Wine Country in Palisade/Grand Junction – Colorado Trip Advice [Guide]

Featured Trip Destination: Colorado Wine Country

Location: Palisade, Fruita & Grand Juntion, CO (Map)	Cost Per Person: Varies
Age Range: 21+	Trip Time: 2-4 Days

Did you know Colorado boasts a great selection of wines made on the western slope? It's nestled in the Grand Valley area of Colorado (Which contains Grand Junction, Palisade and Fruita). Just a 4-5 hour drive from Fort Collins will put you smack dab in the middle of Colorado Wine County and a plethora of wineries and meaderies as well as a brewery and a distillery.

If you don't want to drive that long, you can take a gorgeous mountain train ride From Denver, or you could fly. (A direct flight from DIA to Grand Junction is only an hour, but it can be expensive.)

There is plenty more to do than just drink in Colorado's Wine Country; The scenery is gorgeous and if you've never seen the "other side" of the Rocky Mountains, you are going to be blown away. You can tour dozens of fruit orchards or just do some shopping at a number of fruit and vegetable stands. You could explore the Colorado National Manument, learn some of Colorado's prehistoric past at Dinosaur Hill, or enjoy plenty of cultural and outdoor activities in the area. There are also five public golf courses, if that's your thing.

What Wineries Are in Colorado Wine Country?

(And meaderies, and breweries and distilleries...)

There is something for just about everyone in Colorado Wine County, you can make it a one day trip and stop off at a few, or you could spend 4-5 days and try every single one. How much you spend is up to you, many of the wineries offer free tastings, or pretty moderately priced ones, and you can find wines anywhere from $10 a bottle into the hundreds, depending on your tastes. Just remember to plan on bringing back a few cases on your return trip, and probably a few boxes of fruit too!

Here's a taste of what the area has to offer in a video made by the Palisade Chamber of Commerce.

Special Events In The Area

Colorado Mountain Winefest (September)

Colorado's "oldest, largest and best wine festival, and the only festival held in the heart of Colorado's wine country."

Palisade Peach Festival (August)

A celebration of Palisade’s world-famous peaches, one of the original agricultural festivals in Colorado.

Where To Stay

Colorado Wine Country Inn is the only Hotel in Palisade and is withing walking distance of some of the wineries. There are also a number of bed & breakfasts in the town.

Grand Junction has plenty of hotels, motels, bed & breakfasts, and ever RV parks and campground, but is a little further away from some of wineries.

Fruita has three hotels and five bed & breakfasts.

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