Ski Colorado

Estes Park, in the heart of Colorado’s spectacular Rocky Mountains, is a gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. Kick off the holiday season in downtown Estes Park at Catch the Glow Holiday Celebration and Parade. Santa arrives at noon to visit crowds along Elkhorn Avenue, where hayrides and holiday carolers also provide family fun. Join the festivities November 25th, the day after Thanksgiving. The Estes Park Holiday Parade begins at 5:30 with marching bands, floats lit and twinkling as they pass, fun characters for the kids and lots of entertainment. Begin a festive holiday season in downtown Estes Park.

A variety of season events make Estes Park a special holiday destination. The Estes Park Repertoire Theatre Company takes the stage at St Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church for performances of A Christmas Carol weekends prior to Christmas. Hempel Auditorium at the YMCA of the Rockies hosts the Fine Arts Guild of the Rockies, performing Miracle on 34th Street, weekends prior to Christmas. Make your family holiday special in Estes Park.

Celebrations continue into the New Year with the 2012 Estes Park Winter Festival. The Stanley Fairgrounds hosts the fun January 13th through the 15th. Join visitors and residents for beer tastings, a chili cook-off and live entertainment by Coyote Grace and other northern Colorado bands. Have fun on the Ice Slide, snow cone luge and carve your own ice sculpture – winter means fun in Estes Park.

Fort Collins, 65-miles north of Denver, is filled with excitement as the Colorado State University Ram’s keep fans on their feet at Hughes Field. The 2011 CSU football season ends with two home games on Sonny Lubick field with the Rams hosting Air Force on November 26th and Wyoming on December 3rd. Meanwhile Ram’s basketball is heating up the court at Moby Arena. Catch CSU men’s and women’s hoop action through March.

The 2011 – 2012 season for Canyon Concert Ballet opens with performances of The Nutcracker. Fort Collins Lincoln Center hosts the Ballet December 8th through 11th, featuring choreography by Lorita Travaglia. Canyon Concert Ballet will be accompanied by the Fort Collins Symphony for special holiday family entertainment. The Rialto Theatre in Loveland also hosts Canyon Concert Ballet and the Fort Collins Symphony for The Nutcracker, December 16th through the 18th. Loveland is 14-miles south of Forth Collins on South College Avenue.

Just south of Interstate-70, Grand Junction anchors western Colorado. The hub of Colorado wine country Grand Junction is a peaceful and convenient location for travelers through Colorado. Stick around for a few days and enjoy a visit to Colorado National Monument nearby in Fruita, along with the fun outdoor activities surrounding Fruita.

Grand Junction hosts several charming holiday events, ideal to get in the spirit of the season. The Moscow Ballet visits Grand Junction’s Avalon Theatre to perform The Nutcracker December 12th. The Grand Junction Symphony entertains the community with the Holiday Pops Concert at Grand Junction High School, on December 17th. For a special holiday event, George Winston performs at the Chateau at Two Rivers Winery on December 27th. Enjoy Grand Junction and Colorado this season.

Colorado Capital Building

Winter is well on its way in Colorado. With early season snow storms, towns from Frisco to Boulder are ready for winter resort openings and the start of a fantastic 2012 winter recreation season. Boulder, with Eldora right outside the city, is a haven for snow sports enthusiasts. Breckenridge Resort up the mountain from Frisco offers world-class amenities and facilities. Families enjoy Frisco Adventure Park for fun days of tubing, Nordic skiing and ski & ride slopes. A visit to Frisco even makes a festive winter sleigh ride easy. And just a short drive down the road, travelers have the glitz and glam of Denver’s urban offerings.

Winter in Denver means its hockey season with the Colorado Avalanche. Home ice for the Avalanche is downtown Denver’s Pepsi Arena. The regular season is in full swing with games running through April 7, 2012. The Pepsi Center is also home to the NBA Denver Nuggets. Life doesn’t get better than a night in downtown Denver with the excitement of an Avalanche or Nuggets game.

