With its eighteen charmingly decorated cabins, Avalanche Ranch in Redstone has been an overnight destination since the '70s, but its springs have only been accessible since 2011. Since then, what had always been a lovely place to bring family or friends has turned into a must-visit for fans of natural springs. Three pools, with temps between 92 and 104 degrees, are tiered against the hillside in a way that makes each one feel secluded, with views of Mount Sopris across the way and the sounds of the Crystal River running through the property. The public is allowed in during the day, but the ranch limits the number of visitors to keep your hot soak chill; guests staying at the ranch get unlimited 24-hour access daily except Wednesdays, when the pools close for cleaning. Between soaks, visit the barn and its chickens, sheep, donkey and llamas, play horseshoes or badminton, or hike, bike and ski nearby.

Readers' Choice: Strawberry Park

There's something delicious about slipping into a hot springs pool au naturel, and Orvis Hot Springs, just fifteen minutes from downtown Ouray and an hour from Telluride, makes that easy. Four outdoor, sandy-bottomed soaking areas created from natural rock — including the Pond, a forty-foot-wide spring surrounded by a redwood deck, and the Lobster Pot, which can hit 114 degrees — and three indoor pools pull their water from a variety of sources, which means differing temperatures and mineral contents. Because visitors can take it all off all the time, few people bring their kids, and the electronics-free zone is refreshingly quiet. In addition, there are tent and RV sites, as well as six rooms available — with a community kitchen available for cooking on site — in case you want to just walk your naked self to bed when you hit the soggy-noodle stage.

Let's face it: Kids love the idea of hot springs, but they'd much rather be doing all of the things that are the opposite of relaxing in a 104-degree mineral bath, such as diving for pennies, splashing each other and generally roughhousing. That's what makes Steamboat's Old Town Hot Springs and its eight distinct pools such a great idea. The 98-degree main pool is spacious and has fountains and two bridges to swim under, and separate shallow kiddie and splash pools provide more space for frolicking. The much hotter Heart Springs pool, Waterfall Hot Pool and another, smaller hot pool are more for adults, along with the 25-lane, 80-degree lap pool. When tykes are tired of the water, they can hit the aquatic climbing wall, and for an extra fee, they can access two 230-foot water slides and the Wibit, a floating obstacle course. And unlike so many kid-oriented destinations, Old Town lets you bring in your own food.

The original Stoney's has been a Capitol Hill favorite since 2010, a cavernous space that focuses on sports of all kinds, with a particular bent toward Kansas and Louisiana (after Colorado, of course). The giant projector screen is augmented by TVs of all sizes spread strategically around the space, and the three big garage doors at one end open onto a patio with a fire pit. The environmentally conscious spot is built from 150-year-old wood and reclaimed stone, the takeout containers are compostable, and biking is encouraged to the point that you can store your bike if you can't get yourself home. Just as important, the food here is above average, and daily happy hour covers two-for-one 23-ounce drafts and solid margaritas. When the big game isn't on, you can play one of Stoney's (things like Skee-Ball, giant Jenga, cornhole and mini-bowling) or check out live music on the weekends. The second site, on 17th Avenue, opened just this month, and it's about half as big, has fewer TVs, and is a little snazzier than the original. But the menu is the same, as is the overall sports-loving vibe.

Readers' Choice: Wally's Wisconsin Tavern

Sure, the main reason to go to a sports bar is to watch the sports, but we're likely to be there for a while, which is why picking a place like the casual and fun Society makes so much sense. Not only is there ample opportunity to sit in front of or near a TV — two floors' worth, including two projectors and twelve TVs upstairs — but this raucous spot pays particular attention to the menu, offering more than the usual pub grub plus eighteen local beers on tap. Try the Dank Nuggets, which are corn fritters fried sweet and crispy ($4 during weekday 4 to 7 p.m. happy hour), the chicken and waffles or the whiskey-smoked wings. And — score! — Monday Night Football brings $15 bottomless PBR.

Readers' Choice: Blake Street Tavern

You want to watch the game, but some of your friends couldn't care less. What to do? Head to Star Bar, of course, which has the requisite TVs for checking in on your team and a rotating craft-beer roster. The brews alone should keep fans and non-fans happy, but the appealingly divey (and also quite comfortable) bar also has Skee-Ball, foosball, video poker and a Rolling Stones-themed pinball machine. Music is always an option, as well — not only on the TouchTunes jukebox anytime, but via karaoke on Tuesday and Thursday nights and live music on the weekends. Star Bar is BYOF, which means ordering from the surrounding eateries, which are all more than happy to deliver to the bar. You might even be there on a night when the bar is sending out watermelon-chile boozecicles.

Rhein Haus is a biergarten-style sports bar that also serves up good German fare, 24 beers on tap, and enough TVs for fans keeping an eye on the score. We come for the bocce, though, which is played on four beautifully maintained courts. From Sunday to Thursday, the bocce courts can be reserved ahead, but they're first come, first served on Friday and Saturday and cost between $5 and $7 an hour per person. When you've worked up an appetite, go for the giant pretzel with four sauces to share and the currywurst with a wendel (a fried, salted, spiral-cut potato on a stick). If bocce is your game, consider joining Rhein Haus's Sunday winter league.

Readers' Choice: Blake Street Tavern

Over the years, the tiny Berkeley neighborhood park that is now named for the labor and civil-rights leader has put tax dollars to good use by re-sodding the grass, planting trees, upgrading and maintaining the playground and establishing new areas for basketball, hopscotch and, amazingly, some sweet concrete ping-pong tables. But it's the bocce courts that get us psyched to pétanque-a-donk-donk. The two concrete pits lined with crushed gravel make for some competitive weekends and leisurely weekdays of play. Once you've worked up an appetite, pack up your balls and head down Tennyson's restaurant row.

You don't have to be a world-class table-tennis champion to show off your ping-pong skills: Simply show up at Ace Eat Serve at 6 p.m. on Tuesday to grab a free spot in its weekly Tuesday Tournaments. Registration is first come, first served, and up to 32 can play — but only the winners will walk away with prizes. Can't make it on a Tuesday? No problem. Housed inside the old Storz Garage space, Ace Eat Serve's massive, industrial-chic pong hall is open daily. Patrons can grab a paddle and create their own match while drinking craft cocktails and noshing on the joint's delicious Asian-inspired shareable plates.

The 2012 Best Skate Park winner when it was still brand-new, Arvada Skate Park remains a must-do for serious skateboarders, skaters and cyclists as well as those just starting out, because it's been well maintained and features a fabulous flow. During the week, skaters drop in throughout the day to practice and try new moves without much fanfare. On the weekends, though, the crowds gather to watch the highly skilled strut their stuff on the big and small bowls, the deep and windy snake run, the series of handrails and stair sets, and lots of ledges. At more than 40,000 square feet, Arvada's park is the third-largest in the country, which means there's plenty of room to work through your tricks, and the fact that it's open daily from sunrise to 10 p.m. means more time to play.

Readers' Choice: Arvada Skate Park