Things to Do in Denver When You’re Broke
Cheap things to do in Denver
Denver is a beautiful, exciting area, with a never-ending list of things to do and visit. When we moved out here 3 years ago, we got quite a few visitors who needed to be entertained and shown the sights. We found that we were spending quite a bit of money trying to show our guests a good time, so we developed a list of tourist attractions that are either free or very inexpensive, and haven’t had any complaints yet!
Denver:
16th StreetMall-this is an outdoor shopping mall that all tourists should experience. It’s located in the heart of Denver, and the mall is actually the street itself. Several blocks of 16th Street are blocked off, and the only traffic is the free bus system that runs the length of the mall. There are all kinds of interesting souvenir shops, as well as your standard shopping-mall type shops, several excellent restaurants, including the ESPN Zone, and a movie theatre. There are street performers and horse-drawn carriages for extra entertainment. Watch out for those buses, though-they go pretty fast and don’t like to stop for jaywalkers!
Casa Bonita (www.casabonitadenver.com)-Although this is not free, the prices are reasonable for the entertainment that you get. There’s a huge waterfall in the middle, with cliff divers that do stunts, and there are flame jugglers and all kinds of crazy skits that take place during your dinner. The meals are all you can eat, and they’re not too bad.
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre (www.redrocksonline.com)-About 15 miles west of Denver, Red Rocks is a beautiful park with lots of walking trails along huge red rocks that are easy and fun for kids to climb on. There’s an amphitheatre built right into one of the rocks, which is supposed to provide excellent acoustics, but I’ve never been to a concert there. A schedule of performers can be found on the Red Rocks website.
Dinosaur Ridge (www.dinoridge.org)-Not too far from Red Rocks is an outdoor museum with a stretch of dinosaur evidence that little geologists might enjoy exploring. When construction was underway for Alameda Pkwy, dinosaur footprints and other geological evidence was discovered, so they were protected and a Visitor’s Center was added to the construction plans. You can purchase a map and guide there for around $2, which will enhance the experience. This attraction involves a lot of walking right next to a busy road, so it might not be the best idea for toddlers. It is possible to drive most of the way, and just get out to look at the displays, but not as much fun.
Golden:
Coors Brewery (www.coors.com)-The Coors Brewery is actually in Golden, which is a small town about 30 minutes west of Denver. Everyone always loves going here, because they offer a free tour with free beer. I’m not a big beer-drinker myself, but the Coors Light fresh from the tap on the tour is the best! There’s a very nice lounge where you can sit and enjoy up to 4 free drinks after the tour-they have every beer made by Coors, not just the kind made at that particular brewery.
Heritage Square (www.heritagesquare.info)-This is small amusement park, with several quaint little shops and snack vendors. Entrance is free, but each ride has a small fee. Our favorite ride is the Alpine Slide, which is a concrete slide on the side of the mountain that you ride a bobsled-like cart down. For around $4 you get to take a ski lift to the top and go down the slide one time.
Buffalo Bill’s Grave (www.buffalobill.org)-A little further away, maybe around 45 minutes west of Denver, is the resting place of the legendary Buffalo Bill. A little museum will tell you all about him, and there’s also a gift shop. The drive is beautiful, and the view is amazing. It might not be most exciting thing for kids, but adults will appreciate it.
Colorado Springs:
AirForceAcademy(www.usafa.af.mil)-About-About an hour South of Denver is the city of Colorado Springs, which offers quite a few free attractions. The Air Force Academy is right off the highway, and is open to visitors. You can check out the chapel, which is gorgeous, and walk the grounds, and kids will get a kick out of the airplane out front.
Pike’s Peak (www.pikes-peak.com) and Garden of the Gods (www.gardenofgods.com)-The entirePike’s Peak
area is full of fun things to do. The Garden of the Gods is a huge park with beautiful trails and mountain views. Pets are allowed, and be prepared for a lot of walking. There are also caves to explore, and a little railroad for kids. The website will provide more detailed information about all of the attractions in that area.