If sports are not your entertainment of choice, the Pepsi Center offers Denver’s top notch entertainment. January’s calendar brings Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour the 6th through the 8th and Brad Paisley with the band Perry on the 21st. Don’t miss a night out on the town in Denver, with outstanding entertainment at the Pepsi center.

Ballet Noveau Colorado is Denver’s premier contemporary dance company and school. BNC adds a modern twist to the classic holiday ballet The Nutcracker, where children are invited to learn the steps after each performance. Plan to see The Nutcracker December 9th through the 11th at the Performing Arts Complex at Pinnacle Charter School in North Denver.

Take Highway 36 north from Denver approximately 30 miles to reach the beautiful city of Boulder. Nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Boulder draws visitors for its amazing setting, world-class food and lively entertainment. Eldora Mountain Resort is located minutes away from downtown Boulder. With an early winter, the skiing, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are exceptional – and convenient for Boulder residents and visitors.

President's Day Weekend in Boulder brings the Boulder International Film Festival. In its 8th year, BIFF is a much anticipated community event. The 2012 festival is February 16th through the 19th. Screenings are held at venues throughout Boulder including Boulder Theater, Boulder Public Library and Boulder’s First United Methodist Church. Plan early to attend the Boulder International Film Festival. This is a popular event and tickets sell out quickly.

The small community of Firestone is located approximately 30 miles directly north of Denver, via Interstate 25. Midway between downtown Denver and Fort Collins, Firestone is a convenient suburb for either city. With St Vrain State Park nearby, Firestone residents and visitors have an outdoor respite featuring land and water recreation. Firestone is a great option for travelers looking for a Denver hotel outside the congestion of the city.

Mesa Verde National Park

Bring your ropes for a visit to Garden of the Gods. Northwest of Colorado Springs, climbers in the park are required to use safety equipment. Garden of the Gods’ winter hours are 5am to 9pm and with a variety of easy and moderate trails, this is a wonderful place to enjoy a temperate outdoor winter weather hike. The Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center hosts 2012’s first annual event February 11th. Bighorn Sheep Day 2012 is free and geared for visitors of all ages. Enjoy presentations, spotting bighorns, walks and kids activities. Join this great family activity and get outside early in the year.

The US Air Force Academy is located north of Colorado Springs. A well known military institution, USAFA also provides Colorado Springs residents and visitors spectacular sports entertainment. Basketball and hockey are in full regular season play. Join crowds cheering on Falcon’s basketball at Clune Arena in Cadet Field House, or catch Falcons Ice Hockey at Cadet Ice Arena. If you’re a sports fan in Colorado Springs, the Air Force Academy is your place.

Travelers in the Colorado Springs area don’t miss the short trip to Manitou Springs. Located less than 10-miles west of Colorado Springs on Highway 24, Manitou Springs is a gateway to Pikes Peak and a diversity of attractions. Enjoy the spectacular scenery on a train ride up Pikes Peak on the Manitou Pikes Peak Cog Railway. The first three weekends in December are ideal for families with young kids. The 2011 Santa Claus Special takes visitors up the mountain accompanied by Santa and Mrs Claus. Make your holidays special with a family train ride on the Santa Claus Special.

Pueblo, 45-miles south of Colorado Springs, may surprise visitors as the home of the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo. The Arkansas River now runs through the heart of Pueblo along its historic path, maintaining its critical place in the life and history of Pueblo. Now the center of Pueblo’s downtown green space, the River and Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo, are a community event and gathering place.

Durango, a showcase of southwestern Colorado, enjoys over 300 days of sunshine a year. Winter is low season, a good reason to visit and enjoy Durango area attractions, sans crowds and summer heat. From the ghost towns of Parrot City and La Plata City, skiing in Telluride (also the town where Butch Cassidy robbed his first bank) to landmarks like Chaco Canyon and Chimney Rock, Durango is a gateway to a diversity of adventure.

Arguably Durango’s most famous attraction, Mesa Verde National Park, is located less than 40 miles west of downtown Durango. Mesa Verde is a spectacular site of ancient cliff dwellings, miraculously well preserved and carefully managed for today’s visitors. Don’t miss a visit to Cliff Palace, the largest of Mesa Verde National Park's cliff dwellings.