Free & fun things to do in Denver (Littleton: to rent, houses)

[visualanty]

Hey everyone!! I'm wondering what people think are free AND fun things to do in Denver are. I know that the Sante Fe art district is an awesome place to meet interesting people and check out the art scene... do you have any other suggestions?

[masalamomma]

16th street mall in downtown is another place to people watch. Have a picnic at Wash Park. Bike along the Cherry Creek Trail. You can park your car at the shopping center across the street from Cherry Creek Resevoir and go for a hike in there for free.

[kristenfromdenver]

This website has some good options - some free and some not free. Check it out!

Denver in June - June 2008 Events in Denver - Denver, CO

[Finger Laker]

a lot of good places to play disc golf, which can be fun

[CapHillboy]

If you're interested in architecture, Doors Open Denver is a great free event. It's usually in April, i think, and you get to see the insides of lots of places you couldn't see otherwise. And, because i'm a real-estate junkie, i go to open houses a lot. Just cruise around neighborhoods that interest you on Sunday afternoons. (These days, I've found that realtors actually like having someone to talk to, even if they know I'm not seriously looking. Two hours can seem awfully lonely if you're alone in a strange house, i guess. And hey, who knows?, you might see something that compels you to move. It's happened to me.) And, consider volunteering for some of the events hosted by Historic Denver. They treat their volunteers quite well. I've generally gotten a free lunch, a t-shirt, and a free ticket to whatever event i volunteer for. Better yet, you get some background on the places they're showing from experts and get to meet some interesting people. There are lots of other volunteer opportunities in the historic buildings arena; the Dora Moore and Bromwell tours are well worth volunteering for. I think, but am not sure, that "Dr. Denver" (aka Dr. Tom Noell) does free walking tours of Denver with an historical slant. I haven't done any of them, but, from his newspaper column and books, they're probably well worth the time. Finally, both the governor's mansion and the State House have free tours, where you can learn a bit of CO history.

If you're into art (and you must be, given your post), all the major SCFD venues have free days. But you probably know this already. Check the CapHill newspaper website to find out when they are.

Bikeriding is, for me, always rewarding. You have to have a bike, of course, or it will cost you to rent one. You can buy a map of Denver bike paths at just about every serious bike shop. If you don't want to spend the money for maps, go to outspokin.org to download them. Being able to ride round-trip 30 miles without encountering a car is pretty neat--to my mind, anyway. Pack a lunch and stop at any of the parks that dot the bike paths. If you're willing to part with a few bucks, you can always find an eating spot along the way. I really like the South Platte trail between Confluence Park and Chatfield. You could stop in Littleton for a cup of coffee and a sweet and then grab a brat around the gardens south of there. Not free, i admit, but it's a minimal outlay. And the park around Mineral (I forget the name, but it's reclaimed from old gravel pits) is really a nice spot to hang out for a while. Even if you ride northeast from Confluence Park, there are tacqueria wagons just off the path where you can grab a cheap and tasty snack.

And, of course, there are free outdoor movies and concerts this summer, as well. If you're interest is in getting to know more people, they're great events. I'm not an extrovert, but I've consistently met fun people at these events. For me, it's easiest if i go with a group. Your group conversation tends to garner comments from those around you. Pretty soon, you have a group much larger than you came with.

Have a great summer!

[ronaldl79]

You'll want to try these two websites for free and fun things to do here in wonderful Denver, Colorado:

MEETin.org - Fun Events Free Events Make new friends in your city.
Real groups make a real difference - Meetup.com

Also, be sure to check out Denver News, Events, Restaurants, Music from Denver, CO - Westword for all the events and activities happening here.

Enjoy!

[winglady]

The Colorado-for-Free website may have exactly what you're looking for. Here's a sampling of free Denver activities:

°°° Denver-for-Free

Be sure to look at the Denver entries on this page as well:

Front Range North

[butterfly55109]

You can go to the art museum for FREE

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by butterfly55109

You can go to the art museum for FREE

Yes, on the first Saturday of the month.

[the3Ds]

Originally Posted by butterfly55109

You can go to the art museum for FREE

Lots of the museums and the zoo have free days. Next Wednesday is free day at the museum of nature and science.