Known for its mountains, skiing, and sunny weather, Colorado has something for everyone, from hot springs to outstanding Mexican cuisine, rodeos and great live music. Home to many excellent micro-breweries as well as the largest commercial brewery in the world, cosmopolitan Denver is only hours away from Vail, Aspen, and other world-class ski resorts, providing a delightful contrast to the Rockies' austere beauty. Art fans and history buffs will enjoy the Mile-High-City's many world-class museums, including the Denver Art Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Colorado History Museum, and the Denver Botanic Gardens, 23 acres in the heart of the city where families can roam among hundreds of species of indigenous and exotic plants. A half-hour north of Denver, the college town of Boulder is a gateway to the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, where residents and visitors alike enjoy camping, rock climbing, and hiking in the spring and summer months, and skiing and snowshoeing in winter. For two weeks at the end of September and beginning of October, Colorado aspen trees turn a bright golden yellow, providing outstanding opportunities for photographers, particularly in the mountain passes near Crested Butte and Paonia and in Rocky Mountain National Park. Herds of elk and other large animals such as black bear and mountain lion roam thousands of acres of protected parkland, and the Continental Divide Trail and towering 'fourteeners' attract thousands of hikers and backpackers yearly. In Boulder, the National Center for Atmospheric Research and Fiske Planetarium offer educational programs, and abandoned gold and silver mines throughout the state testify to its pioneer heritage. Vineyards on the Western Slope produce reputable wines and offer tours and tastings. Travelers will be enchanted with Colorado's many historic inns, guest lodges, and colorful B&Bs. Campgrounds and mountain cabins provide more primitive lodging, which has its own charm in a state where wildflower-rich meadows, alpine lakes, and dense forests of pine and spruce are only hours away from bustling and vibrant urban centers.