I just booked a trip to Denver and I have never been. Were should we stay and what should we do? We are most interested in the nightlife aspect of Denver.
OT: Where to stay and what to do in Denver
- Thread starter gringodawg
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I just booked a trip to Denver and I have never been. Were should we stay and what should we do? We are most interested in the nightlife aspect of Denver.
Not imagine going out there during the winter and not spending at least 1-2 days on the slopes. Keystone is the closest major resort heading into the mountains and it is about 1.5 hours from Denver. Easy to get to and very good skiing. More time, head a little further in and hit Breckinridge and/or Vail/Beaver Creek. Other than its proximity to the mountains, Denver holds little interest to me.
That sucks.. We were planning on hanging in Denver. Maybe we'll hit the slopes for a day. I was hoping Denver would be cool. It was a spur of the moment trip cause plane tickets were so cheap
I called up my freind Leroy on the phone, said buddy I'm afraid to be alone, cause I got some weird ideas in my head, about thing to do in Denver when you're dead.
Or...............
I met a girl there that bought about a big change, but I OD'd in Denver and I can't even remember her name.
Or...............
I met a girl there that bought about a big change, but I OD'd in Denver and I can't even remember her name.
Try that out.
If you're into brewpubs, try Wynkoop. That was my contribution to the thread.
Edit to add: The LoDo area (where Wynkoop is) is a nice area. As far as hotels are concerned, Denver is a convention town and has plenty of excellent hotels in the downtown area near the convention center. Also next month, the National Western Stock Show goes on in Denver January 7-22.
If you're into brewpubs, try Wynkoop. That was my contribution to the thread.
Edit to add: The LoDo area (where Wynkoop is) is a nice area. As far as hotels are concerned, Denver is a convention town and has plenty of excellent hotels in the downtown area near the convention center. Also next month, the National Western Stock Show goes on in Denver January 7-22.
I basically was there on a beer drinking trip. Dad had a conference, so I flew and met him there and drank beer all day while he was in class.
I stayed downtown not too far from 17th street (or some other numbered street). It is a really long street with a free street car/trolley going down the middle of it.
This is a big touristy area, with the normal chains and some pretty cool micro-breweries. While you are there DO NOT DRINK any beer you can get in Mississippi (with one exception below).
If you have a free day, you can catch a city bus off of 17th street at the main bus station for like $4 that will take you to Golden, Colorado. People at hotel told me to take a taxi (like $60+ each way). That is where Coors is made. Go to the brewery, take the tour, and drink the free beer. When you get done, bar hop around Golden before heading back. They have a ton of really cool places there. I cannot remember the name of the place, but there is a micro-brewery there that is tabbed as "Golden's second largest brewery." Go there and get a Mad Molly Brown Ale. The place was awesome. That was the highlight of that trip. If I ever go back to Denver, I will definitely go back to Golden.
Othere than that, just try the micro-breweries. The Brekenridge Brewery up by the baseball stadium was pretty cool, and there was another micro-brewer close to the train station.
I stayed downtown not too far from 17th street (or some other numbered street). It is a really long street with a free street car/trolley going down the middle of it.
This is a big touristy area, with the normal chains and some pretty cool micro-breweries. While you are there DO NOT DRINK any beer you can get in Mississippi (with one exception below).
If you have a free day, you can catch a city bus off of 17th street at the main bus station for like $4 that will take you to Golden, Colorado. People at hotel told me to take a taxi (like $60+ each way). That is where Coors is made. Go to the brewery, take the tour, and drink the free beer. When you get done, bar hop around Golden before heading back. They have a ton of really cool places there. I cannot remember the name of the place, but there is a micro-brewery there that is tabbed as "Golden's second largest brewery." Go there and get a Mad Molly Brown Ale. The place was awesome. That was the highlight of that trip. If I ever go back to Denver, I will definitely go back to Golden.
Othere than that, just try the micro-breweries. The Brekenridge Brewery up by the baseball stadium was pretty cool, and there was another micro-brewer close to the train station.
I was working on a stake the other day, when I saw Waddie in the Rattlesnake Cafe, dressed in black tossing back a shot of rye, finding things to do in Denver when you die......Well Leroy says there something you should know, not everybody has a place to go, and home is just a place to hang your head, and dream up things to do in Denver when you're dead.
