11 days in Colorado Itinerary

Aptly nicknamed the "Mile-High City," Denver sits at an altitude of 1,600 m (5,280 ft) above sea level, located right where the Great Plains give way to the Rocky Mountains.

Your cultural itinerary includes sights like Denver Museum of Nature & Science and Denver Union Station. Bring the kids along to River Rafting & Tubing and Denver Botanic Gardens. Next up on the itinerary: take a stroll through 16th Street Mall, look for gifts at Belmar, explore the world behind art at Denver Art Museum, and see where the action happens at Coors Field.

To see other places to visit, where to stay, more things to do, and tourist information, refer to the Denver online travel planner.

The Route module can give you travel options from your home to Denver. In June, daytime highs in Denver are 83°F, while nighttime lows are 55°F. Cap off your sightseeing on the 6th (Thu) early enough to go by car to Colorado Springs.

Stunning Garden of the Gods Park scenery, blue skies and the glory of Pikes Peak-America’s Mountain have attracted visitors to Colorado Springs for more than a century.

Kids will enjoy River Rafting & Tubing and Garden of the Gods. Do some cultural sightseeing at Manitou Cliff Dwellings and Michael Garman Museum & Gallery. There's still lots to do: admire nature's wide array of creatures at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, have some family-friendly fun at Battlefield Colorado, stop by Old Colorado City, and find something for the whole family at North Pole Colorado Santa’s Workshop.

For where to stay, ratings, reviews, and more tourist information, go to the Colorado Springs attractions site.

Getting from Denver to Colorado Springs by car takes about 1.5 hours. Other options: take a bus; or do a combination of train and flight. In June, plan for daily highs up to 84°F, and evening lows to 54°F. Cap off your sightseeing on the 9th (Sun) early enough to go by car to Glenwood Springs.

Glenwood Springs occupies a scenic location at the junction of the Colorado River and the Roaring Fork River, halfway between Vail and Aspen along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains.

On the 10th (Mon), hike along Hanging Lake Trail and then test the waters at a local thermal spa. Keep things going the next day: take in the awesome beauty at Rocky Mountains and then relax and float downstream with a rafting and tubing tour.

To find reviews and other tourist information, read Glenwood Springs travel planner.

You can drive from Colorado Springs to Glenwood Springs in 4 hours. Other options are to fly; or take a bus. Prepare for a bit cooler weather when traveling from Colorado Springs in June: high temperatures in Glenwood Springs hover around 66°F and lows are around 46°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 11th (Tue) early enough to drive to Durango.

Originally a frontier mining town, Durango is known today for its scenic setting, outdoor activities, and the 1880s steam-powered railway that takes visitors through sections of the mountains where roads don't reach.

On the 12th (Wed), get interesting insight from Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and Museum, then look for gifts at Earthen Vessel Gallery, and then take a tour by water with Boat Tours & Water Sports.

To see where to stay, traveler tips, maps, and other tourist information, refer to the Durango trip website.

You can drive from Glenwood Springs to Durango in 5 hours. Other options are to fly; or take a bus. Traveling from Glenwood Springs in June, expect nights in Durango to be about the same, around 44°F, while days are a bit warmer, around 85°F. Cap off your sightseeing on the 12th (Wed) early enough to go by car to Cortez.

As the closest town to a national park known for its archeological dwellings, Cortez sits along ancient trails that native Puebloan tribes have used for millennia.

On the 13th (Thu), explore the ancient world of Cliff Palace, then tour the pleasant surroundings at Farming Terraces, and then delve into the distant past at Spruce Tree House. Here are some ideas for day two: admire the masterpieces at Notah Dineh Trading Company and Museum, get engrossed in the history at Cortez Cultural Center, then get engrossed in the history at The Anasazi Heritage Center, and finally explore the ancient world of Hovenweep National Monument.

To see other places to visit, where to stay, maps, and tourist information, read Cortez vacation planner.

Getting from Durango to Cortez by car takes about an hour. Other options: take a shuttle; or take a bus. Expect a daytime high around 89°F in June, and nighttime lows around 46°F. Cap off your sightseeing on the 14th (Fri) early enough to travel back home.