From the opening of the much-anticipated U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum and Pikes Peak Summit Complex in Colorado Springs, the debut of the renovated Martin Building and Mexican Modernism Exhibit at the Denver Art Museum and Ai Weiwei’s Forever Bicycles installation in Breckenridge, the state is full of exciting new cultural offerings.
On the adventure front, visitors can immerse themselves in a new dark skies trail, summer dog sledding, a new via ferrata route, hut-to-hut hiking, and a first-of-its kind bikerafting experience. Colorado also welcomes the opening of numerous chef-driven restaurants, craft libation offerings, unique accommodations and much more.
Following is a sampling of what’s new in Colorado. For more information and travel ideas, visit www.COLORADO.com.
Exciting New Events, Festivals & Anniversaries:
History Colorado Presents “Bold Women. Change History.” March 7, 2020-Feb.2021:
“Bold Women, Change History.” is a memorable and telling story of how
Colorado’s voters became America’s first to extend voting rights to
women on Nov. 7, 1893.
Ai Weiwei’s Forever Bicycles Installation on Display in Breckenridge, May 8-Sept. 6, 2020:
Ai Weiwei’s bicycles, which have been exhibited around the globe, make
their way to gold-level rated, bicycle-crazed Breckenridge this spring
as part of the Breckenridge International Festival of Arts (BIFA) Trail
Mix series.
Roots On The Ridge Comes to Estes Park, May 19, 2020: The
new Roots on the Ridge festival comes to Estes Park this spring and
offers a full day of music and art. The inaugural lineup features
celebrated musicians including Wynonna Judd, Ruston Kelly and Chancey
Williams.
Westcliffe Hosts the 2020 Sangre Star Festival, June 19-20, 2020:
Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain Valley is proud to present the inaugural
Sangre Star Festival that includes a new moon Dark Sky Solstice
Celebration. The Sangre Star Festival is designed to appeal not only to
amateur astronomers but also to casual stargazers and serious
astro-seekers.
Colorado Prairie Music Festival Returns During 125th Annual Lincoln County Fair in Hugo, Aug. 8, 2020: The fourth annual Colorado Prairie Music Festival features a boot stompin’ concert held during the Lincoln County Fair in Hugo, deep in Colorado’s cattle country.
The LeadBoat Challenge Debuts in Leadville & Steamboat, Aug. 15-16, 2020: The LeadBoat is the ultimate challenge of 2020 – racing the Leadville Trail 100 MTB followed by SBT GRVL Black.
To become a LeadBoat Legend, the cyclist must prepare for back-to-back
events completing a 106-mile mountain bike race less than 24 hours
before beginning a 144-mile gravel race.
The Pikes Peak APEX, Sept. 24-27, 2020: The
Pikes Peak APEX is a brand-new multi-day mountain bike challenge that
will include four days of riding at in-town parks and backcountry stages
on the slopes of Pikes Peak.
Mexican Modernism Exhibition Opens at the Denver Art Museum, Oct. 25, 2020 - Jan. 17, 2021: The
Denver Art Museum will debut Mexican Modernism, a traveling exhibition
focused on the post-Mexican Revolution artworks of internationally
celebrated artists Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and their contemporaries,
including Lola Alvarez Bravo, Gunther Gerzso, María Izquierdo and Carlos
Mérida.
Enticing New Attractions, Activities & Adventures:
Denver to Open New Beer Spa: Slated to open in May 2020, Denver’s first Beer Spa will offer a series of beer infused spa treatments and on-site taproom.
Colorado Shoe School Opens in Fort Collins: At
the recently opened school, guests design and create their own custom
shoes using repurposed leather destined for the landfill and recycled
sole options ranging from bike tires to rubber flooring.
Country Boy Mine Offers New Gold Rush Experience: Guests
travel back in time and venture into a mountain to meet some of the
characters of Breckenridge’s mining roots including the Doctor, the
Banker, the Outlaw and the Marshall in a new interactive stage show.
New Dark Sky Tour of Colorado to Launch: Colorado
Stargazing: Experience the Night is a new dark skies tour of Colorado
that launches this spring and connects several of the state’s locations
known for their dark skies and stargazing opportunities. It will also
highlight dark sky events and encourage the conservation and
preservation of all of Colorado’s natural and cultural resources.
