The best honeymoon spots in Colorado

Planning a honeymoon in Colorado? It’s such an amazing place to visit and would make for such a fun and adventurous honeymoon! Whether you want to hike in the mountains, explore cute mountain towns, soak in hot springs, or get pampered at a luxurious resort, Colorado has a little bit of everything.

I spent nearly 14 years living in the Colorado mountains as a wedding photographer, and I’ve been lucky enough to visit so many incredible places throughout the state. I’m excited to share some of my favorites, along with advice on where to stay, when to visit, and how to plan your Colorado honeymoon. Whether you’re looking to spend a week in one mountain town or explore a few different areas, I’ve also included a road trip itinerary to help you put it all together.

Best Time to Visit Colorado for a Honeymoon

Colorado is a year-round destination, but the best time to visit really depends on what kind of trip you’re planning and where you’re going. Elevation plays a big role in the weather, and Denver can feel completely different from the mountain towns. Once you’ve narrowed down where you want to go, be sure to look into the typical weather for that area and check the forecast closer to your trip.

Weekends and holidays can get busy, especially in popular mountain towns. If you have some flexibility with your honeymoon dates, I’d recommend visiting during the week when possible. You’ll often find fewer crowds, and sometimes better hotel rates, too.

• Summer (June–August): Perfect if you’re dreaming of wildflowers, hiking, and warm days exploring the mountains. It’s one of my favorite times to be outside in Colorado, although afternoon thunderstorms are common in the mountains.
• Fall (September–October): Fall is such an amazing time in Colorado! The aspens turn bright yellow, and the mountain views are gorgeous. September is usually your best bet for seeing the fall colors at higher elevations, although the timing changes each year. Popular leaf-peeping areas can get pretty busy on weekends.
• Winter (December–March): If you’re dreaming of a snowy honeymoon, Colorado is a great place for it. Think cozy cabins, hot tubs, warm drinks, and days spent skiing or snowboarding. Just keep in mind that winter driving in the mountains can be challenging, especially during snowstorms.
• Mud season (April–May and parts of October–November): Mud season is underrated, especially if you’re hoping to avoid the crowds or find better deals. You’ll often still see snow on the peaks, but some trails can be muddy or snow-covered, and certain restaurants, shops, and activities close temporarily between seasons. It’s worth checking what’s open before booking.

Colorado Honeymoon Itinerary

If you have 10–14 days for your Colorado honeymoon, I’d definitely consider turning it into a road trip! Colorado has so many incredible places to explore, and a road trip is a great way to visit a few different mountain towns, enjoy some gorgeous mountain views, and fit in plenty of adventures along the way.

For this itinerary, I’d recommend flying into Denver, renting a car, and visiting Breckenridge or Vail, Aspen, and Telluride before heading back to Denver. You’ll get a little bit of everything, from cute mountain towns and outdoor activities to amazing restaurants, luxurious hotels, and places to relax.

Personally, I’d rather spend a few nights in each town than try to squeeze too many destinations into one trip. You can easily adjust the itinerary depending on how much time you have and what you want to do and see.

A quick note on the seasons: I’d recommend this road trip during summer or early fall, when you can enjoy hiking, scenic drives, and outdoor activities. Some mountain passes, including Independence Pass near Aspen, close during the winter, and mountain driving can be challenging when there’s snow. If you’re planning a winter honeymoon, I’d recommend staying in one mountain town instead. I’ll share more about that below!

Day 1: Arrive in Denver

I’d recommend starting your honeymoon in Denver and spending your first night here before heading into the mountains. Denver sits at 5,280 feet, while many of Colorado’s mountain towns are closer to 8,000–10,000 feet. Spending a night in Denver can be a good way to start adjusting to the elevation before heading higher into the mountains, especially if you’re coming from sea level.

Denver has some fun neighborhoods to explore, so you can easily spend an afternoon walking around, grabbing dinner, or checking out a few breweries. LoDo (Lower Downtown) is a great place to start, with Union Station, restaurants, and bars within walking distance. RiNo (River North Art District) has a more artsy feel, with murals, breweries, and restaurants, and LoHi (Lower Highland) is another fun area for dinner and drinks.

If you have extra time, Golden and Red Rocks are also worth checking out. Otherwise, I’d keep your first day fairly relaxed before driving into the mountains the next morning.

