taking a trip to Denver

[scharmer05]

So, next week I am headed off to Denver for a few days. I'm leaving Tuesday night and am coming back on Sunday morning. A cousin of mine lives down there and since I have the week off from school, and don't have a ton of work to do on the farm, I thought I would take a few days and take a trip.

I talked the girl I am kinda seeing into coming with me, and besides a trip down to Colorado Springs on Friday to visit a friend of our's, we have no idea what else we might be doing. So...any of you that have been to or live in the Denver area, what are some cool things to see while there?

I'm driving down there in the Suburban, so it is going in for an oil change and a tire rotation before we hit the road. With driving around while down there and everything, it looks like it is going to be over 2000 miles of driving.

[trinacriabob]

OK, guy, you PM Moltar and ask him this. Denver is where he hangs his hat.

I like Denver. It's a nice town. It's a blend of West and Midwest. A lot of Midwesterns like it because it's a change of venue without going "over the hill" (the Continental Divide). I'm a warm weather critter, so it's not for me and I like skiing less and less with each passing year...God, I hate it when you fall...it's so 'effin cold.

Oh, yes, and lately I've been on a neurotic thing about mountain lion encounters ever since that 70 year old / 65 year old couple got attacked in North Coastal California. Everybody at work gave me $h! for weeks about my concerns. Within 30 miles of me is serious mountain lion habitat and I've hiked many times by myself. Don't do it. Many of the western suburbs of Denver (like Boulder) thin out into the Front Range of the Rockies where humankind and this cunning ruthless beast have had scrapes. Hike in a group.

Have fun, too.

Edited March 7, 2007 by trinacriabob

[AAS]

I was in that general area last summer...

I don't remember how far it is from Denver (it's closer to Boulder), but the Rocky Mountain National Park is cool. Though the trail we took to get up might be closed, so you'd have to take the main road trail (?). Grand Lake, a town south(?) of the park is really cool too.

Also... there are some small towns south-west of Boulder. We drove throught them, but they looked cool. (Leadville etc., there's a highway that goes through them that eventually gets you to the Vail area)

Unfortunately, I didn't get to spend any time in Denver, since it was only a 3-day roadtrip and we had to get back to Los Alamos, NM!

[The O.C.]

Take a drive into the mountains. That's always cool.

Other than that, downtown Boulder is a cool area (about 30mins to the NW) and in Denver itself, check out Larimar Square in downtown, and definitely Cherry Creek Village (near downtown) as that's kindof Denver's "Beverly Hills." Lots of shops, restaurants, and places to walk around town and shop and eat.

Finally, there's the Coors Brewery in Golden (20-30 mins west.)

I'd say, other than Golden (brewery) and Boulder (college town) I'd avoid the Denver suburbs as they are quite bland and generic. You are better off seeing downtown and the Cherry Creek area.

[trinacriabob]

definitely Cherry Creek Village (near downtown) as that's kindof Denver's "Beverly Hills." Lots of shops, restaurants, and places to walk around town and shop and eat.

Is it? I missed that. Instead, I went toward Ken Caryl Ranch and such (SW) to look at the new homes and the prices.

Hey, about 2 years ago, didn't you have some grisly mountain lion attacks right outside of Rancho Santa Margarita? I was reading the story. Unbelievable.

Next time I'm in the Mile High City, I will check out Cherry Creek Village. I hate Boulder...too granola.

[The O.C.]

Is it? I missed that. Instead, I went toward Ken Caryl Ranch and such (SW) to look at the new homes and the prices.

Hey, about 2 years ago, didn't you have some grisly mountain lion attacks right outside of Rancho Santa Margarita? I was reading the story. Unbelievable.

Next time I'm in the Mile High City, I will check out Cherry Creek Village. I hate Boulder...too granola.

Yeah....Cherry Creek is cool......there's a part to it where you can walk around....kindof like a little downtown.....with upscale shops, restaurants, etc. It's tough to find.....so make sure you ask good directions. Cherry Creek is kindof nestled in the middle of the city a bit SW of downtown and not right off the freeway....or very well marked.....

Oh we have mountain lion attacks seemingly all the time. It's because of all the wilderness surrounding south OC with the mountains and stuff. They find a way to make their way into the 'burbs. Last year in fact, we had a fox hiding in the bushes/greenbelt between our house and our neighbor's house. One morning, I opened the door and the fox took off out of the bushes and Jefferson, my little schnauzer took off after him like a rocket.....the fox ran away....LOL, LOL. I was scared at the time for Jefferson but after I got him back in the house, I was busting up laughing.....this small little schnauzer with "no fear" taking off after this big fox barking and crap......what a little stud he is....HA

[scharmer05]

Thanks for the ideas guys. I am sure that we will be hitting up a few of them, and a drive through the mountains is definately in order. Living in the Red River Valley of the North with not even a small knoll (unless it is man-made of course) within miles of me, the mountains are definately a sight to see.