Denver Art Museum to Unveil Martin Building Renovation in June: The
Denver Art Museum will begin the phased reopening of the $150M Martin
Building renovation project on June 6, 2020. It will include a new
welcome center, restaurant, café, learning and engagement center and
architecture, design studio and design galleries, along with the
reopening of its Northwest Coast gallery and Bonfils-Stanton Gallery.
Denver Selfie Museum Now Open: This new museum in Denver gives visitors the opportunity to take their selfie game to a whole new level.
The first and only Instagram pop-up museum in Denver, this
highly-interactive museum provides the backdrop for guests to bring
their phones and experience a selfie adventure like never before.
Four Corners Guides Launches New Bikerafting Tour: Four
Corners Guides (FCG) based in Mancos will officially begin running
bikerafting tours in Colorado in spring 2020, and are one of the only
known guides offering guided bikerafting trips. Bikerafting is an
activity that combines bikepacking and packrafting. FCG will also offer
bikepacking trips into the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Park this summer.
Good Times Adventures Offers New Summer Dog Sledding Experience: Leading
Colorado dog sled outfitter, Good Times Adventures, will offer summer
dog sledding beginning in 2020 using innovative harnesses and “sleds”
for their eager canines to pull even when there isn’t any snow on the
ground.
The Living Farm to Offer New Lamb Midwife Workshop:
Guests can take an active role in bringing new lambs into the world at
The Living Farm in Paonia during a new workshop for spring 2020. Guests
will learn all of the realities of birthing lambs during this six-day
immersive experience into the world of lambing.
Ouray to Open New Via Ferrata Course: Slated to open in summer 2020, the new Ouray Via Ferrata route
will offer a wide variety of vertical and horizontal sections with
interesting and varied movement that is designed, implemented and
installed by local climbing professionals and engineers.
New Pikes Peak Summit House Experience To Open: The
new 38,000-square-foot Pikes Peak Summit House complex will include a
newly designed and constructed Summit Visitor Center, elevating the
experience for visitors who summit the peak via car, bicycle or foot.
New Poudre River Whitewater Park Opens in Fort Collins: The
new Poudre River Whitewater Park opened in fall 2019 on the river just
north of Old Town and includes a boulder-lined boat chute, rock
features, holes for kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and tubing and
shallow play along the shore.
Roaring Fork Valley Designated a Gold-Level Ride Center by the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA):
Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley, home to Aspen, Basalt, Carbondale,
Glenwood Springs and Snowmass Village, was recently designated as an
IMBA Gold-Level Ride Center™. With more than 300 miles of high quality
singletrack to explore, the Roaring Fork Valley provides an incredible
breadth of experiences for both local and visiting riders seeking beauty
and exhilaration.
Sopris Splash Zone Now Open at Glenwood Hot Springs:
Opened in August 2019, the highly-anticipated Sopris Splash Zone is the
family-friendly resort's newest addition to the hot springs, spa and
lodging property in Glenwood Springs.
First and only U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum and Hall of Fame To Open in Colorado Springs: Opening
June 2020, the $90M museum will be a one-of-a-kind tribute to the
Olympic and Paralympic movements, with Team USA athletes being at the
center of the story. Team USA athletes have been involved and consulted
throughout the entire project as reflected in the Parade of Nations
360-degree immersive experience and in the athlete training gallery that
allows visitors to try six interactive sports.
New Lodging Properties and Major Renovations:
Cohabit Pod Hotel Debuts in Avon: Opened in January 2020, Cohabit
is a new pod hotel, offering guests a unique and affordable alternative
to traditional hotels and hostels with a boutique feel and custom built
private pods.
Gravity Haus Debuts in Breckenridge With Plans to Expand to Vail and Winter Park: Opened
in December 2019, Gravity Haus offers ongoing insider experiences
ranging from outdoor excursions to social programming and features 60
distinctly curated rooms along with onsite amenities including Dryland
fitness and sports recovery center; Backcountry discovery center; a
super trampoline; StarterHaus, a new co-working space; farm-to-cup
Unravel coffee; locally-crafted food and drink at Cabin Juice;
Japanese-inspired onsen and more. Gravity Haus will open additional
locations in Vail and Winter Park.
