Many out-of-staters dream of visiting Colorado. That said, those who have never been to the Centennial State tend to get a few things wrong. Here’s a look at 10 of the most common misconceptions about Colorado:

1. The winter is just one big snowstorm: Yes, Colorado gets its fair share of blizzards each winter. Yes, Colorado will see hundreds of avalanches each year. Yes, some spots of Colorado can get a lot of snow. That said, as a writer originally from the Midwest and now living on Colorado’s Front Range, I can report that the winters actually feel much milder in the Centennial State compared to Indiana – at least where most people in Colorado reside.

A big reason why Colorado winters aren’t that harsh – especially in the major cities found a lower elevations – is the sunshine. Colorado is one of the sunniest states in the country, reportedly getting 300 days of sunshine each year. Not only does this sunshine tend to melt snow quickly, it also seems to mean warmer temperatures during colder months of a year – 60 degree days in January aren’t too unheard of. While Colorado winters might seem long to an outsider because the snow does stick on the ski slopes deep into spring, most Coloradans live along the Front Range or Western Slope and these spots tend to see much less snow and more sunny days in between winter storms.

2. The wild animals are friendly: Even though that group of elk you spot downtown might seemingly be using a crosswalk (no joke, happens every year in Estes Park), they’re still wild animals. Approaching them is dangerous and harassing them is illegal. Colorado Parks and Wildlife recommends that you use the ‘rule of thumb’ approach to make sure you’re keeping a safe distance. To do this, give a ‘thumbs up’ on an outstretched arm – you should be able to cover the entire animal with the digit or you’re too close.

Colorado’s wildlife can seem friendly when in civilized areas, but that really boils down to how these animals have learned to turn to humans for unnatural sources of food – this can be very unhealthy for animals, as it ultimately leads to them eating trash. For this reason, never feed wild animals or attempt to pet them. Whether they’re big or small, admire them from afar.

3. Everyone likes craft beer: This misconception is partially true, but it’s a bit exaggerated. Colorado’s bar scene is definitely dominated by craft breweries and there are many local annual events that are all about this adult beverage option – the Great American Beer Festival, for example. That being said, Colorado’s diversity in the drinking scene has been increasing in recent years. The state is now home to a high number of craft distilleries and cocktail bars worth checking out. Colorado’s coffee game is also on point and the growing non-alcoholic craft drink scene can’t be overlooked either.

4. Visiting Colorado is always super expensive: Sure, a weekend of skiing will probably cost a family thousands of dollars. That said, there are plenty of free and cheap entertainment options available around the state. If you’re looking to visit Colorado for cheap, make a camping reservation and plan your trip around hiking Colorado’s stunning trails at one of the many free outdoor recreation areas. Road trip to the state to save on plane tickets, as this will also let you bring plenty of gear along. Ultimately, a trip to Colorado is as expensive as you make it – sitting around a campfire with food you’ve purchased from the grocery store will cost roughly the same as it does anywhere else, but there’s a good chance it comes with a better view.

5. Everyone here is high: This is one misconception that continues to hang around despite weed being legal in a number of states around the country. Yes, recreational weed is legal in Colorado. No, everyone doesn’t partake. Yes, you may occasionally smell marijuana while walking down the street. No, it’s not legal for people to smoke weed everywhere and it’s not so prevalent that it will cause a major disruption in your day. If you choose to partake on your trip to the state, follow local rules and partake in a safe manner – the place where you’re purchasing the product will be able to fill you in on all of that.

6. Every Coloradan skis: First, let’s not forget about the snowboarders. Second, many Coloradans have never visited the twenty-some ski resorts around the state. Skiing is an expensive and technical athletic endeavor with a high risk of injury. That’s enough to keep a lot of people away. It’s also worth noting that getting to a ski resort requires more than an hour of driving in often heavy-traffic for most – that’s another factor that holds people back from living the ski bum life.

7. No one works, we just explore: While the flood of epic social media posts from Coloradans might have the world thinking everyone here is adventuring all the time, most of those in the Centennial State carry on with their 9 to 5 jobs and normal lives like everyone else. Most Coloradans seem to live a “weekend warrior” lifestyle, experiencing a city life during the week before traveling to nearby natural spots on the weekends.

8. Everyone loves the Denver Broncos: While some Coloradans are Broncos fanatics, many Coloradans couldn’t care less. They’re too busy doing their weekend warrior thing to sit around on Sunday watching football. Plus, remember that the majority Coloradans are transplants from out-of-state with an existing loyalty to the team they grew up cheering for.

On that note, it’s also worth noting that college sports don’t draw the same attention in Colorado compared to elsewhere. Of course, many bars will have the games on, but places that get really packed with fans for college games are few and far between.

9. All Coloradans are super athletes: While it might seem like every Coloradan is into running marathons and climbing mountains, many Coloradans are perfectly fine with a walk on a flat trail or simply sitting at an outdoor patio with a good view. Many people love living in Colorado because of the mountains, but everyone enjoys them in their own way.

10. Colorado is all mountains: Most out-of-staters seem to think that Colorado is just peak after peak after peak. While there are around 5,000 peaks in Colorado, there are also massive portions of the state that are extremely flat. For example, the expansive Eastern Plains region of Colorado is basically as flat as Kansas and it spans roughly half the state. Colorado also has plenty of desert landscape and some very cool canyons, too.

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