents had a home in this area. Unfortunately they didn't keep it in the family for use after they passed away. Lots of good memories from trips there as a youngster.

3. Near Denver University. More family attachments so I am just used to the older neighborhoods near the Uni and have a lot of good memories.

4. Aspen area and Independence pass. I think this whole area including Marble to Carbondale to Snowmass, ********, etc is one of the most scenic places in Colorado.

5. Lake City. Haven't been for a while but a very nice town. One of those places that people think would be cool to move to, except winter is 10 months of the year and it's isolated.