Ryan

From quiet mountain lakes and forests to ski resorts and fine dining. What a range. Neat Area.

I've been driving by Wash Park for years and once attended a symphony there, but have never taken the time to walk around and see what the park has to offer. Oh my gosh, it's beautiful! There's a little ice cream stand near the boathouse where you can rent paddle boats and bike car thingies... What would you call those?

It's neat that you can go to different areas of the park and it's like being in a completely different place. The north end has a lily pond where children 4 and under can learn to fish. There were baby ducks! So cute.

Also, it's a beautiful spot for a wedding or event. The Smith Lake Boathouse is a beautiful, open air covered venue.

The flower gardens are spectacular and apparently it's also the land of volleyball. There were nets everywhere!

I posted a couple of videos at the park in the gallery. They don't show it off as well as I would have liked, so you really should stop by and see it for yourself.

I never tire of visiting Civic Center. Whether wandering around for People's Fair or Denver's Pride Festival in Civic Center Park, or popping by Mad Greens at the Art Museum for lunch, it's always an interesting and beautiful place to be. It seems like over the past few years, there are more and more things to see. The new Colorado History Museum is next on my list.

The 4th of July fireworks set to performances by the Colorado Symphony Orchestra are a must see!

Downtown Denver makes me proud to call Colorado home. It's so easy to pop into downtown on the Light Rail or bus, that it's worth many quick visits. Easy in, easy out. Stop in for lunch or a quick bit of wandering and window shopping. Parking isn't too bad if you're willing to walk a few blocks to where you're going, but why bother when you can use one of the many park-and-rides around the metro area?

I've had the pleasure to visit Strasburg a handful of times over the past few years, and I've always found it a very friendly little town. If you want a treat, attend their high school's annual play. You've just missed it for this year, but it's always great to see that the arts are alive in small-town America.

Having driven I-25 through Trinidad many times, I've always been intrigued by the mansions and stone buildings up on the hill. I was delighted to have stopped and spent a few minutes exploring some of the back streets of the town. The red brick roads take you back in time and there is a wicked charm about the place!

It's worth a stop and a look around. What an adorable little town. It must have been phenomenal in it's heyday and looks like it's started a process of rebirth. I should very much love to stay in one of the inns that has been converted from a turn of the century mansion.

16th Street, more commonly called the 16th Street Mall is a great area to walk around, grab a drink, sit for dinner, shop, wander, and people watch. The 16th St Mall ride is free, and runs between the Broadway bus station and Union Station. It stops every block, so you just hop on and off at your leisure. At 16th and Arapahoe is my favorite venue to catch a show in all of Denver. Lannie's Clocktower Cabaret is in the basement of the Clock Tower, and is like stepping into a movie with it's plush booths and small, intimate setting with a small stage. In the summer time, there are pianos up and down the street, so you can just sit down and plunk out a tune! It's such a fun area of town and makes me grateful for the ways that Denver serves it's citizens :)

14th Street makes me feel like I'm almost in a full blown big city. A few years ago, Denver initiated the 14th Street Redevelopment plan which included some new developments to compliment the Convention Center and The Denver Center for Performing Arts. A couple of the new high rise condo buildings, The Spire and The Four Seasons Residences, are pricey, but oh so compelling! I would love to live right across from the theater district! After a late show at The Denver Center, I tend to go to the coffee shop in the Hyatt as it's open 24 hours. There's a Starbucks on Curtis and 16th, but it's only open late on the weekends, and so a weeknight show followed by coffee requires the Hyatt :)

Driving down Humboldt St. In the summer is like driving under a canopy of greenery. The many old trees lining both sides keep the street shaded and cool. There is an interesting mix of big, old, beautiful houses and high rise condos. The condos are on the Cheesman Park side of the street. Don't get the idea that its a busy area though. The street is so narrow that even though its 2 way, only one car can pass in one direction at a time.

South of 12th Avenue is a historic district, so you know the area will retain its charm.

The first time I drove into Nederland, CO, I was reminded of the way I envisioned Colorado before I moved here and saw it for myself. There are mountain peaks in almost every direction; snow capped and amazing. I haven't spent as much time in Nederland as I would like to, but I manage to drive through it at least a couple of times a year, and every time I'm there I think this would be a great place to think about for retirement. It's only about 35 minutes or so outside of Boulder, an hour from Denver, and a short distance to Black Hawk and Central City. You've got the best of the quiet mountain town, with only a short drive to the city, or to Black Hawk and Central City where you can play the slots, take in a show, or grab a buffet dinner at one of the many casinos.

Fort Collins really is a cute little town. I always enjoy visiting. Parking in Old Town and Downtown is tough, but the good news is the area is so small that you can really park outside of downtown and walk in.

Sometimes it's really easy to get towed if you park on Logan. You must move your car by 6AM if you're parked in the left driving lane. What's funny is that when they tow your car, they're going to drop it off on a random street where there's space, so you could spend hours wandering the neighborhood looking for your car :) It's