Confession: I did little or no research when it came to choosing my dentist, my optometrist, my daughter’s soccer club, and my kids’ former preschool. I did, however, ask trusted friends in my community where they go and what they love. Their choices quickly became my choices, based on glowing recommendations of their experiences.

That’s why I love Colorado Parent’s Family Favorites issue. For two months, local parents—aka our super smart readers—cast their votes for places they recommend, resulting in great lists of festivals and hospitals and sports camps and restaurants and everything in between.

We tallied the results to find the five most commonly recommended options, and the winner in each category based on the places that parents say they love the most. Hang on to this issue throughout the year and use it when you’re looking to try something new with your family.

We hope the 2019 Family Favorites issue will help your family build long-term relationships with great people and organizations, form new traditions, and experience more of what Colorado has to offer. It certainly has for me already.