Sights in Colorado: You must visit these 7 places

Central to Denver is Lower Downtown, simply called LoDo by the locals. Here you will find the lively 16th Street Mall, which is both a pedestrian zone and the main shopping street with countless souvenir and junk shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants.

The Victorian buildings hidden between the modern skyscrapers are worth seeing. They are remnants of the days when Denver was a gold digger’s paradise.

Extra tip : There is a free shuttle bus service on 16th Mall Street that runs up and down regularly and stops at every street intersection. You can get on and off at any time.

In summer there are brightly painted pianos everywhere in LoDo, on which passers-by strum to their heart’s content, some better, some worse. It’s often worth stopping for a while and listening to the music.

Just a short walk from LoDo, you will find Denver’s art district with a high concentration of museums and galleries, such as the Denver Art Museum, which is housed in a state-of-the-art glass building. Denver’s huge library and the Black American West Museum, which takes you into the history of the black cowboys, are also worth a visit.

The must-see in Denver is the Colorado State Capitol, whose gold-leaf dome can be seen from afar. It is intended to commemorate the former Colorado gold rush.

On the steps leading to the entrance of the State Capitol you will find a marker at exactly one mile above sea level. You enter the building through the pompous entrance hall and can admire the gallery of the American Presidents, which extends over all floors.

Extra tip : Take a free guided tour, because this is the only way to get into the dome of the Capitol. From here you have the best view of Denver, the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and the gleaming white City and County Building on the opposite side.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park is definitely one of the top draws for Colorado travelers. No wonder, because it is one of the greatest natural wonders of our world. You can easily explore Rocky Mountain National Park by car via the famous Trail Ridge Road, the highest paved road in America.

The serpentine road winds its way up 77 kilometers to Mount Evans at an altitude of 3,713 meters. Passing lush mountain valleys and a barren tundra landscape, the Trail Ridge Road overcomes a huge difference in altitude and always offers spectacular views above the tree line.

Garden of the Gods

Everyone knows the impressive Garden of the Gods nature park. It is accessible for free and can be explored in many different ways. The easiest way is to drive around in your own car. There are several great viewpoints along the way where you can stop and disembark to admire the fascinating red sandstone cliffs, many of which are over 300 million years old.

Over time, they were naturally formed into unique works of art, through which numerous hiking trails now lead. Alternatively, you can explore the Garden of the Gods on horseback, take a guided tour, or become a mountaineer and scale the rock formations.

By the way, there is a nice story about the name of the park, which can be read in the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center. It states that in August 1859 two surveyors came to the area. One of the two is said to have said at the sight of the red rocks that this was the perfect place for a beer garden. The other said “A beer garden? But one for gods!” And so the park became the Garden of the Gods, but without the beer.

Royal Gorge

Royal Gorge is a spectacular canyon with the Arkansas River flowing through its mighty gorges. To explore the canyon up close, I recommend a ride on the Royal Gorge Route Railroad.

From Cañon City, the train travels through the narrow gorge, always following the Arkansas River. Through the large panoramic windows of the historic train and from the open deck you can enjoy the wind and the wonderful view.

Then you have to go to the Royal Gorge Park, which was largely destroyed by a fire in June 2013. Meanwhile, many of the attractions have been rebuilt, such as the gondola, where you float in a cantilevered cabin about 365 meters above the gorge with the Arkansas River. A gigantic feeling!

Royal Gorge Park is also home to the famous 481-metre-long Royal Gorge Bridge, America’s tallest suspension bridge. At a height of 291 meters you walk over the wooden floor and see the river flowing below you. This fun is not for people who are afraid of heights, because the suspension bridge can shake quite a bit in the wind.

Extra tip : Across the gorge there is a tiny cinema, the Plaza Theater, which shows an interesting film about the Royal Gorge Bridge and the dramatic fire. You should definitely see this one!

Pikes Peak

One of the highest cog railways in the world takes you high up. At 4,301 meters to be exact. The bright red Pike’s Peak Cog Railway takes you at a snail’s pace to the top of Pikes Peak, reputedly the most visited mountain in North America, on whose serpentine road the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb car and motorcycle race is held every year.

Cripple Creek

Farting forbidden is written at the entrance to the tiny passenger elevator that takes you down the shaft of the Mollie Kathleen gold mine in Cripple Creek. Up until my trip through Colorado, I always thought that boring stuff like dusty old gold mines didn’t interest me. I realize that I was very wrong when I went down 300 meters.

Underground, I take a one-hour guided tour through the mysterious shafts of the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine, where I learn all about the history of American mining and the harsh working conditions of the gold diggers. With a bit of luck, you might even see real gold veins.

In the neighboring cowboy town of Cripple Creek, one casino follows the other. If you don’t like gambling, you should at least stroll through the pretty streets, which look like a film set, especially in the late afternoon when the sun casts its golden light on the old western houses.