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Around Boulder/Denver and Colorado As of 2/09
SPRING/SUMMER Barbeque – At home, at Parks: Ebin G. Fine, Flagstaff, Lyons park, Gross Reservior, Eldorado Springs end of road, etc. Bicycle - road (Boulder Creek Trail, local), mountain (see maps, ride aqueducts) Bolder Boulder 10K race - Memorial Day Boulder Outdoor Theater on Friday and Saturday nights (funky and cult movies shown on side of building…bring your own chairs). At dark behind BMOCA. Boulder Reservoir - Rent Sailboat, water-ski, boat with Susan & Lonnie, bring sailboard or blowup raft. Brainard Lake - hike, fish, picnic. (see hiking list below). In the mountains above Boulder, up near Ward. Canoe – rent from Boulder Outdoor Center or maybe reservoir. Central City Opera (I believe only in Summer?) Chautauqua Concert Series (pay for tickets inside or picnic free outside) - Get summer schedule. At the base of Baseline Dr., Boulder. Concerts - Red Rocks & Fiddlers Green Denver Zoo - $7 in 2003. 10-4(5) Denver Botanic Gardens - $5.50 in 2003. 1005 York. 9-5, 7 days. 331-4000 Dinosaur Ridge - see dinosaur footprints (on Highway 26 in Morrison). C470 to Morrison exit, Go West. 200 Ft take a right is S. Rooney Rd (before Conoco). At stop, take left on W. Alameda. 1/4 mile on right is center. Free trail map. Admission free. Eldorado Canyon. Watch the climbers on the steep rock walls and have picnic near the river. (can also swim in the pool, fed by a natural spring – not hot, but heated like normal pool). Just south of Boulder, off Rt. 93/Broadway. Elitches-Six Flags Amusement Park in Denver – Rollercoasters, water park, etc. Farmer's Markets: Boulder - 13th St.-Sat 8am-2pm. Wed afternoon/evenings now. Longmont -NW corner fairgrounds. 8am-1pm Sats. Louisville -Courtyard next to Louisville Inn-8am-12 Sat. Niwot - Sundays Farm Stands (some after August too): Munsons-Valmont & 75th, Dexter Farm-9307 Valmont, Cottonwood Farm-75th & Arapahoe, Blue Ribbon 10147 Hover (Lgmt), Zweck's Veg & Flowers-Diag. to Airport (left), about 3 miles on left., Rocky Mt. Pumpkin Ranch (other stuff too!)-Diag to Hover (left), Left on 66, 1 mile on right., Teleen's Tangled Roots-619 N. 96th St, (Lsvl) Festivals – Tons of them! (See my separate Colorado Fun Calendar or check the websites at end of this document) Fish – in the park in Lyons, Basalt-Frying Pan/Roaring Fork (fly, catch & release: Olive Ridge Campground off Peak to Peak near Allenspark (walk up to lake). Call Teilor Creek Guide Service. Flea Markets: Ballpark Market (flea market) – Larimer, between 21 & 22nd. 2nd Saturday from April to October. Mile High (the big one!) – see “Year Round” Fourth of July: Watch from the stadium, Vail, Grand Lake (boat), Longmont Fairgrounds. Four-Wheel Drive - Eldora, Needle-eye, lots of others. See maps Gateway Park Fun Center on N. Broadway in Boulder -maze, putt-putt, batting cage, go carts Golf – At Haystack or Flatirions on Arapahoe in Boulder Gondola ride down Cherry Creek with Venice on the Creek – Actually a “punt”, but great fun. June-Aug. Thurs-Sun 5pm-10:00pm, Candlelight rides start at 8:30 pm. $20 (regular) $30 (candlelight) per bench price (2 ppl). Make reservations at (303) 893-0750 or http://www.veniceonthecreek.com/index.html or go to between Speer Blvd. and 14th St. on Larimer. Hikes (see list below) Horseback riding – Eldorado Canyon, Estes Park Hot Air Ballooning - around $125 Hudson Gardens - at Santa Fe, south of Bowles in Denver (1 mi. S. of Bellevue). 9-5, ($4 summer, free Nov. to April) 797-8565. They have concerts at night. Kinetic Conveyance Race & Balloon Race - 1st weekend in May – CANCELLED, FOR NOW Meteor Showers. Go out to the plains to watch the Perseids meteor shower in August around the 12th; or the Leonids - around November 17. or –Quadrantids – around Jan 4; Geminids – around Dec. 14. Orionids – around October 21. I go out Rt. 52 (Diagonal and IBM) and park in an oil derrick turn-off. (I figure they are probably easements onto private farms, so are probably OK) Picnic – Eldorado (park at the end of the road in), Flagstaff mountain, Gross Reservoir, Eben G Fine Park. Platte Valley Trolley – (www.denvertrolley.org): April 21 to Memorial Day and Labor Day through Halloween - Friday-Saturday-Sunday; Memorial Day through Labor Day; Wednesday-Thursday-Friday-Saturday-Sunday 11:30 AM — Route 84 Excursion (55 minutes in duration) One run only per day, 12:30 PM to 4:00 PM — Riverfront Ride, (25 minutes in duration) Departs continuously every 1/2 hour from REI (Last run made at 3:30 PM) Rafting down the Colorado River, Roaring Fork or Arkansas (camping or day trip). Whitewater Rafting Co. in Glenwood is great outfitter. Or come around July 4th and raft with Ray. Rockies Games Rocky Mountain Wildlife Conservation Center, near Hudson (1 hr E on Rt 52): 150+ Abandoned/mistreated Lions, tigers and bears and more saved from homes and zoos and live in natural outside habitats. http://wildlife-conservation.com/ $10. 9am-4pm, 7 days a week, except holidays and bad weather. Call 303-536-0018. Sail - Rent a sailboat from Reservoir Shakespeare Festival at CU in Boulder – Late June – Mid August 303-492-0554 Silent movies at Chautauqua in Boulder – call for schedule Soaring/glider flights- (2001 – 50 min ride: $160 for 1, 195 for two. Mountain ride $110, City Ride $60) Cloud Base/Mile High Gliding - Boulder Airport. Sweatsville Zoo, junk animal sculptures, I25, Exit 265 in Ft. Collins, East 2 blocks. Free (donation) Swim - Eldorado Springs pool, Scott Carpenter pool, reservoir Tubing down Boulder Creek – get tubes at the gas station on corner of Arap. & Canyon Waterword Amusement Park WINTER/FALL Aspen viewing in the fall (also see separate list) Peak to Peak Hwy Guanella Pass Kenosha Pass Rocky Mt. National Park (Hidden Valley, Bear Lake Rd., Longs Peak, Wild Basin, Trail Ridge Rd) Avalanche Hockey Games in Denver Boulder Philharmonic - Sept - April 449-1343 Broncos Football Games in Denver CU Buffs Football Games in Boulder Denver Pow Wow - March Dog sledding - Krabloonik in Snowmass Village. $195, 970-923-4342: 2-hr rides for 2 adults and 1 child. Includes 3-course restaurant lunch. Elk Bugling in Estes Park (Elk fest around Oct 15-17) Festivals – Tons of them! (See my separate Colorado Fun Calendar or check the websites at end of this document) Free movies at Library Free Salmon (Dept. of Forestry?)-Tuesday's in December (very early in morning-some get there by 3-5am). At Shadow Mt. Spillway between Grand Lake & Granby-bring cooler...walk down hill and gather fish. Frozen Dead Guy Days – Early March in Nederland Cross Country Ski - Vail Pass, Peaceful Valley, Brainard Lake Hot tub Indian Market (around winter graduation?) Nuggets Basketball Games Ruby Hill Park ski and rider urban rail yard opened in 2007 at South Platte River Drive and West Florida Avenue. Open every day from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. from Jan. 19 through the end of Feb. 2007. Free and open to the general public. Ski (October - about July 4th) Snowmobiling: Adventure Ridge in Vail. 90 min sunset and moonlight rides beginning at 4pm. $50 970-476-9090 World Affairs Conference – First full week in April at CU http://www.colorado.edu/cwa/
YEAR-ROUND Anheuser-Busch tour, Ft. Collins. 490-4691. every 15 min (1 hr, 15min) 1 mile walk including outside 1/4 mile. Till 5:00. I 25 to Exit 271. Mt. Vista Dr., left 1st right on frontage, tour center North past building. Animals: Buffalo Ranch - Nelson Road? near Kathi's old house. Llama farms - Neva Road; Baseline & Cherryvale Feed the rabbits in the IBM parking lot Ostriches - Way east Arapahoe near Laffayette? Turkey Vultures in tree in 600 block of College Ave (Spring & October?) at the Baker's house. (tree may have been cut down in '98?) Bald Eagles – around reservoir or on aqueduct off 63rd? (winter) Sheep: Georgetown, Big Bend Campground, Poudre; Elk: Dowd Junction, Minturn., Rocky Mt.; Mule Deer: NCAR, White Ranch Park, Sand Dunes Coyotes: Neva Road, Rt 36 Prairie dogs: everywhere! Antique stores in Niwot, Longmont, Denver (S. Bway) etc. Aquarium (whatever they’re calling it now) in Denver Art Galleries – First Friday’s galleries open in evenings and some have munchies and wine. On Santa Fe (from 5th 0 10th Aves) on warm nights, it’s like Bourbon Street with thousands of people walking from gallery to gallery with wine glasses…street performers, blocked off streets, etc. Get there early to find a parking spot. Banjo Billy Bus Tour: 