Five Ways to Get the Most out of a Denver Summer
Do you feel it? The days are getting longer, the grass is getting greener, the afternoons bring refreshing rain (or devastating hail) and your garden is starting to pop. You sit on your porch sipping on ice-cold lemonade and hear the laughter of kids in the distance, and, as you look west to the mountain skyline, vibrant purples, pinks, oranges and yellows command the sky with a stunning sunset. It’s summertime, and you’re ready to take in all of it. You think of trips to distant secluded beaches, or perhaps it’s time to make it to Alaska, where the weather is mild. Regardless of the destination, you’re ready for travel. After all, it is peak tour season. While traveling farther from home is often sought after, what about those great destinations in your own backyard? We’ve come up with a list of five ways to get the most out of summer in Denver. Easy day trips where you’re sure to leave with fond memories and fabulous experiences. Grab your sunscreen and camera, and let’s get out there for adventure!
1. Trek through a Denver Mountain Park
The City of Denver has many great parks to stroll in at any time of year. From the shores of Sloan Lake to the avenue of lindens at Cheesman, each park offers a small respite from the bustling cityscape. However, did you know that Denver also has over 14,000 acres of parks in the nearby foothills? They are there for you to enjoy! These are the Denver Mountain Parks and they’ve been here for over 100 years. It actually took all kinds of legal machinations to allow the City of Denver to acquire land outside of its city limits, creating parkland to protect and preserve for future generations. Incredible!
Some of these parks are easily recognizable, with many people not realizing these parks are a part of the Denver Mountain Parks system, such as Winter Park Ski Resort. For an easy day trip in the summer, we recommend visiting three mountain parks near the I-70 corridor. Start out the day by heading to the Buffalo Bill Museum & Grave on top of Lookout Mountain. Learn all about William “Buffalo Bill” Cody and his traveling wild west show at the museum, pay homage to the man, by his grave, and then take in the views of Golden and the metro area. On a clear day you may see the downtown Denver skyline! Lookout Mountain also has a few trails at the top for light hiking, and if you feel really brave and ready for an extreme workout, take your bike from Golden up Lookout Mountain Drive …or down it!
From Lookout Mountain, get on I-70 and head west to Genesee Park and the bison herd. This was Denver’s first mountain park and is the largest, at nearly 2,500 acres. The main part of the park is off Exit 254, heading west on I-70. You’ll have stunning views of mountain peaks in the distance while seeing wildflowers in the meadows. Stellar. Then, you may have a chance to see the descendants of the last wild herd of bison in North America, that came from Yellowstone National Park. You may see the herd on either side of the interstate, as they have a tunnel under the highway. They are all fenced in to keep them from getting hit by cars, but if you have lots of luck, maybe they’ll come to the fence for you!
Once you’ve had your bison fill, return east toward Denver. As you descend from the mountains and get closer to the foothills, take Exit 259 and head south toward the town of Morrison. Before reaching the town, you’ll see an incredible natural sandstone amphitheater on your right. Yes! That is the world-famous Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater. While Red Rocks gets its fame from the incredible evening concerts over the summer, it is also a mountain park and offers so much more! During the day you may hike around the park on any of the many trails. At the theater itself, you may hike up and down the rows of benches, visit the Hall of Fame and museum, do yoga, relax with the views, grab a bite to eat or pre-game for the concert that evening. Whatever you decide to do here at Red Rocks is sure to be a win. As your day wraps up, you’ve now seen three mountain parks, each offering something unique and different. Yay for Denver Mountain Parks!
2. Visit the Denver Museum of Nature and Science
For visitors and locals alike, visiting the Denver Museum of Nature and Science is always a treat. The museum sits on the eastern edge of City Park and is home to a vast collection of all things science. The museum opened to the public in 1908 as the Colorado Natural History Museum. Over the years, the names changed and the collections grew. In 2000, it became the Denver Museum of Nature and Science reflecting a focus in nature and science as the integral parts of its mission, with an emphasis on hands-on experiences. Today, you may explore any of the eighty-nine wildlife dioramas, walk through the Cretaceous period in Prehistoric Journey, traverse the universe in Space Odyssey, climb Mt. Evans in Expedition Health, see the largest crystal of rhodochrosite ever found, discover the secrets of mummification or see stunning iridescent insects. There’s so much to see at the museum! With a recent visit, we spent over seven and a half hours and still did not see all that the museum had to offer.
