Hello Colorado!Here’s Why Colorado Should Be Your Next VacationColorado is an absolutely breathtaking blend of cities, mountains, valleys, snow, and sun. My family and I love visiting to connect with the outdoors and enjoy beautiful scenery, great food, and friendly people. It’s also really easy to get to with multiple nonstop flight options from CVG. So, let’s check out why your next vacation should be on Mountain Time.Hello from the top of Pikes Peak (It was 60 degrees and sunny at the base of the mountain!)It’s family-friendly (but great for solo trips and couples, too)We’ve visited Colorado on trips with and without a kid. Both trips were spectacular and unique in their own ways. On one pre-kid trip, we went horseback riding on a mountain. Loved it. On a trip with our kid, we drove up to the summit of Pikes Peak for some absolutely stunning views while he napped in his car seat. Loved it. There is so much to see and do for every interest, personality, and fitness level.Whitewater rafting the Colorado River through Glenwood Canyon. Photo: Colorado Tourism OfficeIt’s a beautiful view around every cornerInterstate 70 heading west from Denver might be one of my favorite drives anywhere in the world. The mountain views are breathtaking, and you’ll find yourself wanting to pull over to snap photos more than once. Across the state, there are more than 58 mountain peaks over 14,000 feet tall known as “Fourteeners” that give The Centennial State a picture-perfect landscape unlike any other.The drive between Colorado Springs and Breckenridge is stunning.It’s a National Park playgroundColorado is home to four National Parks, each with unique landscapes and cool things to do.Great Sand Dunes National Park and PreserveAs the name implies, there are sand dunes here. Big ones. The tallest ones in America, in fact. Just under two hours southwest of Pueblo, you can ride a horse, check out a 4×4 trail or give sandboarding a try. [Great Sand Dunes National Park](https://www.nps.gov/grsa/index.htm) offers a hilly desert landscape with a creek to cool off in during the summer months.The great sand dunes with the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the background. Photo: Colorado Tourism Office.Mesa Verde National ParkIn the Southwest corner of the state lies a sacred, World Heritage Site containing Puebloan cliff dwellings where people spent over 700 years creating their community. It’s also designated as an International Dark Sky Park and features over 1,000 species of plants and animals, some of which only exist in [Mesa Verde](https://www.nps.gov/meve/index.htm).Tours are led through centuries-old cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park. Photo: Colorado Tourism Office.Rocky Mountain National ParkThe National Park Service puts it best: “Welcome to the Land of Extremes.” With meadows and mountains stretching across 260,000+ acres, there are a lot of places to visit within the park. More than 300 miles of hiking trails will help you see all that [Rocky Mountain National Park](https://www.nps.gov/romo/index.htm) has to offer. A timed entry reservation system from mid-May through mid-October ensures that crowds are evenly dispersed throughout the day.A lone elk wandering the reaches of Rocky Mountain National Park. Photo: Colorado Tourism Office.Black Canyon of the Gunnison National ParkJust 90 minutes north of Telluride, this park offers a view of some of the steepest mountain cliffs you’ll find in America. The [Gunnison River](https://www.nps.gov/blca/index.htm) creates opportunities for excellent trout fishing, hiking trails to welcome all skill levels, and a chance to see the stars year-round.Horseback riding near Idaho Springs.There are also 15 National Forest and Grasslands and three National Heritage Areas. Admission to each park is $15-20 per person; it’s well worth every penny. There are also annual passes for $80, senior [annual passes](https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm) for $20, and free annual passes for Veterans and active-duty service members and their families.The Isak Heartstone troll is a beautiful reward after a short hike in Breckenridge.It’s a ski and snowboard paradiseEven if you aren’t a skier or snowboarder, you’ve probably heard of Vail, Breckenridge, Aspen, or Steamboat. Colorado has 26 ski resorts to explore. Seasoned veterans have their favorite mountains and places to stay. Newcomers might want to check out the [Colorado Ski Country](https://www.coloradoski.com/visit-colorado/beginners-guide/) site to find lessons and information on getting started. Consider planning a trip to some of these towns in the low season, as well, as they can offer big savings and fewer crowds.Ready to take the first plunge of the day while skiing Copper Mountain. Photo: Colorado Tourism Office.It’s always sunny in… Denver?Yes, really. The Mile High City boasts over 300 days of sunshine