I had so much fun during my Colorado trip last summer and it looks like an exciting place to be during the winter too! With a delicious Whiskey Warm Up festival, and a city whose name makes it the perfect place to celebrate Valentine’s Day — I definitely need to go for a return visit. Whether you’re planning to make good on those new year resolutions by getting active outdoors, learning something new, or tasting new things (that’s a resolution I can stick too), here are five Colorado trip ideas for the winter season.
5 Colorado Trip Ideas For Winter
Whiskey Warm Up
If you’re traveling to the Rocky Mountains for some skiing in March, then you definitely don’t want to miss the Whiskey Warm Up Weekend in Estes Park. There’ll be food pairing seminars (with whiskey!) and unlimited tastings from seventeen local distilleries. There’s also a Winter Festival in January with a chili cook-off, craft beer tasting, and a free snow shoe festival where you can learn how to hike the picturesque trails during the winter.
The view from Trail Ridge Road in Estes Park.
Valentine’s Day In Loveland
As it’s name suggests, Loveland is the perfect place to visit for Valentine’s Day! Loveland hosts a Sweetheart City Valentine Program where they’ll mail your valentines from their post office so that your special note is stamped as coming from “Loveland.” And while you don’t have to visit in person to participate in the program, their Valentine’s Day does look pretty enticing if you’re planning on popping the question or renewing your vows. The weekend kicks off with an award winning Fire & Ice Festival that celebrates love with music, winter ice carving demonstrations, and fire performers. Personally, I fell in love with Loveland while riding a horse named Lucky at Sylvan Dale Ranch, and then downtown Loveland pretty much sealed the deal with an artisan coffee called “Latin Lover” that tasted of cinnamon and chocolate. How’s that for beating your traditional pink candy hearts?
Me and Lucky at Sylvan Dale Ranch in Loveland.
Winter Craft Beer Festival
In addition to Estes Park mentioned above, Boulder also has some pretty scenic winter hikes. Plus, they host a Winter Craft Beer Festival featuring over twenty different breweries! I loved Boulder’s food scene, and the wood fired oven at Oak is the perfect place to warm up with a hearty farm-to-table meal. But if you’re looking for health-focused food choices for the new year, my other favorite restaurant was Shine with their tasty “potions” made with herbs, juices, and positive vibes.
Cheesemaking class with The Art Of Cheese in Longmont.
Learn To Make Cheese
If learning something new is one of your new year resolutions, then you’ll definitely want to check out the cheese making classes at The Art Of Cheese in Longmont. I tried one of their classes over the summer and was fascinated by how simple it is to make cheese at home. Plus, the baby goats are an adorable site to see! In January they’re offering a free chèvre and creamery tour, plus a class on how to make Alpines and Blues, and a three day Artisan Home Cheesemaking Camp! Their classes are year-round, so take a peek at Longmont’s calendar of events to help plan your trip.
Gourmet lemon blueberry donut at Jessup Farms Artisan Village in Ft. Collins.
Go On A Beer Pilgrimage
You can’t visit Colorado’s Front Range without a stop in Ft. Collins to visit the legendary New Belgium Brewing! That famous fat tire bicycle logo and the tasty beer that goes with it was conceived in Ft. Collins, so for beer enthusiasts this is almost a pilgrimage. Plus, Ft. Collins historic downtown is so quaint and chock full of great little local shops, restaurants, and coffee spots. Each month they host a First Friday Gallery Walk which is a great way to see the town while also immersing yourself in the local art scene.
Touring New Belgium Brewing in Ft. Collins.
Wonder At Planes And Trains
If you’ve sat in wonder at model trains buzzing around Christmas Trees and through miniature snowy village figurines this holiday season, then you’ll be happy to know you can see model trains all year long at one of the nation’s best model train museums in Greeley — the Colorado Model Railroad Museum. Afterwards, warm up with and endless cup of coffee, watch planes take off and land, and indulge in the most giant stack of pancakes you’ve ever seen at the Barnstormer Restaurant at Greeley Weld County Airport.
Diner breakfast with green chili breakfast burrito at the Barnstormer Restaurant.
This post and trip were sponsored by Colorado Front Range. Of course, as always, all opinions and enthusiasm for food and travel are entirely my own.
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