If you're going to spend one week in Colorado, you'll have an amazing time in the state. This itinerary shows you how to have the perfect road trip for 7 days in Colorado!
Colorado is one of the Mountain States. This beautiful state of the United States has a lot of great things to do and see.
There is a great mix of wonderful cities and beautiful nature that is amazing to explore! That's why Colorado is the perfect state for a road trip.
If you're going to follow this itinerary for 7 days in Colorado, you'll visit many wonderful places!
For example, the city of Denver is one of the highlights of this one week in Colorado itinerary. Here you find many interesting and fun places!
Another great thing about this itinerary is visiting Rocky Mountains National Park. This is a great place with beautiful nature. But there is so much more that I included in this itinerary!
I'll start with some tips and information about how to get there. Then, you can find the itinerary for a week in Colorado!
Table of Contents
Tips for One Week in Colorado
One Week in Colorado is a great trip for sure! During this week you are going to see so many different things, which is awesome!
But there are some things that can make your trip even better if you know them!
By far, the most important tip for your 7 days in Colorado is to rent a car or travel there by your own car. Doing a road trip in Colorado is amazing.
There are lots of great places in the state, but traveling by public transport is very difficult. That's especially true if you want to do all the things on this itinerary in one week only.
That's why I recommend having a car with you when you are here.
Another tip is to make sure you take water with you when you are visiting the sights on this itinerary.
There are lots of great places with nature in Colorado. These places are often at a distance from shops.
Often, you can find there places with water, but to be sure, I recommend always bringing a bottle of water with you!
Besides that, you should bring good hiking shoes with you when you are using this itinerary. There are many places with great hiking trails. Good shoes make your experience of one week in Colorado so much better!
Another tip for your 7 days in Colorado is to bring a battery pack with you wherever you go.
When you are visiting the nature of the state, there are no charging stations for your phone nearby. Thus, bringing your own extra electricity is a good idea!
Getting to Colorado
Getting to Colorado is easy. There are good connections to a lot of other places in the United States. So that's very convenient if you're planning on spending one week in Colorado!
One of the best ways to travel to the state from a place that isn't close is by airplane.
The largest airport in the state is Denver International Airport. This is a large airport with lots of flights. You can get here from lots of destinations within the US and outside of it.
For example, there are flights from the UK, France, Canada, Japan, and more places that are further away!
Another way to get to the state of Colorado is by train. That's also a great option if you're going to spend 7 days in Colorado.
The train is a good way to reach Colorado if you are coming from places that are closer to it.
It is a very convenient and often fast way to travel.
Also, you could come to the state of Colorado by bus.
Besides that, you can also reach the state of Colorado by car. This is a very convenient way to reach the state as you can bring a lot of luggage. Furthermore, it is one of the fastest ways to get to the state.
Especially when you're doing a road trip in Colorado getting there by car is perfect. In that case, your car is very convenient during the rest of your one week in Colorado!
Itinerary for One Week in Colorado
If you're going to travel to Colorado for 7 days, you'll have an amazing week for sure. Furthermore, with this itinerary, you can make the most out of your time in the state.
Let's start with the one week in Colorado itinerary!
Day 1: Colorado Springs, A Gorgeous Place To Visit During Your 7 Days in Colorado
Colorado Springs is the first stop of this 7 days in Colorado itinerary.
After Denver, where you are going the next day, this is the most populous city in the state.
Colorado Spring is a lovely place where you find all kinds of things to do and see.
Especially if you like nature, Colorado Springs is a great place to start your one week in Colorado with!
Explore Downtown Colorado Springs
When you want to get a good impression of the city of Colorado Springs, you should explore downtown! This is one of the best ways to start your day in Colorado Springs.
In this part of Colorado Springs, you find a lot of buildings with beautiful architecture. This is lovely to see!
In the city center, you also find a lot of stores and restaurants, which makes it a wonderful place to stay!
Visit the Garden of the Gods
After seeing the inner city of Colorado Springs, you should definitely see a place near the city.
One of the most famous places in Colorado Springs is the Garden of the Gods.
This is a public park with many pretty things to see. Going here during a road trip in Colorado is great.