every year. So even if the temperature is only in the 40s during the winter, you might want to pack the sunscreen! Spring to fall is especially nice with average high temperatures ranging from 65 in April to 90 in August and dipping back to 68 by October. You can use this nice weather to enjoy one of the 205 parks in the city, making it the largest park system in the country. Make sure you’re aware of the latest driving conditions, especially in the winter months, when some roads, including major interstates, can be temporarily closed.An incredible sunset over Manitou Springs.It’s a chance to catch beautiful fishOne of my favorite things to do is fly fish, and Colorado offers incredible angling opportunities, serving as home to the headwaters of seven major rivers. On a trip last fall, I met up with a friend, and we spent the day fishing the South Platte River near the town of Deckers. We caught some beautiful fish, but it was the hiking along the stream and scenic mountain views that really stood out. If you don’t want to go it alone or don’t have equipment with you, guided trips are available across the state to explore a few of the 2,000 lakes and over 8,000 miles of rivers. A knowledgeable fishing guide can help even a first-time fly fisher land a beautiful trout.The South Platte River is a beautiful place to spend the day fishing.It’s crafty (both drinks and arts)Colorado boasts over 300 craft breweries and 70 craft distilleries. Many of these, like [Tommyknocker Brewing](https://www.tommyknocker.com/) in Idaho Springs where we’ve stopped into, also offer unique dining opportunities as well. The town of [Fort Collins](https://www.visitftcollins.com/breweries/?locale=en-US) has over 20 of them alone and is known as Colorado’s “Craft Beer Capital.” There are also awesome artists in almost every town. Check out Manitou Springs, just outside of Colorado Springs, for some cool galleries and shops.Art appreciation along one of Denver's monthly art walksIt’s easy to get to!CVG offers multiple nonstop flights to Denver each day on Frontier, Delta, United, Southwest, and Allegiant; itis consistently one of the most affordable destinations. We’ve also found great deals using very few points. (Our most recent trip to Breckenridge was entirely booked with points!) Be sure to double-check each airline’s baggage policy when it comes to bringing along skiing, snowboarding, camping, and fishing equipment.The view on the way up Pikes Peak is phenomenal.Pro Tip: High altitudes like the Rocky Mountains of Colorado are no joke, and, if you’re not used to it, your body might take a while to adjust. On my first trip, I had a terrible headache an hour after arriving at our hotel. The receptionist gave me some medicine, told me to drink all of the water she had handed me, and go to sleep. I felt a little better the next day. Before any trip to a high altitude, I reach out to my doctor who prescribes a medicine to prevent altitude sickness (aka: acute mountain sickness), and it works beautifully.You could spend days exploring Garden of the Gods.Have a favorite spot in Colorado we should know about? You can reach me at @JayKruzOfficial on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/JayKruzOfficial), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/jaykruzofficial/), and [X](https://twitter.com/jaykruzofficial).Miners from Indiana dubbed this The Hoosier Pass in 1860.I’ll see you in a trout stream in the mountains!-Jay

A college student from Bulgaria chose Cincinnati on a whim for an exchange work program. She ended up falling in love with more than just the Queen City.Krasimira (Krasi) Beck and her friends landed jobs at CVG Airport in the summer of 2004. Krasi worked at a small sandwich restaurant in the former Terminal 2. While she was keeping busy with the influx of passengers, she became close friends with one of her coworkers, Adam.Krasi said Adam was very funny and friendly. They were nothing more than friends that summer, although towards the end of her time in the United States, she noticed Adam started becoming extra helpful towards her and her friends. He even started driving them home after work.Krasi returned to Bulgaria to work on her undergraduate degree. She enjoyed working at CVG Airport, and she was eager to return the next summer.Even though Adam and Krasi were a continent apart for a year, there was a spark between them that did not extinguish while they were living separately. The two started dating when Krasi returned the next summer to work at CVG.This time, Krasi had jobs at two different restaurants at CVG, and her boyfriend, Adam, was a manager for a couple of stores and worked 12-to-13-hour shifts.