By Karen Petersen
In 1858 William Russell found a thousand dollars worth of gold at the confluence of the South Platte River and Cherry Creek in what is today the heart of Denver’s “LoDo” (lower downtown) district. The discovery inspired tens of thousands of prospectors to make the arduous trek across the plains in a mad rush for the legendary “rivers of gold” that flowed from high in the Rocky Mountains. Within a year, the gold rush transformed the frontier at the foot of the Rockies into a thriving hub for trade and commerce between a diverse mix of peoples—from prospectors, pioneers, explorers, and trappers of mostly European descent, to settlers of mixed Spanish and Mexican ethnicity, to Ute, Arapahoe, and Cheyenne Indians.
Today Denver is a vibrant metropolis, rich in art and culture—the legacy of the combined hopes, dreams, creativity, and endeavors of its earliest residents. Though gold is no longer the main attraction, the hills still beckon many an adventurous spirit to Colorado. If you’re among them, make Denver your first stop, and stay for a day . . . or three. If you live here, take a weekend to rediscover the city you call home. In either case, you’ll find a treasure trove of cultural gems in store for you in the “gateway to the Rockies.”
Follow the links below or simply scroll down the page.
Day 1: LODO and the Platte
Day 2: SODO and Capitol Hill
Day 3: Botanical Gardens and Red Rocks
Did You Know?
Day one begins in lower downtown (LODO) at Commons Park, where the Platte River and Cherry Creek merge. This is where it all started, and it’s still a hotspot. There are no gold panners at the confluence today, but at 9 a.m. the park is teeming with mountain bikers, joggers, and rollerbladers making Denver’s most stress-free version of the morning commute along the Cherry Creek bike path. You might even spot a few kayakers running the rapids as you cross the bridge to the west side of the river. Enjoy a cup of coffee along with the city’s most Spandex-clad crowd on Starbucks’ sunlit patio at the far southeast corner of REI’s flagship store REI's flagship store as you take in the view of the downtown skyline and the scenic Platte Valley. REI’s historic building, artfully renovated with resource efficiency and earth-friendliness in mind, housed the Denver Tramway Power Company plant more than a century ago and still retains the original stairs, smokestack, windows, and coal hoppers. If you’re up for a challenge, try scaling one of the 12 top-roped routes of the 47-foot climbing pinnacle just inside the front entrance. Hand-sculpted of natural rock and featuring realistic crags and holds, it’s modeled after the sandstone bluffs found throughout Colorado’s Front Range.
Head south on the bike path past Six Flags Elitch Gardens and the Children’s Museum—following the river, naturally, because your first adventure is
Denver's Downtown Aquarium. If a mile-high aquarium strikes you as a bit oxymoronic, get ready to shift your perspective, because you’re about to experience something uniquely relevant to the Rocky Mountain region: water is to the modern West what gold was to the wild frontier, and the rivers remain its lifeblood. This aquarium is as much about the journey of rivers as it is their destination. Starting high in the Rockies at the Continental Divide, you’ll follow the path of the Colorado River as it makes its way to the Sea of Cortez in Mexico. Along the way, you’ll experience the various distinct ecosystems it sustains, from an alpine forest traversed by icy waters rich with native cutthroat trout, to a wetland playground for frolicking river otters, to the canyonlands of the Southwest where sudden storms spark dangerous flash floods. Finally, you’ll hear the pounding surf of Baja, Mexico, where the Colorado flows into the ocean in high-water years. The surf crashes above you, and suddenly you’re immersed in an underwater fantasy world, where puffers, angelfish, parrotfish, green moray eels, and rays hypnotize you with their graceful dance. You could watch them for hours, but another whole journey awaits—this one from the jungle of Sumatra with its majestic tigers to the South China Sea with its fearsome sharks.
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After the aquarium, your feet may need a rest, and (if it’s not winter), you’re in luck—you’re just in time to catch a “breezer,” the Denver Rail Heritage Society's trolley car ride along the riverfront. Departing from REI/Confluence Park every half hour starting at noon, it stops at the Children’s Museum, the Downtown Aquarium, and Invesco Field at Mile High (home of the Denver Broncos) along its southbound route, then returns nonstop to the confluence.
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Make your way back to Riverfront Park, over the Millennium Bridge to 16th Street, then past the RTD light rail tracks to Wynkoop Street. Here you might duck into Tattered Cover Book Store located in the renovated Morey Mercantile building of years past. This booklover’s haven in Denver’s historic district has an air of nostalgia and warmth, which is perhaps why the Tattered Cover is one of America’s few surviving independent bookstores. Sink into an antique overstuffed chair and take a moment to re-energize before moving on to your next adventure.
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Heading north on Wynkoop, past Union Station, you run straight into Colorado’s field of dreams (20th and Blake). Built in 1995,
Coors Field is largely credited with transforming this section of lower downtown from a seedy skid row to the sportive center of Denver nightlife that it is today. True to the dream, this spectacular stadium has been a league leader in attendance since it opened its doors, and is considered a standout among Colorado sports venues. If it’s not a game day, you might catch a 2 p.m. tour highlighting the stadium’s unique amenities, old-style architectural features, and outstanding mountain views. Some point to the Mile High City’s thin air as the reason homeruns are so prevalent at Coors Field, which set a record for the most in one venue in the 1999 season. Whatever the explanation, the home of the Colorado Rockies has firmly established itself as a prolific offensive ballpark, which makes for consistently exciting baseball.
