Moving to Colorado can be your lifetime opportunity for an exciting and much-needed change in your life.
To help you make the right decision, we have done extensive and time-consuming research and have compiled a comprehensive list of solid and indisputable reasons why moving to Denver, Colorado Springs, or any other great city in the state of Colorado is very likely to be the best thing that ever happened to you.
So, without further ado, please welcome the top 12 reasons why you should move to Colorado. Like right now.
1. Denver
Denver is one of the few U.S. cities that was not built on a road, railroad, or body of water. It was the gold found there that attracted settlers to the area.
Denver is the largest city and capital of Colorado.
Nicknamed the Mile-High City (its elevation is exactly one mile above sea level), the state capital (pop. 649,495) is the most populous city within a 500-mile (800 km) radius.
Denver is a very active city that attracts scores of people with:
many nationally recognized museums, including the Denver Art Museum and Denver Performing Arts Complex – the second largest performing arts center in the world after Lincoln Center in NYC;
endless outdoor opportunities thanks to the proximity to the mountains and the presence of 200 parks and 29 recreation centers within the city limits;
the 3,106 hours or 300 days of sunshine a year;
and lively neighborhoods, including the historic and trendy LoDo (Lower Downtown).
The Colorado Balloon Classic is an annual event held in Memorial Park, Colorado Springs. It has become the largest and the longest continuously running hot air balloon festival in the state of Colorado.
Located in the east-central part of the state and at the base of the signature mountain Pikes Peak, Colorado Springs (pop. 439,886) is the second most populous city in the state of Colorado behind Denver.
The city’s economy relies primarily on the military (the United States Air Force Academy, the youngest of the five U.S. service academies, is located in the city and attracts more than 1 million visitors each year), the high-tech industry (manufacture of high tech and complex electronic equipment) and tourism (the Rocky Mountains plus more than 55 attraction within the city account for 5 million annual visitors to the area).
Colorado Springs has been the setting for many books, movies, and television shows, including the hugely popular Western drama series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.
3. Unmatched Natural Beauty
Colorado is world-famous for its natural diversity: alpine mountains, arid plains, deserts with amazing sand dunes, great canyons, green forests, long rivers, and clear lakes.
The beauty of Colorado’s nature simply cannot be put into words – the state is home to
4 national parks,
7 national monuments,
2 national recreation areas,
2 national historic sites,
3 national historic trails,
1 national scenic trail,
11 national forests,
2 national grasslands,
41 national wilderness areas,
2 national conservation areas,
8 national wildlife refuges,
44 state parks,
307 state wildlife areas,
and a great number of other scenic, historic, and recreational areas.
Actually, one person has managed to do it – while enjoying the majestic view from Pikes Peak, Katherine Lee Bates wrote the words to one of the most popular American patriotic songs – America the Beautiful.
4. Majestic Mountains
Pikes Peak is one of the most famous American mountains – more than 400,000 people climb the easternmost “14er” each year.
Because of the great number of mountains, ranges, and peaks, Colorado is also known as The Switzerland of America (although the state is six times the size of the European country).
At 14,440 feet (4,401 m), the summit of Mount Elbert is the highest point of the Rocky Mountains and the state of Colorado.
Also, the Rockies within the state contain 53 “fourteeners” – peaks that are 14,000 feet (4,267 m) or higher in elevation above sea level.
5. Way To Go, Coloradans!
Colorado is the only state in history to turn down the Olympic Games to preserve its nature.
Coloradans do love their nature and are more than ready to go to great lengths to protect it.
In 1972, the state residents shocked the world when they voted against hosting the Winter Olympics that were supposed to be held in Denver.
The reason? The cost and the pollution the event would have on the state of Colorado and the city of Denver.
6. Nature In Colorado Is Sacred
Built by the Ancient Pueblo Peoples out of sandstone, mortar, and wooden beams, the Cliff Palace is located in Mesa Verde National Park and is the largest cliff dwelling in North America.
A little piece of advice: think twice before taking it out on the rock that you tripped on and hurt yourself when you fell down. Why?
The answer is simple – the law in Colorado says that one may not mutilate a rock in a state park.
Yes, you read it right.