There is a loop they keep open even in pretty bad weather.
Most beautiful day the wife and I ever had was in a driving snowstorm up there one day. Packed p-nut butter, crackers, fruit, ham bread etc and spent the day watching elk, deer, mountain goats, etc. Went into a restroom in a deserted campground and came out to find a ful grown elk about five feet from me between me and the Jeep. Wife in the Jeep thought it was a real hoot. I just stood there and waited him out. afte a few minutes he walked away. at times, he was within four feet of me. Not scared in the least. I guess he was wondering what teh hell we were doing there when everyone else had left the campground weeks earlier.
After he left, we were seated on a picnic table eating cheese and wheat thins and these little chicadee loking birds came flying and landing on the other end of the table. I would break crackers and they would fly to within a couple of feet from me to eat them. I told the wife they were starving. Evidently over the summer they learned what a good source of food people were and were starving after everyone left for the winter. We fed them the entire box of wheat thins before we left. There must have been fifty of sixty of them at times. They would hop up and take a cracker piece from yoru hand. Kind'a sad really - what they had to look forward to after we left that day.
You get there by driving through Bolder - great loking town and then on up to Estes park and then to the national park. Great drive. You'd need to devote a full day to the drive is the only down side, but I recommend it. The Rangers at teh gate will give you a map with the open roads indicated and ,make yyou promise to not get off the roadways, lest they come dig your frozen body out a few days later.You must have a four wheel drive vehicle to do the drive. We rented a jeep cherokee, which did fine.
Most beautiful day the wife and I ever had was in a driving snowstorm up there one day. Packed p-nut butter, crackers, fruit, ham bread etc and spent the day watching elk, deer, mountain goats, etc. Went into a restroom in a deserted campground and came out to find a ful grown elk about five feet from me between me and the Jeep. Wife in the Jeep thought it was a real hoot. I just stood there and waited him out. afte a few minutes he walked away. at times, he was within four feet of me. Not scared in the least. I guess he was wondering what teh hell we were doing there when everyone else had left the campground weeks earlier.
After he left, we were seated on a picnic table eating cheese and wheat thins and these little chicadee loking birds came flying and landing on the other end of the table. I would break crackers and they would fly to within a couple of feet from me to eat them. I told the wife they were starving. Evidently over the summer they learned what a good source of food people were and were starving after everyone left for the winter. We fed them the entire box of wheat thins before we left. There must have been fifty of sixty of them at times. They would hop up and take a cracker piece from yoru hand. Kind'a sad really - what they had to look forward to after we left that day.
You get there by driving through Bolder - great loking town and then on up to Estes park and then to the national park. Great drive. You'd need to devote a full day to the drive is the only down side, but I recommend it. The Rangers at teh gate will give you a map with the open roads indicated and ,make yyou promise to not get off the roadways, lest they come dig your frozen body out a few days later.You must have a four wheel drive vehicle to do the drive. We rented a jeep cherokee, which did fine.
We are going to be staying downtown at the Ritz. We will be there for 4 days. So we will be pretty much downtown the entire time. I appreciate the feedback.
if you rent a car fort collins down towns is cool. new belgium brewery [fat tire].traffice is tough. Also Rockey mt national park at long mont.If in Denver only lodo[lower dontowm]near coors field is a good choice.All depends where you are staying. cherry creek is a high brow area.
then by all means stay at The Brown Palace Hotel. It's rich in Denver history, and it is by far the finest hotel in the Rockies. I have stayed there many times and even signed their centennial register many years ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJpdU0ubMUg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJpdU0ubMUg
I just have enough points due to a lot of govt travel to get free nights. Otherwise I would not be staying there.
Great song and songwriter..
Just hang out in 'Low-Dow'. It's short for lower-downtown. Several cool bars and it's right by Coors field. You can walk up and down 16th Street. There's a street there too that has Christmas lights up year around. Can't remember the name though - Lowery or something? I think there is a Ted Turner restaurant on it that's pretty good. There's a good bar called (something) Arrow if you're into good music (Panic, the Dead, etc.). I can't remember the name of that damn place. Broken Arrow maybe?
Anyway, Denver is pretty cool. I've been out there in the summer the last few years.
