Attractions in Denver

Yes, Denver has a zoo, an aquarium and a theme park, but I am of the opinion that once you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. For this reason, I am going to suggest attractions that are specific to Denver and helps to get you off that well worn path.

• Are you interested in seeing a movie in an outdoor venue? Yoga? Geology? A mind blowing concert? Then you have to go to world-famous Red Rocks Amphitheater. It’s a geologic phenomenon and the only naturally occurring, acoustically perfect amphitheater in the world. All the music greats from Jimi Hendricks to The Beatles have played there. I would suggest planning your trip from May – September, so you can get in on some of the Red Rocks action while you are in town! During the summer months, Red Rocks also hosts Yoga on the Rocks and Film on the Rocks, so if music isn’t your thing, then they certainly have something else that is.
• Red Rocks is actually in Morrison, Colorado (15 minutes from Denver), which is an amazing little western town. I would argue Morrison is home to not only one, but two, hidden gems. The other being the Morrison Inn margarita. Might I suggest that after you’ve yogasized or run the stairs at Red Rocks you drive over to the Morrison Inn, sit on the rooftop and listen to some live music while sipping on a well deserved margarita.
• There are four parks that I would highly recommend checking out while you are in town. The first is City Park and every Sunday evening from June to August, it hosts City Park Jazz, which is a free jazz concert. I was there almost every summer Sunday for eight years and I think I saw the concert once. Most Denverites go to meet up with their friends, picnic and play park games. It is the thing to do on a summer Sunday.
• Also during the summer months, Washington Park, known as Wash Park to the locals. and Cheesman Park are loads of fun. If you can walk through without being decapitated by a Frisbee, you’ll find that there are a slew of park games taking place such as cornhole, volleyball, soccer, and kickball (yes, kickball is alive and well in Denver). These parks are also the ‘beaches’ of Denver, though there is no water to speak of. But it no mattah – you’ll find plenty of sunbathers soaking up the intense Denver rays.
• Confluence Park is also a nice spot to chillax. It is actually where Denver started and where you can watch kayakers brave the rapids on custom designed chutes, while enjoying panoramic views of downtown.
• Like dressing up and riding bikes? Then check out Denver’s Cruiser Ride, which is a themed evening bicycle ride every week between May and September. It has over 2,000 riders each week and is an awesome place to meet up with the locals!
• The Denver Art Museum is known for its collection of American Indian art as well as its famous architect, Daniel Libeskind. It also has a collection of more than 70,000 diverse works from across the world, so if you are into architecture and art, then this should be a stop on your Denver tour.
• Clyfford Still was one of the first generation Abstract Expressionists and most important painters of the 20^th century. Denver’s Clyfford Still Museum, which opened in 2011, and is located in the cultural art district, is home to 95% of the artist’s lifetime output, including 3,125 works.   The architecture is among my favorite in the city and its hard not to notice while your contemplating Still’s art, that you are walking through a piece in and of itself.
• Like cupcakes? Go right away to Mulberries Cake Shop. Heaven. On. Earth.
• Next on the list, Union Station   Why in the world would anyone suggest you visit a train station? Well, because Denver’s Beaux-Arts central station is unique in just about every way. Denverites call it their living room. Its home to ten chef-owned restaurants and bars, boutique shops and the luxury Crawford Hotel. Its not your run-of-the-mill seedy train station. This one is popping with class!
• After you leave Union Station, you can hop on Denver’s free shuttle bus and cruise up 16^th Street Mall. This mile long pedestrian promenade is in the heart of downtown and host to some 42 outdoor cafes.
• Do you remember “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” from the Titanic? The one played by Kathy Bates in James Cameron’s infamous movie? Well, you can visit her house here in Denver and learn all about her life and the era in which she lived.
• Do you like money? I do too. While you are in Denver, you can visit the Denver Mint, where they produce billions of coins every year for the American public. The best part is that you don’t need any money for the tour. Its free!
• For visitors coming from outside the U.S., Denver has an amazing American football (Denver Broncos), baseball (Colorado Rockies) and basketball (Denver Nuggets) team, so if you want to get your hands wet with American sports, I can highly recommend getting tickets to a game! If you choose to watch the Denver Broncos, you should consider making time to check out the tailgating scene, which I’ve described in point #16 of 20 Things to Know About Southerners .
• Which brings me to the next important attraction: Denver’s microbreweries. There are way too many to list here, so I am going to give you what I think are the best five.  
  • Great Divide Brewing Co.
  • Ratio Beerworks
  • Bierstadt Lager
  • Renegade Brewing Company
  • TRVE Brewing Company
• The Ogden Theater and Bluebird Theater are Denver establishments and arguably the city’s best music venues. They always have an incredible line up on the calendar, so if you are coming into town during Red Rocks Amphitheater’s off season, they won’t disappoint.
• As a side note, if you are coming to Colorado to ski, might I suggest buying the Epic Local season pass as opposed to the day or week pass, because you can ski unlimited at eleven mountains for about $600. If you buy a 5 day pass at Breckenridge, for example, you will pay about $630. The Epic Local pass is good all season, so you can fly in a few times throughout the year and use it.  Its worth checking out online at http://www.snow.com/epic-pass/passes/epic-local-pass.aspx