Spring is in the air! And whether you’re on Spring Break or just looking for a break from the winter doldrums, Golden offers fun for the whole family.
HIKE OR BIKE THE ‘PEAKS TO PLAINS TRAIL’ ALONG CLEAR CREEK
Get your fill of gorgeous views and fresh air with a walk or bike ride along the mostly level Peaks to Plains Trail, which meanders right through the heart of downtown Golden and follows the banks of pretty Clear Creek for miles up into a rugged canyon. The family-friendly trail crosses over the creek on a series of bridges and has numerous access points where your four-legged friends (on leashes) can take a dip in the water. You can follow the trail up into the canyon, or pedal or walk it east all the way to Denver.
VIEW MODEL TRAINS AND PLAY ON REAL ONES
The Colorado Railroad Museum has two fantastic model railroads – an indoor HO scale model with trestles, mining towns, cities, and even a circus, and a gigantic, larger scale outdoor model railroad where locomotives cross bridges and chug with realistic sounds past real trees. And then there are the real trains! There are dozens of locomotives and cars. You can ring the bell on a steam engine, climb in a caboose, operate a telegraph, and even ride a train or a Galloping Goose Motorcar. Check the schedule, but typically in Spring, train rides are available on Saturdays and daily over Spring Break, while the Galloping Goose rides are on Sundays and most Tuesdays too!
WALK WITH DINOS
AURS
The world’s first dinosaur bones were found near Golden, and there are plenty of modern-day dinosaur adventures in town. At nearby Dinosaur Ridge, see dinosaur tracks and dinosaur bones that have been in rock for millions of years. The Triceratops Trail in Golden helps you learn how Golden was once the beach of an ancestral sea that covered much of the midwest. The area around Golden was teeming with dinosaurs, and you can even see the bones of the furious T-Rex, which were first discovered here. The free Colorado School of Mines Museum of Earth Science has other dinosaur exhibits, as well as gold and rare gems that have been discovered in the area.
TAKE A SELFIE, SHOP & DINE UNDER THE “WELCOME TO GOLDEN” ARCH
There’s no more iconic experience in Golden than taking a “selfie” under the huge Welcome Arch that has spanned Washington Ave. since 1949. Built at a cost of $7,500, the sign proclaims that Golden is “Where the West Lives,” and you’ll certainly feel that way strolling under the verandas of this Western Street that is lined with one-of-a-kind shops filled with art works, outdoor recreation gear, antiques, Western wear and more. Hungry? There are two dozen restaurants in downtown Golden. Grab a seat at an outdoor café and enjoy the mountain views in all directions.
COWBOY - OR COWGIRL - UP IN GOLDEN!
Shop for Western wear and Native American jewelry at many Golden boutiques. Don’t forget cowboy boots! Silver Horse has a great selection! Then, kick up your heels at the Golden Outpost or the Buffalo Rose, two Golden establishments with a definite country vibe and frequent live music. Don’t forget to visit a certain brewery beloved by the cowboys of the Yellowstone Ranch for their Original Coors…
TOUR COORS
Although you have to be over 21 to sample during the Coors Brewery tour, anyone can take the tour – and people of all ages enjoy it. The facility is the largest single-site brewery in the Western Hemisphere, and it is immense. On the tour, you see row after row of giant copper kettles where the brewing is done. Everyone enjoys the packaging room, where thousands upon thousands of cans and bottles are filled with beer and slotted into six packs and cases for shipping. There are sodas and lemonade for those under 21 and the freshest beers you will ever taste for those of drinking age.
There are so many adventures to experience in Golden! Be sure to add on a patio meal to really enjoy the spring sunshine!
DRIVE THE LARIAT LOOP TRAIL TO BUFFALO BILL’S GRAVE
It’s amazing how many Denverites have never driven the thrilling Lariat Loop to the summit of Lookout Mountain. With 51 curves, dramatic cliffs, pull-offs, trailheads and spectacular views in all directions, experience it this Spring Break. Also, be sure to visit Buffalo Bill’s Grave & Museum, located atop Lookout Mountain, for a fascinating look at the most famous character from the Old West.
PLAY GAMES, LAUGH AT COMEDIES & ENJOY LIVE THEATER
Whether you want to play retro pinball, dominate at a board game, laugh at a comedy club or get moved by a drama, Golden’s got it all! At the new Gnarly’s Theater, check out the retro video arcade pinball or catch a comedy show. Miner’s Alley Performing Arts Center puts on award winning productions and Golden Game Guild is a board game cafe dedicated to fostering a community of table top gameplay, including an after-school program, game meet-ups, and tournaments
VISIT A HOMESTEAD AND FEED THE CHICKENS
Golden was the first capital of the Colorado Territory, and the town is filled with historic experiences. The free Golden History Museum has exhibits on the people and businesses that made Golden a gold mining and ranching center, as well as home to all kinds of inventions and innovations, such as Jolly Rancher candies! At the Golden History Park on the other side of Clear Creek you can visit an authentic homestead from the 1880s, check out an old schoolhouse and cabin and if you bring some quarters, feed heritage chickens in a hundred-year-old chicken coop.
LEARN HOW TO CLIMB A MOUNTAIN
The area around Golden is one of the most famous rock-climbing regions in the U.S. You can see daring rock climbers up in Clear Creek Canyon and if you want to learn how to rock climb, Movement Golden or The Spot both offer indoor climbing with classes and Golden Mountain Guides offers private outdoor rock climbing trips in Clear Creek Canyon and North Table Mountain or private ice climbing trips at Lincoln Falls. Bentgate Mountaineering in Golden will provide you with all gear, ropes and shoes you need.
Indoor Rock Climbing
MEET THE MOUNTAIN LIONS, ELK AND BEARS THAT LIVE IN GOLDEN
The Lookout Mountain Preserve & Nature Center on top of Lookout Mountain has exhibits and dioramas on all the wildlife that live in Colorado. You can view “night cam” videos to see who was wandering around the center last night, and then hike along the same nature trails! There are a series of family-friendly trails that wind around the nature center through a beautiful pine forest with interpretive exhibits that help you understand Mother Nature of Colorado.
DINE ON A PATIO, STROLL DO
WNTOWN & CATCH A GOLDEN VIBE
Spend a day in Golden, with its laid back atmosphere, gorgeous mountain views, friendly merchants and terrific restaurants. There’s every type of cuisine imaginable in Golden, from casual family favorites like Woody’s Pizza to Bob’s Atomic Burgers to international cuisine like Ali Baba and the Sherpa House. Try to get a table on a sunny patio or be sure to take a post-lunch or dinner stroll through town where you can soak in a Golden vibe!