Just hang out in 'Low-Dow'. It's short for lower-downtown. Several cool bars and it's right by Coors field. You can walk up and down 16th Street. There's a street there too that has Christmas lights up year around. Can't remember the name though - Lowery or something? I think there is a Ted Turner restaurant on it that's pretty good. There's a good bar called (something) Arrow if you're into good music (Panic, the Dead, etc.). I can't remember the name of that damn place. Broken Arrow maybe?
Anyway, Denver is pretty cool. I've been out there in the summer the last few years.
what i am only assuming meridianDog is talking about is trail ridge road (
http://www.rmnp.com/RMNP-Areas-TrailRidge.HTML). Though he seems to be describing, Old trail ridge road, which is definitely not open this time of year. My grandparents had a summer home in Estes Park and it is a beautiful area. Old Trail Ridge Road is beautiful and should be on everyone's bucket list, but isn't open from labor day to memorial day most years. If you can get to Estes Park even once in your life, you should go. Its a beautiful alpine/bavarian-style village. Spots to see are the Alluvial Fan (an old wash out from a high mountain damn break), endovalley (tons of wildlife) and Emerald Lake (a mid-mountain valley lake that is spectacularly beautiful, which is is about a 2 mile mod/strenuous hike from the bear lake trail headhttp://www.sreistphotography.com/Pics_Full_Size/srp9382.jpg) If you only have a few days in CO in the winter and don't plan on skiing, stay in denver, but plan a summer trip to estes park and spend some time there. If you don't love the mountains before you will after.
http://www.rmnp.com/RMNP-Areas-TrailRidge.HTML). Though he seems to be describing, Old trail ridge road, which is definitely not open this time of year. My grandparents had a summer home in Estes Park and it is a beautiful area. Old Trail Ridge Road is beautiful and should be on everyone's bucket list, but isn't open from labor day to memorial day most years. If you can get to Estes Park even once in your life, you should go. Its a beautiful alpine/bavarian-style village. Spots to see are the Alluvial Fan (an old wash out from a high mountain damn break), endovalley (tons of wildlife) and Emerald Lake (a mid-mountain valley lake that is spectacularly beautiful, which is is about a 2 mile mod/strenuous hike from the bear lake trail headhttp://www.sreistphotography.com/Pics_Full_Size/srp9382.jpg) If you only have a few days in CO in the winter and don't plan on skiing, stay in denver, but plan a summer trip to estes park and spend some time there. If you don't love the mountains before you will after.
If you're staying in a hotel downtown, make sure you bring your own snacks or water / cokes into the hotel. Otherwise you'll end up spending at least $5 for a bottle of water or snickers if you have a craving for one in the middle of the night.<div>
</div><div>The area is nice, but be prepared for a constant barrage of homeless people & hippies on 16th street. Ignore them & they'll either cuss you out or tell you to have a nice day. I've only been there for business so can't give much information on things to do. Lots of good restaurants... only one I remember by name is the Broker - it's a restaurant in an old bank vault, which is cool, but the food is nothing special. The all you can eat boiled shrimp is a good appetizer.</div><div>
</div><div>If you're going to be there 4 days, I'ddefinitelyrecommend getting out of downtown at least 1 day.</div>
</div><div>The area is nice, but be prepared for a constant barrage of homeless people & hippies on 16th street. Ignore them & they'll either cuss you out or tell you to have a nice day. I've only been there for business so can't give much information on things to do. Lots of good restaurants... only one I remember by name is the Broker - it's a restaurant in an old bank vault, which is cool, but the food is nothing special. The all you can eat boiled shrimp is a good appetizer.</div><div>
</div><div>If you're going to be there 4 days, I'ddefinitelyrecommend getting out of downtown at least 1 day.</div>
I've only been in Denver once for a conference and I stayed at the Hyatt right by the Convention Center. He speaks the truth about snacks, water, etc. Also if the Ritz is anything like the Hyatt there won't be free internet, but then you aren't going to be in Denver to surf the web unless you're the type that likes to upload vacation photos on to Facebook that same day.
Been 4 other times and this last time I stayed right on that street downtown with the trolleys and touristy places. It was OK. I suggest LO DO for more local breweries and places to go. I did the Coors tour a few years ago and it is pretty cool. If you don't want to go to mountains I would also suggest driving south toward Colorado Springs. You have the Garden of the Gods which is a national park with all of these very cool rock formations. You can then head on to C S and see the Air Force Academy and one of the most beautiful resorts I've ever seen called the Broadmoor.
