Pack Your Bags: Red Rocks Amphitheater

The Best the Mile High City has to Offer

I've been proud to call Denver my home for the past two years, but that wasn't always the case. It took a while for me to warm up to life in a small city. Naturally right as I warmed up I hit the road on my road trip. Luckily my tour swung through Denver for a week, and it was a relief to get back up to the Mile High altitude. 

Normally I'd review my favorite parts of the city, but in the interest of time I won't do that for Denver (I could go on for days...everything is great there). This time I'll only review THE BEST place in the Denver area. That place is Red Rocks Amphitheater, and it was what officially convinced me to move to Colorado. 

Situated just 15 miles west of Denver in Morrison, Red Rocks has served as an incredible outdoor entertainment complex for over 70 years. Each year Coloradans wait for the snow to melt so that the summer series can kick off at RR. The site hosts both concerts and outdoor movies in the summer, which guarantees some action on practically every night of the week. 

Anybody who is anybody has performed at Red Rocks over the years. I'm talking about The Beatles. Neil Young. Dave Matthews Band. Coldplay. U2. The list goes on and on. These performers play in plenty of places, but few provide the atmosphere of Red Rocks. The two massive rock walls on either side of the crowd coupled with a star-filled Colorado night sky instantly change a good performance into something special. It's hard to put into words, but every time I go to a show at Red Rocks I always look back into the crowd and can only say one word..."wow". 

During the day the park also serves as a fantastic recreation spot. There are plenty of hiking trails in the area, and it's free to come and check out the amphitheater. They'll even let you on the stage so you can get the full rock star experience. 

I went to my first Red Rocks show when I was 17, and from that moment on I knew I had to take an opportunity and move to Colorado. It has worked out phenomenally for me, and I'm thankful that this wonderful amphitheater serves as a reminder of all the good things that have happened to me on this adventure. I love living in Denver, though I find that very few people ever end up visiting the city. If I ever do move away I'll spend each summer checking the concert list at Red Rocks and planning a trip to Colorado. If you're a music or outdoors lover, you should definitely make those same plans.   ​