Places to go in Colorado...

If you find yourself with some time to spare after the wedding, you may want to drive to one of Colorado's many mountain towns to see some new scenery, and explore some of the wilderness.

Here are some suggestions of our favourite places:

Aspen - About 2.5 hours from Keystone, 3.5 from Denver. You can visit the Maroon Bells, pictured above. Take a day rafting trip on the Arkansas River after a drive over the beautiful Independence Pass. Great hiking in Snowmass wilderness area. Nice swanky restaurants. There are usually lots of ski cabins available that are cheap due to off season.

Crested Butte - about 3-4 hours from Keystone, 4-5 hours from Denver. Beautiful old mining/ski town in the middle of a huge wilderness area, known as the wildflower capital of Colorado. There are lots of beautiful places to hike and explore. Quiet and less touristy. Visit the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

Durango/Silverton/Telluride/Ouray - South-West Colorado. 5-6 hours from Keystone, 6-7 hours from Denver. By far the best views/sites in Colorado if you don't mind the drive. You can see the Native American cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde National Park. Also the Sliverton-Durango railroad is one of the best railway journeys in the world. All four towns are great traditional old mining towns with amazing scenery of the San Juan mountains.

Estes Park - a really nice 2.5 hour drive from Keystone, only 1.5 from Denver. The main town serving Rocky Mountain National Park. See lots of elk and other wildlife. Unfortunately, it gets very touristy and busy in summer. Still, a bit of research will get you off the beaten path, away from others.