DENVER CITY GUIDE:
° Introduction
° Party Bus
° City Information
° Bar Guide
° Dining & Restaurants
° Photo Guide

THE TIP JAR:
° Denver Grand Prix Party Guide
° Aspen Ski & Bar Guide

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Photos and text provide great details about the nightlife and bars in Denver and LoDo.

What To Do in Denver!

The Broncos, now in a new stadium, are the heartbeat of one of America's top sports cities.

• Aspen Ski & Bar Guide

Blessed by nature, nurtured by a rich Western foundation and inhabited by people with an adventurous spirit, Denver and its surrounding areas are as covered in recreation and entertainment activities as the nearby mountains are in snow at peak season.

When it comes to things to do in Denver, one had better like sports. That's both participating and viewing. For it may be called the Mile High City, but Denver could also adopt The Super Sports City as its moniker.

For activity, there is skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, hiking, river rafting and just about any other adventure man has created to challenge nature. These activities are plentiful just 1-2 hours from the city. In, town, there is a concrete path that runs along the Denver River through downtown, a perfect place to run or rollerblade. In what may be surprising to many, Denver does not receive much snowfall or even rain, so such activities can be conducted nearly year-round.

For watching, there are the Broncos, Avalanche, Rockies and Nuggets professional teams. Colorado and Colorado State are close enough to each have local loyal fans.

Denver is, first and foremost, a Broncos town. The people love their pro football team and if you want to get along with a local, say something positive about the Broncos. John Elway is a cult hero, a gunslinging quarterback who defined the true grit of the city during his playing days. Please avoid any reference to the Oakland Raiders, lest you be run out of town like a lawless rustler back in the 1800s.

Remember when you were a kid and dad took you to all those museums in order to teach you about how a particular place fit into history or to enhance your cultural well-being? And how you actually liked some of them (though this was kept a secret for at least the next 10 years)? Well, you can do that in Denver, too.

One of those is the U.S. Mint (320 West Colfax). This is a factory where this country's coins are minted. It's a fascinating process for people of all ages. There are free 20-minute tours on weekdays (either ask the guard at the gate for details or visit the Mint's website). In addition to making more than five billion coins a year, the U.S. Mint has the second largest storehouse of gold bullion in the country (behind Fort Knox).

On a more adult level, the Coors Brewing Company gives tours, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Saturday. Free samples! The brewery is located at 13th and Ford in Golden, a half-hour from downtown. Colorado, by the way, produces more beer than any other state, earning it the nickname the "Napa Valley of Beer."

Other museums include the Colorado History Museum, the Museum of Nature & Sciences, the State Capitol and even a museum devoted to The "Unsinkable" Molly Brown.

This would not be major city without good shopping. Besides strolling past the galleries and shops in LoDo and Larimer Square, Denver has two upscale shopping areas a field goal away from one another. Cherry Creek North has galleries, restaurants and clothing designer stores on a tree-lined street. It's adjacent to Cherry Creek Shopping Center is comprised of 140 upscale stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. Park Meadows, anchored by Nordstrom, resembles a ski lodge, complete with a center-court fireplace.

For relaxing, an idea place to read your PubClub guide to Denver is at one of the city's many parks. There are 200 of them to choose from, but we'll narrow it down to two. Civic Center Park (pictured below) is across from the State Capitol, about a 10-minute walk from the Central Business District. It has glorious buildings that look as if they belong in Athens, Greece, a flower garden and benches for taking in the scenery. East of downtown, City Park boasts the best views of the Rocky Mountains, features a public golf course, tennis courts, flower gardens and paddle boat rentals on a the lake and contains the Natural History Museum and Denver Zoo.

Walking through the city is both invigorating and entertaining. Downtown Denver is modern, clean and safe. A nice way to spend a day is just to walk about town. Head to the State Capitol and Civic Center Park. Grab a sandwich and people-watch over lunch at Writer's Square. Follow the river to the up-and-coming area of town starting at the 100 block of East Speer.

Day excursions outside of the city include Pikes Peak, which has the Air Force Academy and the Garden of the Gods, 500-foot high red sandstone rock monuments; Rocky Mountains National Park, which includes Trail Ridge Road that crosses the Continental Divide two miles above sea level and hundreds of miles of hiking trails, waterfalls and horseback riding; and a couple of 1870s mining towns, Central City and Black Hawk.

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