Here’s a secret known to those travelers who don’t have a lead foot: There’s more to Castle Rock than the Outlets. Dangling along Interstate 25 like a berry on the vine, Castle Rock’s best parts are are just waiting to be picked. If you need an excuse, head there to look at the town’s most recent public art installation, Rafe Ropek’s “Local Backbone,” a bright yellow train that sits near the south end of the Front Street flyover bridge in historic downtown. – Joey Bunch
Getting around: Castle Rock is 28 miles south of Denver and has three exits from I-25. On the north, the Founders Parkway exit leads to the Outlets at Castle Rock and is the best route to Sedalia and the foothills to the west. In the middle, Wolfensburger Road accesses Wilcox Avenue to Castle Rock’s nostalgic downtown. To the south, Plum Creek Parkway is a back-door route to downtown – and is usually the least congested.
