Mayan Theater: Watch a Film

An elegant movie house with a great, old-fashioned feel, the Mayan Theater is a cool place to stop in and catch a film with friends. The historic theater specializes in foreign and independent cinema, and the old, elegant feel here really makes the perfect setting to see them. Another great aspect of the Mayan is the fact that it has a full bar. In addition to the normal concessions that you can find at the movies, patrons can enjoy wine, beer, or a cocktail, as well. The upstairs lounge is a great place to meet and have a drink beforehand, or just take the drinks right into the theatre with you! There is an incredible amount of ambiance to take in at the Mayan Theater. For quality films in a wonderful environment, it's the most charming place in Denver.

Mayan Theater
110 Broadway
Denver, CO 80203
(303) 744-6796
http://www.yelp.com/biz/mayan-theater-denver

A Gorgeous Scenic Spot (If You Don’t Mind Heights): Royal Gorge Bridge & Park

If you’re afraid of heights, this is one tourist destination that you might want to miss. Until 2003, the Royal Gorge Bridge was famous for being the highest bridge in the world (China surpassed it that year with the Beipanjiang River 2003 bridge, but who wants to go to China?) Hanging just under a thousand feet over the Arkansas River, the bridge is an incredible span that offers unreal views in both directions, coupled with a powerful sense of vertigo. Once you’re up there, the Royal Gorge Park offers a variety of other activities to while away an afternoon. The Royal Rush Skycoaster is an amazing free-fall amusement ride that swings adrenaline junkies 1,200 feet over the river. For gentler souls, an authentic replica carousel offers a little mellower ride. A variety of family entertainment is also presented at three venues throughout the park, and food, lodging and more is also available.

Royal Gorge Bridge & Park
4218 County Road 3a
Cañon City, CO 81212
(888) 333-5597
www.royalgorgebridge.com

Discover the Natural Wonders of the World at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science

Come face to face with many of the natural wonders of the world at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Venture into the Discovery Zone, a permanent exhibit, where young minds can dig for dinosaur bones, perform science experiments, and much more. Explore mines and ogle beautiful crystals at the Gems and Minerals exhibit; travel through prehistoric habitats in the Prehistoric Journey; and wander amongst over 90 scenes of some of the most beautiful and delicate environments in the Wildlife Exhibits.

At the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, you can also explore the culture and science of humans at Expedition Health. It's a highly interactive exhibit that allows you to explore your own body and its own actions and reactions to different situations. The museum also boasts a planetarium to learn about the stars and beyond, and an IMAX theater for intense viewings of educational movies.

For traveling exhibit information, check the museum's website to see what new learning opportunitues await at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
 
Denver Museum of Nature and Science
2001 Colorado Boulevard
Denver, CO 80205
(303) 370-6000
www.dmns.org

 

Denver Zoo: From Just One Bear to a Menagerie of Animals

In 1896, an orphaned black bear named Billy Bryan was given to Denver mayor Thomas C. McMurray as a gift. His Honor, unsurprisingly, had absolutely no idea what to do with a bear, and he passed it off to the keeper of Denver’s City Park. And from those humble origins, the Denver Zoo was born. In its early years, the Zoo contained a haphazard assortment of animals, but when the it underwent renovations in 1906, the Denver Zoo transformed into a modern temple of animal understanding that has grown into a respectable institution. The Zoo's Bear Mountain, opened in 1918, was the first natural-style zoo enclosure in North America, which helped transition other zoos from steel cages to more traditional environments.

Denver Zoo
2300 Steele St.
Denver, CO 80205
(303) 376-4800
www.denverzoo.org

Denver Center for the Performing Arts: Cultural Cool

It’s amazing what one man with a vision can do for a city’s artistic life. Lawyer Donald Seawell found himself in downtown Denver looking at the abandoned Auditorium Theatre, lamenting the lack of top-quality facilities for the performing arts in the Mile High City. A four-block complex of theaters, workshop spaces and studios, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts has become the locus of the city’s arts scene. The Boettcher Concert Hall was the first symphony hall built “in the round” in the United States, and a recent renovation made the sometimes spotty sound clear and vivid. The Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre is used for touring Broadway productions and stage spectaculars, which nearly always play to packed houses. A number of arts groups make their home at the Center, most notably the Denver Center Theater Company, which started in 1979 and has grown to one of the most impressive regional theater groups in the country.

