DENVER (KDVR) — Temperatures are slowly starting to warm up and it won’t be long before mountain trails are packed with hikers and bikers.
If you are starting to make your vacation plans, you might not even need to leave the state.
Travel site Trips To Discover recently put together a list of the best small towns for a summer vacation.
What Colorado town made the list?
At the top of the list was Steamboat Springs. It is located about three hours northwest of Denver.
Steamboat is filled with picturesque mountain views, a wide variety of activities for outdoor enthusiasts, shopping, and incredible restaurants.
“With a burst of color, summer brings an endless landscape of green dotted with brilliant wildflowers. This is when this Wild West town really comes alive, with visitors enjoying fly fishing, inner tube rides and rafting trips on the Yampa River, endless scenic hiking and mountain biking trails, and natural hot springs that are ideal for soothing sore muscles afterward,” Trips to Discover explained on its site.
Steamboat has 29 park sites with over 1,000 acres that include six mineral springs, two skate parks, 10 playgrounds, three volleyball courts, and 22 athletic fields.
There is also Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series that takes place every Friday and Saturday night during the summer.
What other towns made the list?
Here is a look at the other towns that made the list of best summer travel destinations:
- Steamboat Springs
- Mendocino, California
- Cody, Wyoming
- Ketchikan, Alaska
- Portmagee, Ireland
- Cavtat, Croatia
- Port Townsend, Washington
- Churchill-Manitoba, Canada
- Bar Harbor, Maine
- Livingston, Montana
- Copper Harbor, Michigan
- Tofino-Vancouver Island, British Columbia
- Adairsville, Georgia
- Saint Anthony-Newfoundland, Canada
- Mercer County, West Virginia
Rocky Mountain National Park
If you are looking for a great staycation in Colorado, FOX31 put together a list recently.
One of the most popular destinations in Colorado is Rocky Mountain National Park. From fishing to hiking to viewing wildlife to camping to backcountry skiing and snowboarding, it is a great destination for people who love the outdoors.
But it is important to be aware when visiting RMNP during the spring.
“If you are planning for a spring break trip, or even a trip in early to mid-May, pack your snow boots and warm clothes! You need to be ready for winter conditions,” the National Park Service said.
There are multiple webcams on the RMNP website so you can see current conditions in the park.
There are currently some construction projects underway at the park, so you will want to avoid the Fall River Entrance and instead, use the Beaver Meadows Entrance via Highway 36.