Shopping

For Colorado's most artful shopping experience, head to Grand Junction's Downtown Shopping Park, where you'll find a variety of shops, art galleries, and restaurants set amid an outdoor sculpture garden that runs some 7 blocks along Main Street.

One of the best galleries in the Downtown Shopping Park is Working Artists Gallery and Studio, 520 Main St. (tel. 970/256-9952), with a wonderful variety of large -- and expensive -- wondrous things and quite affordable smaller items, including hand-thrown pottery, delightful sculptures, weavings, and wind chimes. In addition, there is an area in the back where you can usually watch an artist at work. There's also a resident cat, though he doesn't always show himself. Another not-to-be-missed stop here is Monument Art Glass, 428 Main St. (tel. 970/245-6800), a galley and studio specializing in handblown glass. You can often watch a glass blower at work, or browse the fascinating and colorful glass objects, ranging from Christmas ornaments to bowls to paperweights, lamps, and bottles.

The western slope's largest indoor shopping mall, Mesa Mall, is located at 2424 U.S. 6 and 50 (tel. 970/242-0009; www.shopmesamall.com). It's anchored by Sears, JCPenney, Target, and Herberger's.