Where to stay: The Ramble Hotel or The Crawford Hotel.

Days 2–4: Breckenridge or Vail

After spending your first night in Denver, head into the mountains! Breckenridge and Vail are both great places to start your honeymoon, and each is roughly two hours from Denver in good driving conditions.

Both towns have gorgeous mountain views, skiing, hiking, restaurants, and plenty of things to do, but they have a slightly different feel.

Breckenridge is such a special place to visit! I lived here for years, and I love the character of the historic downtown, with cute shops, restaurants, breweries, and so much to do outside. It’s still a high-end destination with some amazing resorts, but it has a more casual, laid-back feel than Vail or Aspen.

Vail is a little more luxurious, with beautiful European-style villages, high-end hotels, spas, shopping, and restaurants. If you’re dreaming of a honeymoon with a little more pampering and resort time, Vail would be a great choice.

The two towns are only about an hour apart in good conditions, so you could easily visit both without changing hotels. I’d recommend choosing one as your home base for a few nights and exploring the other on a day trip if you have time.

Where to stay:

• Breckenridge: Grand Colorado on Peak 8 or Gravity Haus
• Vail: The Sonnenalp or Four Seasons Vail

Days 5–7: Aspen

If you have a little more time, Aspen is another great mountain town to add to your honeymoon!

Aspen has some of the same character that I love about Breckenridge, but it’s definitely a step up when it comes to luxury. It’s known for its designer shopping, incredible restaurants, high-end hotels, and outdoor activities.

I’ve photographed quite a few weddings in Aspen over the years, and I always enjoy getting to explore downtown when I’m there. It’s such a cute town to walk around, pop into shops, and grab something to eat.

You could spend a few days exploring Aspen, visiting the Maroon Bells, hiking, or enjoying a spa day. It’s also a great place to splurge on a nice hotel or a special dinner.

If you’re planning a shorter honeymoon, you could easily choose between one of the three. You definitely don’t need to visit all three!

Where to stay: The Little Nell or Hotel Jerome.

Days 8–10: Telluride & the San Juan Mountains

Telluride is one of my favorite places in Colorado, and if you have the time, I’d highly recommend adding it to your honeymoon! It’s a longer drive from Aspen, but the San Juan Mountains have some of the most incredible mountain views in the state.

Telluride is a little more remote than Breckenridge, Vail, or Aspen, and that’s part of what makes it so special. It’s tucked into a valley surrounded by huge mountain peaks, with a cute downtown, amazing hiking, and plenty of outdoor activities.

I’d recommend spending at least two or three nights here. Take the free gondola between Telluride and Mountain Village, explore downtown, and get outside for a hike or scenic drive.

If you have an extra day, I’d also recommend visiting Ouray! It’s a small mountain town about an hour to an hour and a half from Telluride by the main paved route, with incredible mountain views, hot springs, and a cute downtown. You could easily make a day of it, especially if you enjoy exploring smaller mountain towns.

Where to stay: The Madeline Hotel in Mountain Village or Hotel Telluride closer to downtown.

Optional honeymoon splurge: Dunton Hot Springs

If you’re looking for somewhere really special to spend a few nights, Dunton Hot Springs is worth considering!

It’s a secluded resort in the San Juan Mountains with rustic luxury cabins, natural hot springs, spa treatments, and gourmet meals. Dunton has been on my Colorado bucket list for years.

If it’s within your budget, I’d consider spending two or three nights here instead of some of your nights in Telluride, or adding it to a longer trip.

Days 11–14: Head Back to Denver

After exploring Telluride and the San Juan Mountains, you’ll have a pretty long drive back to Denver. If you have some extra time, I’d recommend breaking it up along the way.

One place I love in Western Colorado is Palisade! It’s such a cute, small town known for its wineries, orchards, and famous Palisade peaches. The landscape is completely different from the mountain towns, and it’s a fun area to explore if you’re into wine.

Palisade is fairly quiet, and I wouldn’t necessarily recommend spending several days here unless you’re planning on visiting wineries or exploring more of Western Colorado. But if you enjoy wine tasting, it’s a great place to spend an afternoon or even stay for a night.

From there, head to Denver for your final night. I’d recommend staying in the city or near the airport before your flight, especially if you’re leaving early the next morning.

