What's Must-See in Mile-High City?

[Rudbeckia]

Strange question, perhaps, but as an out of towner  I'm curious...what's your local favorite that it would be a sin to miss? 

I'm open to suggestions on sweet little restaurants, must-see museums and anywhere that I'm not going to have to parallel park to get in.  Hit me with your best shots - I want to experience the city that the locals love during my limited time in town.  *grin*

[BadBoy]

If I could visit only one thing in Denver it would be either 1) Going to a Hazel Miller concert at Lannie Garret's Burlesque or, 2) visiting the Denver Art Museum.  A really great Denver day would be both of them in one day - very doable.  If you had to choose between them, you can get better Scotch at Lannie's than you can at the museum, that may make a difference.

Edited November 3, 2016 by Badboy
correct grammar

[Guest]

Saints and Sinners balls Hallowen every year.

Not Denver but quick jaunt south -   renaissance festival in larkspur ( june )

Non- seasonal:

- A movie at the Mayan theater is pretty cool.

Colorado has so much offer even outside the cities. Its almsot endless.

[Paul Pudenda]

Red Rocks - out west of town.  The museums are a bit of a disappointment if you come from a major city.  Italian food: Bruno's Bistro in a strip mall at Holly and Monaco.  

Edited November 3, 2016 by Paul Pudenda

[elrack3]

Ditto above on Red Rocks.  Walk up the seats not the stairs for a nice knee workout. (Gotta get you ready for skiing).

Walk around Sloan's Lake.  Again a nice little bit of exercise and a fun view of downtown across the lake.  (Kinda reminds me of the view of dtown Seattle from Kerry Park. The space needle actually looks big from there).

16th st mall, maybe hit Jazz at Jacks, see if Dotsero is in house?

If you like museums, combine the Nature and History Museum with a jaunt around City Park.

Denver Botanic Gardens?   Walk around Wash Park, find a cool little restaurant near it, there's tons.

As far as I'm concerned you can't go wrong being outside enjoying the fresh air.  Have fun!

[Rudbeckia]

Okay, you guys are awesome!  *grin*

Coming in from Indy, we do okay on the museum aspect...but I do have a serious love for Botanical Gardens, so that's on the list. Same for the museums - I'm in the Field Museum in Chicago every chance I get, so how does the Nature/History museum stack on that front? 

Red Rocks I've heard of - some of my climbing buddies have serious love for the place - but Sloan's Lake sounds like a great little aside. Add in Burlesque and some Jazz and I can see why the city is such a hit. 

So...what about food?  I have a special love for breakfast joints that don't close up shop at noon - any of you deviants have recommendations on that front? 

(and thank you all so much for the suggestions! I'm loving hearing the local side of things)

 

[Guest]

Red Rocks. Pike's Peak (Colo Spgs). Garden of the Gods (Colo Spgs). See a Broncos game @ Mile High Stadium. Experience 420 tourism anywhere in the City. Stroll the 16th Street Mall. Make the drive to Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park...it's worth it!! See the Stanley Hotel while you're in Estes Park (The setting for The Shining).

Don't be tempted to go to Casa Bonita. If you want to see cliff divers, just Google Acapulco Cliff Divers and save your $$$

[Guest]

If you have the means... https://www.broadmoor.com/

its a real treat. If you get a client there you're doing pretty good.

[Lucy Kitten]

Live music at El Chapultapec, tours of the Molly Brown House and the Byers-Evans Mansion, Colorado History Museum, Art Museum (depending on how long you're here you may be able to see the Star Wars Costume exhibit), a walk along the Platte River near Confluence Park, dinner at My Brothers Bar (best burger in town and also a stop and haunt for Kerouac, mentioned in On The Road), Rocky Mountain Arsenal so you can see wildlife without having to venture too far out of the city, a tour of the Coors plant, a trip to Buffalo Bill's grave and no trip to Denver is complete without drinking too much and having a greasy breakfast at Pete's at 3am.

[wglide2003]

Don't forget Pete's Kitchen for breakfast on Colfax.

[Running with Scissors]

All the ladies on TOB before you die. Got-a have a goal in life.😃....

[1hapyfeller]

Fooducopia, in Wash Park district on Kentucky (west of University) food is excellent, not high priced. I took a friend there for two including coffee; $30.  Great service, I love the place. They make their own apricot marmalade !  Enjoy !

[ilovewomen]

On 11/3/2016 at 4:21 PM, wglide2003 said:

Don't forget Pete's Kitchen for breakfast on Colfax.

Gotta try the Chili Rellenos & Eggs if you go

[BadBoy]

On ‎11‎/‎3‎/‎2016 at 6:47 AM, Rudbeckia said:

Coming in from Indy, we do okay on the museum aspect...but I do have a serious love for Botanical Gardens, so that's on the list. Same for the museums - I'm in the Field Museum in Chicago every chance I get, so how does the Nature/History museum stack on that front? 

 

I grew up visiting the Denver Museum, so did my kids, and I still go back.  It is a really high-quality museum that has several interesting exhibits for everyone, no matter what your interest.  It has one of the best gem and mineral exhibits around, plus lots of other standard items and quirky little oddities (in the "Colorado Scenes" room where they have the stuffed animal dioramas from the various climes in Colorado, look for the small painted gnomes hiding here and there in the scenery - natives know them all since they have been there for 40-50 years).

That said, it is smaller than the Field, but then again, what isn't?  It's definitely worth a day.  For lots of folks that is enough.  For some of us, it ends up being a habit.

It has a pretty cool planetarium with new latest and greatest projection and sound equipment.  If the show that is playing sounds interesting, I would do that at least once.  (Sure do miss Laserium in the old planetarium , particularly when I was in an altered state of mind - alas my mind wanders.....).