Denver Zoo (Follow Up)

As a family we journeyed to the Denver Zoo on a very cold Saturday afternoon. As I mentioned in my previous post, it was a free day. I also mentioned that it didn’t feel crowded the week day I went. Well, Saturday felt crowded. I’m not sure whether it was because it was a Saturday or because it was cold, so we spent a lot of the time indoors viewing the animals(with everyone else). Not many animals to see outside.  Maybe it was a bit of both. Anyway, I was a little disappointed. My kids on the other hand had a great time and can’t wait to go back. I’m anxiously awaiting for the free dates for 2011 to be posted. If the free dates are only scheduled for the colder parts of the year I may have to get an annual pass.

Go to www.DenverZoo.org to check out the current prices, upcoming events, and free days (hopefully posted soon). To find free days: click on the quick links drop down menu and click Free Days.

Hiking Near Denver a Family Fun Activity

I’ve been very excited about all the hiking trails in the Denver area—maybe a little too excited to wait for warmer weather. As a family we decided to hike Meadowlark Plymouth Creek Loop (Directions below). We started out our hike by having a picnic at the base of the trail (so we didn’t have to pack all the food). They have covered picnic tables and restrooms.

There was a chill in the air, but once we got moving it wasn’t bad. The trail was a little muddy in spots in the beginning, but nothing to stop us from moving on. As we got higher the trail would be covered in ice and snow when shaded. If we had had any idea how much worse it would get, we would’ve turned around. Towards the end of the trail it got so icy and steep that many of us just sat on our bums and slid down the trail. It was just too hard to stay standing on the ice. The views were spectacular, but what a relief when we could see the parking lot ahead. We were all very tired.

A hike we had expected to take our family a couple hours max had taken well over three hours because of the ice and snow. Luckily we were well prepared with food and water. We had just recently bought a water pack and I don’t know how we got along without it before. It was so nice not having to carry a water bottle or take the pack off and open it every time someone wanted a drink.

I was concerned my kids would now dread going on future hikes, but they loved it! It turned into a hike to remember. I will definitely go back once the snow and ice is gone. It is a heavily used trail year round. We passed many people who had poles and special shoes to handle the ice.

Deer & Denver

As a family we look forward to exploring the many places you can go hiking near Denver. We recently purchased a book called 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Denver and Boulder: Including Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, and Rocky Mountain National Park. There are pictures, maps, and great descriptions of each trail. I can’t wait to try them all out!

Here are the directions(copied from 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles):

From Denver, take C 470 south 6.7 miles to Kipling Parkway; exit south. Go right on west Ute Avenue, and turn right again on Deer Creek Canyon Road. Follow Deer Creek Canyon Road west 2.7 miles to Grizzly Road. Turn left on Grizzly Road, and follow it 0.4 miles to the park entrance (Deer Creek Open Space Park) on the right.

My friend was shocked when I told him that I had never eaten at Good Times before. We remedied the situation by going there immediately. It is an old fashioned style burger joint where you order at a window and then eat outside. My friend informed me that I had to try the “wild fries” and dipping sauce along with my meal. I was not disapointed. The fries and sauce were worth the hype. We each ordered burgers, fries, and a “spoonbender”—which is a thick shake. I ordered mine with a chocolate topping and bits of bacon in it. I would have never thought to put bacon in a shake, but it was actually pretty good.

I have since learned that Good Times is a Colorado original and currently also has locations in Wyoming, North Dakota and Idaho.

Check out their menu and fun interactive website.

Guest post by Kevin Harris

Discovering Denver

When I found out I was moving away from the place I was born and raised and moving to Colorado, I was, to say the least—nervous. I knew very little about this place. I spent hours on the internet. I began researching to find out about my future home, and was immediately impressed by the variety of things to do. I found info about wonderful parks and hiking trails, theaters, museums, a zoo, gardens, etc. I became excited about all that Denver and the surrounding areas had to offer.

Now that my family and I have actually moved here (We settled in the adjoining town of Lakewood).  I can officially say I’m in love with the Denver area! I have been amazed by everything there is to do here. Since moving here I have found more and more to love. I’m constantly learning about new things for me and my family to do. I was concerned I would be limited by our income, but have found no matter what your budget is there is something for you to do.

The coming posts are going to document the wonderful places, events, food, activities, and deals that I find as we explore and discover Denver and the surrounding areas.