Explore More of Colorado

There are so many places worth visiting in Colorado, and it’s hard to fit everything into one trip! If you have some extra time or want to switch up the itinerary, here are a few other areas I’d consider.

• Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs: If you’ve never been to Colorado, this is such a cool place to visit! The giant red rock formations are completely different from the mountain views you’ll find in the ski towns. Spend some time walking the trails, exploring Colorado Springs, or even staying a night or two in the area. It’s a detour from this particular road trip, so I’d plan it as an alternative stop rather than trying to squeeze it into an already full itinerary.
• Estes Park & Rocky Mountain National Park: If you love hiking, wildlife, and scenic drives, this is another amazing area to explore. Estes Park sits right outside Rocky Mountain National Park, and you could easily spend a few days here. We stayed at The Historic Stanley Hotel and loved it!
• Steamboat Springs: Steamboat is another cute Colorado mountain town, with more of a laid-back, western feel. One of my favorite things to do in the area is visit Strawberry Park Hot Springs. If you’ve never been to a natural hot spring, I’d definitely recommend adding one to your Colorado bucket list!

Planning a Shorter or Winter Honeymoon?

If you only have 5–7 days, I’d recommend choosing one mountain town rather than trying to squeeze this entire road trip into a shorter vacation.

Breckenridge, Vail, Aspen, and Telluride all have plenty to do, and you could easily spend a week enjoying one area with a few nearby day trips.

For a winter honeymoon, I’d especially recommend staying in one location for five to seven nights. Colorado’s mountain roads can be challenging during snowstorms, and you don’t want to spend your honeymoon worrying about driving conditions or constantly changing hotels.

If you’re planning a ski honeymoon, look into flying into Denver and booking a mountain shuttle instead of renting a car. Depending on where you’re staying, you may be able to walk, use local transportation, or take hotel shuttles for most of your trip.

That way, you can spend more time skiing, exploring town, enjoying the hot tub, or relaxing together without needing to drive everywhere.

Looking for a Romantic Place to Stay?

Colorado has some amazing hotels and resorts, whether you’re looking for a cozy mountain cabin, a luxury ski resort, or somewhere secluded to spend a few days together.

I’ve put together a separate guide to the best resorts in Colorado for couples if you’re looking for more places to stay for your honeymoon.

Fun Things to Do on Your Honeymoon in Colorado

One of my favorite things about Colorado is how many different activities there are! You can spend your honeymoon hiking and exploring the mountains, relaxing at a beautiful resort, or enjoying a little bit of both.

Here are a few fun things I’d recommend adding to your Colorado honeymoon:

• Soak in a natural hot spring. Colorado has some amazing hot springs, and it’s such a fun way to relax after a day of exploring. Strawberry Park Hot Springs in Steamboat Springs is one of my favorites!
• Take a scenic gondola ride. You don’t have to be skiing to enjoy a gondola ride! Several Colorado mountain resorts offer scenic rides, especially during the summer. The Mighty Argo is a new Gondola in Idaho Springs and is another option worth checking out.
• Explore Red Rocks or catch a concert. If you’re spending time near Denver, Red Rocks is definitely worth visiting. You can explore the amphitheater, walk around the area, or catch a concert if there’s one happening during your trip.
• Take a scenic train ride through the mountains. The Royal Gorge Route Railroad is a fun way to enjoy the mountain views without having to drive. You can even book a dining experience onboard!
• Go horseback riding. There are some beautiful ranches and guided horseback rides throughout Colorado. It’s a fun way to get outside and explore somewhere new together.
• Book a guided fly-fishing trip. If you love fishing or want to try something new, Colorado has some amazing rivers and guided trips for beginners.
• Go dog sledding in Breckenridge. If you’re planning a winter honeymoon, this is such a fun experience! I’ve been dog sledding in Colorado, and it’s definitely something I’d recommend trying at least once.
• Book a couples massage or spa day. After all the wedding planning, you might want a day to do absolutely nothing! Colorado has some incredible mountain resorts with spas, hot tubs, and places to relax.
• Go for a scenic hike or pack a picnic. You don’t need to book an expensive activity every day. Some of my favorite experiences in Colorado are simply getting outside and enjoying the mountains.

Looking for more Colorado bucket-list experiences? I’ve put together a full guide to fun things to do in Colorado for couples with even more ideas for your trip.