It’s not hard to identify the allure of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, which beckon thrill-seekers and casual tourists alike, year after year.
Visitors to the state’s breathtaking mountains can experience the seasonal outdoor sports Colorado is known for, in addition to a variety of year-round arts and culture events, leaving meeting attendees with plenty of options, even if they aren’t necessarily alpine experts.
Aspen/Snowmass
Aspen sits in Roaring Fork Valley, which is renowned for its ski mountains of Aspen, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass. While the city’s year-round population is somewhere near 7,000 residents, the area swells with visitors during the peak winter and summer months.
“The appeal of Aspen as a meeting and event destination is its strong year-round cultural offering of festivals, ballet, theater, film and more,” says Sarah-Jane Johnson, senior account director at Promo Communications in Aspen.
In March, Woody Creek Distillers opened its 10,000-square-foot distillery, which produces five spirits, including its signature Potato Vodka, each grown, distilled and bottled locally in Aspen Valley. The distillery and its tasting room can be rented out for private parties and corporate events.
Aspen outfitters Blazing Adventures offers a half-day Whiskey River trip, where participants can raft or kayak down the Roaring Fork River through intermediate-level white-water rapids and end the day with a tasting of locally made whiskey and spirits at the distillery.
Aspen’s three largest hotels—The Little Nell, Hotel Jerome and St. Regis Aspen Resort—recently completed renovations totaling $150 million, and these facilities can accommodate events ranging from intimate corporate retreats to midsize conferences.
Vail/Beaver Creek
With more than 5,200 acres of skiable terrain, Vail is the second-largest ski mountain in North America, which means there are plenty of opportunities for adventurous attendees to hit the slopes during the winter months or go hiking, mountain-biking, horseback riding and zip lining in the summer.
The 10th Restaurant is the town of Vail’s newest venue for group events. Guests can ride a gondola from the base of Vail Village to Mid-Vail, where the 13,000-square-foot venue is located. It is available for day and evening events year-round.
Those looking to expand their knowledge of ski history can visit the Colorado Ski & Snowboard Museum Hall of Fame in Vail Village, consisting of six different themed galleries. The space can be rented out for private events.
Nearby Beaver Creek offers a more intimate experience for meeting attendees. The destination has more than 68,000 square feet of function space in various properties, one of which is The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, which is undergoing a $15 million renovation. Guest room upgrades are complete, while enhancements to meeting space and Buffalo restaurant, as well as a new lounge serving craft cocktails, will be unveiled in November. PageBreak
Breckenridge
The 153-year-old Victorian mining town of Breckenridge has a reputation for its laid-back mountain appeal, but meeting attendees won’t have any trouble finding ways to keep busy.
“Breckenridge boasts a local charm and character that is truly genuine and makes guests feel welcome,” says Donna Horii, director of sales for GoBreck, the town’s official resort chamber.
At 40,000 square feet, Beaver Run Resort & Conference Center is the area’s largest meeting spot. while the Breckenridge Riverwalk Center in the middle of town can seat almost 800 people theatre-style.
This winter, Breckenridge will debut its newest attraction, a 1,500-foot-long zip line located at the Peak 8 base area. It’s a two-stage, four-line zip, with the first stage measuring 500 feet long and the second 1,000 feet.
Keystone
Keystone is home to Keystone Resort, which provides visitors with scenic views of the nearby Rocky Mountain peaks and a valley containing three small villages and a river.
The Keystone Conference Center is one of the largest venues in the Rocky Mountains, with a total of 100,000 square feet of meeting space. The area is also home to the annual Savour the Slopes month-long culinary showcase from January to February, which provides guests an opportunity to sample food and beverages from Keystone’s signature restaurants.
Copper Mountain
The pedestrian-friendly Copper Mountain is nestled between the Ten Mile Range and Gore Range in Colorado, making it ideal for groups looking for a retreat-style environment.
Team-building opportunities are available at the 10,000-acre Rusty Spurr Ranch in nearby Kremmling, which can host trail rides and cattle roundups.
Several improvements are currently being made on the mountain in the high-alpine (above tree line) environment, including a new surface lift—the Storm King lift—and there are efforts under way to expand green initiatives across Copper Mountain Resort.
During the summer months only, the largest venue in Copper Mountain is the 18,000-square-foot Copper Pavilion, while Copper Conference Center is nearly as large at 16,000 square feet and is open year-round.PageBreak
Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs is the second-largest city in the state, located 70 miles south of Denver. The destination sits at the base of Pikes Peak and is home to the popular Garden of the Gods Park and North Cheyenne Canyon.
“Easy trails can be enjoyed almost anywhere in the area and in scenic spots like the Garden of the Gods Park and Interpretive Mines Park,” says Kathy Readik, director of convention sales at Visit Colorado. “Visitors can also take the Pikes Peak Cog Railway to the summit of Pikes Peak.”
The National Museum of World War II Aviation opened its doors in October 2012, and its hangars, museum and grassy outdoor areas can be rented out for meetings or events.
Other interesting off-site venues in the area include the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and the Garden of the Gods trading post.
The Broadmoor is one of Colorado’s largest venues for events outside of Denver, with 180,000 square feet of flexible meeting space. It is the longest-running consecutive winner of both the AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Travel Guide Five Star Awards.
Durango
Durango is the self-proclaimed “City of Brewery Love” and also refers to itself as the “Napa Valley of Beer.” This seems like a clever marketing ploy, but the area proves its worth by being home to four microbreweries/brewpubs and one craft brewery.
The microbreweries include Steamworks Brewing Co., Carvers, Brew Pub & Kitchen and Durango Brewing Co. Ska is the regional craft brewery. Each site offers tastings and tours.
