Sightseeing Sunday: Weird Things to Do in Colorado
Looking for weird things to do in Colorado? We’ve been collecting roadside oddities, oversized objects, offbeat attractions, and stops that make you wonder who looked at a mountain town and decided it needed a castle made of beer cans.
Fun Facts About Colorado
Colorado is the only state to ever turn down the Olympics — voters rejected hosting the 1976 Winter Games after the bid had already been won.
The Mount Evans Scenic Byway climbs to 14,258 feet, making it the highest paved road in North America.
Colorado became a state on August 1, 1876, the same year as the nation’s centennial — earning its nickname, the Centennial State.
Glenwood Springs is home to the largest natural hot springs pool in the world.
Colorado brings mountain-level weird — castles made of beer cans, giant wooden trolls, and a UFO watchtower. Some of these we’ve visited, others are still on our radar. When we’ve been somewhere, the link takes you to our photo page with details and snark. Otherwise, you’ll head to their official site — assuming one exists, since sometimes that’s half the adventure.
Unique Attractions & Weird Things to Do in Colorado
Weird Roadside & Oddities
Antonito
Cano’s Castle – Structure made of beer cans and aluminum. Located at State St & 285 E 10th Ave.
Bailey
Sasquatch Outpost – Bigfoot-themed roadside stop.
Breckenridge
Giant Troll Made of Wood – Located on the Trollstigen Trail.
Colorado Springs
World’s Largest Beetle (Herkimer) – Giant beetle sculpture.
Creede
Largest Fork in the U.S. – Located at 981 La Garita St.
Hooper
UFO Watchtower – Platform for watching potential UFO activity.
Manitou Springs
Penny Arcade – Vintage arcade games.
Rye
Bishop Castle – Hand-built castle created by one man over decades.
Woodland Park
Giant Wooden Chair – Located at Williams Log Cabin Furniture Company, 120 East Midland Avenue.
Factory Tours & Behind-the-Scenes
Boulder
Celestial Seasonings Tea Factory Tour – Currently closed, check website for updates.
Denver
Hammond’s Candy Factory Tour – Free candy-making tours.
Stranahan’s Distillery – Whiskey distillery tours.
U.S. Mint – Free coin-making tours (first-come, first-served tickets, 5 per person, ages 7+).
Estes Park
The Taffy Shop – Free taffy-making tours (call ahead to confirm production schedule).
Fort Collins
New Belgium Brewing Tour – Brewery tours and tastings.
Idaho Springs
Phoenix Gold Mine – Underground mine tours with gold panning.
Thornton
Amazon Fulfillment Center Tour – Warehouse operations tour.
Parks, Trails & Waterfalls
Telluride
The Gondola – Free 13-minute gondola ride connecting Telluride and Mountain Village with mountain views and trail access.
Trail of the Whispering Giants
Loveland
Redman Indian Monument – One of the Trail of the Whispering Giants statues (moved to a private location, may be removed).
Plan Your Colorado Road Trip
We’re always adding new weird things to do in Colorado to this list, so check back for more roadside attractions, quirky museums, oversized oddities, and future road trip discoveries.
Where to next? Check out our Wyoming roadside attractions guide for more Rocky Mountain adventures, browse our complete roadside attractions by state guide, get tips for traveling with pets, or head back to the Right At The Light homepage.
Interactive Map: Weird Roadside Stops We’re Tracking
This map includes weird roadside attractions, big-rig friendly stops, and places still on our running road trip list across the country.