Editor’s Note: This article originally ran Jan. 20, 2003 in the Arapahoe Observer, ACC’s student paper at the time. No part of this text has been changed, so some information and terminology may be outdated.
People seem to have a need to travel, a wanderlust that seems almost insatiable. Often in our need to see the world we forget what we have right here at home. So to remedy this, I decided to write about what to see right here in our hometown. I could hardly include everything there is to see, so I came up with a mini-tour of sorts. The tour provides the opportunity to see some unique things, all within walking distance of each other and all of them reasonably priced or free.
They always say it is best to start at the beginning and that usually means a city’s capitol, the epicenter of roasts. Denver’s capitol is located on Colfax and Lincoln Avenues. The impressive building with a real gold dome is hard to miss. As you walk up the steps to the capitol, stop on the eighteenth one and you’ll find that you are exactly one mile above sea level. Inside, the capitol is as beautiful as it is on the outside and the view from the dome top observatory is spectacular. Tours are offered Monday through Friday and are actually interesting, informative and best of all, free.
The next place to stop is the Denver Public Library. Take a moment to admire the architecture of the building. The famous architect, Michael Graves, designed it. That’s right, the same name you see in Target stores that designed all those funky phones and such. Step inside and you’ll be just as impressed it is truly a beautifully designed library. Of course if you have the urge to sit down, relax and read a book you can choose from over 2,000,000 different titles for your reading pleasure. So if you like libraries or just need a place to rest, then the library is a must see.
Within walking distance is another stop on your mini-tour of downtown and that is the Denver Art Museum. The museum is covered with a million gray glass tiles that turn the building itself into a work of art. Inside however, you’ll find an even more spectacular display. The museum houses 30,000 art objects and holds a world renowned Native American art collection. If you visit the museum on Saturday it is free to Colorado residents, and throughout the week admission is minimal for a museum of this quality.
The final stop on your hometown tour has to be the 16th street mall, not only to see the stories and visit your favorite restaurants, but also to watch the throngs of humanity. The diversity that you find on the mall is unquestionably unique. Any given day you may find a preacher speaking of your imminent damnation or a group of misunderstood youth doing anything and everything. After you’ve tired of the masses, you can sneak off to Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant in the Denver Pavilions. There are hundreds of places to eat downtown, but Puck’s is affordable and the food is always delightful. Prices are mid-range to expensive and the service is among the best in Denver.
All of these things are just a sampling of what can be done in Denver. The best way to explore is just to head downtown and go to whatever strikes your fancy. The most important thing to remember is that parking downtown is pricey and often hard to find. The Light Rail is a much easier alternative and from the Littleton station it will only cost you 5 dollars for a round-trip ticket. So get out there and remember why you love Denver or why you moved out here in the first place.