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Just three blocks from the ballpark at Sakura Square (19th and Larimer)
is the Museum of Contemporary Art. Formed in 1996, MCA has been at the forefront of a movement to bring cutting-edge artwork to Denver and foster an appreciation for and understanding of the art of our time. Take an hour to explore the innovative work on display in this 7,000-square-foot renovated fish market, and let your imagination soar.
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From 17th, you might head west to Wazee, where you’ll find theMetropolitan State College of Denver's Center for the Visual Arts with its focus on multicultural exhibits and multidisciplinary programs; Robischon Gallery with its eclectic mix of modern art, including paintings, sculpture, mixed media, and photography; and Sloan Gallery of Art, which specializes in contemporary Russian art. South one block on 16th Street are the William Matthews Gallery, specializing in watercolors with an emphasis on westerns, and the David Cook Fine Art Gallery, which showcases American Indian artwork as well as regional paintings, with a focus on Rocky Mountain and early Colorado art.
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Day 2: SODO and Capitol Hill
Day two takes you south of downtown (SODO) to the Golden Triangle Museum District. Bordered by Lincoln, Speer, and Colfax Streets, this is the hub of Denver culture, featuring more than 20 art galleries and studios and a host of museums and other cultural attractions within its boundaries. There is parking in the Civic Center Cultural Complex garage (12th and Broadway), but you might enjoy parking in LODO and catching the free Mall Ride at 16th and Market. If you opt for the latter, you’ll traverse the multifarious 16th Street Mall from end to end, disembarking at the Civic Center Station adjacent to the Capitol.
The mile-high marker on the Capitol steps makes a perfect photo op, so make that your first stop, and take a moment to savor Civic Center Park, the downtown skyline, and the Front Range beyond. Walk through the park to Bannock Street and head south a block to the Byers-Evans House Museum. A natural place to begin your exploration of one of Denver’s oldest neighborhoods, this historic landmark is a cornerstone of the district. Built in 1883, it was home to two pioneering Denver families in the late 19th century, and thus the site of much plotting, planning, scheming, and dreaming by the city’s earliest movers and shakers. Its original owner, William Byers, was the first publisher of the Rocky Mountain News and later a principal in the Denver Tramway Company. In 1898 the house, known as “Victoria,” was purchased by William Evans, the elder son of Colorado’s second territorial governor, John Evans. It was home to direct descendents of Governor Evans until 1981, when the Colorado Historical Society acquired it.
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Use the carriage house entrance on 13th Street, and ask when the next guided tour begins. If there’s a wait, take the opportunity to peruse one or both of the outstanding galleries directly across Bannock Street:Native American Trading Company (fine southwest and Native American art) and Camera Obscura (commercial and fine art photography).
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The hour-long tour of this elegant Victorian home highlights its eclectic architecture, the active lives of its influential residents, and the Evans family’s original furnishings. Of particular note is the wing built for William’s sister Anne, richly decorated with pieces from her extensive collection of southwestern and Native American art. A tireless promoter of the arts, “Aunt Anne” was pivotal to enriching the city’s cultural life. She was a key player in the development of the
Denver Public Library as well as the
Denver Art Museum, which today stands adjacent to her family home and houses the remainder of her outstanding collection of southwestern and Native American art.
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You could easily spend a whole day exploring the seven-story Denver Art Museum, including exhibits of regional interest. Native American and Latin American cultures have both had a profound impact on the cultural landscape of Colorado, and the breadth of American Indian, Pre-Columbian, and Spanish Colonial artwork on display on the third and fourth floors of this museum is extraordinary. Don’t miss Anne Evans’ prized collection of santos, the religiously inspired folk art of the Spanish American Southwest, among the ceramics, paintings, silver, and more on display in the fourth floor’s New World galleries. You’ll also find treasures from Evans’ extensive collection among the 16,000 pieces of Native American artwork showcased in the Native Arts galleries on the third floor. Here you’ll find an awe-inspiring array of leathercraft, woodcarvings, pottery, weavings, beadwork, jewelry, and more, representing the diverse traditions of more than 100 North American tribes. The museum also boasts a dynamic collection of Western art overseen by the Institute for Western American Art. Housed on the seventh floor, it is currently closed to visitors, as preparations are under way for the fall 2006 opening of the adjoining Frederic C. Hamilton Building, the museum’s highly anticipated expansion wing. The dramatic 146,000-square-foot glass and titanium structure, designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, will nearly double the museum’s space.
