The casino area is pretty dead and downtown area. Looks like a old town with empty homes set up for…read morea movie set.

Fun little casino town. Parking is free at some lots and hotels who make up for the cost by…read morecharging a resort fee. Check signage to make sure. You can walk between hotels and casinos or take the shuttle. Prices for items are high so take advantage of convenience stores or bring your own food stuffs. Reservations for certain restaurants are recommended. It's fun to walk by the creek and you can use it as home base for lots of outdoor activities. Biking, hiking, rafting and walking trails are close by.

Sugarloaf Mountain is an excellent close front range option for a scenic hike. Parking is fairly…read moreeasy off Sugarloaf rd, really not far from downtown Boulder! It's an uphill and sometimes steep drive on dirt, but nothing a small car can't do. The hike itself starts unmarked but easy to spot the wide gate and uphill trail. You're in the woods for about the first third, then get some great views after some switchbacks. The top is denuded from a fire over 30 years ago, the Black Tiger Fire. Many large trees and stumps can be seen. This is a fantastic view and you can see in 360 degrees. It's particularly great for mountain views, sunrise, and cool clouds. The trail is pretty short 1.5 miles and around 300ft gain, with a broad open top. It's a great trail for most any skill level!

Colorado residents and visitors should make the time to take in this Rocky Mountain experience…read more This is a moderate hike for those in decent shape, just remember if you're not acclimated, you are hiking roughly from 7900ft to 8900ft. Sugarloaf Mountain is about a half hour outside of Boulder. It is easily seen from the plains-it's the mountain just behind the foothills that is uniformly cone shaped. Let me cut ahead to the pay-off before I fill in the details: A hike up Sugarloaf Mountain from the parking area pays off with magnificent 360 views. The Continental Divide is spread out before you in spectacular fashion. Long's Peak (one of the 14teeners) views are fabulous. To one side are steep drops down talus slopes into Four Mile Canyon. Turn around and you can see Denver and on a cool, clear day, probably Kansas. (not really but it seems that way). I have knocked around the high country quite a bit and been to the top of several peaks, and for the accessability and proximity to Denver and Boulder, Sugarloaf Mountain has some of the best panoramic views. Some of my personal highlights from Sugarloaf hikes: -Watching an eagle glide along on thermals, sometimes above me, sometimes below. -Waving at people in a glider and actually being able to hear the wings of the glider whistling through the air. -Watching the sun set below the snow-capped divide (you can see the Indian Peaks and Never Summer range from here) while sitting in adirondack style chairs made from loose slabs of stone on the western facing side of the peak. Drive west out of Boulder on Canyon (toward Nederland). About 5 miles. Turn right on Sugarloaf Rd., follow it about 4 miles to a right, watch for signs. Trailhead is just a dirt lot. Trail starts with gravel/dirt, becomes very rocky as you climb. Not very steep or challenging if you take your time. Also views of forest fire damage from recent years in surrounding foothills. Just don't do what I did with a visitor: Hiked up sugarloaf one day, biking the next day, on the third day of their visit (they were visiting from an elevation of 600ft.) we went to play racquetball in the morning. Ten minutes into racquetball my guest says "Are the lights in here flickering? Wait, I think I might pass out..." Oops. Altitude.

Absolutely breathtaking. Accidentally turned on the wrong street last winter and ended up there and…read moreI absolutely loved it!!

Each stop on our full day was momentous. The clouds touch the mountains and it's breathtaking…read more Pictures do not give justice to the view. Wear weather appropriate clothes and shoes. We were not able to make it to the top of the steps but still happy we got to explore this place for a bit!

The City of Frisco is a beautiful little mountain town just north of Breckenridge, off the I-70…read moreexit for Dillon Reservoir and Silverthorne. Their Main Street is doted with little shops, some going back seventy plus years. Frisco also has some breathtaking Mountain View's, see photos. We would recommend dinner at Uptown on Main, and some ice cream at Foote's afterwards.

The City of Frisco is 1 hour and 30 minutes away from my town, but I drive by here all the time…read morewhen I'm going to Breckenridge!! Normally everything looks so gloomy during the winter, but Frisco is a BEAUTIFUL winter wonderland!! All the shops are stunning and covered in snow, and full of small businesses that need the support right now more than ever. I'm learning that Nov 15, 2020-Jan 15, 2021 the city of Frisco is rewarding bonus cards when you spend certain amounts. There is more information on their official website, but I think the town is commendable for supporting their local businesses this far. This boat town has a marina bay, where you can rent out canoes and also kayaks!! The Pontoon Boat 90 HP is amazing for a romantic getaway on the Dillon Reserve. I found out that for 2 hours it is $185!!

