Take One Of The Many Tours Available In The Denver Area
Posted by Bruce Swedal on Thursday, June 4th, 2009 at 11:36am.Choosing a type of activity to partake in during a day trip is not always the easiest thing to do. In most locations there are a wide variety of things to do, although some of them may not be as widely known as others. One of the most educational and fun activities that can be participated in is the taking of a tour. Tours offer the traveler and locals an opportunity to learn something new about an area that they mostly likely would learn or experience without seeing it up close and personal. There are a number of tour opportunities in and around the city of Denver and many of them are very popular with locals too.
Rocky Mountain Tours
Touring the Colorado Rockies is a popular activity for many people coming to the Denver area. Tours can be taken via car along scenic byways and through tour companies that offer several different modes of transportation including all-terrain-vehicle (ATV) tours. The Gray Line company also offers bus tours that cover not only the city of Denver but also venture out into the Rocky Mountains.
United States Mint
The United States Mint in Denver offers free tours and is a great way for individuals to learn something about how money is made, handled, and distributed, as well as learn a great deal of American history too. There are some wonderful exhibits showing money making equipment from days gone by that can be viewed as well.
River Tours
A number of tour companies offer the opportunity to explore Denver's local waterways. Guests can tour the Colorado River as part of a day trip, or also incorporate it into a full camping weekend. The steep walled canyons give the traveler a great look at some of the most beautiful scenery in the Denver area, much of it never seen by most people. Tours are also available for the nearby Dolores River too. Tours can be taken in either canoes or kayaks depending on the services offered by the specific tour company.
Mountain Bike Tours
Denver also has tour companies that offer bike tours of both the city of Denver as well as the foothills that sit just to the west of the city. This is a great way to not only get out and see the area, but also to get a good amount of exercise too.
Platte River Trolley
Operated by the Denver Rail Heritage Society, the Platte River Trolley rides the rails right past the South Platte Greenway and stops at a number of important and popular downtown area stops. The operators of the trolley are knowledgeable and enhance the ride with interesting historical tidbits. The open-air trolley ride is popular with both children and adults alike.
Hammond's Candy Factory
A favorite for kids for many years, tours of Hammond's Candy Factory show various stages of the manufacturing of candies and end with an opportunity to sample some of the product that is produced there, as well as of course purchase some candy at the factory's gift shop.
Walking Tours
There are a few walking tours of the city of Denver available and these are great ways for travelers to experience the city at their own pace. Many tours highlight historical events in the city's past. There is even a tour that highlights Denver's days as the headquarters for an infamous criminal outfit.
Colorado State Capitol
One of the more interesting historic tours in the Denver area, the tour of the the Colorado State Capitol Building offers a look into both the history of Denver, the history of Colorado, and in a large part the history of the Old West.
Ski Train
Most often used by skiers traveling from Denver to the Winterpark ski resort in the nearby Rocky Mountains, the Ski Train that departs from the downtown area of the city also offers a great chance for a railroad tour into the mountains for non-skiing travelers to enjoy too. The trip normally takes two and a half hours from the city to the resort, and then another two and a half hours for the return trip.
Air Tours
There are tour companies in Denver that offer air tours of both the city, the surrounding area, and even the nearby mountains. The two most popular types of air tours available are helicopter and hot air balloon. Helicopter tours can cover a great amount of area in a fairly quick time. They also offer the opportunity to hover and see some attractions longer than others. Hot air balloon tours on the other hand are not only about the scenery that can be seen, but are also largely about the experience of floating through the air in a quiet and relaxing way. Both are wonderful ways to see the incredibly beautiful scenery that surrounds the city of Denver.
Brewery Tours
Denver has a reputation as being the location of a number of breweries. There are big and small beer making operations located in and around the city and many of them offer tours of their beer making facilities. Some of the breweries that offer these type of activities include the Wynkoop Brewing Company, Flying Dog Brewery, Rock Bottom Brewery, the Cheshire Cat, Bull & Bush Pub & Brewery, and the Breckenridge Brewery. Each of these small breweries not only offer a look inside what it takes to make beer, but also a wonderful opportunity to relax and taste some of what they make too. In the nearby community of Golden, one of the most popular brewery tours is offered as vacationers that head there can take a forty minute walking tour of the Coors Brewery. This tour ends with some small samples of the products made there, including some of the company's more limited product craft-style beers.
One of the best ways to get a taste of Denver and the surrounding area is to take part in any of the many tours offered by a number of high quality and professional tour companies. Tours often offer a great way to experience a certain aspect of the area with a knowledgeable and friendly person leading the way. Many visitors take a lot more out of a visit when they are aided in their enjoyment of it. This is also a sure way for a traveler to make certain that they aren't missing something that they didn't know about. For both residents of Denver and visitors coming to the city, taking a tour is a great way to spend a day.
Bruce Swedal
Licensed Colorado Realtor
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Denver Real Estate
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Posted on Sunday, July 12th, 2009 at 12:00 AM.