The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: Best Vacation Spots in the Mountain Division

As the school year ends and summer is on our mind, we can’t help but think about vacation. For the next two weeks, we will be reviewing Mountain West cities and the best vacation spots. This week, we will start with the Mountain Division.

The Good:

Boise, Idaho

I moved to this city because of it’s beauty and all of the amazing activities you can do in the area. Boise is a great city for breweries, biking, hiking, and fishing. There are numerous ski lodges within a few hours and some great places to eat downtown.

Fort Collins, Colorado

Fort Collins probably has the coolest college town vibe of any city on this list. It is known for its great restaurants and breweries. There are also some amazing biking/hiking trails and great fishing. I’m hoping to make it for a game in the next few years.

Logan, Utah

I’ve been to Logan and think it is a really cool city. I don’t think it is quite on the level of Fort Collins or Boise, but it is beautiful. Logan is growing and you are close enough to Salt Lake City to have the museums and other activities that large cities offer. But, you are also far enough away to have that college city vibe.

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Lots of great hiking, fishing, and skiing within an hour. If you are up for a bit of a drive, I would suggest visiting the Royal Gorge or Pikes Peak. In general, Colorado offers a lot of great tourist destinations and is only about two and a half hours from Vail.

The Bad:

Laramie, Wyoming

Full disclosure: I really like Laramie. I think it is a cool city, but it doesn’t offer everything that the above cities do. If you have ever driven through Wyoming, you know what I mean. It does have some great outdoor opportunities; it just doesn’t appeal to everyone.

The Ugly:

Albuquerque, New Mexico

This is one of those articles where I feel guilty putting a city in the Ugly category. Albuquerque has a lot to offer, but if I were to visit any city in the division, it would be at the bottom of the list. This city has struggled with rising crime in recent years which makes it a less desirable vacation destination.

That’s it for this edition of “The Good, the Bad, the Ugly.” Next week we will be taking a peek at vacation spots in the West Division.