Best of Colorado 2023 — Recreation
Check out this year's winners and finalists for our Best of Colorado 2023 awards in the Recreation sector!
Many of this year’s Best of Colorado winners embody the art of specialization. They don’t pretend to be something they are not, rather they concentrate on one element and aim to perfect it. That in turn has clearly helped them make a name for themselves.
Our readers (Best of Colorado customers) not only remember them but make a concerted effort to vote for them. That’s a tremendous accomplishment in this era of overwhelming messages, marketing and mindshare. But that takes time. Here at ColoradoBiz, we’ve heard many serial entrepreneurs and CEOs depict their success as a climb rather than a meandering journey. After all, the highest summits are always uphill and rarely scaled on the first day.
So, here’s to this year’s Best of Colorado winners. They have found a way to perfect their craft, grow their brand, and be recognized for their specialization. They have scaled the summit of success.
Check out our Best of Colorado 2023 issue here!
BEST ANNUAL FESTIVAL EVENT
GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL
Hailed by brewers and serious beer connoisseurs as the country’s premier gathering of its kind, the Great American Beer Festival celebrates its 40th year Sept. 21-23 at the Colorado Convention Center. The annual event is a festival, professional competition and cultural phenomenon, presenting the largest collection of U.S. beer in a public tasting event plus a private competition.
Tasting sessions allow attendees to tour America’s brewing landscape, one ounce at a time, with access to more than 2,000 different beers from 500 of the nation’s finest breweries.
Runners-up:
BEST ATTRACTION FOR IMPRESSING VISITORS TO DENVER
Meow Wolf art exhibit
RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATRE
Widely regarded as one of the world’s great music venues, Red Rocks in Morrison sits between towering sandstone rocks that bracket the stage to create a natural amphitheater. Meanwhile, concert-goers are treated to spectacular views of downtown Denver and the surrounding foothills.
Runners-up:
BEST ATTRACTION FOR IMPRESSING VISITORS TO THE EASTERN PLAINS
KIT CARSON COUNTY CAROUSEL
Of the nearly 2,500 wooden carousels carved in the U.S. between 1885 and the 1930s, fewer than 150 are still in existence. One of the finest survivors can be found on the county fairgrounds in Burlington.
Kit Carson County Carousel also is the only antique carousel in the U.S. with its original paint on both the scenery panels and on the animals. The sixth of 74 carousels manufactured by the Philadelphia Toboggan Co. between 1904 and 1933, the Kit County attraction is the only surviving menagerie (having other animals in addition to horses) carousel made by PTC. And it’s fully operational!
BEST ATTRACTION FOR IMPRESSING VISITORS TO THE WESTERN SLOPE
COLORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT
Located near the town of Fruita, Colorado National Monument preserves one of the grand landscapes of the American West. Towering monoliths exist within a vast plateau-and-canyon panorama. Visitors can experience sheer-walled, red rock canyons along the twists and turns of Rim Rock Drive.
Reservations are not needed to enter the park, but they are recommended
for camping.
Runners-up:
- Hanging Lake
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
- Palisade Wineries
BEST PLACE TO HIKE
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
Rocky Mountain National Park’s 415 square miles encompass a spectacular range of mountain environments, from glistening alpine lakes to towering mountain peaks. There are more than 300 miles of hiking trails and spectacular wildlife viewing. The most popular entrance is near Estes Park.
Park entrance fees range from a one-day-per person $15 for walk-ins and bicycles, $30 for a one-day vehicle pass, $35 for a seven-day vehicle pass, $70 for an annual Rocky Mountain National Park pass, or $80 for an annual pass valid at all U.S. national parks and federal lands. Passes can be purchased online at nps.gov.
Runners-up:
BEST PLACE TO MOUNTAIN BIKE
COPPER MOUNTAIN SKI RESORT
Copper Mountain’s lift service allows riders of all fitness levels to enjoy the downhill thrill of riding without the usual toil of getting to the mountaintop. Rental bikes of all kinds are also available. The choices in riding terrain are just as varied: easy-riding lush meadows teeming with wildflowers; exhilarating singletracks; bridges over mountain streams, and more.
Runners-up:
- Snowmass Bike Park
- Winter Park Resort
- Garden of the Gods
- Vail Mountain
- Hayden Green Mountain Park
BEST PLACE TO PLAY HOOKY
DENVER ZOO
What better place to spend the day – after calling in sick (cough, cough). The Denver Zoo encompasses 84 acres on the edge of City Park and boasts more than 3,000 wild animals that enchant visitors while serving as ambassadors for their wild counterparts all over the world. The zoo’s award-winning education and outreach teams spark curiosity for learners of all ages.
The zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Online timed ticket reservations are required for entry.
Runners-up:
BEST PLACE TO RIVER RAFT
BUENA VISTA
Just an hour and a half drive from Denver, Buena Vista boasts the highest concentration of 14ers in the state and is a jumping-off point for a number of rafting options on the Arkansas River. It’s also home to experienced river-rafting guide services that offer numerous packages for rafting with varying degrees of difficulty and duration – from half-days to 10 days.
Runners-up:
BEST PLACE TO SKI
BEAVER RUN RESORT BRECKENRIDGE
For ski-in, ski-out access, it doesn’t get any better than Beaver Run Resort & Conference Center, conveniently located at the base of Peak 9 of the Breckenridge Ski Resort. There are also on-site rental shops, a lift-ticket office, retail shops and dining. In the summer, Beaver Run serves as a base camp for hiking, biking, fly fishing and outdoor adventures.
Runners-up:
BEST CASINO
MONARCH CASINO RESORT SPA BLACK HAWK
Located just 45 minutes from downtown Denver, Monarch Casino boasts more than 1,000 slot machines, 42 table games, additional high-stakes games and amenities for high rollers, and the new state-of-the-art Sportsbook Lounge where you can make straight wagers or bet on parlays, teasers, futures, prop bets and more.
Runners-up:
BEST COUNTRY CLUB
GLENMOOR COUNTRY CLUB
Located in Cherry Hills Village, Glenmoor Country Club features an 18-hole Pete Dye championship golf course, restaurant, three bars, an expansive patio area, a 10-court tennis facility, fitness gym, kids’ activity room and outdoor playground, as well two swimming pools. Members enjoy a sense of community, spectacular cuisine, junior programs, and events throughout the year.
Runners-up:
BEST SPORTS STADIUM OR VENUE
COORS FIELD
A day at Coors Field in downtown Denver is enjoyable no matter what, thanks largely to the cool nights and palatable summer days (compared to most cities), but also thanks to the stadium’s fan-friendly design that allows for easy walking around and a range of ticket prices, from behind home plate to the Rock Pile in center field, to accommodate most budgets. The stadium, which opened in 1995 and holds 50,000 people, was designed with fans in mind, and they show up no matter how the Rockies are doing. Indeed, in their 30-year history, the Rockies have never won the NL West title, yet they consistently rank among the top franchises in Major League Baseball for attendance.
Runners-up:
BEST PUBLIC GOLF COURSE
FOSSIL TRACE GOLF CLUB
Located in Golden, just 20 minutes from downtown Denver, Fossil Trace gives golfers a mountain course feel in an urban setting. The Jim Engh-designed course opened in the summer of 2003, and in its relatively short history, it has come to be considered one of the finest courses and golf experiences in Colorado.
There’s also a prehistoric flavor, as dinosaur footprints and other ancient creatures’ fossils are visible adjacent to the golf course’s 12th green.
Runners-up:
BEST PRIVATE GOLF COURSE
THE SANCTUARY
The brainchild of RE/MAX Chairman and co-founder Dave Liniger, The Sanctuary was designed by award-winning architect Jim Engh and opened for play (for those lucky enough to get an invite) in 1996. The course in Castle Pines, south of Denver, occupies 220 stunning acres, and traffic is limited to 9,000 rounds per year, mostly for charity events, to preserve an ecosystem that black bears, bobcats and mountain lions also call home.
Runners-up:
- Golf Club at Castle Pines
- Meridian Golf Club
- Pinehurst Country Club
- The Club at Rolling Hills
- The Club at Flying Horse
- Glenmoor Country Club
- Arrowhead Golf Course
BEST ONLINE SPORTS BETTING PLATFORM (TIE)
DRAFTKINGS
Sports wagering is legal in an increasing number of states, including Colorado. It’s fitting that DraftKings and FanDuel would tie for Best Online Sports Betting Platform. Both got started as fantasy sports sites, which most states considered activities of skill rather than chance (gambling). In Nov. 2016, the two companies reached an agreement to merge, but that was blocked by the Federal Trade Commission to prevent a potential monopoly, as the combined company would have controlled 90 percent of the market for daily fantasy sports. Now they’re the two biggest names in an increasingly accepted (and legal) online sports betting industry.
FANDUEL
Like its rival DraftKings, FanDuel Sportsbook, currently available in 17 states, offers wagering on all major U.S. sports and betting formats that include spreads, money lines, NFL team odds, prop bets, single bets or same-game team parlays. “If you can dream it, you can (probably) bet it,” FanDuel says. All from your phone
