Get Out of FOCO: A Day Trip to Denver, CO

If you’re looking to spend a day in the city that has it all, Denver is your destination. Being the capital of Colorado, Denver is the hub for all things Colorado. Known as the “Mile High City”, Denver is located exactly one mile above sea level. With one of the most walkable downtowns in the nation, Denver is an attractive tourist destination, with lots of fun attractions easily accessible for visitors. With 300 days of sunshine, it’s almost always walkable weather! Denver also is one of few cities to have 7 professional sports teams, so whatever your sport of choice, Denver probably has a team you can cheer on!

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Activities-

Denver Art Museum: 

The Denver Art Museum is located in the Civic Center in Denver and is one of the largest museums between Coast and Chicago. With rotating exhibitions, there are always new pieces of art to see. The current exhibitions include Degas: A Passion for Perfection (02.11.18-05.20.18), Eyes On: Xiaoze Xie (12.03.17-07.08.18), Drawn to Glamour: Fashion Illustrations by Jim Howard (03.25.18-08.05.18), Past the Tangled Present (10.15.17-09.09.18), Ganesha: The Playful Protector (10.01.17-01.13.19) and Stampede: Animals in Art (09.10.17-05.19.19). Along with their exhibitions, the Denver Art Museum has a wide variety of collections that permanently stay. The collections include various cultural art pieces from around the world such as American Indian Art and Spanish Colonial Art.

Admission for Colorado Residents is as follows: adults-$10; senior (65+)/ military- $8; college students- $8; kids (18 and younger)- FREE. Admission for out-of-state visitors is as follows: adults- $13; senior (65+)/ military- $10; college students- $10; kid (18 and younger)- FREE.

When you purchase an admission ticket, you can roam the museum freely and look at the different exhibitions and collections. People generally spend about 2-3 hours walking around the museum, but there is no limitation or a certain way you are supposed to experience the museum.

Once you have completed your tour, you can head to the gift shop cafe where you can grab a quick snack or a cup of coffee or purchase gifts for yourself or a loved one.

Coors Field:

One of the coolest things to do in Denver is going to a Rockies game at Coors Field. It is one of the newest stadiums in the country because the team itself is so young. You will find plenty of food and drinks to suit any taste. They also have a unique outfield where they have a waterfall and some trees that are very Coloradoesque. If you can’t make it too a game, there offer stadium tours.

Above right-field, they have rooftop bars where you can get some drinks and watch the games with the skyline and the Rocky Mountains in the background. If you are looking for cheap tickets, the Rockpile in center field has tickets for as little as $10 per person. One of the best desserts at Coors Field is a strawberry and banana or strawberry and brownie kabob that is smothered in dark or white chocolate. These can be found at stands, or they have people who walk down the stairs.

 

Click here for stadium tours: https://www.mlb.com/rockies/tickets/tours

Click here for a map of the stadium: http://mlb.com/ballparks/stadium_maps

Click here for parking information: https://www.mlb.com/rockies/ballpark/transportation

Click here to buy game tickets: https://www.mlb.com/rockies/tickets

Botanical Garden:

If you are looking for a way to relax and stroll around, the Denver Botanical Gardens are a great option for your day trip. The gardens feature 24 acres of beautiful flowers and plants from every corner of the world. The next few weeks will be prime time to visit the gardens with spring approaching. In the next couple weeks, all of the flowers will begin to bloom and the gardens will transform into a bust of colors.

They feature different types of gardens that you can explore from internationally inspired, shady greens, ornamental, and water gardens. As you stroll around, be sure to take in the beauty as well as the amazing smell of fresh plants and flowers. The gardens offer various drinks and food items that you can enjoy as well while you walk around. In addition, if you want to stop for lunch and sit down, visit the Hive Garden Bistro. It is a contemporary restaurant with sandwiches, burgers, and salads.

If you are going down on a weekend make sure to check out their daily events calendar. On the weekends they teach yoga classes, plant education classes,

and give tours through the gardens. In addition, starting at the beginning of June, they feature summer concert series on certain evenings in the gardens as well.

They are located on 1007 York St. in Denver and are open right now from 9:00 to 5:00 p.m., but the hours get longer in the summer.

 

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Restaurants-

Postino Wine Cafe:

Postino is a trendy restaurant in the heart of the highlands that features a wine list from places all over the world and fresh, delicious food options. The best time to go is before 5:00 pm because every day of the week, they feature a deal called “$5 before 5”. This means that you can get any glass of wine or champagne on their list for only $5 as well as a pitcher of any of their draft beers for only $5 as well. In addition to having great, cheap drink options, they feature a unique selection of healthier food options.

Postino’s claim to fame is their bruschetta boards. On their menu, they have a list of 10-12 different kinds of bruschetta and when you order a board, you pick four different kinds to try.

Two must-haves on the list are the Warm Artichoke Spread bruschetta and the more classic, Fresh Mozzarella with Tomato and Basil. The bruschetta comes piled high on delicious grain bread and each piece of bruschetta comes pre-cut into four slices, so they are perfect for sharing!

If bruschetta isn’t your thing, they also have several other options including paninis, soups, salads, and charcuterie boards. If you go to Postino on a nice day, be sure to ask about seating on the porch, they boast one of the best patios in the highlands.

Postino opens up at 11:00 am on the weekdays and 9:00 am on the weekends where they offer a special brunch menu until 1:00.

 

Blue Moon Brewery: 

The Blue Moon Brewery is located at 3750 Chestnut Place in Denver, Colorado. The brewery is open Sunday through Thursday from 11am to 9pm and on Friday and Saturday from 11am to 10pm. You can make tour reservations online for the brewery on their website: https://www.bluemoonbrewingcompany.com/rino-brewery-page

 

Blue Moon Beer originated in Denver Colorado in 1995 at the Sandlot Brewery at Coors Field. The New Brewery features 20+ rotating beers on tap, including classics that are loved by all as well as new up and coming beers that are new to try!

 

 

 

Hapa Sushi Grill & Sake Bar

If you happen to be strolling into Denver on a nice sunny day, make sure to stop by Hapa Sushi Grill & Sake Bar on Blake Street or Cherry Creek. The menu is a harmonious blend of Asian and American cultures that gives great Japanese fundamentals that makes you feel right at home. The lunch/dinner menu has a wide variety of sushi rolls, sashimi, salads, soups, and other Japanese cuisine that is very affordable. The happy hour menu includes hapa sashimi, traditional and hapa starters, and of course the sushi rolls.

 

If sushi is not your thing, do not be afraid to go to the Sake Bar and get a taste of the drinks that they offer. Early happy hour is everyday from 2:30pm-6:00pm, and Night owl happy hour is Thursday 10:00pm-11:00pm and Friday and Saturday from 10:00pm-midnight. If you are on Blake Street, it is only one block away from the 16th street mall and within walking distance to Coors Field. With that in mind, you should stop into Hapa Sushi Grill & Sake Bar and then go catch a Rockies game at Coors Field.

Hapa is open on Monday – Wednesday 11:00am – 10:00pm, Thursday 11am – 11pm, Friday & Saturday 11am – Midnight, and Sunday 12:00 Noon – 10pm.

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Weather-

Months	Average Temperatures (℉)
January	34.5
February	35
March	43.5
April	50
May	58.5
June	70
July	76.5
August	74.5
September	66
October	52.5
November	42
December	33

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Map