Daliah Singer

Colorado is an obvious choice for adventure-loving travelers: it's got the mountains, whose former mining towns still welcome intrepid souls, plus four national parks, more than 40 state parks, and countless open spaces for seekers of outdoor recreation. But it's not just the great outdoors that attracts here; Around the Centennial State, visitors will find a strong music scene, thriving arts communities, and innovative restaurants. You'll never run out of things to do in Colorado. Beyond metropolises like Denver and Boulder, the state is also dotted with small towns offering a slice of history (imagine ambling over fossil beds and checking out cliff dwellings built by Ancestral Puebloans) paired with a range of fully modern activities from ziplining to single-track mountain biking. Creative breweries and distilleries, noteworthy galleries and museums, and worthwhile outings pepper the state, no matter what types of things you enjoy. And the weather can't be beat – with over 300 days of sunshine a year, visitors can book their hotel or Airbnb based on what they plan to do rather than the season. If Mother Nature interferes with your plans, as the saying here goes, "just wait a minute" and it will change.  Recommended: The best restaurants in ColoradoRecommended: the best Airbnbs with hot tubs in ColoradoRecommended: the best Airbnbs in ColoradoRecommended: the best hotels in Colorado

Colorado used to be a steak-and-potatoes town. Not anymore. Across the state, farmers and chefs are committed to serving locally grown and responsibly harvested ingredients, and they’re opening restaurants that reflect that ethos. Diners—who care about what they eat and whose palates are becoming increasingly sophisticated—now have more choice than ever, and visitors arrive with numerous restaurants on their lists of things to do in Colorado. From local wild game to foraged ingredients to inventive craft cocktails, Colorado eateries are raising the bar in every corner of the state. All the eateries on this list show why the Centennial State has emerged as a food destination. Recommended: the best Airbnbs with hot tubs in ColoradoRecommended: the best Airbnbs in ColoradoRecommended: the best hotels in Colorado