90-minute bus tour of Boulder consisting of nine stops with a story about each site. Run daily. Features ghost, crime and historic vignettes. Call 720-771-0087 for times; www.banjobilly.com. Blue Moon: A tradition I started when, on a blue moon (second full moon in month), you do things you’ve never done before or you only do once in a blue moon. Upcoming blue moons: Dec. 31, 2009; Aug, 31, 2012; July 31, 2015 International Markets – roam Vietnamese and Japanese markets, eat dim sum, shop Mexican flea markets. Russian and Mid-East markets. Best area is around Federal and Alameda in Denver. Bingo – Bingo Mine (Lafayyette?) Bowling (Cosmic Bowling at Splitz in Westminster) Butterfly & Bug pavilion, at 104th, Exit in Broomfield. Open 9-4:15 $6.95 in 2003 Celestial Sesonings Tours - daily except holidays, includes tastings, a video presentation and visits to the gift shop, cafe, herb garden and factory. (Children under 5 are not allowed in the factory.) Tours are on the hour Mon-Sat from 10 am-3 pm and Sun from 11 am-3 pm. 303-581-1202; For recorded information, call 303-581-1202. 4600 Sleepytime Dr, Boulder (in Gunbarrel) Central City - Gambling Concerts - McNichols, CU, Paramount Cooking School of the Rockies classes Coors Tour in Golden. 10-4pm (m-Sat) 40 min (About 1 1/2 hour total) 277-2337 Denver Mint – Reservations needed, with possibility for walkup if room. 24-hour tour information line at (303) 405-4761 Dinosaur Ridge - Check out dinosaur footprints at formation near Morrison (45 min) Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse - 1770 13th Street. Gift from Boulder's sister-city of Dushanbe is the country’s only authentic Russian-style Tajik teahouse. Full-menu lunch or dinner or a quick sip of tea or coffee from around the world Dave & Busters in Westminster (an entertainment place - cross between a carnival and Las Vegas for the whole family). Near 104th movie theaters? E-TOWN: Live taping of a music and variety radio show. They have famous musicians, speakers etc. I’ve seen anyone from James Taylor to Bonnie Raitte here. It’s really fun and a great deal (about $12) It’s most always on Sunday nights at the Boulder Theater. Would have to check schedule. Festivals – Tons of them! (See my separate Colorado Fun Calendar or check the websites at end of this document) First Fridays: See “Art Galleries” Fiske Panetarium - Regent Drive on the CU-Boulder campus. Star shows or live talks every Friday at 7:30 pm followed by Friday night laser shows at 9:30 pm and 10:45 pm. The “Colorado Skies” series is held every Thursday at 7:30 pm. The Saturday-matinee family laser shows. Free stargazing at Sommers-Bausch Observatory every Friday after 8 pm. Recorded schedule: 303-492-5001. Information: 303-492-5002; www.colorado.edu/fiske. Flagstaff/Gross Reservoir – nice drive, pretty lake, hike around. Happy Hours at local bars: See http://www.happyhourboulder.com/index.php Imax Theater - Denver Mile High Flea Market – “Largest one west of the Mississippi” buy roasted chilies (late August - September?) $2 Fri, $3 Sat/Sun per person. 7007 E. 88th at I-76 east of Denver. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, year round from 7am to 5pm. Movies Museums Black American West Museum, 3091 California Street, Denver, Tue-Sat, 10-2 (September 1-May 30), Tues-Sat, 10-5 (June 1 - August 31) $8 Byers-Evans House Museum, one of Denver's great historic homes, built 1883. 1310 Bannock Street, Denver. 303-620-4933. Tues-Sun. Guided tours at approximately 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. $5 (Combination Tickets Available for the Byers-Evans House and the Colorado History Museum: $8.00, Save $4.00) Colorado History Museum, 1300 Broadway, Denver, 303-866-3682. $7. Mon-Sat 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun noon-5:00 p.m. Denver Art Museum Denver Firefighter’s Museum - 1326 Tremont (303) 892-1436 Monday through Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $6.00 Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys, 1880 Gaylord Street, Wed-Sat: 10-4, Sun: 1-4, $6 Denver Museum of Nature and Science (special exhibits always fun) – Imax Forney Museum, Trains and cars. 4303 Brighton Boulevard, Denver, at 43rd near Denver Coliseum off I70. $7, Mon-Sat 9-5. Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art, (20th Century decorative arts), 1311 Pearl, Denver, 303-832-8576, Tues-Sat 11-5, Sun 1-5. Tours Wed-Sat 1:30. $6 Leanin’ Tree Museum of Western Art - 6055 Longbow Dr., Boulder (Gunbarrel), 303-530-1442 ext. 4299; One of the world’s largest private collections of contemporary Western American art, with nearly 300 paintings and 80 bronze sculptures. Sculpture garden. Molly Brown House – 1340 Pennsylvania St. Denver at 13th Call for hours-website is down. 303 832 4092 Museum of Contemporary Art - 1485 Delgany Denver 303.298.7554 Mon–Closed, Tue–Thurs 10–6, Fri 10-10 pm, Sat/Sun 10-6. $10 Platte Valley Airpark has an air museum with vintage planes, the largest collection of “named” uniforms (whatever that means) and they fly the planes on Saturday mornings. In Ft. Lupton. Take 52. Go north on 41 (it’s east of hwy 76 by about 1-1/2 miles) to 18, then left and follow signs-not sure directions are correct. 303-668-8044 National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder- Tours on atmospheric science in both English and Spanish are available for adults and children. Exhibit with a comprehensive view of Earth’s past and present climate, along with a new installation that explores the future climate, a telescopic camera, working supercomputers, a gravity well, and demonstrations of lightning, a tornado, and fluid dynamics. Information: 303-497-1174; www.ucar.edu. Parks & Rec classes Rec Center – pool, hot tub, sauna, workout etc. Shop: Cherry Creek, Flatirons Mall, 29th St., Outlet Stores, Cheese Warehouse in Longmont, Boulder Mall Skyfighters - propeller fighter jets. 790-7375. Englewood $299. www.goldwingaviation.com SkyVenture Colorado - Indoor SkyDiving in a Vertical Wind Tunnel, 9230 Park Meadows Drive, Lone Tree, Colorado 80124, (303) 768-9000, http://www.skyventurecolorado.com/, Soar on a column of air in a vertical wind tunnel that produces wall-to-wall airflow. It is not a ride or a simulator. You are actually flying! No previous experience necessary. The training class will teach you everything you need for body flight. All of the flight gear is included. Theater - Boulder (CU, Nomad, etc) , Denver Center for the Performing Arts (Broadway shows) and others. Vampire Grave: "Mr. Glava" from 1800's - Lafayette Municipal Cemetery located next to the Bob L. Burger Recreation Center, 111 West Baseline Road. In a well-groomed cemetery, two huge unkempt rose bushes shroud this grave, and there is a very large tree growing right where the body is. Legend says the rose bushes are the vampire's finger nails which never stop growing and the tree sprouted from the wooden stake used to slay the vampire. Wineries – I believe you can visit most if not all of these. They should be open Sundays too. Augustinas – 4715 N. Broadway, Unit B3, 303-545-2047. Balistreri – 1946 E 66th, Denver, 303-287-5158, www.balistreriwine.com Bonacquisti – 4640 Pecos, Unit 1, Denver, 303-477-9463, denverwine.net Bookcliff – 1458 Pearl St. Boulder, 303-449-9463. Wine, chocolate, coffee, couches and music on weekend nights! bookcliffvineyards.com Boulder Creek – 6440 Odell Place, Unit B (right near Laura’s!). 303-516-9031. Bouldercreekwine.com D’Vine wine – 303-534-0788 (Make your own wine) www.winerydenver.com Iron Mountain Winery, 1 W. Flatirion Circle, Ste 336, Broomfield. (I think this is the one in the mall I hated) website down, maybe closed? Redstone Meadery - 4700 Pearl St. Unit 2A. Honey Wine. Free half-hour tours Monday-Friday at 3 pm and Saturday at 12:30 pm. The tasting room is open Monday through Friday noon-5:30 pm and Saturday 12-5 pm. Live music at the Meadery every Saturday November through April from 2-5 pm. 720-406-1215; www.redstonemeadery.com Spero – 3316 W. 64th, Denver, 720-519-1506 Turquoise Mesa – 555 Burank St., Unit Q, Broomfield. 303-653-3822, turquoisemesawinery.com There are more south of Denver, check map at http://www.coloradowine.com/wineries/wineriesList.cfm# ALSO CHECK OUT: Roadside America (Offbeat Tourist Attractions): or see my separate list from that site. http://www.roadsideamerica.com/roger/QueryTips.php3?tip_AttractionName=&tip_Town=&tip_State=CO&Submit=Find
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