Must Do/Must See in Denver/Colorado Springs Area
#1
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Must Do/Must See in Denver/Colorado Springs Area
Hubby and I are taking an escorted tour that ends in Denver on the last day of May, 2002. We will extend the trip for a couple of days (that is all the time we have available...three at most); rent a car to go on our own to Colorado Springs and see the Air Force Academy. What else should we not miss when we are in that area from the east coast?
#2
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Colorado Springs:
Garden of the Gods
Drive up Pikes Peak (if the day is clear)
Any drive along the mountain roads
If you're into ice skating, the museum of ice skating is interesting.
Denver:
Museum of Western Art
Museum of Natural History
Buckhorn Exchange
Garden of the Gods
Drive up Pikes Peak (if the day is clear)
Any drive along the mountain roads
If you're into ice skating, the museum of ice skating is interesting.
Denver:
Museum of Western Art
Museum of Natural History
Buckhorn Exchange
#3
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Definately drive up Pikes Peak. It's incredible!
You can always go to Golden and tour the Coors Brewery, then drive up to Boulder and check out the Univ of Colorado Campus, persuse the shops on Pearl Street, and visit NCAR (Nat'l Center for Atmospheric Research).
You could also drive up into the mountains-Summit County is an hour and half/2 hours or so away. Breckenridge is a nice resort town or drive a little further to Vail.
You can always go to Golden and tour the Coors Brewery, then drive up to Boulder and check out the Univ of Colorado Campus, persuse the shops on Pearl Street, and visit NCAR (Nat'l Center for Atmospheric Research).
You could also drive up into the mountains-Summit County is an hour and half/2 hours or so away. Breckenridge is a nice resort town or drive a little further to Vail.
#4
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Unfortunately, as nice a time of year as end of May/beginning of June can be in Denver, it's the low season in the mountains - it can be cool in the mountains, and there's still too much snow to do hiking, or anything like that. One year it snowed when we were in Vail over Memorial Day weekend (though that's uncommon).
That being said, unless your escorted tour is through the mountains, I would suggest at least a day in Summit County, Vail or Breckenridge, or Rocky Mountain National Park, even if it is the off season then. And if the weather is good, you could stay overnight. (Beware, however, that many restaurants and stores may be closed.)
Pike's Peak is a good suggestion, especially if it's warm (and it's clear with no snow at the top). Manitou Springs is a pretty little town.
A different sort of dinner suggestion in the Denver area is the Fort, a restaurant in the foothills overlooking Denver. They serve all sorts of meat - venison is probably the least unusual! And if you've never tried buffalo, it's a good time to start.
Garden of the Gods is somewhat interesting, though (IMO) not worth a separate trip. The Museum of Western Art and the Museum of Natural History will have exhibits that you wouldn't see out east. If you're interested in Buffalo Bill Cody, his grave is at a quirky little museum sort of place off I-70 as you head into the mountains.
Also in the foothills is an area where there are lots of dinosaur tracks - I can't remember the name right now (Dinosaur something) - but we visited for the first time last fall, and were very impressed. It's an approximately 2-mile driving road, where you can stop and get out to see various dinosaur tracks and imprints that have been left in the rocks of the hillside.
Try the Denver sidewalks web sites for more information about the area.
That being said, unless your escorted tour is through the mountains, I would suggest at least a day in Summit County, Vail or Breckenridge, or Rocky Mountain National Park, even if it is the off season then. And if the weather is good, you could stay overnight. (Beware, however, that many restaurants and stores may be closed.)
Pike's Peak is a good suggestion, especially if it's warm (and it's clear with no snow at the top). Manitou Springs is a pretty little town.
A different sort of dinner suggestion in the Denver area is the Fort, a restaurant in the foothills overlooking Denver. They serve all sorts of meat - venison is probably the least unusual! And if you've never tried buffalo, it's a good time to start.
Garden of the Gods is somewhat interesting, though (IMO) not worth a separate trip. The Museum of Western Art and the Museum of Natural History will have exhibits that you wouldn't see out east. If you're interested in Buffalo Bill Cody, his grave is at a quirky little museum sort of place off I-70 as you head into the mountains.
Also in the foothills is an area where there are lots of dinosaur tracks - I can't remember the name right now (Dinosaur something) - but we visited for the first time last fall, and were very impressed. It's an approximately 2-mile driving road, where you can stop and get out to see various dinosaur tracks and imprints that have been left in the rocks of the hillside.
Try the Denver sidewalks web sites for more information about the area.