Get major-city sophistication in a location that is one of the world’s natural wonders. Obviously a hub for those seeking the Rocky Mountain ski slopes, Denver is also home to four major sports teams, major museums and a wide variety of neighbourhoods that make the city a destination in its own right.

A crossroads for historians, sportsmen, architects, artists and gourmands, Colorado Springs offers a delightful mix of Western charms. Sunny skies and crisp mountain air make it a perfect place for a golf outing, extreme sports or a picnic in one of the many, many well-maintained parks.

Once a frontier mining town, Durango draws thousands of tourists year-round for the myriad outdoor recreational activities and scenic beauty. Mountain bikers, rafters, kayakers, horseback riders, rock climbers, hikers, campers, hunters and fishermen are drawn to the two-million acre San Juan National Forest and to the San Juan mountains, the largest range in the Rockies. But the city's biggest tourist draw is a nine-hour historic train ride in a vintage steam locomotive. The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, which hauled precious metals in the 1880s, now takes tourists for a 47-mile, open-air journey through mountains and forests and past abandoned mines to historic Silverton and back. Children and train buffs will relish the chance to climb into a locomotive and pore over railroad memorabilia at the railroad's museum. Skiers flock to the Durango Mountain Resort in winter, which also offers hiking, fishing, rafting and horseback riding in warmer months. Slow down your pace with a stroll past splendidly restored Victorian buildings in historic Downtown Durango and wind up a very active weekend in a local brewpub or saloon.

North America's biggest and most popular ski resort, Vail is an alpine village in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Long a favourite of serious skiers and jet setting celebrities, Vail now also draws a younger, hipper snowboarding crowd. Skiing is king at Vail Mountain and the Blue Sky Basin, but the area's vast splendor is perfect for hiking, biking, snowmobiling or scenery-gazing at any time of the year.

Everyone knows Aspen as a top-notch winter resort town. But outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy it in the summer, too, when the mountains become a perfect setting for hiking, biking and horseback tours. Some may be surprised to find it’s a top romance destination—but after all that outdoor exercise, who wouldn’t want to repair to a luxurious hotel room or a cozy, firelit bar?

Flanked by lakes, mountains and intriguing rock formations, Grand Junction offers a different side of Colorado. Mild weather year-round creates an agricultural oasis for 22 different wineries. Mountain bike along winding desert trails, wine and dine next to majestic rivers, and peruse a variety of shops, galleries and boutiques. For breathtaking natural beauty, don’t miss Grand Mesa National Forest and Colorado National Monument’s 23-mile stretch of scenic overlooks.

Nestled in the towering San Juans, Telluride offers visitors abundant trout fishing and hiking opportunities in summer, plus downhill and cross-country skiing in winter. One of the world’s most beautiful ski resorts, this former gold-rush town has been popular with skiers since the ’70s. Walk, catch free shuttles or soar to 9500 feet on the Mountain Village gondola. Appreciate the area’s history and beauty at Telluride Historical Museum and Bridal Veil Falls, Colorado’s longest free-falling falls.