Colorado travelers choose from 38 Best Western hotels.

Ski Colorado

Northern Colorado - at its best in summer. Adventures abound in Rocky Mountain National Park and Roosevelt National Forest. Beautiful gateway cities like Estes Park, Fort Collins and Loveland celebrate Colorado culture and heritage with summer events and festivals. Outdoor enthusiasts have seemingly limitless trails, slopes, rivers and lakes for hiking, mountain biking, rafting and water recreation. Estes Park challenges runners with high altitude running events, while Fort Collins adds a triathlon event to the calendar. Traditional county fairs from Moffat County in Craig to Logan County Fair in Sterling celebrate Colorado’s old west heritage. It’s the season for a Northern Colorado getaway.

Runners, challenge yourself with the high altitude run at the 2012 Estes Park Marathon. Events are June 16th and 17th, and include a Kids Fun Run, 5K, 10K, Half Marathon and Marathon. Sponsored by Denver based Coda Coffee, the course elevation varies between 7420 feet and 8150 feet at the highest. Spectacular Rocky Mountain scenery is a welcome distraction, and all courses are on paved, certified courses. The Kid’s Run takes place on Saturday the 16th at Bond Park, before the big races on Sunday.

Fort Collins, about 65 miles north of Denver, is the largest community along Interstate 25, on the road north to Wyoming. Tri-athletes, from beginners to seasoned, don’t miss the 2012 HITS Triathlon in Fort Collins, July 28th and 29th. Events include five distances including the open for beginners, featuring a 100-meter swim, 3-mile bike ride and 1 mile run. Distances up to a full triathlon accommodate all ages and levels of experience. Challenge yourself in and around beautiful Horsetooth Reservoir at the Fort Collins Triathlon.

A visit to the Larimer County Fair & Rodeo makes your northern Colorado summer complete. A Parade through downtown Loveland kicks off the 2012 festivities, on Saturday July 28th. The fair and rodeo is also hosted in Loveland, just 15 miles south of Fort Collins. The Ranch – Larimer County Fairgrounds, hosts the Larimer County Fair August 3rd through the 7th, and the PRCA Rodeo August 5th through the 7th in the Budweiser Events Center. Enjoy traditional fair and rodeo events and attractions including the Gnarly Barley Brew Festival, live entertainment and kid’s petting zoo.

Grand Junction, the largest city on the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains, hosts the Annual Palisade Bluegrass and Roots Music Festival, June 15th through the 17th. The 2012 festival takes place in Palisade, 12 miles east of Grand Junction on Interstate 70. Launch summer with three days of music in Riverbend Park, an amazing outdoor setting along the Colorado River. Palisade is the Peach and Wine Capital of Colorado, an ideal location to relax and enjoy the lineup including Alison Brown Quartet, Old Town Pickers and The Carolina Chocolate Drops.

Mesa Verde National Park

Travel southern Colorado and enjoy the diversity of destinations, events and attractions. Visit Cortez and raft  Snaggletooth cascade on the Dolores River, as you pass through desert landscape and ancient Pueblo ruins. Hike the paths of the Chicago Basin Trail, or take a ride on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Arkansas Headwaters State Park features 150 miles of outdoor recreation for your favorite activities, including class-V rapids for the seasoned paddler. The Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge, convenient to Monte Vista and Alamosa is a premier birding location. It's the season for southern Colorado.

Summer is the time to enjoy Colorado outdoor adventures and challenges. Durango Parks and Recreation hosts separate kids and adult triathlons while the weather is warm. The 2012 Durango Parks & Recreation Kid’s Triathlon is July 21st at the Durango Community Recreation Center, and offers four age group distances for ages 5 through 13. Be sure to stick around for the Ice Cream Social after the race finish.

Make your southern Colorado summer vacation complete with a visit to the 2012 La Plata County Fair. Held August 8th through the 12th at the La Plata County Fairgrounds, enjoy the American tradition of the fair. Exhibitions showcase the best of Durango area livestock, produce, and homemade goods along with midway games and attractions. Don’t miss the popular Demolition Derby on Saturday, and Cowboy Church on Sunday.

