Denver

Even the most ardent beach bum can find something they enjoy in Colorado—and Denver metro is the first stop in easy fun and entertainment. You don’t have to like skiing or other winter sports to enjoy the shopping and historical bonanza found in the Denver metro area.

Whether you’re spending a day in Denver or a week, there are plenty of different activities to enjoy. From a historical standpoint, Denver is interesting because it’s only about 150 years old. To put that number into perspective for you, most of the western states were populated during the gold rush a good 10-20 years before Denver.

I love the variety of activities that Denver offers. It seems an odd combination of delights—museums, shopping, amusement parks and stadiums—but in reality, this combination shows the frenetic energy running through the city’s veins. Sometimes, just traversing the sidewalks can give my heart an extra beat. Surprisingly, for all its variety, it’s actually a very small city with a core population of just under 600,000.

A history buff, I get the most fun out of visiting the museums in metro Denver. For an overall lesson in Colorado history, I go to the aptly named Colorado History Museum. Not only is it affordable for the whole family, but the exhibits include pictures, sounds and timelines that almost make the history of the state tangible.

Shopping in Denver metro is not restricted to the endless pursuit of cowboy hats and fringe—although, you can find them too. In Lower Downtown Denver, affectionately called LoDo, you can find hip, urban boutiques, café’s and even some Nightclubs. You can find vintage shops and sporting goods stores in the Broadway shopping district. For me, nothing beats Antique Row which is an 18 block expanse of antique shops and art galleries—a historian’s dream come true.

Eventually, you’ll get hungry for some vittles and as you might expect, Denver’s got some fantastic steak houses. But you don’t have to be a red-blood eating carnivore to enjoy a meal. Denver restaurants have fusion menus, artsy food offerings, and ethnic choices. Should you be passing through on Labor Day Weekend A Taste of Colorado is a family friendly happening featuring food, music and entertainment.

If you need a little breather, just a short 30 minute ride outside of Denver brings you to Lookout Mountain in Golden, Colorado. There you’ll find the Buffalo Bill Museum along with his grave. You can also visit the Mother Cabrini shrine which once served as a summer camp for orphans. If you’re in this area on the 4th of July, you might want to head on up the mountain and stake your claim early in the day to watch the fireworks displays. It’s a view that can’t be beat.