Colorado Is Way More Than Meets the Eye: 10 Only-in-Colorado Summer Experiences
It really should come as no surprise that Colorado is a fabulous place. After all, the Centennial State produced not one, but two RuPaul’s Drag Race champs: Yvie Oddly and Willow Pill. Yes, Colorado has its iconic sides you’ve come to expect—breathtaking natural beauty and sports enthusiasts galore. But you don’t have to look hard […]
Mark
It really should come as no surprise that Colorado is a fabulous place. After all, the Centennial State produced not one, but two RuPaul’s Drag Race champs: Yvie Oddly and Willow Pill.
Yes, Colorado has its iconic sides you’ve come to expect—breathtaking natural beauty and sports enthusiasts galore. But you don’t have to look hard to find that its 100,000+ square miles are defined by tons of local flair and a healthy serving of unexpected quirk. Coloradans take their drinks a little dirty, their spas on the rocks, their dining with a twist, and they serve up an arts scene that is always well-infused.
If you’re feeling Colorado-curious, summer is the perfect time to explore the state’s unconventional delights, from relaxing at a beer spa (yes, you read that right) to brunching with a view — whether of majestic mountains or glamorous queens.
So if you thought you knew Colorado, think again, because this is a place where everyone can have the time of their lives. GayCities rounded up a few of our only-in-Colorado faves, not just in Denver but short jaunts away.
1. Oakwell Beer Spa
Pack your bags, we’re going on an adventure
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Let’s get started with the state’s hoppy side. Get ready to have your mind blown by this one: at Denver’s Oakwell Beer Spa, you can spend over an hour soaking in a therapeutic brewski bath. Ok, so it’s not technically a big tub filled with beer. According to the spa’s website, their Beer Therapy Ritual package suites feature a hydrotherapy tub filled with water “infused with a unique herbal blend of barley, hops, and other beneficial herbs.” That special brew, they promise, can reduce muscle tension, contribute to smoother skin, and decrease muscle and joint pain.
Oakwell also offers a “Zero Gravity Massage” add-on that sounds, well, out of this world, along with more traditional spa treatments, all of which you can enjoy while sipping locally sourced craft beers from the spa’s taproom. Oakwell promises that everyone, no matter their gender, is welcome!
2. Strata Spa and Salon at Garden of the Gods
Located at the Garden of the Gods Resort and Club, Strata Spa and Salon offers more than just your standard spa experience. Strata’s team of wellness experts and estheticians will have you feeling your best and ready to show off all of your sides. With incredible views of nearby Pikes Peak and the breathtaking natural wonders of Garden of the Gods Park, it’s a life-changing experience for mind, body, and soul.
Colorado Springs
3. Pueblo Neon Alley
Now for one of Colorado’s unexpected sides. The splendor of the natural world is one thing, but the funky quirks of human creativity and kitsch are just as exciting. Less than an hour’s drive from Colorado Springs in downtown Pueblo’s Union Avenue Historic Business District lies the glowing fantasia known as Neon Alley. At night, the two-block stretch lights up in a technicolor display of dozens of vintage neon signs. Like a mini-Vegas, minus all the gambling and regret! After an evening enjoying all the shopping, dining, art, and boat rides along Pueblo’s nearby Riverwalk, you’d be a fool not to seek out this dazzling hidden gem.
4. Bread Bar
It’s easy to see why Accidentally Wes Anderson, a site that catalogues real-life destinations and architecture reminiscent of the filmmaker’s unique visual style, featured Bread Bar. Photographed from the rear with its picturesque mountain backdrop, the Silver Plume watering hole looks like a charming tableau out of one of Anderson’s quirky films. The historic storefront that now houses Bread Bar dates back to the 1890s when it was home to a bakery. But the name shouldn’t scare away the carb-conscious or gluten-intolerant. Nowadays, Bread Bar specializes in cocktails and live music, all in a cozily stylish atmosphere that complements the former mining camp’s quaint vibe.