“We pretty much lived at CVG Airport…we would have our lunch dates in the food court,” said Krasi.When the summer came to an end and it was time for Krasi to return to Bulgaria, she and Adam decided to date long distance. He flew to the small European country that winter to meet Krasi’s family for the holidays.Although the two were very fond of each other, it was quickly becoming time for them to decide their future. Krasi only had one summer left before her senior year of college. She knew she was going to return to CVG to work for a third year, but she was unsure where her and Adam’s relationship was heading. After she graduated, she was either going to pursue her master’s degree or get a full-time job.When Krasi returned to the United States in the summer of 2006, she continued dating Adam, and the two worked long hours at CVG. Her decision then became clear.“Towards the end of the summer, he basically proposed to me. He was like, you’re finishing school, what’s next?” said Krasi. “He said, ‘I want you to stay. I love you.’’”Krasi said she loved Adam too and accepted his proposal. The two were soon married, and Krasi moved permanently from Bulgaria to Northern Kentucky. Her husband, who she fell in love with partially for his humor, jokes to this day about how he had to move from the West Side of Cincinnati for his wife.“I am still hearing to this day how he made this ‘horrible’ switch moving 30 minutes south. I moved five thousand miles and a continent away. He doesn’t mean it in any bad way but if someone asked him how we ended up in Northern Kentucky, he would say, ‘Yep, the wife. I love Cincinnati, I was born and raised here…but it’s because my wife made me move alllll this way.’”Jokes aside, Krasi said they enjoy living in Northern Kentucky. She earned her master’s degree from Northern Kentucky University and appreciates the convenience of living close to the airport.“It’s our home airport to fly anywhere. I used to go back home to Bulgaria every year,” said Krasi.Krasi and Adam now have two kids, a seven-year-old boy named Adrian and a four-year-old girl, Liana.After becoming parents, traveling became more difficult for the Becks. Krasi said recent route additions at CVG are going to make traveling to see her family easier.“We love the fact that there is a direct flight to Paris and now British Airways because it gives us a direct flight to Europe, and we make one connection to Bulgaria.”She said without these nonstop flights from CVG, she would have to make more connections, and it would take them longer to see their loved ones.Krasi said she’s very thankful for all that the airport has made possible for her and Adam.“It’s been our home airport since 2004, so if you really think about it, it’s 19 years…CVG Airport grounded us, and we put our roots down to settle in this location. We are still just five miles away from where our love story started.”Krasi and Adam take their kids back to where their love story began. She points out to their kids where mommy and daddy worked. She also tries to make a point to visit a friend who worked at Starbucks in 2004 and is still there today.She said visiting her friend reminds her of the three summers she worked at CVG. In addition to being where she fell in love with her husband, it also provided a professional milestone. “It’s a surreal feeling…it brings us back. We weren’t high schoolers, but it gives us that feeling. It was my first American job. I didn’t have any jobs in Bulgaria. This was my first job coming here with girlfriends,” said Krasi. “It reminds me of my happiest of memories; it reminds me of my younger years; it reminds me of my romance. Honestly, this is where my husband and I fell in love. We were coworkers at the beginning but that is how we met.”Krasi and Adam now have careers outside of aviation; she is an IT programmer, and Adam is an executive chef at a retirement home. They enjoy spending time around the Cincinnati area with their two kids. She says she looks forward to taking more flights with her family to Paris with Delta Air Lines and to London with British Airways, starting in June 2023. She said she can’t thank CVG enough for all that the airport has done for her and family.

Boarding bridges in Concourse B will soon offer passengers a fresh, new experience as they jet on and off their flights. CVG will begin a phased approach to replace all 28 bridges starting in June 2023. This project will span the next two-and-a-half to three years.Recently, CVG learned it will be awarded $14 million for this project through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Terminal Program. This program and funding was made possible as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. CVG had already been planning to replace these bridges this year, but this funding will accelerate the replacement of all the existing bridges, some of which are close to 30 years old.As the airport continues its ambitious strategic plan, [New Heights], this federal funding will go a long way to improve operational efficiency and provide passengers with a fitting ‘front door’ to the Cincy region.