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Spend the afternoon time-traveling through Colorado’s colorful past at the
Colorado History Museum, just a block east of the art museum on 13th and Broadway. Start by walking the “Colorado Chronicle,” a 150-year timeline highlighting the people and events that shaped Colorado. As you delve deeper into the museum’s various permanent collections and changing exhibitions, you’ll find yourself swept up in the struggles, adventures, and exploits of a spirited cast of characters that includes Indian warriors, explorers and trappers, Hispano settlers and workers, prospectors and pioneers, gold and silver miners, and visionary entrepreneurs and developers. Detailed dioramas, artifacts, photographs, and more combine to tell the captivating story of how a rugged, harsh, challenging landscape shaped a diverse mix of people and how they, in turn, shaped it.
If you still have the energy for a night on the town, take your pick from the Colorado Ballet , Denver Center for the Performing Arts, and Curious Theatre Company, all in the general vicinity of the Golden Triangle Museum District.
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Day 3: Botanical Gardens and Red Rocks
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Day three is a celebration of the Denver area’s outdoor treasures. Contrary to popular belief, Denver generally enjoys temperate weather year-round. Colorado boasts 300 days of sunshine a year on average, and the mild temperature and low humidity boost the comfort factor even further. Awaken your senses this fine Colorado morning with a visit to Denver Botanic Gardens. Recognized as one of the top five botanic gardens in the country, this 23-acre urban oasis in the heart of the city showcases thousands of plants from every corner of the globe. A model of drought-tolerant gardening principles, Denver Botanic Gardens specializes in native and adaptive flora that thrive in the arid Rocky Mountain region.
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You might begin your tour of the Gardens in the Boettcher Conservatory, a Denver landmark and the city’s first foray into modern architecture (built in 1966). Whatever the season, this tropical wonderland will not disappoint. If you climb (or ride the elevator) to the top level of the tree fort in the conservatory’s center, you can look out over thousands of exotic plants, some bearing bananas, pineapples, guava, papaya, cocoa, and coffee beans. Walk to the far end of the atrium, inhale deeply, and revel in the best aromatherapy treatment in all of Denver. You’re standing at the base of a Cloud Forest Tree bejeweled with showy clusters of rare orchids. It’s hard to turn your back on this redolent tree of treasures, but a whole Garden of Eden awaits just outside. Take an easy stroll down Shady Lane, past a pond laced with lily pads, and through a Japanese Garden of twisted pines. Continue on along peaceful pathways that take you on a sensory journey across the windswept plains, through the alpine forests, and onto the dryland mesas of the desert Southwest. Around the time you reach the herb garden, your nose may gently remind your stomach that it’s time for a bite to eat. And as luck would have it, you’re steps away from an outdoor garden café—the ideal spot to grab a healthy lunch before heading to the hills for the afternoon’s adventure.
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As you wind up the road leading to Red Rocks Amphitheatre, take in the deep red of magnificent sandstone formations, the varied greens of pine and lichen, the bold blue of the Western sky. No place on the planet rivals Red Rocks when it comes to acoustic quality, breathtaking scenery, and pure energy. Descend the stairs, stand on the stage, look up at the 300-foot sandstone monoliths that frame the seating area, and try to fathom what the Beatles felt as they played to a capacity crowd back in 1964.
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Though they were by far the biggest act ever to rock “the rocks” at that time, the Fab Four certainly were not the first. Fine performers of every ilk had been playing gigs at this unique venue since at least the turn of the century. But it was 1930 before a visionary named George Cranmer set out to realize his dream of enhancing the handiwork Mother Nature had begun. With an eye toward preserving nature’s grandeur while capitalizing on its built-in acoustical attributes, Denver architect Burnham Hoyt designed the stage and seating area of an amphitheatre inspired by those of ancient Greece. In 1935 the federal Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration put hundreds of Coloradoans to work turning the dream into reality, and six years later the ambitious undertaking was completed. In the years since, Red Rocks has been the inspirational setting for everything from Easter sunrise celebrations, graduations, and memorial services, to symphony orchestras, rock concerts, and feature films.
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For the complete rundown on the long line of superstars who have performed on this very stage, check out the Performance Hall of Fame inside the Burnham Hoyt Visitor Center. Added in 2005, this facility is a fascinating interactive display of the geological evolution and entertainment history of Red Rocks. You might replenish your energy reserves with a snack on the patio of the Ship Rock Grille, then explore any one of several trails that wind through the 816 acres of open space surrounding the amphitheatre. If you time it right, you might even take in a show here tonight. If not, Nature’s own show offers more than enough to dazzle you.
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Did You Know?
• The single row of purple seats amidst a sea of green ones at Coors Field signifies that fans seated in the upper deck’s twentieth row are watching the game from a vantage point unique to all of baseball: exactly one mile above sea level.
• The Museum of Contemporary Art was designed by British-Ghanian architect David Adjaye, whose creative use of light and innovative materials also won him the commission for the new World Trade Center.
• Mount Evans, one of 54 Colorado mountains that exceeds 14,000 feet, was named after Colorado’s second territorial governor, whose family had a summer home there. Today Denver Botanic Gardens operates a 1.5-mile high-altitude interpretive site off the Mt. Evans Scenic Byway.
• Red Rocks Amphitheatre is one of only four original venues the Beatles played on their 1964 tour that remains open today.
• Denver operated a fleet of more than 300 trolley cars until 1950, and in 1906 the fare for a 25-mile ride was 50 cents.
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