There are red rock formations that have all kinds of different shapes. This is very unique to see. Besides that, there are a lot of trees.
What's great is that you can visit the park for free. You can enter the park from 5AM to 10PM. This makes it very convenient to go here during your 7 days in Colorado.
Because it is so beautiful you should definitely see it when you are one week in Colorado Springs.
From the city center of Colorado Springs, you can drive here in less than 15 minutes.
See Pikes Peak
Another beautiful place at Colorado Springs is Pikes Peak. This is another wonderful place with lots of nature.
It is a very tall summit of the southern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. This makes it a very interesting place to see!
Besides that, there is a lot of nature that surrounds the mountain summit. This makes it a great place to spend some time at.
You could spend many hours at Pikes Peak, but that's not doable if you are spending one week in Colorado. There's so much more to see during this week!
That's why I recommend driving here and going for a short hike only!
Staying in Colorado Springs
There are many places where you can stay in Colorado Springs. That's because there are lots of great hotels and apartments in the city.
Moreover, the best place to stay in the city of Colorado Springs is definitely downtown.
This is near many of the sights of Colorado Springs. And also, the nearby stores and restaurants make it a much more comfortable place.
Day 2: Denver, a Great City to See During Your One Week in Colorado
Denver is the second city you are visiting during the 7 days in Colorado.
It's the capital city of the state of Colorado and it is also the largest city.
There are many activities in this busy city, so that's why I recommend spending about 2 days in Denver! That way you can see all the highlights this city has to offer!
Drive from Colorado Springs to Denver
Driving from Colorado Springs to Denver is very doable!
The distance between these two cities is about 70 miles (or 113 kilometers). The journey takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Along the way, there is some beautiful nature to see, which is great!
I recommend leaving Colorado Spring early to make most of your time in Denver. There are lots of things to do in the city, so arriving early ensures you can have the best experience!
Walk Through City Park
When you are in Denver, I recommend going first to City Park.
City Park is a public park that you can find close to Downtown Denver.
It is a beautiful place with lots of nature. Furthermore, there are lakes that make walking around in the park even better!
What's great is that you can see the skyline of the city of Denver from here. It is amazing that you can see both nature and the city from here!
Because this is the largest park in Denver you'll have a great park experience here.
After spending some time in the park, it is time to go to Downtown Denver. That's also a must-see when you're one week in Colorado.
You can walk there from here, as it's only about one mile east of Downtown.
Explore Downtown Denver
Downtown Denver is where you find most of the activity in the city. For that reason, it's great to go here when you're 7 days in Colorado!
You'll find here amazing historic buildings that are lovely to see.
Furthermore, there are lots of streets with stores, restaurants, bars, museums and more.
Walking around through this part of the city is a great way to get to know the city. You can see here local shops and local people, which is great to experience.
Furthermore, there are great squares that are a must-visit when you are one week in Colorado.
One of these squares is Larimer Square. This is a historic square that played a large role in the history of Denver. It's where the city of Denver began and one of the oldest places in the city. You find here all kinds of historic houses and a great atmosphere.
See art at the Denver Art Museum
After strolling through the city center of Denver, it's time to see some of the city's art.
A great place to do this is at the Denver Art Museum. This is the largest museum in the state and the surroundings. It's the best place to see art if you're 7 days in Colorado.
You find here more than 70,000 objects from all around the world. Furthermore, the objects come from each period of time. So there is a lot to see at this museum!
One of the best collections of the museum is the Asian art collection. Here you find lots of objects from India, Japan, China, and more Asian countries.
Another great part of the museum is the one that focuses on modern and contemporary art. You find here objects from many famous artists of the genre. For example, there are artworks made by Picasso, Matisse, and more
What I also like about the museum is the architecture of the building itself. It has a very unique shape that is great to see!
See a performance at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts
A great way to end your day in Denver is with a performance!
One of the best places in the city for that is the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
There are here several theaters. Each of these theaters has regular performances with live theater! It's very fun to attend one of the performances.
Staying in Denver
There are lots of areas in the city of Denver that are great to stay at.
It doesn't matter which area you choose, as it is easy to reach the sights of the city from anywhere.
But if you want to have the best experience, the city center is the best option. There, you find many restaurants and sights.
