Let’s get your main concern about traveling to Colorado out of the way: Yes, you will be able to breathe the thin air of the state’s higher elevations. It may take a few days to acclimate, especially if you have tuberculosis of Doc Holliday proportions.

Most of Colorado’s residents live in the greater Denver area (including Lakewood, Aurora and Boulder), but you will find other cities, like Colorado Springs (south of Denver), Fort Collins (north of Denver), Grand Junction (western Colorado) and Vail (northern Rockies) all have something to offer.

Visitors to Denver will find most of the top attractions are within the downtown area, some within blocks of the best hotels.

The Brown Palace Hotel (800-321-2599), a four-star Victorian hotel, is a short distance from the convention center and Coors Field. As with turn-of-the-century hotels, some rooms at the Brown Palace may be smaller than you are used to, so call ahead and inquire if that is an issue for you (larger rooms are available). If you are attending an event at the Convention Center, the Hyatt Regency is attached to the facility and is among the city’s best hotels.

For fine dining, Chef Alex Seidel’s Fruition, on Sixth Avenue (303-831-1962), offers gourmet American dishes. Denver Pavilions, at 15th and Welton Streets, is an upscale shopping and dining destination, with live music and clubs for those looking for a sampling of Denver’s wild nightlife. No visit to Denver would be complete without taking in Red Rocks Amphitheater, 15 miles west of downtown. Call 303-295-4444 for a list of upcoming concerts.

In Colorado Springs, try The Broadmoor (800-634-7711), one of the state’s top resort hotels. Get in touch with your inner cowboy and visit the Flying W Ranch (800-232-3599), a working cattle ranch that offers outdoor steak dinners and a western show. During the winter, eat inside at the Winter Steakhouse.

If you’re heading for the mountains to get your Grizzly Adams on, Vail’s Hubcap Brewery (143 E. Meadow Drive) will get you started right. Timberline Tours (800-831-1414) offers rafting experiences for “River Wild” types.

In Grand Junction, the Two Rivers Winery and Chateau (970-255-1471, 2087 Broadway) offers upscale lodging, a conference center and the full winery experience set against the beautiful Bookcliff Mountains. Dinosaur Expeditions (800-345-RAFT) provides rafting, biking and ATV excursions in the area, including Dinosaur National Monument.

Every man should make an alcoholic pilgrimage to Ft. Collins, home to the Anheuser-Busch Brewery (970-490-4691). Take the tour, see the famous Clydesdales and get, wait for it, free samples afterward. The gift shop is stocked with adult beverage “souvenirs.”

Anyone can ski in Colorado, but rather than risking hitting a tree Wile E. Coyote style, give Colorado’s other offerings a go.

Submitted By: Victor Medina