5. The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway
Chugging right along, our next Colorado wonder is the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway. It’s one of only three such railways in the U.S. that can take passengers up steep mountain inclines, like that of Pikes Peak, the highest summit of the southern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Your nine-mile, three and a half hour journey in one of the railway’s toybox-red trains begins at Cog Railway Depot in Manitou Springs and takes you all the way to Pikes Peak’s 14,115 foot summit for some truly soul-stirring vistas. Once at the top, you get 40 minutes to take in the once-in-a-lifetime panoramic view while indulging in fresh, high-altitude donuts from the Summit Visitor Center. Plan ahead, though! According to the railway’s website, these trips sell out weeks in advance.
Manitou Springs
6. Champagne Tiger
Time to embrace your bubbly side. Get ready to pop some corks, dahling, because as the name suggests, Denver’s Champagne Tiger specializes in celebrations — whether of an actual occasion or when you just feel blessed you got through the workday with some shred of your glamor intact. The queer-owned eatery offers French bistro-inspired fare in a mid-century American diner atmosphere, with an impressive wine list and plenty of bubbles. Oh, and did you think you were gonna get out of Denver without sampling the local drag talent? Along with weekly tea dances on the patio and other events, Champagne Tiger hosts regular drag brunches and cabaret performances.
7. The RiNo Art District Murals
Want to tap into Colorado’s artsy side? Everywhere you turn in Denver’s River North Art District — or RiNo — there’s something astounding to see. And not just in the area’s many galleries and studio spaces. There’s hardly a building in the neighborhood that isn’t drenched in color and visual delights thanks to its arresting murals. Created by local artists, the stunning street art towers over just about every block. And be sure not to sleep on the side quests; the alleyways along Larimer St. are particularly fabulous with their string lights illuminating the eye-popping splashes of color! RiNo is also home to dozens of shops, bars, restaurants, and music venues, so plan to pair a graffiti walking tour with a brewery visit and make a day of it!
8. Bishop Castle
Any road trip through the state simply must include a detour into fantasyland vis-à-vis Bishop Castle, about 30 minutes southwest of Pueblo in the town of Rye. With a main tower reaching 160 feet into the sky, and whimsical details like a dragon’s head protruding from its front, the structure looks like it was built by trolls with a flair for the dramatic. But actually, it is the work of one man, Jim Rye, who worked on it consistently, without a plan or blueprint, for over 40 years before his passing in November 2024. Nestled amid the forested foothills of the Wet Mountains, visiting Bishop Castle truly feels like stepping into another world.
9. Meow Wolf Convergence Station
How even to begin describing Denver’s Meow Wolf Convergence Station? It’s part sprawling interactive art museum, part immersive theatre. The vibe is a little Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, a little Doctor Who. The conceit behind the epic installation, outsider art collective Meow Wolf’s largest, is that four alien worlds have collided to create an out-of-this-world experience, featuring 70 unique, mind-bending rooms that make Pee-wee’s Playhouse look like a prefab condo. The place is 100 percent family-friendly, but on its Adult-verse nights, guests 21 and over can enjoy this fantastic playground with cocktails and other grown-up entertainment. And the complex also houses The Perplexiplex, a spectacular interactive venue that hosts live music and DJs.
10. Pearl Street Mall
Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall isn’t just a place to indulge your inner shopaholic. Sure, the charming pedestrian-only outdoor thoroughfare is home to dozens of shops — both local mom-and-pop businesses and national brands — but it’s also a place to enmesh yourself in local color. You’re almost certain to catch a show from local street performers as you stroll along the red brick sidewalks, admiring views of the stunning Flatirons in the background. And among the incredible dining options nearby is a real Colorado gem: the Dushanbe Tea House, whose beautiful mosaics were handcrafted in Boulder’s sister city, Dushanbe, Tajikistan, and transported all the way to the U.S. Sip on a cup of artisan tea while savoring global cuisine in this one-of-a-kind work of art.
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