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So Blessed
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| Posted: June 17 2013 at 7:57pm | IP Logged
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We're planning a family vacation there during the week of the 4th of July. We'll be staying in the Denver/Boulder area and have a large family with teens down to a 6 year old. We love the outdoors and would like to do some hiking, sightseeing, etc. We don't camp!  If you live in the area or have visited, what do you recommend? Any must see churches? Thanks!
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Erica Sanchez
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| Posted: June 17 2013 at 10:49pm | IP Logged
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Well, Mary M will be the expert, but a visit to the Mother Cabrini Shrine seems a must. We got to go there with her. :)
Mother Cabrini Shrine
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Have a beautiful and fun day!
Erica in San Diego
(dh)Cash, Emily, Grace, Nicholas, Isabella, Annie, Luke, Max, Peter, 2 little souls ++, and sweet Rose who is legally ours!
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kristinannie
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| Posted: June 18 2013 at 2:01pm | IP Logged
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Erica Sanchez wrote:
Well, Mary M will be the expert, but a visit to the Mother Cabrini Shrine seems a must. We got to go there with her. :)
Mother Cabrini Shrine
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I second this! I went here right before I conceived my first child (it took a long time). Also, Rocky Mountain National Park is very nice. I can ask my sister about specific hiking trails if you tell me what kinds of hikes you like. Also, Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs is amazing! It is definitely worth the trip!
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: June 20 2013 at 11:18am | IP Logged
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The U.S. Mint in Denver was always one of our favorite things to do.
And, yes, the Cabrini Shrine!
And, if we were going there as a family, we would want to visit the Rocky Mountain Philatelic Library, which would be fun if any of your kids are into stamp collecting.
The Molly Brown House.
My cousins love the Fourney Museum
And, some friends went to The Firefighters Museum and loved it.
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MaryM
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| Posted: June 21 2013 at 12:15pm | IP Logged
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Erica Sanchez wrote:
Well, Mary M will be the expert, but a visit to the Mother Cabrini Shrine seems a must. We got to go there with her. :)
Mother Cabrini Shrine |
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And there is a lot to do around there. Golden and Morrison are towns "just down the hill" from Mother Cabrini. Right there on Lookout Mountain is Buffalo Bill's Grave and Museum and the Lookout Mountain Nature Center.
Morrison and Golden include a lot of geology and dinosaur history opportunities:
Dinosaur Ridge
Triceratops Trail
Morrison Natural History Museum
Colorado School of Mines Geology/Mining Museum
~Golden is a neat western town with an "old west" feel - also includes:
Coors Brewery Tour - not as good as it used to before they went automated over live tour guides, but still very interesting. Free samples at the end (soda for kids).
Colorado Railroad Museum - fun if you have train aficionados
Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum
Clear Creek History Park
American Mountaineering Museum
Lariat Loop Natural Scenic Byway - has lots of the areas that I have mentioned on that west side of Denver in the Golden/Morrison area. Includes some ideas for day tours to take to see the sites I've mentioned.
Colorado is known for climbing and we have lots of "climbing wall gyms" if that kind of adventure is something you are looking for -Rock climbing walls/gyms
We are "young" in churches so don't have that many of the really old and beautiful churches of the east coast and midwest (or even missions of the SW). Churches in downtown Denver that are quite beautiful and historic in nature:
Sacred Heart - oldest, Spanish influence/retablos
Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
Holy Ghost Church
I mentioned one nature center above (near Cabrini). There are lots of little local ones but a couple definitely worth it are:
Plains Conservation Center (E. Aurora)
Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
Mint - It is a fun tour. Need to make reservations in advance and it is very popular in summer. I just looked and it looks like everything is full until September unfortunately.
Museums in Denver:
History Colorado Center - (personal opinion)somewhat PC but nice hands-on activities
Denver Museum of Nature and Science - has reciprocal benefits with other US science museums so if you belong to one of them, it is free. Great museum.
