Denver & Colorado Suggestions
 

Hello. Will be attending training in Golden for two weeks. Have the weekends before and between classes free. Also will extend my stay for five days afterward. Here is my planning so far. First weekend travel and stay in Colorado Springs area. Second weekend travel RMNP on Trail Ridge Road. Extended time in Ouray and Mesa Verde. My questions are: 1) What to see and do in Golden and Denver in the evenings after classes (No homework thank goodness) 2) Must sees in Colorado Springs and where to overnight at. 3) Things to see and do in Ouray and Durango area besides Mesa Verde. <BR>Thanks in advance.

Sorry. Left out an important part. Travel period is late August-early September.

Suggetions in Denver: Museum of Western Art, Museum of Natural History, Botanical Center, Zoo, Buckhorn Exchange (restaurant with ambiance), US Mint Tour. For Golden: Buffalo Bill Grave, Mother Cabrini Shrine, Red Rock Ampitheatre, Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum

Golden: Coor Brewery Tour - free beer! <BR>Denver: Rockies Game, LoDo and Larimer Square for shopping,dining, nightlife <BR>Boulder: Pearl Street Mall, concert at Chatacqua (sp) or on CU campus, hike Boulder Canyon or Flatirons, NCAR tour.

Colo Springs: Air Force Academy, drive to top of Pikes Peak (14000' alt, toll road), Garden of the Gods. Cave of the Winds and Seven Falls also, but touristy. Colo Springs has all major chain hotels:Hampton Inn, Marriott,etc. The Broadmoor is a resort with restaurants, golf course, tennis set up a ways from town.

I live in COS and at first couldn't think of a think - sad. <BR> <BR>If you're into scenery - I too would recommend Pikes Peak, but we've had a few people die off of that road because they don't know how to drive DOWN a mountain and burn out their brakes. A nice alternative is to take the COG railroad up. Leave the driving to someone else. It leaves / station in Manitou Springs (a artsy-fartsy town). If you're into old architecture and haunted houses - Manitou Springs is for you. <BR> <BR>Garden of the Gods is interesting but is short lived. 7 Falls is cool too, but $$ to see it. You could go to Helen Hunt falls instead. It’s free, up a mountain type road, a bit of exercise, a pretty. <BR> <BR>It’s hard to say what to do in COS, because I’ve learned in the past, it just depends on what the person enjoys to start with. Outdoors and exercise, museums, ..... <BR> <BR> <BR>BY THE WAY – when I lived in Denver there was a restaurant in Golden that I LOVED. I still think it’s one of the best I’ve ever been to. It’s European. It’s at the junction of Hwy. 6 and ? I know that if I would take 6th st out of Denver, go past I-70, I would dead into Hwy 6 (I believe) and it was on the corner. No other buildings are there. YOU”VE GOT to try it. $$ but well worth it. <BR> <BR>

Skip the mint. We stood in line for nearly two hours and the tour amounted to no more than a 15-minute sales pitch about coin collecting. Frustrating. We did try the Buckhorn Exchange and loved it. We went at lunch time (the portions are huge and prices are half that of dinner time). Then we went back another nite for appetizers. Try the Rocky Mountain Oysters! If you're a vegetarian, you'll probably want to skip it. If you've got the time, you may want to check out Glenwood Springs and hike up to Hanging Lake. It's absolutely gorgeous. I think Glenwood is about 2 hours out of Denver. LoDo would be nice for drinks and maybe dinner one evening.