COLORADO NEWS

‘USA Today’ doesn’t include Red Rocks in its top five amphitheaters in the U.S.

Jun 2, 2025, 3:47 PM | Updated: Jun 3, 2025, 10:22 am

We are so spoiled to have Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado that when it’s not at the top of any “best of” lists, we throw a fit. So, here is my fit…

There are over 1,000 amphitheaters in the U.S., and “USA Today” readers and editors independently selected the venues that stand out as the most exceptional with their natural beauty, exceptional acoustics and immersive atmosphere.

Three of the top ten are in Colorado, including Red Rocks, but the iconic venue in Morrison isn’t at the top of the list like we are used to. In fact, it’s not even the highest-ranked amphitheater in Colorado.

These are the top 10 amphitheaters in the nation, according to “USA Today”:

  1. Pavilion at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts – Bethel, New York
  2. PNC Bank Arts Center – Holmdel, New Jersey
  3. The Gorge Amphitheater – Quincy, Washington
  4. Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater – Vail, Colorado
  5. Ascend Amphitheater – Nashville, Tennessee
  6. Koussevitzky Music Shed – Lenox, Massachusetts
  7. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre – Morrison, Colorado
  8. Tuacahn Amphitheatre – Ivins, Utah
  9. Dillon Amphitheater – Dillon, Colorado
  10. Moody Amphitheater – Austin, Texas

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‘USA Today’ doesn’t include Red Rocks in its top five amphitheaters in the U.S.