Denver Art Museum - lots of hands on and family activities
Littleton History Museum - really nice living history museum, 2 restored farms (one is 1860s, other 1890s) - a south suburb of Denver, Littleton is location of Little Britches book series, museum has some memorabilia.
So Blessed wrote:
| We love the outdoors and would like to do some hiking, sightseeing, etc. We don't camp! |
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There are some really spectacular high country nature opportunites - but need to acclimate to Colorado's elevation before attempting anything too high. Lots of hikes down lower in elevation also but those high ones take you to amazing locations so different from most of the US.
Mt. Evans - highest paved road in US, takes you to 14,240 ft. Lots of unusual flora and fauna in that high tundra zone. Likely to see mountain goats and bighorn sheep.
Echo Lake is nice stop along way.
Devil's Head Fire Lookout hike - lower elevation, closer to Denver
Mount Falcon Castle Ruins & Tower Hike 40 minutes west of Denver, lower elevation, closer to Denver
I'll think some more on hiking/nature mountain areas - there are so many!
So Blessed wrote:
| We'll be staying in the Denver/Boulder area... |
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Boulder:
Celestial Seasonings Tour - a really fun "food" tour. One of the best I've been on as you get to go really close to the packaging equipment - fascinating to watch when everything is running. Summer might be kind of slow - can't remember. Great sampling room also.
NOAA - National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Research Center - public tours on Tuesdays by reservation - very worthwhile
National Center for Atmospheric Research
Colorado Chautauqua National Historic Landmark - nice hiking trails from this location. Pretty summer wildflowers.
Butterfly Pavilion is between Denver and Boulder. It is fun.
kristinannie wrote:
| Also, Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs is amazing! It is definitely worth the trip! |
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Colorado Springs is an hour south of Denver but has some worthwhile attractions. Garden of the Gods was mentioned - really pretty rock formations
Turin of Shroud Center is among the world's foremost scientific research and education centers on the Shroud and it is right here in Colorado. 
These are neat opportunities if you like caves or cliff dwellings. I prefer the ones in the NPS because these are commercial, but if you can't make it to Carlsbad or Mesa Verde, these are a good alternative.
Cave of the Winds
Manitou Cliff Dwellings
Other Colorado Springs museums and attractions for tourists:
Pikes Peak Cog Railway - 3+ hours
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame
US Olympic Training Center
United States Air Force Academy
It is west of Denver and Colorado Springs (about 2 hours). I haven't been here yet. Gwen (momwise here) says it is great.
South Park City - restored 1800's mining town/museum
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Mary M. in Denver
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So Blessed
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| Posted: July 02 2013 at 8:29pm | IP Logged
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Thank you all so very much, especially Mary! Your list is so comprehensive and covers so many different types of activities and interests. I appreciate the time it took for you put that together for me . . . and now it's a treasure trove for anyone else visiting your wonderful state! Sending you prayers of thanksgiving!
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MaryM
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| Posted: July 02 2013 at 8:49pm | IP Logged
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So Blessed - glad to see you saw the post. I meant to come back to it and this reminded me.
There are several mine tours. A mine tour or gold panning opportunity are great things to do in Colorado because of our mining history.
Argo Gold Mine and Mill
Phoenix Gold mine- both are in Idaho Springs, 40 minutes west of Denver
Lebanon Mine & Georgetown Loop Railroad - more spendy since you have to do the railroad ride to get to the mine, but it is beautiful scenery and a great tour. About 50 minutes west of Denver
There are other mines further into the mountains and SW Colorado but these are the closest to Denver area.
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Mary M. in Denver
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: July 11 2013 at 8:42am | IP Logged
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Okay, so we're not going to Colorado anytime soon, but after reading Mary's posts I certainly wish we were!!!
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Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
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MaryM
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| Posted: July 11 2013 at 10:58am | IP Logged
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Becky Parker wrote:
| Okay, so we're not going to Colorado anytime soon, but after reading Mary's posts I certainly wish we were!!! |
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And I wish you were, too, Becky. 
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Mary M. in Denver
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Any tips for things to do in Colorado?