[PONTIAC06]

I dunno what all you want to do besides shopping and mountains, but I know there are two nuggets and one aves game next week if you can still get tickets (tuesday night Nuggets vs Trailblazers, Wednesday Aves vs. Calgary Flames, thursday night Nuggets vs. Lakers) and there is the zoo and stuff like that as well

[knightfan26917]

Finally, there's the Coors Brewery in Golden (20-30 mins west.)

Oh my yes! I didn't get a chance to take a tour, but I was in Golden CO for a few days in October 2004 as part of an annual gathering with one of my heart-related boards. I had a blast during that weekend ... as well as that entire 2-week road trip.

A couple pictures taken in Golden:

http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/0410/Oct%2...ssicr8_jpg.html

http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/0410/Oct%2...roupr8_jpg.html

Cort:33swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker

PICS:lego.HO.model.MCinfo.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"Take my way, it's the highway, that's the best" ... John Mayer ... 'Route 66'

[scharmer05]

I like the idea of seeing the Coors brewery. I have seen the Anheuser-Busch plant in St. Louis and it was fun to see. I would love to see the Coors plant as well.

Also, my cousin is working on getting Avalanche tickets as well, that would be a ton of fun.

[ocnblu]

Wow, hard to believe it's been 15 years since my road trip. I enjoyed my short stay in Denver/Boulder/Fort Collins.

[trinacriabob]

Wow, hard to believe it's been 15 years since my road trip. I enjoyed my short stay in Denver/Boulder/Fort Collins.

You mean you HAVE been out of PA and MD? :AH-HA_wink:

[Robert Hall]

Yes, lots to do here..the previous posters have it pretty well covered...the 16th st mall downtown is fun, Larimer Square, Writer Square, the general LoDo area, Cherry Creek.. lots of restaurants in CC and the Wash Park area (the park is good for people watching)...the mountains are a short drive away.. Coors Brewery tour in Golden is fun. Blackhawk and Central City have gambling if that's your thing.. Boulder is always interesting, lots there..music, food, etc..

The Cherry Creek etc name gets confusing as it's used for everything around here...the Cherry Creek neighborhood is in Denver proper (basically University and 1st Ave/Speer Blvd), but there is a Cherry Creek high school in Greenwood Village, Cherry Creek Reservoir which is near Aurora, etc. There is also Cherry Hills, which is the Beverly Hills type suburb (and nearby is Greenwood Village, which is kind of a Scottsdale like suburb, near where I work).

I used to work in Cherry Creek and had lots of lunch choices everyday..now I'm down south in the DTC (office park along I-25).

I used to live in Colorado Springs also, lots to do down there..the Garden of the Gods Park has beautiful rock formations, Manitou Springs in a funky little town, Cripple Creek is close by in the mountains with gambling..

As an aside, I noticed someone mentioned Los Alamos, NM above..neat place..haven't been there in a few years, but a good friend from grad school lives there and works at the LANL. I like that area and Santa Fe quite a bit..

Edited March 8, 2007 by moltar

[AAS]

...Blackhawk...

Driving through this place was such a "trip!" We were coming from the South(?) up through the mountains, on whatever highway goes through Blackhawk. We drove through all kinds of cool little mountain towns etc. Then you get to a really narrow pass between some peaks... awesome driving... and my buddies and I are thinking "wow... what kind of cool town are we going to drive through now!" So, it was a huge shock to see that Blackhawk is like a mini Las Vegas/Reno, in the middle of a frickin mountain! It blew our minds!

...

As an aside, I noticed someone mentioned Los Alamos, NM above..neat place..haven't been there in a few years, but a good friend from grad school lives there and works at the LANL. I like that area and Santa Fe quite a bit..

I did... I've spent a month there the past two Summers, working through UCSD for the lab. I've seen lots of NM (Los Alamos, White Rock, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, White Sands Missle Range, Las Vegas, Taos, Red River ...), and it's a really cool state. Totally different "style" compared to Colorado. It's amazing how you cross the border and go from all the Southwest style and theme, to the "mountain" living theme. FYI, my favorite BBQ place, "The Cowgirl," is in Santa Fe.