We spent the day before I turn 60 mostly downtown (Denver). Our first stop was St. John’s Cathedral, then over to the 16th Street Mall for lunch at The Cheesecake Factory. From there it’s only a 2-block hop on the mall shuttle to Christkindl Market, an annual pilgrimage for us. This is a great place for schlocky German crafts and fashion, polka music, gooey confections, and – my personal favorite – Glühwein (don’t ask). We got home just in time to watch on TV as the Broncos beat the Steelers in a thriller at Mile High. In so doing, we avoided not only the crowds and traffic downtown, but also the potential shame of the home town team falling to 4-7.
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I found a recent DP review online for one of those “100 Things To Do In Denver Before You Die” guide-books. While I haven’t done all of them, I did find it mildly entertaining. I also gleaned the following tidbits, shared with you here free of charge while I’m still a 50-something. After tomorrow, though, the price goes up. Way up. You been warned.
Excerpts from “100 Things to Do in Denver Before You Die”
The first building in Denver in 1858 was a saloon. There are 90 breweries, bars, saloons and rooftop cafes in the downtown area alone. (My favorite is Gov. Hickenlooper’s own Wynkoop Brewery, right across from Union Station.)
Stranahan’s Distillery makes some of the finest American single-malt whiskey this side of the Mississippi. Its tasting room (open noon-5 p.m., at 200 S. Kalamath St.) and distillery tours are something to write home about. If you’re really into your whiskey, consider camping out on the sidewalk outside the distillery with your fellow “Stranafans” on Dec. 1 for a taste of its special Snowflake whiskey blend. (How can I never have been here? This goes on the bucket list!)
Denver Performing Arts Complex: There are 11 venues that seat 10,000 people for theater, symphony, opera and dance, making it the largest performing arts center under one roof in America. (We saw Book of Mormon here recently – hilarious.)
Denver Art Museum: The two buildings were designed by Gio Ponti of Milan, Italy, and Daniel Libeskind (his first building in the U.S.). They contain an impressive collection of Native American arts, plus other important art from around the world. Special exhibits have highlighted the works of everyone from Degas and Monet to Yves St. Laurent and Cartier. (Anne’s a member and goes all the time. Me, not as much.)
Denver Museum of Nature & Science: This is the fourth largest museum in the nation with one of the world’s best exhibits of dinosaur bones, many of which were discovered in Colorado. It holds a digital planetarium, IMAX theatre and hands-on scientific exhibits. (I’m a sucker for science, but even if you’re not, this is still a great place to visit with kids.)
Denver Botanic Gardens: Specializes in high altitude plants that can only be found in Colorado in the high tundra of North America, as well as a wide variety of other gardens, from tranquil Japanese gardens to classic English gardens. (I was last here when the Chihuly glass exhibit first came to town a few years back, but still a favorite.)
History Center Colorado: This new $100 million museum has interactive experiences to showcase the state’s history. Go down a simulated ski jump, descend into a coal mine, or learn about the importance of water to the dry and arid Southwest America. (Never been there. If you go, write me a review, please.)