vickib2

I am accompanying my husband on a three-day business trip to Denver. He will have to attend some meetings but we will have our days/evenings free after 2:00 p.m. We will be staying downtown.

I am clueless as to what we can do in our free time. We are not hikers, but enjoy beautiful scenery. The name "Garden of the Gods" keeps coming up in posts that I have seen about Denver, so I will google it. Can't believe I am going to DENVER (first trip) yet can't really seem to get a feel for any "must-do"s or "must-see"s.

Thanks for any suggestions or help. We also enjoy good food.

Vicki

Gekko

Have a delicious grilled cheese sandwich at Chedd's!

www.chedds.com

DickM

You're not saying what time of year.. so assuming this summer or early fall. One suggestion for a day trip after 2pm and spectacular scenery with a car you can get to the top of Mount Evans (over 14k feet) in about an hour or so. Garden of the Gods is beautiful but in Colorado Springs, about an 1.5 hour each way depending on traffic.

If you have a full day off highly recommend going to Rocky Mountain National Park via Boulder, Estes Park then taking Trail Ridge Road, returning through Grand Lake, Grandby, Winter Park, Berthod Pass then back to Denver on I70.

If you're looking for real good food (NOT Chedds's!) in the downtown Denver area my favorites are: Rioja, Bistro Vendome, Venice, and Restaurant Kevin Taylor's (if money's no object). If you want to venture out a couple miles try Mizuna's, Luca d'Italia, Fruition, and Strings.

martym

A couple of suggestions--for an afternoonevening--go to Red Rocks Park just west of Denverhttp://www.redrocksonline.com/pages/visiting/hist_geo.html then continue by driving to Evergreen up Bear Creek Canyon-http://www.evergreenchamber.org/visitor_guide.htm. Have dinner at Aspen Grill overlooking Evergreen Lake http://www.aspengrillevergreen.com/menus.html This will provide plenty of beautiful scenery

In Denver, visit the Denver Art Museum http://www.denverartmuseum.org/home it has a nice collection of art and the wing designed by Daniel Libeskind is fabulous.

vickib2

Thank you so much for your suggestions. Mt. Evans sounds perfect. The Red Rocks Park also sounds like something we'd like to see. Thanks for the itinerary suggestions, Martym and Dick.

Anyone else have suggestions?

Vicki

furledleader

When will you be here? Some suggestions depend upon that answer.

If you do Red Rocks Park, consider getting there by driving over dinosaur ridge (W. Alameda Parkway just west of Colorado Highway 470):
http://www.frontrangeliving.com/outd...osaurRidge.htm

And a stop at the free museum:
www.dinoridge.org

After wandering around Red Rocks Park, you could do dinner at The Fort Restaurant (www.thefort.com) in the foothills near Morrison just south of Red Rocks - their window tables have some pretty good views of the plains to the east, and their eclectic menu includes buffalo, elk & quail. About ten years ago when the G8 Summit was held in Denver, the heads of state had dinner one night at The Fort. I think the chairs that the presidents and prime ministers sat in still have their names on the back.

vickib2

We're arriving July 8th. Yikes! That's so soon!

Vicki

vickib2

just emailed my husband The Fort website. I told him "we have to eat here."

Thanks!

Vicki

DickM

Fort's a good suggestion.. Another fun Denver food experience is the historic Buckhorn Exchange, a short light rail ride from downtown. http://www.buckhorn.com/

happy_train

I would recommend going to Georgetown on a weekday. The traffic into the mountains won't be too bad, and it's a great little historic mining town with character. Have lunch at the Happy Cooker, and then ride the Loop Railroad. Lots of cute art galleries, and the best ice cream shop in Colorado. It's about a 45 minute drive from downtown straight west on I-70.

GypsyMaiden

Evening 1- While staying downtown, take in a show a the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Have a drink at the hotel just north of the theatre on 15th.

Evening 2 or day 2-Go see a Rockies game and grab a hot dog and beer.

Day 1-Do a little shopping on 16th St.

Day 2 or 3-Go to City Park, the Zoo, or the Museum. That would be a fun day!

sarge56

Or head up to Boulder to the Pearl Street Mall. Excellent place to spend a few hours.

And then stop at Mustard's Last Stand for the best Chicago-style hot dogs outside of Chicago!

Gretchen

ABSOLUTELY second the suggestion of Luca's, Fruition, or Mizuna. That is some of the finest food in Denver. Another really good meal is at Elway's at Cherry Creek--John Elway's restaurant.

vickib2

Thanks to all of you who replied.

Just returned from our Denver trip. DH had meetings until 5:00 every day and denies that he told me he would be done by 2:00. So, we got started a bit late.
We went to Red Rocks Park, and I loved it. Wow. What a sight. We also drove to Evergreen via...I'm not sure, but we went through Morrison. The drive was just spectacular. The highest mountains I've ever seen! DH informed me that those mountains were "nothing" compared to the mountains farther west, and he's probably right, but the sight was absolutely thrilling to me. The sky was so blue. The whole area was like a wide-screen, high-density television. We ate at the Aspen Grille in Evergreen, and I almost wanted to cry it was so pleasant and peaceful. We enjoyed watching the activity around the lake. Saw some female elk nosing around. They stared disapprovingly at the dogs being walked and trotted away from them when they got too close. I can't imagine living in that little town! How could you ever stay inside? I would be dazzled by the beauty when taking out the garbage! Are people who live there wealthy?

We also ate at The Prague Cafe or something like that in Morrison the next night. Very good food.

The whole area was just beautiful. Loved those mountains. Thanks for the tip to make that drive to Evergreen.

Vicki

martym

So glad you enjoyed Evergreen! Yes, it is beautiful here and I need someone like you who is seeing it for the first time to remind me how lucky I am to live where I do. After living here for over 25 years, I find that the daily concerns of living sometimes make me not see the beauty that is all around me--if you can believe that. We humans are funny creatures--often what is familiar is ignored. So thank you for your enthusiasm--you have rekindled mine for my place on this earth.

PS-not everyone who lives here is wealthy--we sure aren't.

Gretchen

Too bad you didn't try The Fort since you were right there. There is probably not another restaurant like it.

ahc

It's refreshing to here someone's first impression of Colorado, after living here for over 20 years it's easy to take it all for granted. Glad you enjoyed your trip!

historytraveler

I don't think you should have any regrets about missing The Fort. It seems you throughly enjoyed the meals at the restaurants you chose and what more can one ask.

The Fort does have a unique ambience but for food connoisseurs, there are a number of restaurants in the Denver/Boulder area that are superior.

Gretchen

Just to be clear, I agree that other Denver restaurants may be better for that genre of food, but since she was right there in Morrison, etc. it was doable for a unique and very western experience. We have eaten at one of the Denver ones also, and didn't really think it was all that much better. Pretty much done with all of it by now after a number of trips, and moving on to other good food available in Denver.