Headed to Denver for a wedding in July. So I’m taking the family on a vacation to accompany it. I’ve been to CO a couple of times, but it’s been a while. I already have tickets for a show at Red Rocks. The kids have never been there. My son will still be recovering from a major surgery, so hiking is out.

Any natives have some good suggestions for a not-very-outdoorsy wife and an 18 and 19 year old? We’ll probably pop down to C-Springs to visit a friend of mine who lives near there. Thanks!

Land at DIA.
Get rental car.
Flee north to Wyoming.

Body armor.

If time allows, Dragonmans museum might be a bucket list item. I've never been, hopefully someday.

Unfortunately the previous posts are correct. Spend as little time in the Denver metro area as possible. The place is crime infested, unsafe, and a shithole. Vehicles are looted and stolen constantly. Sorry to be so brutally honest.

The costs of everything are outrageous, they tax or fee you to death on everything. Colorado Springs has a very interesting museum about money. https://www.visitcos.com/directory/money-museum/

Million dollar highway
Pikes Peak
Leadville Railroad

Lots of things listed here

https://www.colorado.com/

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:
Land at DIA.
Get rental car.
Flee north to Wyoming.

Good chance of that happening. Don’t worry guys, we’re bolting out of Denver the day after we arrive.

Haven't been to Denver in quite a few years. I was going to recommend the Denver Mint and Capital Building tours but I guess times have changed.

Wow. I will agree Colorado has changed quite a bit since I moved here in 1995, but I would not call Denver a crime infested shit hole. It's no Chicago or Detroit by any stretch. I had jury duty for a 3 week trial and had to go downtown every day for 3 weeks last Spring and I never felt "unsafe". It was a Federal court house so I couldn't even carry, and I was fine. I go to a few Rockies games each year and always have a good time. I will say a few years ago there were homeless tents everywhere, but they moved them. I don't know where they chased them off to, but they are not downtown.

I live about 10 minutes from Red Rocks. I went to my first concert of the year on Monday, Sublime.

If you like baseball, Rockies tickets can be had for cheap and Coors field is a great stadium.

If you want to beat the heat and just want to walk around and do touristy things, Vail or Breckenridge might be good day trip options. They are doing some major road construction on the west side of Denver near Evergreen (Floyd Hill), so you might be better off taking Hwy 285 (which is where I live) to Fairplay and over Hoosier pass into Breckenridge.


Here's a good thread on CO...
https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...020064954#2020064954

Catch a Rockies game if you like baseball. Coors Field is great. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is next to Coors Field and has amazing food and an extensive beer and spirits menu.

If hiking’s off the table but you still want to soak up some of what Colorado offers, you’ve got options. In Denver, check out Meow Wolf, it’s trippy, immersive art and pretty unforgettable for teens and adults alike. The Denver Museum of Nature & Science and the Art Museum are solid too if your crew’s into that.

Here’s a sleeper, mentioned by a guy that lives local. The cost is mostly free, short drive.


https://www.fws.gov/refuge/rocky-mountain-arsenal

How about Garden of the Gods or Cave of the Winds in Colorado Springs since you will be there? Not sure if it’s still possible, but the Air Force Academy had some cool things to see.

The Durango to Silverton train is great fun. Silverton is also fun on its own, as is Ouray with its hot springs. The cog railway up to Pike’s Peak is very cool.

The US Olympic Team has a facility in Colorado Springs; last I knew you could visit the facility, but that was well over a decade ago. I seem to recall the USA Shooting Team has a range there you could tour (not use). I believe the diving or swim team, and maybe weightlifting was also there? It’s been a while, though.

Didn’t say how long you will be here so here are a couple ideas not far off the front range. Should be fun for all ages.

My Princeton Hot Spring Resort

Coors Brewery Tour
Georgetown Loop Railroad

Leadville ATV Tours

Keep in mind, the state is widening I-70 at (George) Floyd Hill to Idaho Springs so traffic there really sucks. Best to avoid the area on the weekends.

Everything I love about Colorado involves hiking or fishing, so if that's out I've got nothing, except stay out of Denver.

Renting a jeep and driving some off-road trails through the Rockies would be a really fun time if you can afford it. Also maybe a bit rough for somebody recovering from surgery, though.

What is commonly referred to as Denver is a large metropolitan area consisting of about 13 cities spanning 3 counties. Just about all of the metro area is best avoided whenever possible. Traffic is terrible and ugly behavior is very common.

Colorado Springs greater area has grown to about a half-million people over the past few decades. Traffic is always a problem.

Most of the cities have problems with street crime, gang activity, and drugs are literally everywhere. Car break-ins, smash & grab thefts, burglaries, auto theft are all quite common. If the doper thieves don't get you the thieving doper probably will.

I have lived here most of my 74 years and am now actively looking at relocating to another state in hopes of getting out of Colorado. The Caifornication of Colorado is complete, and now in active competition with the other liberal crap holes to see who can destroy liberty, freedom, and quality of life most effectively.

I'll second the Durango-Silverton RR. The Alamosa Parlor Car is big fun, although a little spendy.

If you do get out to western CO, there's little known National Park out there called Dinosaur National Monument . Not much walking, not many in way of crowds and absolutely fascinating. Get up close and personal and even touch real dinosaur bones. My grown daughter loved it; we did too.

I go to Denver regularly and have never had a problem. If you're taking in a show at Red Rocks depending where you park the hike maybe back on. Remember your up about 7,500 feet above sea level so take it slow. And, plan plenty of time to get out after the show. There's only two ways in and out of that joint.

quote:

In Denver, check out Meow Wolf, it’s trippy, immersive art and pretty unforgettable for teens and adults alike. The Denver Museum of Nature & Science and the Art Museum are solid too if your crew’s into that.

I get into Denver a fair amount each year and the above is pretty solid for killing time. Meow Wolf is more modern art but, much more entertaining and the Nature & Science Museum satisfies any curiosity about the natural world. If you're for a fun dining experience, check out the restaurant that the creators of South Park television show featured and then bought, Casa Bonita. The food won't win any awards but, the show that comes with the meal is something that's from a bygone era. Given its popularity, reservations are necessary and require some advance planning.

As for crime and such...Denver isn't Oakland, Memphis or St.Louis, there are certainly areas to avoid however like any place, traveling precautions mean not looking like a target of opportunity nor, naive about leaving possessions out in the open or, being situationally unaware.

If you can, my favorite area of the state is down in the southwest, Durango/Silverton/Ourey. I was recently down there and did some heli-snowboarding at Silverton Mountain...spectacular part of the country.

MT Evans if its open
Monarch Pass
Loveland Pass
Seven Falls
Helen Hunt Falls
Pikes Peak
Rocky Mountain National Park, requires reservations
Garden of the God's
Cave of the winds
Royal Gorge