Go for a sunrise soak. Start your morning in the warmth of 25 riverfront hot springs as the sun rises over the San Juan Mountains. That’s exactly how your day will kick off at The Springs Resort & Spa, a getaway in Pagosa Springs where wellness treatments like floating meditations, vitality plunges, and forest hikes are all set against a backdrop that feels straight out of a dream.

Say good morning to the wildlife. Lean into the morning calm with a walk along the Fraser River Trail, which bridges the towns of Fraser and Winter Park northwest of Denver. Along the trail, keep an eye out for moose, beavers, deer, and coyotes. Just remember to treat wildlife with respect, and admire any animals from a distance.

Have a panoramic breakfast. Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs is one of the state’s most iconic attractions, anchored by its supremely compelling rock formations. At Garden of the Gods Club and Resort, you can enjoy a diorama-like view of the landscape and an amazing breakfast at the Rocks Lounge. It’s the perfect fuel for a hike through the National Natural Landmark later in the day.

Admire 1,500-year-old cliff dwellings. America’s Petra. That’s the best way to describe the ancient Cliff Palace, the largest known cliff dwelling in North America. Book a ranger-led tour of this or any of the sites at Mesa Verde National Park for an up-close look at the lives of the Ancestral Puebloans. Hike on backcountry trails and climb ladders leading into the preserved dwellings while learning about this fascinating ancient civilization.

Plan a late-morning meadow hike. It’s rare to find an alpine hike that feels remote yet is conveniently located. That’s what you’ll get when you set off exploring the Flatirons from the Meadow Trail in Boulder’s Chautauqua Park. The trail itself is a gentle half-mile, but you can build out a bigger, more challenging hike by connecting to other routes. Come in early summer to see bonus wildflowers painted with morning dew.

Tube down top-rated Clear Creek. For some fun in the sun, grab your friends, fizzy drinks, and inner tubes and head to Golden at the base of the Rocky Mountains. Founded during the Pike’s Peak gold rush, this city is the jumping-off point for floating a mostly lazy mountainside river. After you’ve drifted up an appetite, hop off your inflatables to grab some food on The Golden Mill’s patio, a highlight of the buzzy riverside food hall.

Shred trails on two wheels. If you’re looking for speed, you’ll find it downhilling (and uphilling!) at the epic mountain bike area surrounding Colorado National Monument. Top trails include The Ribbon (nine miles) in the national monument and Rustler’s Loop (three miles) in nearby Fruita.

Ride a world-famous railway. Recognized as one of the world’s highest railroads — and operating since 1891 — the Pikes Peak Cog Railway in Manitou Springs offers sweeping 360-degree views while climbing nine miles to the 14,115-foot summit of Pikes Peak. The breathtaking round-trip journey takes about three hours and has no shortage of sky-high views. At the top, you’ll find the Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center, the most sustainable high-altitude structure in the country — and one that serves famously delicious donuts, to boot.

Enter the “Wildflower Capital of Colorado.” Catching a glimpse of wildflowers is always a treat, but seeing entire mountainsides bursting with color is unforgettable. From June to mid-July in Crested Butte, green-covered mountains explode with pink, purple, and yellow flora as over 1,500 species of alpine wildflowers hit peak bloom. Admire their beauty by taking a photo, not a flower, so everyone can experience the joy of discovery.

Tour a ghost town. With more than 1,500 ghost towns across the state, history is never far away. One particular local favorite is St. Elmo. Located in the heart of Colorado, it’s one of the best-preserved and most scenic mining towns around, providing a look into the state’s storied Western heritage and gold rush life. And you can take your pick of ways to explore it — opt for a historic tour on foot, by ATV, or on horseback.

Paddleboard on a lake or gentle river. Colorado is home to over 2,000 lakes and reservoirs. Some incredibly scenic options can be found in the Aspen area, and while the views may be ultra-dramatic, your activities here don’t have to be. For a low-impact, feel-good adventure, grab a few friends and book a tour on one of the picturesque lakes or rivers with a local outfitter.

Hike a mine in Breckenridge. Breckenridge gets a lot of press for its winter sports, but where there’s great skiing, there’s great hiking. The town’s B&B Mine trail is proof of that. At a mere three miles, it’s nowhere near the craziest hiking you’ll find in Colorado, but it does put you smack dab in the middle of the Minnie Mine and the remnants of its dredging equipment. You probably won’t find any leftover silver, but you’ll surely find an excess of solitude and beautiful views.

Art stroll the promenade in Fort Collins. Downtown Fort Collins: a place so charming (and art-filled) it inspired Disneyland’s Main Street. Every first Friday of the month, you can take a self-guided Art Walk that showcases everything from classic to cutting-edge works as local galleries, museums, and creatively inclined shops open their doors for passersby.