Here’s the full text of the law, “It is unlawful for any person to willfully mar, mutilate, deface, disfigure, or injure beyond normal use any rocks, trees, shrubbery, wild flowers, or other features of the natural environment in recreation areas of the state.“
7. Unique Museums
The entrance to the Bug Museum in Colorado Springs
Located just south of Colorado Springs, the May Natural History Museum of the Tropics, also known as the Bug Museum, has a collection of more than 8,000 bugs.
In reality, the collection is much larger (exceeding 100,000 insects) but only the most “beautiful” and valuable exhibits have been placed on display.
The museum’s featured bug is so big that it’s known to break streetlights and knock people down if it hits them in flight. The Hercules Beetle can reach 6.75 in (17 cm) in length and can lift more than 850 times its own weight.
8. Thrilling Sports
Coors Field, Colorado Rockies’ home field, is probably the best ballpark in the nation for home runs. Because of Denver’s high elevation and dry air, the hit baseballs fly much farther than the ones in other sports venues.
As long as you’re a sports fan, you can never be bored in Colorado. The Denver metropolitan area has sports clubs in all five major professional sports leagues:
Boulder Beer Company, Colorado’s First Microbrewery, was created in 1979 by two professors at the University of Colorado on the site of a small farm northeast of the city of Boulder.
Beer lovers just adore Colorado.
The state has more microbreweries per capita than any other state and has been ranked number one in the country in terms of gross beer production by the Beer Institute.
Adolph Coors Co. in the city of Golden is the largest single brewery in the world with an annual production of 22 million barrels of beer.
10. Excellent Wine
Many of the wines produced in Colorado have won prestigious national and international awards for their outstanding quality.
Are you a wine aficionado?
If you are, then Colorful Colorado is the place for you.
Some of the highest-elevation vineyards in the entire world (between 4,000 feet (1,219 m) and 7,000 feet (2,134 m) above sea level) can be found in Colorado.
More than 100 commercial wineries produce wines from the traditional grapes Vitis vinifera, including some special selections made from plums, peaches, cherries, and honey.
11. Open-mindedness
On January 1, 2014, the first recreational marijuana shops in the state, as well as in the entire country, welcomed their first customers.
On November 6, 2012, Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize the recreational use of cannabis.
The personal usage of marijuana for adults 21 or older is regulated in a manner similar to alcohol.
Currently, the state capital has more marijuana dispensers than Starbucks stores.
12. Even More Reasons To Move To Colorado (Prepare To Be Amazed!)
The Four Corners is the only meeting point of four states (Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah) in the United States. The location is commemorated by a special Four Corners Monument.
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The Colorado Trail is a 486-mile (782 km) hiking trail that connects Durango and Denver. The trail crosses 8 mountain ranges, 7 national forests, 6 wilderness areas, and 5 river systems.
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The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve has the tallest sand dunes in North America (750 feet, 230 m). The National Park Service ranked the park as being the quietest national park in the United States.
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With an area of 500 square miles (1,300 square km), The Grand Mesa is the largest flat-topped mountain in the world. The mesa (“table” in Spanish) is located in western Colorado, stretches for 40 miles (64 km), and has more than 300 lakes scattered along its top.
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The Manitou and Pikes Peak Railway (aka Pikes Peak Cog Railway) is the highest railway in the United States that climbs up to Pikes Peak. It has been built and is operated entirely for tourism purposes.
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Colorado has the highest paved road in North America – Mount Evans Scenic Byway. The paved road climbs up to Mt. Evans to 14,258 feet (4,345 m) above sea level.
If you need professional assistance with your relocation to the colorful state of Colorado, you can always hire a reliable moving company. Use our free Moving Cost Calculator to learn in advance how much your move to the Mile-High City will cost.
Nice article, all of the reasons are worth considering a move to Colorado. There is one reason, though, which is not mentioned here and its significance easily overrides the rest – Colorado is the state where you can get drunk faster than anywhere else in the United States (due to its higher altitude)! Cheers!
Been in CO for almost a year. The mountains are beautiful but that’s about it. Lots of crime, overpopulated, you will encounter road rage at least once a day on the highways, customer service is non existent in every profession, people are selfish and don’t like others that are more successful. Summer is the best season. If you ski and live in Denver, prepare to sit in traffic at least 3-4 hours each way cause I-70 is 2 lanes each way. Avoid people from Pueblo!