Relatively easy trailhead for the less experienced hiker that leaves you with some amazing views…read more Plenty of parking with a huge entrance lot. No day pass or state park fees to enter. There is also a warming hut on site for the winter month with a bathroom. Take your time and pace yourself.

Please at least install hand sanitizing stations in the bathrooms! It is so nasty to not have a way…read moreto clean your hands after using the restroom. Also, there was trash all over the parking lot. This place was in a sad state when we visited.

There are a ton of booths to explore here. I'm glad I ran across my favorite yesterday! Adventurist…read moreSoap Company located closer to the Tea house. I was down to my last bar so I did a stock up. Once you try this soap (amongst other products) you will be hooked. The owner Daina is super knowledgeable about your skin needs. You can't find soap like this in any grocery store. She also has a website where you explore and order online. Super friendly, awesome prices. Hands down the best booth here. She has many events over the summer! I will never go back to the grocery store for my soap! Hopefully this link will work for the website. Adventurist Soap Co.

What a great time this past summer at the Boulder Creek Festival! Even though I've been here I few…read moreyears, it was my first time going. It's set along the creek with ample space for fun. There's usually an art show happening too so there's lots to do. You buy a reservation online for a drinking window. Get there on time cause once your times up, you're out! So go as early as you can for maximum sampling. And you'll want time too, cause there's like 25-30 breweries out! Local favorites like Avery and Stem, and some National big buys like Woodchuck cider. You get a pretty cool glass too ( sometimes half the reason for going!). Overall, can't wait to go next year!

I absolutely fell in love with the Town of Ward, visiting through Estes Park. Ward has cometh a…read morelong way since founded in 1860. Ornery, beautiful, windy and cold in the winter, and winter lasts 9 months a year. So why do people live here all year? Admittedly it takes a special kind of person to even want to live here. You have to be okay with isolation, cold, roads that don't get plowed, the constant hyperawareness of the possibility of wildfire, power that goes out, internet service that is at the mercy of the elements, the occasional marauding bear, mountain lion, raccoon, 90 mph winds for 2 weeks in a row, snow drifts that bury cars, shoveling tons of snow, literally tons, spending 3 months collecting the firewood that you spend 9 months burning, and many more exhausting, exasperating, exhilarating activities. And for what? Well, if you love winter and self-propelled winter activities like cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, you have it made in the shade. The lifestyle encourages simplicity and humility. And then there's the 2 to 3 months of glorious, green summer during which we hold our breaths, praying not to get struck by lightning or idiots with campfires. What it all amounts to is a population of people who some might describe as recluses or misfits, but who are our community, who do fit in here, and they are strong and quarrelsome, kind and opinionated, artistically gifted and emotionally ornery . They are who they are, nothing more and nothing less. And that's why we live here.

From kids who throw rocks at the cyclists from behind junker cars, to the sweetest post office…read moreclerk in the world, Ward has it all. Definitely a wake-and-bake town, like a smaller version of Santa Cruz without the homeless population.

This is my favorite festival in Colorado! If you know me you know that I love anything that's off…read morethe beaten path- restaurants, events, festivals, and this weekend-long celebration definitely ticks off all the boxes of something you won't get to experience anywhere else! If you're a local or just happen to be visiting the weekend this festival is going on, I highly recommend checking it out for at least one of the days it's going on, you won't regret it!

This event is fantastic! Everyone should check it out. But, here are a few tips:…read more *RTD is your friend! This little town just does not have enough parking for this event. Take the bus for just a couple bucks from Boulder! *Wear your comfy shoes and be ready to wait in line for everything! Even in the bars! *Wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty! You will be hiking across town through snow, mud, etc. *Dress warm! This is a cold town in March! Gloves are a must! This event was much better organized this year. They are getting used to the volume of attendees. Last year there just weren't enough beer tents, no parking, and just had an overall disorganized feel. This year some fantastic improvements were made (parking attendants, an additional beer tent by the parade, etc.).