October has arrived in Colorado. You can tell by the way the Basic B’s along the I-25 burbs have busted out their stylish boots and pumpkins have replaced the pineapples on the porches of their tract homes. A sure sign of fall. It’s time when the Basics B’s husbands swap out their Patagonia vests for, um, well, more Patagonia, and we all pretend to enjoy sipping pumpkin-flavored sludge.
If you’re lucky enough to visit during this crisp, colorful month—or if you live here and need new excuses to avoid raking leaves—here’s the ultimate list of what to do. Spoiler: Bring your wallet and a healthy amount of patience.
1. Get Lost in Corn and Your Own Regrets: Corn Mazes Let’s be honest—nothing says autumn quite like wandering through a maze of dead vegetation while you question your life choices. From the 10-acre corn maze at Chatfield Farms in Littleton to Diana’s Pumpkin Patch in Cañon City, Colorado’s got you covered in the “what was I thinking?” department (Uncover Colorado) (Hashtag Colorado Life). Kids love it, and if you’re really lucky, you might make it out before sundown. More info: Chatfield Farms Pumpkin Festival
2. Boo at the Zoo – If You Enjoy Watching Your Kids Eat Candy at 8 p.m. Take the kids to Denver’s or Colorado Springs’ Boo at the Zoo, where costumed chaos meets nocturnal creatures. You’ll spend most of the evening convincing your little ones that no, they can’t live at the zoo and yes, they can have one more Snickers (Hashtag Colorado Life) (Uncover Colorado). Perfect family fun, just don’t forget to load up on patience and extra insulin. More info: Boo at the Zoo
3. Great American Beer Festival – Where Pretending to Know About Hops Is a Sport This is the beer-lover’s paradise, and an event where people will sip 200 kinds of craft beer like they’re professional tasters. The only thing scarier than the hangover is the line for the bathroom. Running October 10-12 in Denver (Uncover Colorado) (Hashtag Colorado Life). Remember to hydrate, folks. More info: Great American Beer Festival
4. Aspen Film Festival – Get Fancy and Pretend You Understand Indie Films If you’ve ever wanted to sip overpriced coffee while pretending to understand artistic films, Aspen’s Filmfest from September 17-22 is for you. It’s a great way to rub shoulders with people who probably have stronger opinions about directors than you have about your own life (Uncover Colorado). More info: Aspen Film Festival
5. Scenic Drives – The Lazy Man’s Guide to “Hiking” Why hike when you can gawk at the scenery from the comfort of your car? The Peak-to-Peak Highway and the Million Dollar Highway (because you don’t get this level of leaf-peeping for free) are famous for their breathtaking fall colors (Uncover Colorado) (Fox in the Forest). Sit back, enjoy the view, and make sure to take some photos to convince your friends you’re outdoorsy.
6. Stay in a Haunted Hotel – Because Why Not Pay to Be Terrified? October is the perfect time to scare yourself silly by staying at one of Colorado’s haunted hotels. The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park—yes, the one that inspired The Shining—is the quintessential stop for those who enjoy ghosts… or just the ambiance of historic drafty buildings (Uncover Colorado) (Fox in the Forest). More info: The Stanley Hotel
7. Elk Fest – Where Elk Get More Attention Than You Ever Will Head to Estes Park for the annual Elk Fest, where thousands of people gather to admire elk doing what elk do—bugle loudly and act like the kings of the forest. This is nature’s version of reality TV (Hashtag Colorado Life) (Uncover Colorado). Trust me, the elk are more entertaining than your favorite Netflix show. More info: Elk Fest
8. Telluride Horror Show – Where Watching Horror Films in the Mountains Is Somehow Creepier Love horror? Then the Telluride Horror Show, running October 11-13, is for you. There’s nothing like watching scary movies in a secluded mountain town to make you question every creak and shadow back at your Airbnb (Uncover Colorado) (Uncover Colorado). More info: Telluride Horror Show
9. Knock Your Boots Off Beer & Chili Cook-Off – Beer, Chili, and Fire in Your Mouth Head to Golden on October 19 for this classic combo of beer tasting and chili that’ll leave you regretting your life choices (and the third helping of spicy chili) (Uncover Colorado) (Uncover Colorado). But hey, it’s for a good cause, so you can feel charitable as your stomach burns.
10. Emma Crawford Coffin Races – Because Racing Coffins Is a Thing Now Manitou Springs hosts the Emma Crawford Coffin Races on October 26, where people literally race coffins down the street to honor a quirky local legend. If this doesn’t scream “small-town Colorado charm,” I don’t know what does (Uncover Colorado). More info: Emma Crawford Coffin Races
If you somehow survive all these events, congratulations! You’ve officially Colorado’ed (yes, my beloved home state is somehow now a verb) in October. Just don’t forget to share those pics of golden aspens—because if you didn’t post it on the ‘gram, did it even happen?
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