The museum hosts special traveling exhibitions throughout the year, so be sure to check out its website before visiting to see what new things you may discover. The newest attraction at the museum is the Infinity Theater! The museum was the location for Colorado’s first IMAX theater (from the 1980s), and after over forty years of screening science films, it was time for an update. Today, we welcome the Infinity Theater, which includes a new laser projection and sound system, audio and visual accessibility, 2D and 3D capabilities and a new immersive lobby, all to enjoy on a giant screen. It’s a spectacular way to see and learn something new related to science!
As a bonus visit to the museum, you may head to the fourth level on the west side and go to the Sky Terrace. From there, you will get a fantastic view of downtown Denver with our mountains in the background. On a clear day, you will see Pikes Peak to the south, Longs Peak to the north and Mt. Evans directly west. The skyline pops with the Ferrill Lake boathouse in the foreground. Great for selfies!
3. Experience the “new” Casa Bonita
A shockwave was sent around the state when news broke that Casa Bonita would be closing its doors due to the pandemic. It couldn’t be! This iconic Colorado restaurant had been serving up memories since 1973. Well, lucky us, the closing would only be temporary. Casa Bonita had always been a Colorado staple, but it gained worldwide recognition when it was featured on an episode of the adult comedy show, South Park. Matt Stone and Trey Parker, South Park creators, came to the rescue when they learned of Casa Bonita’s closing. They purchased the restaurant! From there, it’s been a complete renovation of the restaurant from the paint on the walls to a new menu with an award-winning chef. Casa Bonita is set to open in stages this summer, so get on their mailing list to get your spot in line!
You’ll be able to watch impressive cliff diving shows, get lost in Black Bart’s Cave and of course, have endless sopapillas! The new chef is Dana Rodriguez, and she has planned for the new menu items to be made from scratch and from fresh ingredients. It will still be cafeteria-style serving, but with a far tastier offering of meals. It’s a dive into nostalgia with updates that bring Casa Bonita into the modern era. Whether it’s your first or your hundredth, you will certainly be thrilled with a visit to Casa Bonita.
4. Grab a bite to eat at a food hall
The food hall concept has been gaining a lot of popularity throughout the metro area. It’s not completely novel, essentially being a food court from a mall that stands on its own. However, the reason these are so popular is that instead of fast-food chains, you’re getting true local restaurants with quality food, creative cocktails and diverse menus. Food halls also typically occupy areas once abandoned or underused, such as warehouses. They offer a safe inclusive space, not just for eating or drinking, but will even include stores with products from local artisans. Denver Metro has many food halls to choose from, great for an afternoon with your friends. We recommend a visit to one of the following food halls:
· Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas St, Aurora, CO 80010
· Denver Central Market, 2669 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205
· Milk Market, 1800 Wazee St, Suite 100, Denver, CO 80202
· Edgewater Public Market, 5505 W 20th Ave, Edgewater, CO 80214
· Zeppelin Station, 3501 Wazee St, #100, Denver, CO 80216
· The Source, 3330 Brighton Blvd, Denver, CO 80216
· Junction Food & Drink, 2000 S Colorado Blvd, Building IV, Denver, CO 80222
· Avanti Food & Beverage, 3200 N Pecos St, Denver, CO 80211
· Grange Hall, 6575 Greenwood Plaza Blvd, Greenwood Village, CO 80111
5. Bike along Cherry Creek
Another great way to get the most out of a Denver summer is to ride your bike along one of the many trails or pathways in the city. One of the easiest and most visually pleasing is the Cherry Creek Bike Path. Get started at Confluence Park, where the South Platte River and Cherry Creek meet, and then head southeast along the bike path as far as you’d like to go. If up to it, you may bike the full forty-mile trail from downtown Denver to Cherry Creek State Park and then further south to Franktown. That would surely fill your day, but you may not be able to stop at as many spots. For a day trip that includes some stops, we do recommend taking a few pauses as you head southeast. You may stop at the Sunken Gardens and the former West High School, take in the flowers at Alamo Placita Park and have a shopping break at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center. You may also visit the oldest standing structure in Denver and take in a lot of history at Four Mile Historic Park. There is also a lot of art along the bike path between the South Platte River and Cherry Creek. An easy guide to some of the art, complete with turn-by-turn directions, is our Summertime by Bike Treasure Box. If not up for biking along Cherry Creek, you may walk it! Just visiting for a day and don’t have your bike? You may rent a bike for the day! Grab your helmet, and let’s go for a ride.