Hotel Maverick to Open in Grand Junction: Slated
to open in spring 2020, the Hotel Maverick is a boutique-style hotel
offering experiential learning for students at Colorado Mesa University
in the hospitality management and culinary programs.
Kinship Landing to Open in Downtown Colorado Springs:
Opening in 2020, Kinship Landing is a new hotel concept that will offer
what today’s travelers demand: authentic and engaging travel
experiences that connect them to the local community.
Life House Hotel to Open In Denver’s LoHi Neighborhood: Slated to open in spring 2020, Life
House Hotel will open in Denver’s hip Lower Highlands (LoHi)
neighborhood. From early morning espressos and foraged, seasonal fare to
late night cocktails, the property’s bar and restaurant, Wildflower,
will provide the perfect place to unwind.
Nugget Mountain Bar To Offer New Nugget Cabins: New
for 2020, the Nugget Mountain Bar near Durango is now home to two
designer tiny homes as vacation rentals. Each is outfitted with a
private hot tub and the best views of Engineer Mountain and the Needles.
The cabins offer mountain luxury using sustainable building practices.
The Ptarmigan Inn Steamboat Gets A Facelift: The
iconic ski-in, ski-out hotel at the base of Steamboat Resort recently
unveiled its $5 million renovation. The new look includes completely
revamped guest rooms and social spaces, whimsical artwork and unique
room configurations.
The Ranahan by Welk Resorts Opens in Breckenridge: Opened in late 2019, The Ranahan by Welk Resorts
is a new, ranch-inspired resort set on six acres. It features 67
spacious one- and two-bedroom villas that include fully-equipped
kitchens. Common areas feature a lively indoor/outdoor pool complete
with slide and splash pad, hot tubs, fire pits and easy access to nearby
golf, skiing, bike trails and more.
New River Run, a Signature Sun RV Resort to Open in Granby: A
new high-end resort with a wide variety of lodging styles is coming to
Granby, near Winter Park. River Run, will offer furnished mountain
cottages, glamping accommodations, RV facilities and tent camping.
Guests will have access to a wide variety of onsite amenities including
fishing, stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, a zero-entry pool, spa
services, a tavern and more.
Spoke and Vine Motel Opens in Palisade:
Opened in spring 2019 in charming downtown Palisade, the Spoke &
Vine Motel is a freshly reinvented motel with thoughtful design,
sustainable features and comfortable rooms, perfectly located within
walking distance to many area wineries.
Trail and Hitch RV Park and Tiny Home Hotel to Open in Meeker:
Opened in fall 2019, Trail and Hitch RV Park and Tiny Home Hotel
includes a tiny home village with four tiny homes surrounding a fire
pit. In addition, Trail & Hitch features 30 full-service RV hookups
available for short and medium term rental.
Tiny Homes Open at Powderhorn: Powderhorn Ski Area near Grand Junction has opened a Tiny Homes
village featuring six tiny homes that are available to reserve on a
nightly basis. The homes are modern and comfortable, and some include
fireplaces.
Enticing Lodging Packages & Amenities:
Devil’s Thumb Ranch To Offer New Vitality Wellness Retreats:
Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort & Spa is offering a new series of
Vitality Wellness Retreats guided by leading wellness professionals to
help guests restore, reset and leave feeling renewed.
Dunton Hot Springs Presents a Year of Dunton Events:
Dunton Hot Springs presents: A Year of Dunton Events, a new
experiential program that offers guests new ways to discover Dunton and
its local purveyors through a variety of unique and immersive events
ranging from seasonal holiday celebrations to local, artist-led
workshops, epicurean events and everything in between.
OPUS and Thelma Huts Offer New Hut-to-Hut Supported Alpine Adventures:
Opus and Thelma Huts will offer two new three-day supported hut-to-hut
trips this summer. Guests will travel ten to twelve miles through
awe-inspiring alpine terrain from Telluride to the OPUS to the Thelma
and back to Telluride. Each evening, guests relax with nourishing food, a
yoga session and a wood-fired sauna. Guides will transport gear so that
hikers can travel light.
