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The United States, one state at a time.
A single guide to a country the size of a continent ends up thin everywhere: a paragraph on each national park, a list of cities. So we build the US the way we build a country — one state at a time, each with its own site, its own destinations and attractions, its own itineraries and planning articles. Two states so far: Colorado and Oregon, 49 destinations and 235 attractions between them.
Our state guides
Colorado
colorado-guide.comRocky Mountain, Mesa Verde and Great Sand Dunes national parks, the ski towns of Aspen, Vail, Breckenridge and Telluride, and Denver, Boulder and Colorado Springs on the Front Range.
29 destinations · 96 attractions(opens in a new tab)
Oregon
oregon-guide.comCrater Lake, the Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Portland, and the coast from Astoria and Cannon Beach down to Bandon — plus Bend and Smith Rock in the high desert.
20 destinations · 139 attractions(opens in a new tab)
Articles about these states
RoundupsOctober 7, 2026 · 7 min read
Rocky Mountain, Mesa Verde, Crater Lake: the national parks of Colorado and Oregon
Estes Park, Cortez, Mosca, Montrose, Crater Lake, Joseph, and Sisters offer distinct logistical profiles for accessing US national parks. Compare elevation, distance, and amenities.
ComparisonsOctober 7, 2026 · 6 min read
Colorado ski towns vs. the Alps: Aspen and Telluride or Zermatt and Kitzbühel
Aspen, Telluride, Breckenridge, Zermatt, St. Moritz, and more. A direct comparison of ski terrain, altitude, and village layout for the traveler choosing between American and European alpine resorts.
ComparisonsOctober 7, 2026 · 5 min read
Skiing Colorado vs. Oregon: Vail and Aspen or Mount Bachelor
Compare Vail, Aspen, Breckenridge, Steamboat, Sunriver, and Bend. See which destination fits your winter trip needs.
ComparisonsOctober 7, 2026 · 6 min read
Colorado or Oregon for a summer road trip
Compare high-altitude mountain towns in Colorado with coastal and volcanic sites in Oregon. See which route fits your travel style.
PlanningOctober 7, 2026 · 5 min read
Denver or Portland: which city to base a western trip on
Comparing Denver, Boulder, and three Oregon towns to see which fits a week-long west coast trip.
ComparisonsOctober 7, 2026 · 5 min read
The Oregon coast and British Columbia: one Pacific shore, two countries
Compare Astoria, Cannon Beach, and Newport with Vancouver and Victoria. See which Pacific Northwest destination fits your travel style and budget.
Going somewhere else in the US?
We don't have a guide for the other states yet, and we won't pad one out. Until we do, the Lonely Planet USA Travel Guide (opens in a new tab) is the one we recommend for the rest of the country — it is also where the world map sends the United States.