It's not all that and a bag of chips. Cost of living is ridiculous. The dog breed ban is one worst in the U.S.. The place reeks of pot. And best of all, you have to contend with a bunch of people who were brain cell deficient even before they started smoking the pot. Not impressed. At all.
My son moved to Colorado , Denver and loves it compared to the crowded State of Md. I’m not knocking Md. The East Coast is crowded in general and he loves cold weather. I’m looking for a place outside Denver to be near him. Any suggestions? I’ve heard the commerce is booming due to recent law changes I will not discuss, not interested in a political discussion. I just want to be there for family reasons. A condo I’m retired.
I live in Washington State and have for 30 years. Boy, the grass is always greener, isn’t it? At least, that is the way it seems to us! You say things that you want about Colorado that are unkind and negative. This, I believe is to keep people OUT of Colorado. This is what people from Washington State do as well. I hate that so much. Don’t be selfish. Colorado is a really beautiful state and it is clear that you just want to keep it all to yourself. Just know that we (in Washington State) try the same thing to keep people out. You can’t do that and it is SO selfish. I always am embarrassed when we do that here. My son and I are planning to move to Colorado after the 1st of the year. I hope that nobody entertains this perspective of the move as you have. How disappointing. However, when you move (and I hope you do) I hope you find a new home where you will be happy and quit complaining about it so that other people can enjoy THEIR home.
Hey, did you move to Colorado? Lived there for 20 years…went to Florida…and it is so beautiful here…but small in Panhandle and very transient..hard to make a living…..I’m trying to get back to Colorado now…but haven’t been there for 12 years…can you tell me what you think…people do say bad things….I will go back to Westminster or Boomfield area…everyone I knew left….Your information be helpful..Thank you Cheryl
Lived there for some time… Such an overrated place. Amazing how people follow state sponsored hype.
>if you are miserable elsewhere, you’ll be just as miserable in Colorado. It’s all in your head 🙂
>overinflated real estate, disproportional to average income. Ridiculous rent
>cost of living is really high.
>food sucks except for Mexican. Majority don’t even have good taste
>the weather is really overrated. Talk to locals. Chances are your car will have major hail damage within 1-2 years…
>they brag about abundance jobs, but that’s mostly crappy jobs
>tons of traffic. Bad drivers + lack of cellphone laws = lots of accidents. Amplified by weed and occasional bad weather.
>good skiing but prepare for overcrowded slopes and again tons of traffic. Really expensive ski resorts. You could spend a fraction of the cost in other great places
>professional services really suck. You’ll notice this a lot in everyday life
>some towns near Denver are still polluted with plutonium from Rocky Flats Plant
>a lot of schools suck. You have to play a lottery to get into better ones but odds are pretty bad. Everybody want to put their kids in select few schools.
>school principle told us that a lot of schools can’t even afford text books. Really?! With all weed taxes and “booming” Colorado economy?
>great camping…if you book 6 months in advance or don’t mind big crowds even in public land spots. Again tons of traffic to and from.
>the number of fat people is the same as everywhere else, they just put on tight sportswear and make sure your see their tattoos
>not a good place to retire – high cost of living
>disproportional number of people with drinking and drug problems, probably beacuse people can’t handle so much happiness. I haven’t seen so many bums in my life, not even in NY
>the magic will wear off quick and you’ll become very discouraged because of the above.
>a lot of people keep saying they love it becase it’s trendy and they don’t want to admit they made a mistake
Otherwise a great state. Move to Colorado buy a state flag sticker and pretend to be… eh happier
Colorado is amazing. I love it here. I was only here for about 6 months when I realized that I never wanted to leave. So I found a great home in Boulder and now good luck getting rid of me. It’s breathtakingly beautiful, and the people are nice. (not everywhere) Its a wonderful place.
in spite of being born and raised in central florida i moved here from florida to colorado in fall 2017 and it was one of the greatest decisions of my life i’ve had more done for me health wise and many other countless ways in the first 6 months vs my 30 yrs in FL saved my life literally no regrets
So glad to hear your message…Please let me know more about your change….thank you so much..I live in the good ole boys network in Destin, Fl….IT is so beautiful….but so man people come and go..I lived in Colorado for 20 years….tell me more…Cheryl
see the point is this.