Day 3: Denver
See the Daniels and Fisher Tower
When you are in Denver you should definitely go to the Daniels & Fisher Tower. This is one of the best landmarks in the city of Denver. It's one of the best landmarks to see during your 7 days in Colorado.
The tower is a replica of The Campanile in the city of Venice, Italy. The original tower in Venice is lovely to see, but this tower is great as well! That's because it looks a lot like it!
The tower features clocks on all four of its sides. Furthermore, there is a large bell at the top of the tower.
What's great is that you can inside the tower as well. There is an observation deck.
From there you have a beautiful view of the city of Denver! You can go there when you are doing a guided tour of the tower.
You should definitely see the building and go inside during your one week in Colorado!
Walk through the Denver Botanic Gardens
One of the most beautiful places in the city of Denver is the Denver Botanic Gardens.
This is a great public park with a large variety of nature.
This makes it a great place to go to and roam around!
At the gardens, you can find the largest US collection of plants that grow in cold temperatures. This is very interesting to see.
Besides that, there is a Japanese Garden. This is a great garden, where you can see a garden with Japanese garden architecture. There is a pond and there a lot of plants from Japan. This is a very pretty sight to see!
Shop at Denver Pavilions
You cannot leave the city of Denver without shopping! This is a great activity for your one week in Denver if you like shopping!
Denver Pavilions is definitely the best place for this. You find this shopping mall in Downtown Denver. It is on the 16th Street Mall.
There are lots of shops here, such that you can shop a lot when you are here! It's easy to spend hours shopping here.
Furthermore, there are many restaurants and other entertainment venues at Denver Pavilions! This makes your experience even greater!
For example, you find here the movie theater United Artists Theatre.
Go to a performance at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre
The Red Rocks Amphitheatre is one of the best places to visit during your one week in Colorado.
It is an amphitheater that you can find to the west of Denver. It is an outdoor theater that looks very unique!
That's because the theater is part of a rock structure. Because of this, you can see a lot of red rocks that surround the theater.
There are a lot of events at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, so there is likely an event when you are 7 days in Colorado. Attending one of the events is an amazing experience.
Drive to Boulder
After seeing a performance at Red Rocks Amphitheatre it is time to go to the next place of your 7 days in Colorado.
The place where you are going next if your use this itinerary is Boulder. You can find Boulder to the north of Denver and you are already close if you are at the amphitheater.
Driving to Boulder from Red Rocks Amphitheatre takes about 45 minutes. Furthermore, the distance is about 30 miles (or 48 kilometers).
When going to Boulder at the end of your day in Denver allows you to have a lot of time the next day!
Day 4: Boulder
Boulder is a lovely university city with a great city center and beautiful nature nearby.
On this fourth day, you can relax a lot, which I recommend after your busy days in Denver!
Hike at the Flatirons
Let's start by going to one of the most famous places in Boulder: the Flatirons.
The Flatirons are rock formations that you can find close to the city. These rock formations look amazing and visiting them is one of the best things you can do in Boulder.
From Boulder, it takes about 10 minutes to drive to the Flatirons.
A great way to get the best experience at these rock formations is by going for a hike. There are lots of hiking trails near it!
One of the best of these is the Flatirons Vista Trail. This is a loop trail with a length of 3.3 miles (or 5.3 kilometers). Along the way of this hike, you can get a lot of beautiful views of the Flatirons.
See Downtown Boulder
Even though Boulder is a small city, there is a very charming city center. It's lovely to see the city center during your 7 days in Colorado.
Exploring Downtown Boulder is a great thing to do on this fourth day of your one week in Colorado!
Here, in the city center, you find a lot of shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues.
The best street in Downtown Boulder is Pearl Street. Here you find most of the activity of the city and most of the shops. This makes it the perfect place in Boulder for shopping.
Staying in Boulder
When you are staying in Boulder, I recommend staying in Downtown Boulder. That's because here you find most of the stores and restaurants in the city.
Drive from Boulder to Fort Collins
It's the end of your day in Boulder. Now it's time to go to the next place on this itinerary!
From Boulder, it is easy to get to Fort Collins.
