WESTERN COLORADO
VisitGrandJunction.com; @VisitGrandJunction—Ideally situated in western Colorado, Grand Junction is just two hours from Aspen and four hours from Denver. Grand Junction is as diverse as it is unique—from shopping and restaurants to natural beauty and state-of-the-art meeting spaces.
Grand Junction Convention Center, in the heart of downtown, features more than 26,000 square feet of flexible space, which can be customized for groups as small as 20 or as large as 2,500. The convention center’s three ballrooms can be combined to offer more than 18,600 square feet in one large space, and six smaller rooms can be configured into a 4,320-square-foot ballroom. The property also features an atrium and a 1,000-square-foot courtyard for groups looking to create indoor/outdoor flow.
Another unique venue to Grand Junction is the Avalon Theatre. The 900-seat Avalon Theatre was built in 1923, though its façade and lobby have been beautifully restored. Avalon Theater is just minutes from Grand Junction Convention Center.
Incorporating outdoor adventure and nature opportunities into meeting and conference agendas is a given when in Colorado, and attendees can enjoy many fun activities in Grand Junction’s unique regions. The Grand Mesa in Colorado includes more than 500 square miles and stands more than 10,000 feet above sea level—making it the world’s largest flat-top mountain. Grand Mesa’s scenic byway includes 63 miles of national forest and views of lakes, wildlife, and geological structures. Along the northern edge of Grand Mesa is Powderhorn Mountain Resort, offering more than 1,600 acres of mountain terrain; it is the go-to for skiing and snowboarding during the winter months, yet is ideal for mountain biking and hiking during the warmer months.
Just outside Grand Junction is Colorado National Monument, encompassing more than 20,500 acres of canyons, valleys, towering stone monoliths, layered cliff walls, vistas, and more. One of the best ways to experience Colorado National Monument is Rim Rock Drive, a route stretching 23 miles through the canyon.
A can’t-miss natural attraction is Grand Junction’s Rattlesnake Arches, the second-most natural arches in the world and the second-largest concentration of natural arches outside of Arches National Park in Utah. Rattlesnake Arches includes at least 35 arches uniquely situated within one mile of one another—but off the beaten path. Hiking the Pollock Bench Trailhead involves a strenuous 15.5-mile round-trip trek. For those not inclined to desert hikes, Jeep tours along a 4×4 track provide a fun alternative to explore the natural beauty of Rattlesnake Arches.
Grand Junction is uniquely known as Colorado’s wine country. Thirty wineries are located within the area, most all of which are ideal for offsite expeditions, private tastings and dinners, or cocktail receptions. Carlson Vineyards is open daily and offers free tours. Two Rivers Winery & Chateau also offers tastings and tours. Rapid Creek Cycles offers winery tours by bicycle. On a two-hour tour, groups can ride the eastern loop of the Fruit & Wine Byway, a scenic five-mile loop running along the Colorado River to the Colterris Winery and past fruit stands. On a four-hour tour, groups can check out the byway’s west loop, which covers seven miles and includes stops at Talon Winery, the largest tasting room in the state, as well as St. Kathryn Cellars, Grande River Vineyards, Wine Country Inn, Garfield Estates Vineyards, Maison La Belle Vie Vineyards, and Red Fox Cellars. A full-day tour option covers a 25-mile loop and provides an opportunity to check out 14 wineries and numerous fruit stands.
