Denver, CO...ideas?

I go to Denver for business all the time and don't get much time to explore but besides mountains, hiking and skiing Denver is a great place - what kind of things are you thinking of?   I know there's a children museum, a zoo and a ammusment park.

Are you just looking for outdoorsy stuff?  Cheyenne Wyoming is only about an hour and a half north of here.  Denver is very much a city - you'll have to go outside the city for horse ranches.  There are a TON of things to do in Denver, esp in the summer.  Rockies games, outdoor festivals every weekend, awesome restaurants and shopping,the great Denver Zoo, the aquarium, there's an amusement park called Elitch Gardens,I just found out one of the largest water parks is here, WaterWorld.  There are tons of museums (Nature & Science, Art, Colorado History), plus the US Mint.  Red Rocks ampitheater is an experience - it's technically in Morrison about 20 mins outside Denver.  Gambling in the casinos in nearby Black Hawk, outlet shopping in Castle Rock.  Plus, of course, the breweries.

Sorry this reply is a little late but thanks for the ideas! I'm writing down all of them.

Good news is that we'll now be flying instead of driving, since we found a really good deal that is going on. We just have a layover in Minneapolis, MN but that's okay. :)

We're thinking mostly of doing a lot of hiking and just enjoying Denver's scenery and nature...I saw that my dad got a book on Wyoming today, so we may be traveling there as well. My dad has also suggested white water rafting, but I must admit I'm a little nervous! I know how to swim just in case lol but I've never done anything like that. Has anyone ever been? Is it scary?

I'll definitely suggest the aquarium and the zoo. I love aquariums!  I've only been to the one in Baltimore but it was really cool.

IrishSetterGrl

I saw that my dad got a book on Wyoming today, so we may be traveling there as well. My dad has also suggested white water rafting,

 We went to this place about 2 hours south of Denver - Royal Gorge - and there were a TON of white water rafting groups going down that river.  They will gear your experience to your level, because your safety is their priority.  Here's a link to the Royal Gorge with specific info about white water rafting: http://www.royalgorgebridge.com/WhitewaterRafting.aspx  The Royal Gorge even has a skycoaster, if you really want to scare yourself!  http://www.royalgorgebridge.com/Skycoaster.aspx

Here are some hiking trails near Denver: http://denver.about.com/od/sportsrecreation/tp/hikes.htm

miranadobe

Royal Gorge

I went there as a child and alll I can say is I would rather raft the river than drive across that bridge!!! Of course maybe its not the same bridge now but....ahhhhhhhhh! I was scared to death and stayed that way cause I knew it was the only way we could get back.

I bet it's the same. My friend is afraid of heights and she crossed it with us.  Being on foot on that bridge as cars drive across, and you watch the boards shift, and you can feel the whole thing sway a bit when the wind kicks up.  Yeah, that IS scary!

Here it is from my visit last July:

Just a little FYI for you.  There are some things you need if you're going to go into the mountains.  You need to be ready for ANY type of weather.  When I first moved to Colorado, end of June 19xx it went from near 100 to in the 40s in no time at all.  Layers are your best bet.  Make sure you have more water than you think you'll need.  Dehydration & altitude sickness are real threats especially since you're coming from Ohio.  One thing I loved taking visitors to was either Rocky Mountain National Park (the drive up there is gorgeous) or to Mount Evans (it's the highest road in the continental US at 12,000 +/-).  Have a blast!!!

miranadobe

 

 

That would be an awesome place to bungee jump from!

BEVOLASVEGAS

That would be an awesome place to bungee jump from!