The Centennial State is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and craft beer lovers. From bicycling and brewery tours to Red Rocks and Pikes Peak, Coloradans can enjoy recreation in sun and snow. Here are the top places to live in Colorado, according to The U.S. News & World Report Best Places rankings. To top the list, a place must earn high scores in criteria such as desirability and quality of life.

1.     Boulder
For residents seeking wellness, Boulder has opportunities from forest bathing and free meditation sessions to an abundance of marijuana dispensaries, spas and alternative health care studios. The full spectrum of yoga disciplines is represented here, as well as a plethora of fitness options to ignite your curiosity, including parkour, aerial dance and “Animal Flow” ground-based movement classes. People looking to bring balance to their work life can find job perks that include participation in the city’s annual Tube to Work Day. This area attracts young professionals, families, academics, scientists, transplants from both coasts, and above all, lovers of outdoor recreation.

2.     Colorado Springs
Pikes Peak, inspiration for the song “America the Beautiful,” is the backdrop for Colorado Springs. This is a city that blends colorful nature with rugged history and metropolitan spoils. Its parts are distinctive: the booming suburbs in the north and east; the bustling yet easily navigated downtown; the elegant, rustic south side defined by Cheyenne Cañon and the century-old Broadmoor hotel; and the west side, occupied by eateries and shops in what was the old Victorian center of the 1890s gold rush.

3.     Fort Collins
Fort Collins was once overshadowed by Colorado’s heavily populated Front Range and famous mountain ski towns. That status has changed as new residents – increasingly priced out of the Denver or Boulder markets – have moved an hour north to join a growing community that retains a small-town feel. Home to Colorado State University, Fort Collins is known to many nationally as the Napa Valley of craft beer, hosting big names like New Belgium Brewing Co. along with new up-and-comers. Outdoor recreation is a big driver of the economy and popular in social circles. The city’s access to nearby Rocky Mountain National Park and other pristine public spaces helps feed this dynamic.

4.     Denver
Founded in the mid-1800s as a mining hub during the gold rush, Denver has come a long way since its Wild West days. Over time, its residents have evolved from gunslinging gamblers into an easygoing crowd of ambitious, progressive-minded fitness fanatics and nature lovers who are eager to push the envelope on everything from civil rights to drug laws. Nicknamed the Mile High City for its 5,280-foot elevation (although officially reported as 5,279 feet), Denver's location at the base of the Rocky Mountains provides a gateway to a slew of outdoor pursuits, although it is probably best known for its devout ski and snowboard enthusiasts.

Whether you’re looking for a chill vibe or downtown urban activity, Colorado may have just the perfect city for you. Contact Metrowest today – we’d love to show you around!