Things to do in Denver when you're... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

djugurba · #1 08-17-2008, 02:08 AM

Visiting... I've got a wedding to attend next weekend in Estes Park, then will be spending a few days in/around the Denver area. Anything worth working into the schedule? Anything not to miss? Food I should be sure to sample? (Elk and cutthroat trout are on the menu at the wedding)

We're already planning to try to hike a few 14ers once we get acclimated to the altitude- that will happen later in the week after the wedding. Probably Bierstadt, maybe Evans, Maybe Grey's/Torrey's. My friend in Silverthorne suggests Quandary Peak, which we might add because it's not in the Front Range as are the others.

I'm planning on driving both the Peak to Peak (ok to catch 72 to 119?) and a longer route from Estes Park west through RMNP (34) then south (40 to 9) to Silverthorne for a visit with a friend from college.

I'll be staying in the Highlands neighborhood in Denver for most of the 2nd week, but we had to fly in/out of and get our rental car in Colorado Springs to get reasonable rates... DNC Convention is in Denver while I'm there, so cars are apparently at a premium. Some of our friends who are flying in/out of Denver got hosed on rental car rates!

TylerH860 · #2 08-17-2008, 04:10 AM

If you're a South Park fan, you can't miss Casa Bonita.

Its on Colfax a bit East of Wadsworth. One of the strangest dining experiences you will ever have.

This is the actual inside of the restaurant, its huge!

I'm sure some locals are going to razz me for this, but its something you got to experience.

South park's parody.

iwrock · #3 08-17-2008, 04:45 AM

Casa Bonita is cool for its entertainment, but their food sucks....

I have been there at least once a year for the past 10 years.... My aunt lives in Longmont, and we visit her yearly, and evey year, we make the voyage to Casa Bonita...

iwrock · #4 08-17-2008, 04:47 AM

Estes park, like the Stanley House???

One of my lady friends was a chef there for a year or two... She moved onto being the manager of a restaurant in LA.

kerry · #5 08-17-2008, 09:06 AM

The Forney Transportation Museum is only a couple of miles from the Highlands neighborhood. I wouldn't put it at the top of Colorado's highlights but it has a pretty good collection of old cars, bikes and trains. It's worth a couple of hours. The town is going to be mobbed during the DNC and some of the roads in the downtown area are going to be closed. There's now a pedestrian bridge from Highlands, across I-25 into downtown. I'd use that rather than trying to drive downtown during the DNC. The bridge deposits you very close to REI which is in an old Tramway building.
Take in a Rockies game at Coors Field if it works out. Rockpile seats are cheap.
You will like the Mercury Cafe. It should be filled with political activists during the convention. The owner runs a 123 on WVO.
If you're a water person, between RMNP and Silverthorne you'll be close to sections of the upper Colorado River. If you enjoy commercial rafting, you could get a one day or half day trip starting at Pumphouse and going down to State Bridge. It's an easy class II with a few Class III's on it but the scenery is great and any opportunity to be on the Colorado river is worthwhile in my opinion. I canoe that section.
If you have the time, I'd recommend taking a scenic drive from Colorado Springs to Denver. I-25 is always packed but there's a back road running through Palmer Lake and ending in Sedalia that all the motorcylists and bicyclists head for. I can't remember the route number but I can look it up. It'll add about 20-30 minutes to your drive and put you into Denver coming north on 85 (Santa Fe Dr).
On the spiritual side of things, the Buddhist stupa in the Red Feather Lakes area is a stunning site but it's quite a drive and you have to supress any knowledge of the wacko Boulder Buddhists who built it in order to enjoy it.

djugurba · #6 08-18-2008, 09:41 PM

Thanks all for the possibilities.

I've already dragged the lovely better half to a transportation museum once this year... might have met my quota.

Rockies are out of town except when we're at the wedding!

I asked my friend in Denver about Casa Bonita. He hasn't been, but his wife has- maybe if we're in need of some entertainment not provided by the mountains...

I'll check out some of the other stuff- Thanks again!

kevin

colincoon · #7 08-18-2008, 09:56 PM

The REI store is really cool and in Denver, you might want to check that out if you're into outdoorsey things. There is also an air museum just outside of Denver that IMO is pretty decent, it's called "Wings over the Rockies". If you feel like driving a bit, Ft. Collins is a really cool town about an hour north of Denver. Fat Tire beer comes from there, and downtown has a bunch of pubs and taverns. It's a really cool area.

My dad just moved to Ft. Collins, so I don't know a whole lot about the area, but I like it a lot there. Real relaxed feel to the place. If you do end up there, check out the Charco Broiler steakhouse, best steak I have ever had!

Skippy · #8 08-18-2008, 11:06 PM

I'm not a local, but I spent a day in Estes Park during my senior year spring break. They have a couple of places that will take you on a trail ride, and if you're at all horsey, I suggest you try one.

raymr · #9 08-19-2008, 12:23 AM

Take in a concert at Red Rocks.

Visit the diner shaped like a giant hotdog.

mpolli · #10 08-19-2008, 12:56 AM

You can go to the mint: http://www.usmint.gov/mint_tours/index.cfm?flash=yes&action=StartReservation

Only problem is their security is tighter than the airport and just about everything is prohibited to bring and heaven forbid you have any metal in your shoes or a metal button or belt buckel. That is a big concern for the mint...

Benzadmiral · #11 08-19-2008, 09:09 AM

A former Denverite here . . .

I was very fond of La Cueva, a family-run Mexican place on East Colfax in Aurora. Cool in the summer (they actually realized you need air conditioning when it's 100 degrees F. outside) and warm in winter, colorful walls, good honest food, friendly people.

Estes Park is more than fantastic. The Stanley Hotel there is a fascinating place. Built by the Stanley of the Stanley Steamer autos (or at least one of the family), it has a replica of one of the Steamers on display in the lobby.

The hotel's other claim to fame is that it was there that Stephen King and his wife stayed when he conceived his third novel, The Shining, and it became his model for the haunted hotel in the story. Nothing spooky about its appearance . . . though the second TV-movie version with Steven Weber and Rebecca DeMornay (vastly better than the Kubrick monstrosity) was filmed at the Stanley, where the whole thing began for King. If you've seen that movie, when you walk into the hotel, you'll get a shiver for sure.

Dee8go · #12 08-19-2008, 09:18 AM

[QUOTE=TylerH860;1941019]If you're a South Park fan, you can't miss Casa Bonita.

Its on Colfax a bit East of Wadsworth. One of the strangest dining experiences you will ever have.

This is the actual inside of the restaurant, its huge!

[IMG]QUOTE]

I've been to the ones in Little Rock, AR and Tulsa, OK. If you like Tex Mex food, it was pretty good as I recall. If you are tempted to overeat, it could be dangerous, though. They're like Mexican villages inside, huge! The waiters have walkie talkies.

Mr.Kenny · #13 08-19-2008, 10:23 AM

Pearl street outdoor mall in Bolder is cool, if you haven't ever been there; celestial seasonings tea tour is very interesting; and of Course, the Coors Brewery in Golden tour, (free beer

). But Estes park is very pretty.... and you have Rocky Mountain National park right there; It's worth a drive through with Big horn sheep, afternoon thunder snows in summer, and spectacular vistas.
The problem with that area is you have to drive everywhere to get to anything special and some drivers are very aggressive and want to drive very fast while you are trying to see the sights. Traffic in Denver is awful.

Dee8go · #14 08-19-2008, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iwrock

Casa Bonita is cool for its entertainment, but their food sucks....

I was much less discriminating back then in the seventies. Whenever I could scrape together enough coin to go ut to eat in a restaurant, I tended to think it was great.