Cliff Palace and Balcony House are ancient cliff dwellings that the ancestral Pueblo Indians inhabited in the 12th and 13th centuries. Located in Mesa Verde National Park, both are World Heritage Sites and National Monuments. Balcony House had forty-five rooms and two kivas (ovens), and it can only be accessed on ranger-guided tours. Tour participants must climb a thirty-two foot ladder and then crawl through a twelve-foot tunnel to access Balcony House.
"It's good to see Denver not so far behind the other counties now, it seems like we're more in line with other counties now." said Stephanie Helzer, Mile High Station & Ironworks Director of Sales & Marketing. "We're just trying to show that we can safely run an event. [For example] you can go into a supermarket and you're walking around mingling. Events aren't like that. We have full control of what's going on, and we've been wanting to be heard. I do feel like this 5 Star program is going to give us the opportunity to show that we can run [events] safely,"
Although the Bishop Castle does not offer guided tours, large groups are encouraged to visit and explore the Castle. If a school visits the Bishop Castle for a field trip, they are welcome to listen to an inspirational presentation from Mr. Bishop himself. Although there is no fee for Mr. Bishop’s presentation, schools are encouraged to make a donation.
Coloradans are outdoor enthusiasts, and one of their beloved hiking spots is Hanging Lake. The Hanging Lake Trail sits off Interstate 70, just 10mi (16km) east of the town of Glenwood Springs. The trail itself is short, just a little over a mile, but it can be a challenging hike because it’s steep and rocky. However, reaching the end is worth it. Hanging Lake is a unique geological feature, complete with a stunning hanging garden.
Admission into the Bishop Castle is completely free. It’s important to note that people live and work in the Bishop Castle, so be mindful of that while exploring the Castle. Also, the Bishop Castle is continuously expanding by Mr. Bishop’s own dedication and construction. So, you should proceed with a little bit of caution while touring the castle. If you want to see Mr. Bishop in action, stop by the Bishop Castle during a weekend.
And then there are things to do all year, no matter the season or temperature. Biking, hiking, fishing and golfing all can be found in lower elevation places, such as Denver or Grand Junction, thanks to Colorado’s varying topography. It’s truly remarkable to enjoy a blizzard in the High Country one day and a sunny, 60 degree day peddling around Garden of the Gods the next.
They also have ornamental displays of perennial favorites: daylilies, roses, and irises. The Mordecai Children’s Garden encourages hands-on exploration of soil and water and has stroller parking, picnic tables, and year-round programing. There are many gardens dedicated to the serenity of Japanese strolling gardens and bonsai, a South African garden with hardy plants from their steppe region, and a greenhouse overflowing with tropical and subtropical flowers.
In addition to beer and art, Colorado loves a jammin’ music festival. Jazz, blues, rock, punk, rap, country, bluegrass, the list goes on and on. There’s not a genre of music you can’t find here on a regular basis. Toast the summer solstice at SonicBoom in Rye, Colorado’s largest electronic festival. Then in August head up funky Nederland for NedFest.
After the event, sellers should file a special event sales tax return by the 20th of the month following the first day of the special event, if they have not remitted sales tax to the event organizer. For example, if an event was held from February 13-15, the special event sales tax return will be due on or before March 20th. More information about filing a return can be found on the "How to File a Special Event Return" section below.
The Denver Museum of Nature and Science has been the city’s leading cultural institution for more than 100 years. Here, you can enjoy a variety of exhibits on everything from natural history and the universe to biology and even Colorado history. In City Park, the museum also has an IMAX theater, a planetarium and a host of exciting temporary exhibits annually.
Still haven’t packed enough into your Colorado vacation? Make time to see some of the great Colorado mountain attractions — tour a ghost town near Aspen, sail above the mountains in a balloon over Breckenridge, rock out at a music festival in Telluride, check out the nightlife scene in Vail and try your luck at a casino in Black Hawk, Central City or Cripple Creek.