I have lived in 4 states, California, Texas, Florida and New Jersey, being Texas the brief time, 1 year and California the Longest, 10 years.
in Every State you go, is up to you to make the sun shine upon your head every single day…..every time you get into the highway, is up to you if you decide to join the evil speeders and nasty people driving like devils, cowards using big trucks and muscle cars to harass other drivers, I have seen the same in EVRY SINGLE SATE, is up to you if you are going to join the civilized and respectful drivers that give the chance to those trying to get into the road, is up to you!
Crappy Jobs, Expensive Rents, crowded Highways, nasty people, weed addiction, haters….come on people! the only place where you are not going to see that is in Mars, cause nobody lives there yet….
Every single sate in this big country deals with the same problems……
Welcome to the United States of America folks!
Thank you for that reality check..before I moved from Colorado….I was successful and happy when I lived in Colorado….I agree you make your own happiness….I live in Destin, Florida….it is probably the most beautiful place I have ever lived..goggle Destin Pass…..but hard to make a living….unless in service industry or military….everyone has a real estate license…
I had no idea that Colorado was known as the “Switzerland of America”. My husband and I recently decided that we do not like the way our life is going in our current city, and we want to move to a place where we can enjoy nature and fresh air every day. We are thinking of Colorado, and I am really glad I found this article to help us make that decision.
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Nice article, all of the reasons are worth considering a move to Colorado. There is one reason, though, which is not mentioned here and its significance easily overrides the rest – Colorado is the state where you can get drunk faster than anywhere else in the United States (due to its higher altitude)! Cheers!
I feel like I belong there, ever since I was there when I was 18 years old. I love it in Colorado and can't wait until I can move there.
so did you move to Colorado?I ran across your post is all
I want to live there because of how far ahead they are on animal rights. More than any other state. That is reason enough for me.
Please don't move here!!!! It really sucks here in Colorado. I promise…
I’ve never been to Colorado, yet I have a yearning to come home… I wanna come home.
Been in CO for almost a year. The mountains are beautiful but that’s about it. Lots of crime, overpopulated, you will encounter road rage at least once a day on the highways, customer service is non existent in every profession, people are selfish and don’t like others that are more successful. Summer is the best season. If you ski and live in Denver, prepare to sit in traffic at least 3-4 hours each way cause I-70 is 2 lanes each way. Avoid people from Pueblo!
I guess you haven’t lived in Miami ?
Or Chicago
Or Wisconsin
Or Hawaii
Or Kalifornia
Rich…did you move away?
Wanna keep it all to yourself? If you hated it, wouldn’t you just move?
You're retarded
You're retarded
It's not all that and a bag of chips. Cost of living is ridiculous. The dog breed ban is one worst in the U.S.. The place reeks of pot. And best of all, you have to contend with a bunch of people who were brain cell deficient even before they started smoking the pot. Not impressed. At all.
My son moved to Colorado , Denver and loves it compared to the crowded State of Md. I’m not knocking Md. The East Coast is crowded in general and he loves cold weather. I’m looking for a place outside Denver to be near him. Any suggestions? I’ve heard the commerce is booming due to recent law changes I will not discuss, not interested in a political discussion. I just want to be there for family reasons. A condo I’m retired.
I live in Washington State and have for 30 years. Boy, the grass is always greener, isn’t it? At least, that is the way it seems to us! You say things that you want about Colorado that are unkind and negative. This, I believe is to keep people OUT of Colorado. This is what people from Washington State do as well. I hate that so much. Don’t be selfish. Colorado is a really beautiful state and it is clear that you just want to keep it all to yourself. Just know that we (in Washington State) try the same thing to keep people out. You can’t do that and it is SO selfish. I always am embarrassed when we do that here. My son and I are planning to move to Colorado after the 1st of the year. I hope that nobody entertains this perspective of the move as you have. How disappointing. However, when you move (and I hope you do) I hope you find a new home where you will be happy and quit complaining about it so that other people can enjoy THEIR home.
