1. The convenience of skiing.

Growing up doing weekly ski schools, and always on the mountain side during Saturdays, you become accustomed to the routine of getting ready for a max two-hour drive to get there. Skiing will never be that easy to do again once moving away from Colorado. You are not going skiing without a plan, renting the skis, getting a weekend pass, getting all the gear if you have not brought it with you to your new state, and all of this only if it is cold enough to have snow. If it is not, who even knows what the travel plans are going to be like just to get somewhere cold enough.

2. Always having an adventure to go on.

Colorado, (not to be biased) nature wise, is one of the most beautiful places in the country. There are endless natural beauty opportunities to experience. There are also countless thrill-seeking activities too: sky diving in front of Pikes Peak, paragliding in the mountain peaks of Vail, zip lining over the Royal Gorge, and many other opportunities, that let’s face it, you can do other places but not with a view like you get in the good old Mile High State.

3. Mountain and cave hideouts.

Growing up in Colorado, once we started driving we all had our mountain hiding spots and little escape zones, *cough cough* Gold Camp Road.

4. Dutch Bros.

This one may just be me, but there is not a day that goes by that I do not miss my daily (or three times) trip to my favorite people at Dutch, even if I’ve almost had a heart attack a billion times because they always forget to leave out the almond oil.

5. Alfonzo’s

Burritos. Breakfast ones. If you are from Colorado Springs, you know what I am talking about.

6. White Christmas

There is nothing like Michael Buble Christmas music, hot chocolate, fuzzy blankets/ socks, while watching white fluff fall from the sky. I am 100% a beach girl believe me, but that is the one time out of the year I do miss that beautiful cold stuff falling out of the sky.

7. People do not constantly ask you about the legalization of marijuana.

There is something about being from Colorado that screams “ask me about my political and social stances on weed.” Well I hate to let everyone down, but just because I am from Colorado does not mean I will A) tell you my 20-minute-long standpoint on its legalization B) get some for you C) explain what it was like to grow up somewhere like that (no I did not grow up in my own version of Breaking Bad but with weed instead).

8. Sunsets and sunrises

Hands down some of the most beautiful and clear colors I have seen in my life come from sunsets and sunrises in Colorado, and I have traveled a lot. Plus, there is no better background setting than a sun lowering behind purple mountain tops, or rising above high fluffy clouds into the sky.

9. Real mountains

Yes, other places have mountains. Many place in fact do, but living in Arizona now when people turn to me and say “Hey let’s go the mountains this weekend!” I get excited. The feeling that I am going to get a little piece of home thrills me. Every time I get there I am always disappointed with the hill I am presented with that is supposed to be a “mountain”.

10. Seasons

This probably has to be what I miss the absolute most about Colorado. I miss seeing the leaves change to yellow, orange, and red, I miss seeing things blooms, since spring is my absolute favorite season. I miss the smells of everything growing and everything dying. I will tell you what I don’t miss though: the cold.