Need suggestions for Denver
 

My husband has a conference in Denver in July, and I'm tagging along. He'll be in training all day, and I would like to check out the city. What are some must-see places? Does anyone have restaurant suggestions? Any information would be appreciated! Thanks!

First of all, here is the link to the Denver vacation guide. http://www.denver.org/

Is your husband's conference downtown or elsewhere? Will you have a car? Do you want restaurant suggestions for lunch or dinner?

I stayed a week at the Residence Inn on Champa last fall. I fell in love with Denver. It is a great city for walking. I enjoyed a spa day at the Renaissance in the Hotel Monaco on Champa. Another great day was spent biking the Cherry Street greenway.
Some excellent restaurants I tried:
Fruition
Rioja
Capital Grille
Osteria Marco
Panzano
great gelato at Gelazzi on Larrimore (fun little street)

The Tattered Cover bookstore was great.

Molly's of Denver is one of the most beautiful classic women's clothing shops.

Have fun, it is a fantastic city!

The gelato place is gone. And the street is Larimer. It is one block of the National Historical District. All building, except one are original. If you are staying in the downtown area, a car is more of a problem than asset. You will have a wide range of options from the Art Museum to old historical residents. The Nature Science museum and zoo can be reached by bus and the same for very upscale shopping in Cherry Creek. Unfortunately the Colorado Historical Museum is now closed pending a move to a new building. The range of restaurants is nearly endless. BUT need to know husband's hotel before making specific recommendations.

I am sorry to hear Gelazzi closed. I really enjoyed it. Thank you for the spelling correction.

What are some must-see places?

Stroll through Downtown - Denver is very compact. It is an easy walk to the Capitol, the museums, over the main pedestrian zone (there is a free shuttle bus) to get an impression of the city.

IMO, the Denver Art Museum is one of the best museums of modern art in America (no kidding).

If you are into dinosaurs, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, is one of the greatest in the world (many bones have been found near Denver).

The Colorado History Museum is nice, but not outstanding, but certainly a place to learn about local history.

And the Art Museum has a marvelous American Indian exhibit, and particularly the pottery of Maria Martinez with a wonderful video of how she made her pottery.
We love the Botanic Gardens.
Cherry Creek for shopping. Wears me out, but I'm not a mall shopper.

OH, OH. DO DO have lunch at Pallettes, the Kevin Taylor restaurant in the Art Museum. You will be wowed.

Consider a Grayline tour (or two) especially if you don't have a car. Besides tours of downtown and nearby areas, they have tours to Rocky Mtn Natl Park, the mountains, etc.

Echnaton -- as I posted earlier, the Colorado History Museum is now closed.

Thanks everyone for all of the suggestions. We are staying out of town, but we will have a car. The address is actually Centennial, CO. It doesn't look like it is too far of a drive into the city, but is parking in the downtown area a problem?

Thanks again for your responses!

You are in south Denver. You might even enjoy taking the light rail into town.

Please, the exact name of the hotel. Centennial covers about 40 sq miles on the south side of the Denver metro area, You could be almost anywhere. Parking depends -- if the Rockies are home it can be real problem.

The hotel is the Embassy Suites-Denver Tech Center.

That is what I was afraid of. As far as security, access, etc. it is fine but it is not the best of locations for someone tagging along. There is nothing around it that is interesting or walkable nor is there much in the way of good restaurants. etc. The is a light rail station on the northwest side of Arapahoe and I-25 which probably is 1.5 miles or a bit more from the hotel. From that point it is a 40 min ride to downtown Denver. Driving about 30 mins from the hotel. The hotel might run a shuttle bus to the light rail. And you are probably equal distance to the Dry Creek station which is further south but easier to reach. Week day parking in Denver tends to be expensive so it still would be easier and more convenient to take the train in for those things in the downtown area. For other things you will have to drive. There is very large shopping with some upscale shops at County Line and I=25. The exit order going south is Arapahoe Road, Dry Creek, Country Line. You hotel is just south of Arapahoe and a mile east of I-25.

Let me know what you are most interested in seeing and doing, I will try to map some things for you.

It's too bad you aren't downtown, like you'd originally thought. fmpden is right, this is a tough location for a 'tag-along' without a car. Ask the hotel what transport services they might offer (might be none).

You will get a MUCH different view of Denver when you stay in Centennial. In fact, I'd venture to say, you will not see "Denver" from there.