The Durango Parks and Recreation 2012 Triathlon is Saturday August 12th. The race features sprint triathlon distances including the 500 yard swim, 13 mile road bike, and 5K run. Join participants after the race at the Durango Parks and Recreation Center for the BBQ and prize drawings.

Through the summer, Trimble Hot Springs hosts Summer of Sundays Music on the Lawn. The 2012 season runs May 27th through September 2nd; concerts are Sundays at 1pm, featuring performances from local and regional musicians. Southwest Colorado’s premier music event, Music in the Mountains, celebrates its 26th season this year. The 2012 event is July 8th through the 29th featuring classical music and orchestra. Music in the Mountains venues include Roshong Recital Hall in Jones Hall at Fort Lewis College, and Durango Mountain Resort, along with Durango’s Rotary Park, St Columbia Church and Durango Community Concert Hall.

Put Colorado’s summer behind you and send the kids back to school after a visit to the Colorado State Fair. Pueblo, home to the Colorado State Fairgrounds, hosts the 2012 fair August 24th through September 3rd. Events feature the PRCA Ram Rodeo followed by the Colorado State Fair Ranch Rodeo, livestock and horse shows, and Fiesta Day featuring the Colorado State Fair Fiesta Day Parade. Don’t miss a getaway to the Colorado State Fair.

Colorado Capital Building

Denver, a hub of culture and arts for Colorado, easily fills a summer vacation itinerary. Visit Denver Art Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver for world-class visual arts exhibits. The interactive exhibits at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science are ideal for a family adventure. Enjoy beautiful summer weather at the Denver Zoo and surrounding City Park, which includes the City Park Golf Course. The Denver Performing Arts Complex has a full calendar of theater, classical music and dance. Filled with vibrant urban cultural destinations, Denver, in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains, is also ideal for summer outdoor fun. Visit the Mile High City this summer.

A show at Denver’s Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre is a must for summer travelers. From Memorial Day’s 2012 concert featuring LMFAO, to Labor Day week concerts by Bonnie Raitt, BB King and Savoy, there is a concert for all musical tastes. The 2012 Film on the Rocks is the event's eleventh season featuring 10 films screened over 10 weeks from June 8th to August 11th. The Red Rocks Visitor Center opens at 8am during summer; if you’re up for a challenge, hike or run the stairs – keep in mind the elevation is 6,400 feet.

Ladies set your goals for July’s ZOOMA Colorado Half Marathon & 10K. Hosted in Colorado Springs, the 2012 event is July 17th. A spectacular course, with Pikes Peak as a backdrop, events begin on Tejon Street in downtown Colorado Springs with the finish line just north of the Country Club of Colorado. Men are welcome to run or cheer on your favorite competitor in beautiful Colorado Springs.

For the active, the 2012 Denver Triathlon is June 9th and 10th. Saturday’s events feature the Kid’s TRI Duathlon Race and Awards Ceremony and the Health and Fitness Expo, all at Mile High Stadium in downtown Denver. Sunday events include Olympic and sprint Distance Triathlons, both individual and relay. Denver is also an official Paratriathlon race series city.

The Colorado Shakespeare Festival presented by Blue Mountain Arts is hosted at the University of Colorado, at Boulder. Summer 2012 performances include Twelfth Night at the Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre and Richard III indoors at the University Theatre. In addition to Shakespeare, summer shows include Treasure Island, Noises Off and Women of Will. The Colorado Shakespeare Festival runs June 8th through August 17th.

With a nod to the American tradition of the county fair, and a decidedly 2012 approach, the Denver County Fair is an exciting, fun, urban event. Held at the National Western Complex in a series of 12 interlocking pavilions, the Denver County Fair is filled with exhibits, vendors, entertainment and even an indoor carnival. New in 2012 are a Kids Pavilion and Geek Pavilion along with competitions for all. The fair runs August 10th through the 12th, with Sunday featuring Viva Denver, a full day of Latino-themed events.