Eat your heart out in Denver. The Mile High City truly delivers in the culinary category, whether you’re in the mood for a farm-to-table experience, less common meats like elk and bison, or something fun like a green chile burrito (shoutout to Colorado’s Pueblo chiles). Standout Michelin recommendations include Guard and Grace, Marco’s Coal Fired, and La Diabla, plus the 54thirty Rooftop Bar. But, really, there are entire neighborhoods where you can’t go wrong with either sit-down meals or quick bites — hit RiNo, LoHi, and LoDo, and let your cravings be the guide.

Tour historic gold mines. Dare to descend 1,000 feet underground and ride historic mine carts that once generated over 22 million ounces of gold in two decades? Head to Cripple Creek, the “World’s Greatest Gold Camp,” located about an hour outside of Colorado Springs. And if you’re captivated by tales of striking it rich, you might appreciate the town’s nine casinos, all located within walking distance of each other along the postcard-perfect Bennett Avenue.

Get jazzy in Telluride. The mountain town of Telluride is known for its scenic valley, hiking, and righteous skiing. It’s also one of those special places that has a double reputation as an arts town. (Telluride Film Festival, anyone?) For the musically inclined, this mountain town in southwest Colorado is home to some of the best bluegrass (in June), jazz (in August), and blues (in September) festivals in the whole country.

Giddyup with cowboys and cowgirls. Every Friday and Saturday night in July and August, Steamboat Springs hosts some of the best bronco and bull riders (the ones trying not get get bucked off), team ropers (the ones with lassos), and barrel racers (the timed horse-and-rider duos) in the country at the Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series. Gates open at 5 PM, complete with BBQ dinners and lots of cowboy charisma.

Drive the Santa Fe Trail Scenic Byway. Green, grassy fields. A brilliant sunset lit by golden light. An old trading post from one of America’s first western expansion routes — that’s a little taste of what you get when you drive this route through four different counties in southeastern Colorado. It’s a prime example of a scenic and historic national byway.

Catch a concert at an iconic amphitheater. If there’s a more beautiful outdoor amphitheater than Red Rocks, we’d like to know. Flanked by dramatic sandstone formations, the 10,000-capacity venue just south of Denver has hosted a long list of all-time greats — including The Beatles, Johnny Cash, U2, Grateful Dead, and Yo-Yo Ma — alongside so many more of your favorite artists. With unparalleled natural acoustics and insane photo ops, this is truly a bucket-list venue for music and performing arts fans.

Summit and sandboard some dunes. You haven’t seen sand dunes until you’ve witnessed the tallest in the nation at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. (The most impressive, Star Dune, actually holds the title of North America’s tallest dune at 750 feet.) The dunes are a sight to behold, but the real fun begins when things get interactive. Hike to the tippy top, sandboard all the way down, and then wade in Medano Creek, which often flows with snowmelt in the summer.

Hike to a lesser-known lookout. The list of incredible hikes in Colorado is a long one — so long, in fact, that you can find mind-blowing trails well off the beaten track. Case in point: Devil’s Head in Sedalia. Trust us, this one needs to be on your list. The three-mile, two-hour hike stars a rocky outcrop, a fire tower, and an incredible overlook of the surrounding Pike National Forest and peaks south of Denver.

Switch things up with an evening soak. You started one of your epic Colorado summer days in a hot spring. How about ending a different day in a sulfur-free pool in Ouray, aka the “Switzerland of America”? The Ouray Hot Springs Pool is open every day from 11 AM to 8 PM and offers a fun, lively, family-friendly take on the concept of soaking in healing, rejuvenating waters.

Stargaze by a black hole. In the right lighting, you won’t find a more dramatic, darker, and tighter canyon than the one at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. The site doubles as a tremendous stargazing locale, officially designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2015. Get ready to see stunning views of the galaxy — maybe even a shooting star or two — over the canyon.

Photograph gleaming Westcliffe. The small but beautiful town of Westcliffe is another exceptional spot for stargazing, especially if you’re hoping to snap a few shots of the Milky Way. As an International Dark Sky Community — a label that recognizes the entire town’s commitment to preserving the night sky — Westcliffe has an on-site observatory for private viewings and dark sky parties.

Catch a drive-in movie. Surrounded by mountains and sitting at 8,000 feet, the Comanche is the highest drive-in movie theater in the country, and surely a top contender for the most scenic. Whether you’re capping an evening out on the town or looking for some downtime after a day spent hiking around nearby Cottonwood Pass, you can catch screenings of current and classic hits throughout the summer here.

Tell fireside stories. Boating, sailing, swimming, fishing, and s’mores on an open fire. That’s what’s in store at Stillwater Campground in Lake Granby, one of Colorado’s biggest lakes and a popular summer destination (particularly among anglers). For those planning to camp out, Stillwater has 129 sites that can accommodate all kinds of overnighters (tents, trailers, and RVs welcome) and enough amenities to make sure the only thing that unsettles you while you’re there are whatever ghost stories you and your crew tell after sundown.