Denver and the state of Colorado have seen a spike in travel interest since the sale of recreational

marijuana was legalized to anyone 21 or older at the start of the year, according to search data from Hotels.com®. Denver has seen a 25 percent increase in hotel searches in the first three months of the year compared to 2013.

Ranked as the 17th most popular domestic destination for Americans in 2013 according to the

Hotels.com Hotel Price Index™, Denver is also expected to see an increase in visitors on and around April 20th. Hotel searches for the weekend of April 18-20 – when the city will be host to a number of organized events and music festivals – have increased by 73 percent compared to the same timeframe last year.
Marijuana’s Effect on Denver Tourism; Hotel Searches Up 25% in 3 Months & 73% During 4/20 Weekend— Photo by Hotels.comMarijuana’s Effect on Denver Tourism; Hotel Searches Up 25% in 3 Months & 73% During 4/20 Weekend— Photo by Hotels.com
Marijuana’s Effect on Denver Tourism; Hotel Searches Up 25% in 3 Months & 73% During 4/20 Weekend— Photo by Hotels.com

Anyone traveling to Colorado for these festivities should keep a number of things in mind:

  • Airport Travel: Marijuana remains on the TSA's list of prohibited items and possession is illegal at most Colorado airports. Colorado Springs Airport and Aspen/Pitkin County Airport have installed "amnesty boxes" in terminals, where travelers can dispose of any marijuana still in their possession. That is not the case at Denver International Airport, which has banned the possession of marijuana anywhere on its premises.
  • Visiting Parks & Federal Landmarks: It is illegal to be in possession of marijuana on federal land in Colorado, such as national parks, national forests, monuments and ski areas.
  • Getting Around Colorado: It is legal to transport marijuana in a vehicle as long as it is not in an open container and you are driving within state lines. Consumption while driving is illegal and the state's marijuana DUI law is strictly enforced.

"No matter your preference for travel to Denver, the city offers endless activities if you'd prefer to

avoid 4/20 festivities," said Taylor L. Cole, APR, travel expert for Hotels.com. "For example, visitors can stay downtown to catch a game at Coors Field, take a tour of Denver, or they can venture outside the city limits to explore nearby Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge or Golden Gate Canyon State Park."

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