Whether you are planning a vacation to Denver, or you’re a local looking for something new to see or do, chances are you’d like to find something for free. Good news: you’ve come to the right place!
Let’s start off our free day (if today happens to be a Tuesday during the warmer months) by dropping in at Denver Botanic Gardens. Enjoy a fitness walk through the beautiful gardens, followed by a healthy snack (also free!). To add more balance to your morning, attend the free T’ai Chi class as well. (For more information: call 720-865-3500 or visit www.botanicgardens.org/pageinpage/fitnesswalks.cfm)
That was invigorating! Now, let’s head downtown to the Colorado State Capitol Building. The distinctive dome is plated with Colorado gold. The gold has been replaced several times, using rolls of ultra-thin gold, requiring only 47 ounces of gold to coat the entire dome!
As you explore the building on your own, or join a free tour, enjoy the murals, stained glass portraits, wall hanging, and presidential portraits. During the legislative session, step into the Senate or House of Representatives gallery to watch state legislators in action.
For those Coloradoans who’ve visited in the past and remember hiking up and up the spiral stairs into the dome to enjoy the views of the city and of the building below, we have some bad news. After 9/11, this part of the building was closed to visitors. The good news is that visitors are still able to stroll through much of the building to enjoy its beauty and fascinating history. (For more information: call 303-866-2604 or visit www.milehighcity.com/capitol).
As we approach lunchtime, how about browsing the incredible book offerings at one of the Tattered Cover bookstore locations? What’s a bookstore doing in an article about free things to do in Colorado? Well, my friends, the Tattered Cover isn’t just any bookstore. What started out over 30 years ago as a small, cozy bookshop with an eclectic selection of books evolved into an amazing place for anyone who enjoys books. Not only will you find an outstanding selection of books (over half a million in the two original locations, consisting of over 150,000 titles), but you’ll still enjoy the feeling of being in a cozy shop where you feel welcome to curl up on a sofa or sit back in a recliner to enjoy reading a book, magazine, or newspaper. This is the bookstore that some of the