Hey, did you move to Colorado? Lived there for 20 years…went to Florida…and it is so beautiful here…but small in Panhandle and very transient..hard to make a living…..I’m trying to get back to Colorado now…but haven’t been there for 12 years…can you tell me what you think…people do say bad things….I will go back to Westminster or Boomfield area…everyone I knew left….Your information be helpful..Thank you Cheryl
Lived there for some time… Such an overrated place. Amazing how people follow state sponsored hype.
>if you are miserable elsewhere, you’ll be just as miserable in Colorado. It’s all in your head 🙂
>overinflated real estate, disproportional to average income. Ridiculous rent
>cost of living is really high.
>food sucks except for Mexican. Majority don’t even have good taste
>the weather is really overrated. Talk to locals. Chances are your car will have major hail damage within 1-2 years…
>they brag about abundance jobs, but that’s mostly crappy jobs
>tons of traffic. Bad drivers + lack of cellphone laws = lots of accidents. Amplified by weed and occasional bad weather.
>good skiing but prepare for overcrowded slopes and again tons of traffic. Really expensive ski resorts. You could spend a fraction of the cost in other great places
>professional services really suck. You’ll notice this a lot in everyday life
>some towns near Denver are still polluted with plutonium from Rocky Flats Plant
>a lot of schools suck. You have to play a lottery to get into better ones but odds are pretty bad. Everybody want to put their kids in select few schools.
>school principle told us that a lot of schools can’t even afford text books. Really?! With all weed taxes and “booming” Colorado economy?
>great camping…if you book 6 months in advance or don’t mind big crowds even in public land spots. Again tons of traffic to and from.
>the number of fat people is the same as everywhere else, they just put on tight sportswear and make sure your see their tattoos
>not a good place to retire – high cost of living
>disproportional number of people with drinking and drug problems, probably beacuse people can’t handle so much happiness. I haven’t seen so many bums in my life, not even in NY
>the magic will wear off quick and you’ll become very discouraged because of the above.
>a lot of people keep saying they love it becase it’s trendy and they don’t want to admit they made a mistake
Otherwise a great state. Move to Colorado buy a state flag sticker and pretend to be… eh happier
Colorado is amazing. I love it here. I was only here for about 6 months when I realized that I never wanted to leave. So I found a great home in Boulder and now good luck getting rid of me. It’s breathtakingly beautiful, and the people are nice. (not everywhere) Its a wonderful place.
im doing a paper for school and it would be really helpful if someone could tell me when this was published, thanks
in spite of being born and raised in central florida i moved here from florida to colorado in fall 2017 and it was one of the greatest decisions of my life i’ve had more done for me health wise and many other countless ways in the first 6 months vs my 30 yrs in FL saved my life literally no regrets
living in scotland and I would love to short term rent a small apartment in colorado. any good property rental sites?
So glad to hear your message…Please let me know more about your change….thank you so much..I live in the good ole boys network in Destin, Fl….IT is so beautiful….but so man people come and go..I lived in Colorado for 20 years….tell me more…Cheryl
see the point is this.
I have lived in 4 states, California, Texas, Florida and New Jersey, being Texas the brief time, 1 year and California the Longest, 10 years.
in Every State you go, is up to you to make the sun shine upon your head every single day…..every time you get into the highway, is up to you if you decide to join the evil speeders and nasty people driving like devils, cowards using big trucks and muscle cars to harass other drivers, I have seen the same in EVRY SINGLE SATE, is up to you if you are going to join the civilized and respectful drivers that give the chance to those trying to get into the road, is up to you!
Crappy Jobs, Expensive Rents, crowded Highways, nasty people, weed addiction, haters….come on people! the only place where you are not going to see that is in Mars, cause nobody lives there yet….
Every single sate in this big country deals with the same problems……
Welcome to the United States of America folks!
Thank you for that reality check..before I moved from Colorado….I was successful and happy when I lived in Colorado….I agree you make your own happiness….I live in Destin, Florida….it is probably the most beautiful place I have ever lived..goggle Destin Pass…..but hard to make a living….unless in service industry or military….everyone has a real estate license…
I had no idea that Colorado was known as the “Switzerland of America”. My husband and I recently decided that we do not like the way our life is going in our current city, and we want to move to a place where we can enjoy nature and fresh air every day. We are thinking of Colorado, and I am really glad I found this article to help us make that decision.