Denver Center for the Performing Arts
950 13th Street
Denver, CO 80204
(303) 893-4100 ‎
www.denvercenter.org/home.aspx

Children’s Museum: Fun For All Ages

It’s never too early to start your child on the path of learning—the more they’re exposed to things that educate and challenge them, the more likely they’ll wonder and explore in the future. A spectacular institution, The Children’s Museum of Denver is devoted to expanding the minds of children from birth to age eight with a focus on experiential learning. Founded in 1973 with no permanent address, the museum moved into a beautiful custom-built facility in the Gates-Crescent Park on the Platte River. Characterized by its trademark “playscapes”—interactive exhibitions that teach principles of language, arts and sciences in non-didactic ways—the museum is incredibly popular, serving more visitors per capita of floor space than any other children’s museum in the country. Every month, the museum also implements a theme that informs the educational programming. The Museum also works with a number of outreach programs into the greater Denver community.

Children’s Museum
2121 Children's Museum Drive
Denver, CO 80211
(303) 433-7444
www.mychildsmuseum.org

Ellie Caulkins Opera House: Voices High

The crown jewel of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts is the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Housed in the shell of the historic Quigg Municipal Auditorium, which was constructed to host the Democratic National Convention in 1980, the Opera House opened its doors in 2005 as the new home of Opera Colorado. The company, which was founded by veterans of New York’s Metropolitan Opera in the early 1980s, had long struggled to find a permanent venue for their performances, so the opening of the Caulkins Opera House came as a blessing to them. Funded by a $7 million pledge from the Caulkins family, one of the biggest supporters of the fine arts in Colorado, the space has exceptional acoustics and sightlines, and since Opera Colorado started presenting in the space ticket sales and contributions have skyrocketed. The modern architecture and sleek design of the space work perfectly with a wide variety of productions.

Ellie Caulkins Opera House
950 13th Street
Denver, CO 80204
(720) 865-4220
www.operacolorado.org

The Infinite Monkey Theorem: Primal Vintages

If by some chance you’re not familiar with the "infinite monkey theorem," it’s a theoretical physics puzzle that postulates that given a large enough number of essentially random factors, eventually a desirable result will occur. As in enough monkeys on typewriters will eventually produce the complete works of Shakespeare. Denver’s Infinite Monkey Theorem thankfully doesn’t let blind chance dictate their excellent wines, but they do bring the rigor of science to every step of their process. Located in a gritty urban setting, the winery sources the best grapes from all over the country to produce a variety of wines. Winemaker Ben Parsons keeps a hands-on approach to every aspect of the process, from sourcing to bottling, and it results in great product. The crisp, refreshing Rieslings are especially recommended. The place can be a little hard to find – it’s an unlabeled Quonset hut in a gritty industrial area! – but it’s worth the search.

The Infinite Monkey Theorem
931 West 5th Avenue
Denver, CO 80204
(303) 736-8376
www.theinfinitemonkeytheorem.com

Denver Film Center: The Biggest Screen

If you’ve got a cinephile’s heart and love to take in a wide variety of movies from all over the world, the Denver Film Center is one of the best theaters in the state. The Denver Film Society had labored in a non-dedicated theater to present the kind of programming they thought the area would appreciate, and in 2010 their patience was rewarded with the opening of the Denver Film Center on Colfax. The calendar changes weekly and the Center presents over six hundred films every year, ranging from new American movies to foreign features that you won’t catch anywhere else in the city. The Film Society also uses the Center as a home base for the myriad festivals it hosts yearly. For instance, the Starz Denver Film Festival. The festival list also includes a yearly exhibition of feminist filmmaking and “Film On The Rocks,” showing Hollywood blockbusters at the spectacular Red Rocks amphitheater.

Denver Film Center
2510 East Colfax Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
(720) 596-4740 ‎
www.denverfilm.org/filmcenter

Creativity Abounds at the Art District on Santa Fe

While Colorado offers views of an array of natural beauty, the Arts District on Santa Fe offers views of breathtaking art. With over 60 galleries, art enthusiasts can find something intriguing in many different forms. Walk along Santa Fe Drive between 5th and 11th Streets and stop at the many galleries, restaurants, and boutiques. Yoga studios, bookstores, and home decor stores are also in close proximity.

Come every first Friday of the month for the First Friday Art Walk from 6 – 9 p.m., when galleries, artist studios, and restaurant owners welcome visitors on the first Friday of each month. Free shuttle service is also offered for this popular event. Or else, for a more personal experience, visit the district on the third Friday of the month for late art viewings on Preview Night.

The art and cultural district hosts many public and private events throughout the year, so check the event calendar for more details. For more imformation visit www.artdistrictonsantafe.com.

 

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