Sights to see in Colorado

Places to go in Denver

Wondering about things worth seeing and visiting in Colorado?

Independence Pass and the ghost town of Independence are two of the top sights to see in Colorado and the great thing is that they aren’t far from each other.

Independence Pass is one of the most breathtaking mountain passes you can drive through in Colorado and at over 12,000ft above sea level it offers memorable views, as well as plenty of hiking opportunities.

Best ghost towns in US

Independence Ghost Town is about 3-5 miles west of Independence Pass and it’s also worth passing by to see the remnants of this 1900’s mining town. You can take a self-guided tour of the town through the marked trails and check out the miners’ cabins, a grocery store, and an outhouse.

Garden of the Gods

Garden of the Gods is home to some of the most beautiful natural scenery in the western region, and it’s also one of the best hiking destinations in the United States. The Garden of the Gods is also home to the renowned Steamboat Rock and Balanced Rock, which are two of the most unique bed rock formations anywhere in the country.

Interesting places to visit in Colorado

Besides soaking in the gorgeous outdoors, you can visit the Garden of the Gods visitor’s center to grab free maps and book bus tours. Also, you can enjoy a bit of shopping at the Garden of the Gods Trading Post, which is modeled after a Pueblo Indian home.

Things to do in southwest Colorado

By the way, from Garden of the Gods you also get cool views of Pikes Peak, which is another of the beautiful natural sights to see in Colorado.

D&S NGRR Museum

The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (D&S NGRR) Museum is one of the must see places in Colorado hand down! This railroad museum offers the opportunity to see an amazing HO & HOn3 scale model railroad of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, as well as other interesting artifacts such as photographs, vintage steam locomotives and railroad cars (see places to visit in Durango Colorado).

Besides seeing cool objects and exhibits, you’ll have an opportunity to book a ride on the museum’s vintage train and enjoy amazing views of the canyons.

Colorado Railroad Museum

Museums in Colorado don’t come as fantastic as the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, which is a must see attraction for train buffs and families. The Colorado Railroad Museum houses thousands of cool railroad artifacts such as photos, locomotives (like Thomas the Tank Engine), car models, as well as a model train layout.

You can also get to climb aboard some of the train car carriages as well as taking a ride on a steam train during special days such as Trick or Treat Train (October 29-30th), and Santa Claus special (December 3-17th).

Colorado National Monument

Colorado National Monument is easily one of the best places to see the rugged beauty of Colorado and soak in absolute pristine scenery. Colorado National Monument boasts beautiful trails and driving routes such as Alcove Nature Trail and Rim Rock Drive where you can enjoy walking, biking and scenic driving.

Most Scenic Drives in the US

If you’re a bit of photographer, you’ll also enjoy taking pictures of the beautiful red rocks, and the surroundings from one of the many of the park's overlooks. If you’re traveling to the Colorado Monument for the first time it’s worth passing by the visitors center first to collect a free map and plan your day with one of the rangers there.

Celestial Seasonings

If you’re looking for free things to do in Colorado, one of the coolest places you can visit in Colorado for a fun day out is Celestial Seasonings.

Celestial Seasonings is a tea factory located in the beautiful town of Boulder (not far from Sixmile Reservoir) that offers free guided tours for visitors and learn how tea is processed and packaged. At then end of the tour, you get to sample free teas, which is nice if you're a bit of a tea drinker like myself!

See.Things to do in Estes Park CO