Golden Gate Canyon, Colorado

You’ll never run out of new places to explore at Golden Gate Canyon… which is great news for Denver-dwellers, because the park is an easy peasy 30 miles away. There’s hiking! There’s fishing! There’s rock climbing! There’s… well, you get the point, a whole lot of awesome in this place. If you’re down to camp (and we knew you would be) you’ll find every sort of accommodation option here. There’s your standard campground (well, two campgrounds, to be more accurate) five cabins, two yurts, and even a few guesthouses. If all of that sounds a bit too civilized for your tastes snag a backcountry camping permit and see where the trails take you. There’s more than 12,000 acres to explore, and there’s something new around every bend. Towering trees, scraggly snow-capped peaks, delightful meadows, and everything else that nature can use to make your eyeballs smile. Might we suggest starting out at the Panorama Point Scenic Overlook? You’ll be inspired to go deeper into the mountains after seeing 100 miles of Continental Divide gorgeousness.

Getting hitched, or have a big event coming up? Have it here! There’s plenty of group facilities for all sorts of events. And we’re invited, right?