United States
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Colorado is one of my favorite states in the US. Not only is it beautiful and historic, but it is also full of some of the nicest citizens of any state I have ever been too. While I have long since said I will always call Austin, Texas home, if there is any place I did leave there for it would be somewhere in Colorado. Never been? I recommend checking it out. Below are seven unique choices to help get your plans started:
One Hundred Gold Mine Tour
Location: Silverton
Cost: $10-20/person depending kid/senior/adult
More Info: Official Web Site
With history dating back to the 1870s, the Old Hundred Gold Mine hit pay dirt just after the turn of the century when they began supplying gold bars to the Denver Mint for use in coining. However the ever-increasing yields from the mine were the begin of the end and before long it was officially "mined out".
All-in-all the tour lasts almost an hour. After getting loaded up (and bundled up, it is a little chilly underground) you board the railcars and proceed underground. There we explored a couple of the original veins with a guide who gave us a firsthand history lesson of both the mine and mining processes. But the scenery does not stop there; even outside of the mine shafts the backdrop of the local mountains is breathtaking. One neat part of the tour includes a view of the original miners' cabin, which if I remember correctly dates back to 1904. The thing is perched way up on the mountain and just barely is hanging on. As a matter-of-fact, when they first built the cabin they had to secure it to the nearby rock face with metal cables to prevent it from falling down the mountain. Wild!
And of course no tour of a gold mine would be complete without a stop at a real-life sluice box where you can take your turn at panning for gold, silver, and other semi-precious stones just like the gold panners of the past did. And, yes, no worries: you get to keep whatever you.
Due to the local weather this tour only operates during the warm season, from May to October. And, as with any decent tour, there is also a gift shop selling all sorts of related souvenirs and trinkets as well as snacks and drinks. Check the official web site for more information on directions, rates, and operating hours.
Royal Gorge Bridge & Park
Location: Canon City
Cost: $19-25/person depending kid/senior/adult
More Info: Official Web Site
Wow, where to start. Think amusement park combined with natural wonder and you might be headed in the right direction. Covering 360 acres and featuring nearly two dozen rides, shows, and attractions to keep you amused, it is hard to get in and out of this place in less than a couple hours -- but then again, why would you want to rush it.
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Yet Another Sight To See In Colorado
As if there were not enough sights in Colorado to visit, recently I stumbled upon another. Known as the Garden Of The Gods, this place got its namesake in 1859 from two surveyors from nearby Colorado City who happened to stumble upon the rock formations while exploring the area. As is too often the case, namesake goes to the first white guy to brag about something he discovered, instead of the locals who all-too-often have known of the existence of that place/species for 1,000+ years... Anyway, I digress...
The beauty of this place -- well, besides the obvious natural beauty -- is the this park has always been, and will always be, 100% free to the public. The park itself consists of a few main roads looping around the red rocks with numerous scenic overlooks and photo spots, as well as trails for hiking, biking, and even horseback riding. There are even Segway tours run by the nearby Garden Of The Gods Visitor & Nature Center, located just a few hundred yards down the road from the entrance to the park.
Once you have had your fix of the free views and explored all you can around the park, I recommend following it up with a brief visit by the Garden Of The Gods Visitor & Nature Center. Just like any other national park souvenir shop, this place has it all. From historical items, local gems, books, artwork, clothes, postcards, local floral, and anything and everything else you would expect to find, this place has it.
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