Even if you don't want to ski you should still drive west into mountains and just hang out in one of the ski towns like Breckinridge or Vail. Good snow good people and good food and drink!
Even if you don't want to ski you should still drive west into mountains and just hang out in one of the ski towns like Breckinridge or Vail. Good snow good people and good food and drink!
Beautiful course there. Turn 360 degrees with mountains all the way around you. Elk come onto the course every night to graze. We sat on the deck of the clubhouse and watched them come down from the hills at dusk.
Estes Park is really nice.
edited to add:
This time of the year the greens are covered in tarps to keep the elk from stripping them bare. Probably a herd of a hundred elk grazing the course all day long every day in the winter.
Estes Park is really nice.
edited to add:
This time of the year the greens are covered in tarps to keep the elk from stripping them bare. Probably a herd of a hundred elk grazing the course all day long every day in the winter.
Make sure you make a trip to Red Rocks Ampitheatre, worlds largest naturally built, it overlooks Denver from the foothills. Just south of golden. Golden is a fun little place I lived there during an internship for about 4 months. Got to see some good music. Make sure you eat at d'deli in golden, and try all the craft brew you can stomach. And if you find some you like bring home a few cases. Estes park and rocky mountain are also very good. I would say visit mount Evans but i am positive it is closed. You will enjoy it. Quite a few state alums there also.
I haven't lived in Colorado for 11 years, but I'm sure there are a few things that are the same.
Lodo is fairly touristy, but that's where much of the nightlife is. Check out the Wynkoop Brewery. I don't know if El Chapultepec is still around, but when I lived there, it was my favorite place to hang out and see jazz.
Do you have access to a car? Denver is fairly spread out, and you need a car to get places. My favorite restaurant in the world is a Vietnamese restaurant named New Saigon. It's on Federal Blvd a few blocks south of Alamosa Blvd. Delicious and cheap.
There is another strip of bars and restaurants on S. Colorado Blvd south of Speer Blvd. They are a bit more hip than Lodo.
Check out the Denver Museum of Art. There are a few other museums nearby, the Capitol and the Denver Mint. It's a popular area for bums, but they are harmless.
There is a really good pizza place in Edgewater, but I don't remember the name. Ask a bartender.
Avoid anything with John Elway's name on it. The man was my childhood hero, but anything he touches will be super expensive.
Go to Boulder and check out CU and Pearl Street. It's the most beautiful view.
Drink local beers - Left Hand, O'Dells, Avery and Fat Tire. Avoid Coors, Breckenridge, Boulder Brewery and Flying Dog.
Have a great time. It is a great town.
I am homesick now.
Lodo is fairly touristy, but that's where much of the nightlife is. Check out the Wynkoop Brewery. I don't know if El Chapultepec is still around, but when I lived there, it was my favorite place to hang out and see jazz.
Do you have access to a car? Denver is fairly spread out, and you need a car to get places. My favorite restaurant in the world is a Vietnamese restaurant named New Saigon. It's on Federal Blvd a few blocks south of Alamosa Blvd. Delicious and cheap.
There is another strip of bars and restaurants on S. Colorado Blvd south of Speer Blvd. They are a bit more hip than Lodo.
Check out the Denver Museum of Art. There are a few other museums nearby, the Capitol and the Denver Mint. It's a popular area for bums, but they are harmless.
There is a really good pizza place in Edgewater, but I don't remember the name. Ask a bartender.
Avoid anything with John Elway's name on it. The man was my childhood hero, but anything he touches will be super expensive.
Go to Boulder and check out CU and Pearl Street. It's the most beautiful view.
Drink local beers - Left Hand, O'Dells, Avery and Fat Tire. Avoid Coors, Breckenridge, Boulder Brewery and Flying Dog.
Have a great time. It is a great town.
I am homesick now.
is the 16th St. mall. My suggestion is to head up to Boulder for a day. Go to Pearl St. (a more college/hippie 16th St.) Check out the flatirons, drive out to Boulder Canyon (depending on the weather). If you're looking for something indoors, the Natural History Museum in City Park is awesome (although your level of enjoyment will be directly related to how cool you think dinosaurs are).