The whole journey takes a bit more than 1 hour. Moreover, the total distance is about 45 miles (or 72 kilometers).
Day 5: Fort Collins, A Must-See If You’re 7 Days in Colorado
Fort Collins is another great city in the state of Colorado that you should definitely visit!
There are some very nice places in the city center. But there is even more to discover if you go to a place next to the city!
See Downtown Fort Collins
The first thing to do in Fort Collins is to explore the city center.
Downtown Fort Collins is an area of the city where you find a lot of historic buildings from when the city started. The architecture of these buildings is great to see and makes roaming around here a fun activity.
One of the best places to visit when you are in Downtown Colorado is Old Town Square.
Besides that, there are a lot of things to do and see in this part of the city. There are many shops and restaurants, which is very convenient.
Furthermore, it is the best place to experience local life in the city!
Roam the Colorado State University Campus
Colorado State University is a great university with thousands of students. Besides that, it's also a great sight for your 7 days in Colorado. You can find this university in the city of Fort Collins.
Exploring the campus of Colorado State University is a great experience.
The campus buildings are very interesting to see.
Also, you find the Oval in the middle of the campus of the university. This is a large green area with lots of large trees that is lovely for a relaxing walk.
Visit the Center for Fine Art Photography
The Center for Fine Art Photography in Fort Collins is a great place to visit as well. When you come back from the campus of Colorado State University, you should go here!
You find here art galleries that are great to see. These galleries feature photography from lots of good photographers.
What's great about this place as well is that there are many workshops. During these, you can learn more about photography and it is suitable for everyone.
Go to the Horsetooth Reservoir
Horsetooth Reservoir is one of the most beautiful places in the state. So you should go here when you are one week in Colorado.
Horsetooth Reservoir is very close to Fort Collins. You can reach it within minutes.
The reservoir is an artificial lake. The people made it around the year 1933 as a source of water. That was because there was a drought.
Nowadays, this is a lovely place to visit. It is great for hiking, picnicking, swimming, and more outdoor activities.
Staying in Fort Collins
When you are in Fort Collins, I recommend staying in the historic city center.
The atmosphere here is amazing, and it is very convenient because of all the shops and stores.
Day 6: Rocky Mountains National Park, Beautiful Nature to See During Your 7 Days in Colorado
When you are in one of the mountain states, you cannot miss out on seeing the Rocky Mountains.
That's why I recommend going to the Rocky Mountain National Park during your one week in Colorado. Here you can see the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains.
There is a lot of beautiful nature that you can explore in full during 2 days!
When you are 2 days at Rocky Mountain National Park, you'll have a wonderful time for sure!
Go Hiking at the park
There are lots of different hikes in Rocky Mountains National Park.
Each of these hiking trails leads you to another aspect of the park and all places here are very beautiful.
One of the best hikes at Rocky Mountains National Park is the Sprague Lake Loop.
During this hike, you walk around the stunning Sprague Lake. Along the trail, you have wonderful views of the lake and its surrounding.
What's great about this hiking trail is that you'll end up back where you started, as it is a loop.
Another great hike is the hike to Chasm Falls. Chasm Falls is a beautiful waterfall that is lovely to see. And the hiking trail to it is amazing as well.
Staying near Rocky Mountains National Park
There are no places inside Rocky Mountains National Park where you can stay.
But there are places near it that are very convenient for exploring the park.
One of these is Estes Park. It lies to the east of the national park and is a very convenient place.
Day 7: Rocky Mountains National Park
See the park with a ranger
During certain times of the year, you can explore the park together with a ranger.
This is a great experience as you'll learn a lot of new things while doing it. Not only will you see lots of gorgeous places, but you'll also get to know nature and wildlife better! So it's definitely a very interesting activity.
Drive Along the Trail Ridge Road
The Trail Ridge Road is an incredible scenic ride. Driving here during your road trip of 7 days in Colorado is amazing.
During this ride, you'll cross the park from one side to the other.
Along the way, you can see very high peaks, amazing landscapes, and wonderful views. You can stop at a lot of places and have a good look at all there is.
What's also great about the road is that it is one of the highest roads in the United States. This makes driving here even more unique!
Save this post to Pinterest if you like it!
Blog comments (0)