For a first-hand look at Wild West history, check out the Blake Street Vault in downtown Denver. The restaurant’s original 19th-century architectural details and collection of Old West relics are something to see. But our favorite lure to this locale is the guided tour where guests learn the story of Lydia, a saloon girl who died in the building back…
Denver’s foothills offer families a variety of great areas to hike with kids. For those who want to have an outdoor adventure without traveling far from home, check out these local day hikes. Apex Park, part of Jefferson County Open Space, is a local’s favorite for running, hiking, mountain biking and walking the dog. Gorgeous views of Golden and beyond…
Castlewood Canyon State Park is a little-known spot that is sure to please any wildlife and nature enthusiast. This Douglas County state park, located south of Parker off Colorado Highway 83, is home to not only some of Colorado’s most magnificent plants and wildlife, but provides families with recreational opportunities. Among activities to be enjoyed in the park are birding,…
With the abundance of mountains and variety of terrain that Colorado offers, there are places close to home that shouldn’t be overlooked when planning your next family expedition. If you’re seeking intricate geological features, trickling streams or great views above the city, consider the numerous trails and parks Jefferson County Open Space offers in the foothills outside Denver. South Valley…
Coloradans love their brewskis. And Colorado is the second-largest producer of beer in the country and is ranked third for the number of breweries per capita. It’s all about the water — fresh, clean Rocky Mountain H2O. Everyone knows that Coors, the largest single brewery in the world, is in Golden. But do you know that more beer is brewed…
Driving to a strip mall and clumping my clothes into a corner of the massage room isn’t really my idea of a spa experience. So I am a bit uneasy about visiting a hotel spa located in a business park. As it turns out, the Spa at the Inverness includes none of the drab styling of its namesake hotel. Just…
As summertime comes to Colorado, so does the onslaught of outdoor enthusiasts. But you don’t have to leave the Denver area to find adventure. Golden, just west of Denver, offers a variety of free activities year-round that are especially fun during the summer months. So for those who like to keep things under budget and want to enjoy the outdoors…
Beneath a grand ceiling of stained glass, the soft ringing of teaspoons as they hit saucers echoes through the atrium lobby of Denver’s historic Brown Palace Hotel. The sound of Afternoon Tea is coupled with melodious piano being played for guests, enriching the ambience that permeates the historic walls. Built in 1892 by Henry C. Brown and designed by Frank…
There was a movie about the things you can do in Denver when you’re dead but a better question would be what can you do when you’re alive in Aurora? Nestled in between Denver and Buckley Air Force Base and just south of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, this city offers a number of different culture and recreational…
Fittingly for a former toxic site now made environmentally friendly, the new Visitor Center at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge was designed and built to be “green,” with outdoor solar panels, renewable cork flooring and Colorado beetle-kill wood. The $7.6 million Visitor Center opened in May 2011. After a massive $2+ billion cleanup and restoration, Colorado’s old Rocky…
