Since late summer is typically unbearably hot and humid across much of the country, August is a time when tourists love to come to “Colorful Colorado.” If this includes an out-of-town visitor for you, it is a good idea to have a plan since you will likely be responsible for their entertainment. There are many fun things to do with out-of-towners in and around Denver in addition to great day trip opportunities.
TeamCoxRealtors has compiled a list of local and nearby attractions that will keep your guests entertained from the day they arrive to the moment their plane takes off:
Colorado Mountains
You can almost bet on the fact that your guests will want to visit the Rocky Mountains, which are beautiful and peaceful during the summer. The following list includes mountain areas that make good day trips since they aren’t very far from the Denver metro area but provide lots of fun for out-of-towners.
- Rocky Mountain National Park/Estes Park: Take a scenic yet very dramatic drive through the Rocky Mountain National Park, which sits at over 12,000 feet. On the way home, stop at Estes Park, a charming mountain town with a multitude of shopping and dining opportunities.
- Breckenridge: Located less than two hours from Denver, Breckenridge is an upscale, trendy mountain town with endless boutiques, restaurants and summer events.
- Pikes Peak: Pikes Peak, located in Colorado Springs, is the most visited mountain in America so why not take your mountain hungry visitors there? Be sure to set aside a few hours to make the 38-mile round trip to the summit.
Denver Attractions
- Coors Brewery (Golden): Tours of the famous Golden brewery are given Monday-Saturday from 10-4.
- Parade of Homes at Southshore (Aurora): Your out-of-town guests might enjoy seeing some Colorado’s fine architecture and furnishings. The Parade runs through Labor Day weekend.
- Coors Field (LoDo): Catch a Colorado Rockies’ game in one of the country’s most beautiful baseball stadiums.
Denver Shopping
- 16th Street Mall (Denver): A stroll down Denver’s 16th Street Mall will provide many hours of entertainment and give your guests a taste of downtown Denver’s unique ambience.
- Pearl Street Mall (Boulder): Pearl Street is not only great for shopping, dining and nightlife, but provides endless opportunities for watching some of Boulder’s more “unique” residents.
- Outlets at Castle Rock (Castle Rock): If your visitors like good deals, take them to Castle Rock’s Outlet mall, which is crawling with bargains.
- Cherry Creek Mall (Denver): Consistently one of Denver’s top tourist attractions, the prestigious Cherry Creek area exudes a sense of class and elegance with its fine stores and restaurants.
Denver Dining
- ChopHouse (Denver): One of Denver’s many fine restaurants that out-of-town guests are sure to love.
- Brown Palace Hotel (Denver): This historical Denver landmark has several fine restaurants plus serves an afternoon tea.
- Casa Bonita (Lakewood): Sure, the pink building is a bit tacky, but Casa Bonita is a famous Denver landmark complete with cliff divers. Just a tip, if your guests are looking for upscale dining, this isn’t the place for them (although the sopapillas are great)!
Do you have any recommendations on where to take out-of-town guests in Denver? Please leave a comment below – we would love your input!