Happy Birthday, Colorado 150!
Your perfect adventure is here
Welcome, dear Canadian friends! 2026 marks Colorado’s 150th birthday, and the Centennial State awaits – ready to take you on a Rocky Mountain high in the world’s most spectacular playground.
Boasting an average of 300 days of sunshine every year, Colorado is a friendly, four-season destination offering unparalleled adventure and recreation, a thriving arts scene, rich cultural heritage, award-winning cuisine and 28 renowned ski areas and resorts. You’ll witness breathtaking scenic landscapes featuring natural hot springs, peaceful lakes and reservoirs, the headwaters of seven major rivers, 26 scenic and historic byways and 58 mountain peaks that top 14,000 feet, known as “14ers.”
History buffs will be thrilled with a host of historic hotels, nine scenic and historic railroads, 30 dude & guest ranches, historic mine tours and gold rush towns, the Colorado Historic Opera Houses Circuit, the Colorado Historic Hot Springs Loop, four National Parks, nine National Monuments and three National Historic Areas, museums and cultural institutions and more!
Satisfy your appetite
With all that adventuring, you’re bound to work up an appetite and Colorado doesn’t disappoint when it comes to cuisine. Its rich culinary heritage includes established, notable chefs and innovative up-and-comers. The 2026 MICHELIN Guide Colorado selection was revealed in September 2025, adding the state’s first-ever Two MICHELIN Star restaurant, The Wolf’s Tailor, and welcoming three new One Star establishments in Denver – Kizaki, Margot and Mezcaleria Alma. This year’s guide now recognizes 50 restaurants across Colorado, including a new Bib Gourmand, Boulder’s Cozobi Fonda Fina.
Chefs across the state are turning out exciting new flavours and concepts, of particular note, The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs welcomes the return of the newly reimagined Penrose Room featuring a speakeasy, whiskey room and global cuisine by Executive Chef Justin Miller.
Have a soak in the healing waters
In Colorado, wellness isn’t just a trend, it’s a lifestyle. A great many of Colorado’s early settlers moved to the state to improve their health and the focus on wellness continues to inspire and draw visitors today. Celebrating 10 years, the award-winning Colorado Historic Hot Springs Loop offers America’s most relaxing road trip for relaxation and recreation, showcasing eight premier Colorado geothermal destinations – Steamboat Springs, Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, Ouray, Durango, Pagosa Springs, Saguache County and Chaffee County – for a total of 23 unique hot springs soaking experiences. cohotspringsloop.com
Here’s a fun one: The Bohemian Bier Spa recently opened in Glenwood Springs offering a unique and relaxing experience that combines the benefits of a traditional spa with the therapeutic advantages of beer.
Heavenly star gazing
Colorado is now home to 13 International Dark Sky Parks and eight International Dark Sky Communities. Breckenridge received Colorado’s most recent Dark Sky Community designation in August 2025 and became the first mountain ski resort community in Colorado to be designated as a Dark Sky Community. Colorado has the most places in the world (over 30 including 12 state parks) that have officially started the process to become a certified International Dark Sky Place.
For those into another type of star gazing, Colorado has big news! The famous Sundance Film Festival will relocate from Park City Utah to Boulder, CO starting in January 2027. Boulder’s combination of small-town charm with its distinctive natural beauty and vibrant arts scene make it the ideal location for the festival to grow. Boulder also hosts the Boulder International Film Festival, which takes over the city every spring.
An invitation to Canadians:
“2026 is a year to celebrate – Colorado turns 150 and the nation marks 250 years of independence. All across the state, you’ll find festivals, events, community celebrations and hidden gems waiting to be explored. We invite you to celebrate with us all year long. From iconic landmarks to small-town surprises, discover the stories, people and places that make Colorado memorable.” #ColoradoLovesCanada2026To plan your amazing rocky mountain adventure, visit COLORADO.com.
