Denver
Museums / Public Institutions
Denver has some sweet public institutions, and if you want some air conditioning or something not as active, these are wonderful.
Denver Public Library
Amanda's favorite building in the world.
Denver Art Museum
With a huge new addition designed by Daniel Libeskind.
Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art
A local Denverite -- interior design, arts & crafts, etc.
Museum of Nature and Science
Space! Gold! Dioramas! Rocks! The Hall of Life! Skeletons! IMAX!
The Denver Zoo
All the animals that DON'T already live here, and just across City Park from the Museum of Nature and Science.
Museum of Contemporary Art
The newest addition to Denver's museum scene, this one has rotating exhibits and is amazing. We would highly recommend it to anyone. DO NOT BE PUT OFF BY "MODERN ART." It is still art.
Colorado History Museum
Real people -- the native Americans, the wild west, the oil & gas boom, the nerdy mayor.
Restaurants/Watering Holes
"Never eat more than you can lift."
Miss Piggy
Steubens
Home cooked deliciousness -- the best Monte Cristo sandwich in Denver.
Watercourse
Good vegetarian/vegan food.
City 'o City
Good vegetarian pizza!
Beau Jo's
Amanda won't always be a snob and say you have to go to Idaho Springs to get the real experience, but she will say it 95% of the time.
Cuba Cuba!
Yummy.
Osteria Marco
For the carnivores -- they make their own cheese on the premises ....
Pasquini's
Good Denver-Italian food, and the site of Chad & Amanda's first "official" date.
Lik's
Denver Ice Cream!
Pint's Pub
The most extensive collection of Scotch outside of Scotland, and an old British phone booth to boot! Plus some great beer ....
Sputnik / Strelka
Great food, great drinks, and more hipsters than you could ever imagine.
Spicy Basil
We just love this place.
Little India
A classic.
Chubby's
This is two blocks from the school where Amanda teaches, and is open until 3 a.m. What else would you want at 3 a.m.? Incredibly heavy and spicy Mexican is the only thing ....
Metropolis Coffee
A low-key, fun coffee shop near Amanda's house -- free wi-fi! Don't be put off by its location on the first floor of a fancy apartment building. It rocks.
Hooked on Colfax
This place is fabulous, too. Free wi-fi, good drinks, lots of space, and fabulous burritoes -- eat the salsa.
Blackberries Ice Cream & Coffee Lounge
A great, low-key coffee shop with WONDERFUL ice cream in 5 Points -- this is where Amanda's non-profit likes to meet for readings.
Other Things to Do /Outdoorsy Environs
You don't have to spend all of your time eating or being all cultural. Have some fun and see some beautiful places.
Boulder
No other place like it -- hike in Chataqua, walk down Pearl Street Mall, visit CU.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Only 1.5 hours from Denver, but any hike into it (or a drive along Trail Ridge Road) brings you to a completely different place.
Roxborough Park
Amanda has still never been there, but everyone says the red rock formations and hikes are worth it.
Red Rocks Park & Amphitheater
This is the famous place -- U2, Dave Matthews, The Beatles, and the Lueck girls graduated on its stage.
Daniels Park
This south Denver tract of land has a wonderful view of the city.
Castlewood Canyon
Good hiking, good climbing .... If anyone wants to climb, there are many resources!
Clear Creek Canyon
Did we mention climbing? And this drive to Idaho Springs (for Beau Jo's!) beats I-70 in beauty 10 times over.
Table Mountain / Golden
Climbing on Table Mountain, brewery tours at Coors, and that wonderfully cheesy "Howdy Folks" sign over Washington Street -- it's a nice place to spend an afternoon.
16th Street Mall
Downtown Denver, a free bus, and a whole lotta places to spend your money or view some buskers.
A Rockies Game
They made it to the WORLD SERIES last year! And a game is always nice with friends.
Casa Bonita
The SouthPark immortalized restaurant/dinner show actually exists. Eat beforehand and bring change to play at the arcade after searching for outlaws in the caves.
Heritage Square
The alpine slide! Fun!
General Denver Directions:
We love Denver and consider it one of the simplest places to get around once you know the grid -- and the city is mostly gridded. We encourage you all to find a good map and work your way around town, but if you want the simple version for southern and southwestern Denver, use the little map that Amanda made -- it is SO not to scale!