Strata Integrated Wellness Spa Debuts Decode Your DNA:
Located within Garden of the Gods Resort and Club in Colorado Springs,
Strata Integrated Wellness Spa has designed a program called Decode Your
DNA for those who have run genetic testing through Ancestry or 23andMe.
Professionals will guide guests through the reporting, and determine
which information is relevant and helps them find a path toward optimal
health.
Interesting Food and Beverage Offerings:
Fort Collins’ Ace Gillett’s Reopens Following Major Renovation:
Reopened in February 2020, Ace Gillet’s is an underground cocktail
music lounge featuring a sophisticated new design and an atmosphere that
evokes elements of a classic supper club. It includes a handcrafted
cocktail list and a supper club style menu featuring seasonal fare.
Denver Art Museum to Collaborate with Award-Winning Chef, Jen Jasinki on New Restaurant Concepts: Opening
in June 2020, The Denver Art Museum will unveil two new dining options
in collaboration with celebrated Denver chef Jennifer JasinskI. The
Ponti will combine art and dining, presenting a locally-sourced and
inspired menu with high standards of sustainability. Cafe Gio will offer
quick-service, casual dining.
For[a]ged is now open at Denver’s Dairy Block: A
modern new LoDo restaurant uniting craft and cuisine and serving a menu
featuring thoughtfully chosen local, international and seasonal
ingredients by Chef Duy Pham, For[a]ged features three
different dining experiences, including an upstairs mezzanine with a raw
bar, a private dining room and a large whiskey-driven bar area.
Ghost Donkey To Open in Denver:
New York and Las Vegas cocktail hot spot, Ghost Donkey, will open a new
outpost in Denver’s Union Station neighborhood this spring. A fun and
delightful Mexican-inspired tequila and mezcal bar, Ghost Donkey’s menu
takes inspiration from the ingredients and flavors of Mexico.
Odell Brewing To Open New Brewhouse Near Sloan's Lake and New Wine Cellar and Tasting Room in Fort. Collins: Scheduled
to open by late summer 2020, Fort Collins’ Odell Brewing Co. is opening
a second pilot brewery in Denver featuring a 10-barrel pilot brewhouse
and scratch pizza kitchen. Odell Brewing is also venturing into wine
production with the construction of a cellar and tasting room built
adjacent to its current brewery in Fort Collins will launch its first
wines by the summer of 2020.
Periodic Table Opens in Steamboat Springs: Opened in Steamboat Springs in late 2019, The Periodic Table,
a new restaurant by lauded chef Patrick Ayres and restaurateur Phillips
Armstrong, will reinvent itself each summer and winter, pairing
exciting thematic destinations with fresh, local and seasonal
ingredients.
Pikes Peak Brewing Company To Expand To Colorado Springs: Pikes
Peak Brewing Company will expand into downtown Colorado Springs with
the establishment of its Lager House, anchoring a new market concept.
The market will be a community of independent Colorado businesses
collectively offering a place to eat, drink, shop and connect.
Prelude + Post to Debut at The Denver Performing Arts Complex: Opening
this spring in the heart of Downtown Denver’s Theatre District, Prelude
+ Post will offer elevated food and cocktails to patrons with a focus
on shared plates for a social dining experience and an emphasis on
Colorado fresh sustainable ingredients; many seasonally harvested from
the Blue Bear Farm located next door at the Colorado Convention Center.
Red Leg Brewing to To Open New Brewery-Food Hall In Colorado Springs: Red
Leg Brewing’s $8 million project, situated on 2.5 acres near the Garden
of the Gods, will bring an outdoor food hall, event space and
14,000-square-foot brewery and taproom to Colorado Springs when it opens
in 2020.
Sunday Vinyl Opens in Denver: From
the James Beard Foundation Award-winning team of Frasca Inc., including
Master Sommelier Bobby Stuckey and Chef Lachlan Mackinnon Patterson,
Sunday Vinyl opened in Denver in late 2019. Sunday Vinyl offers a large
by-the-glass wine program, a streamlined menu of European classics, and a
boisterous vinyl-only playlist curated by Stuckey in partnership with
Vinyl Me Please.
