Broomfield, CO

The Broomfield Veterans Memorial Museum is Colorado's only museum honors American veterans of all military conflicts, with an emphasis on 20th and 21st-century international conflicts since World War I. The museum, which was opened to the public in 2002, is housed within the city's former Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public Library building, which was constricted in 1963.

Permanent and rotating special exhibits showcase the stories and artifacts of American soldiers and personnel from World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the War on Terror, with additional exhibit space dedicated to veterans of conflicts prior to the 20th century.

Uniforms and equipment are displayed, along with multimedia exhibits detailing personal stories of soldiers who fought in conflicts. The museum's Gordon Bennett Memorial Library also showcases an extensive collection of military history volumes and multimedia items.

12 Garden Center Broomfield, CO 80020, Phone: 303-460-6801

Broomfield County Commons Open Space is an expansive public common space near Westlake Drive and Lowell Boulevard, offering 3.5 miles of looping trails for visitor recreation and strolling.

The commons, which are accessible via trailheads from several parking lots around the park, features a soft-surface loop that offers access to a spacious fishing dock and several areas for wildlife watching.

The city's Tom Frost Reservoir is also visible from the commons' trail, along with several soccer fields which are available for public day use.

Along the loop, many pieces of public art can be viewed as part of self-guided walking art tours.

Other amenities throughout the park include a dog park for four-legged friends to run off leash with supervision from their owners.

The Broomfield 9/11 Memorial honors the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on New York City's World Trade Center and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., originally dedicated on the five-year anniversary of the event in 2006.

The monument, which is located within Broomfield's Community Park, was crafted by artist Reynaldo "Sonny" Rivera and incorporates a recovered pieces of the World Trade Center's Twin Towers, dedicated to both private citizens and first responders who were killed in the attack.

As one of the nation's largest 9/11 memorials, the monument's construction was overseen by the North Metro Fire Rescue District Community Foundation.

Three sculptures depict first responders arriving to the scene of the attack, while large stone reliefs list the names of the attack's victims.

Lamar Street and DesCombes Drive, Broomfield, CO 80020

If you are traveling with kids:

Bluebird Aviation is one of Colorado's premiere airplane touring companies, receiving the highest customer ratings of any plane tour operators within the greater Denver metropolitan area.

The company, which offers tours aboard a beautiful 208-horsepower Cessna 182 plane, is the premiere way for visitors to experience the immense Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, known for peaks reaching heights of over 14,000 feet above sea level.

Mountain tours last approximately one hour, available for up to three participants and showcasing sights such as Rollins Pass, Grand Lake, and areas within Rocky Mountain National Park.

Front Range tours fly over Eldorado and Boulder Canyons and the Denver skyline, while Date Night tours use sunset lighting conditions to create a romantic experience for two passengers, including complimentary champagne for passengers. Pilot instruction courses are also available, including Discovery Flights for those considering careers in flights.

Phone: 303-747-6402

Broomfield Bay Aquatic Park is a seasonal outdoor water park located at the Paul Derda Recreation Center, open to the public each year between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

The park, which maintains comfortable water temperatures of 88 degrees throughout the season, is home to two thrilling body slides, along with an inner tube slide and a butterfly-style slide for young swimmers.

Other family attractions include a lazy river ride, a zero-depth-entry leisure pool, a three-lane lap pool, two spa areas for the entire family, and a spacious outdoor patio area for lounging and sunbathing.

Young swimmers can enjoy a unique "spray ground" attraction, as well as a large interactive water play structure offering safe play opportunities. Birthday party packages are available for visitors wishing to celebrate their birthdays at the park, offering use of picnic shelters and tables.

250 Spader Way, Broomfield, CO 80020, Phone: 303-464-5520

Activities and Attractions for Couples:

FlatIron Crossing Mall is a semi-enclosed shopping mall in Broomfield that was opened to the public in 2000 as one of the first hybrid indoor mall-outdoor town center shopping centers in the country.

Today, the mall draws one of the highest sales rate per square foot of malls across the United States, home to major anchor stores such as Macy's, Nordstrom, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Dillard's.

Popular apparel stores at the mall include national chains such as American Eagle Outfitters, Eddie Bauer, and Forever 21, while family-friendly stores include the Build-a-Bear Workshop.

Full-service and quick-casual dining options range from upscale favorites such as P.F. Chang's and Gordon Biersch to food court staples such as Auntie Anne's and Dairy Queen.

Outside, an AMC Theatres cinema offers 15 screens, while stores such as Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn sell home goods.

One West FlatIron Crossing Dr, Broomfield, CO 80021, Phone: 720-887-9900

Paul Derda Recreation Center is an 85,000-square-foot complete center for recreation and exercise within the Broomfield area, home to the expansive Broomfield Bay Aquatic Park seasonal water park, which offers slides, children's play areas, a lazy river, and a three-lane lap pool. The John Ferraro Gymnasium is home to two full-court gymnasiums for basketball and other sporting play, as well as an indoor track measuring 1/11th of a mile. The Bob Prince Gymnastics Center features 7,500 square feet of competition floor exercise area, along with balance beams, apparatuses, and a children's tumbling area. Other features include a 35-foot climbing wall, extensive cardio and training areas, a kid's zone playground, a game room, and a licensed preschool day care center for parents dropping children off to use equipment.

13201 Lowell Blvd, Broomfield, CO 80020, Phone: 303-460-6900

The Broomfield Auditorium and Gallery is a 288-seat auditorium and theater facility available for community use for a variety of scholastic, theatrical, dance, music, and corporate events. The theater, which stretches 6,800 square feet including seating space, offers six ADA-accessible seats, a theatrical lighting system, a custom-designed sound system, and a Sauter concert piano within an orchestra area available for use by musicians. 54 balcony seats are available, making for a dramatic seating panorama, with free parking available for all eventgoers. In the theater's lobby, an art gallery operated by the Broomfield Art Guild since 2002 showcases a variety of special artistic exhibits on show during times the auditorium is in use for special events.

3 Community Park Rd, Broomfield, CO 80020, Phone: 720-887-2371

The Omni Interlocken Resort Golf Club is a breathtaking 27-hole championship golf course in Broomfield, originally designed by former U.S. Open champion David Graham and PGA Senior Tour golfer Gary Panks. The course, which has been ranked as Colorado's third-best resort golf course, offers over 400 feet of elevation changes throughout its three distinct nine-hole golf courses. The club's Vista Course, which was originally opened in 1999, is a par-36 course offering more than 3,500 yards of golfing green and the club's longest holes, while its Eldorado Course showcases more than 3,400 yards. Its newest course, the Sunshine Course, was opened in 2000. In addition to standard tee times, the course hosts charity golf events and corporate outings, with lessons available from PGA-certified instructors. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner service are offered at the Fairways Restaurant, which serves delicious upscale American dishes.

500 Interlocken Blvd, Broomfield, CO 80021, Phone: 303-438-6600

Where to Eat

Hickory and Ash is a modern American restaurant operated as part of the Kevin Taylor Restaurant Group, which also oversees top Denver-area restaurants such as Mila, Kevin Taylor's at the Opera House, and the Limelight Supper Club and Lounge. The restaurant is helmed by Taylor's son Ryan, who has been named as one of Zagat's top 30 under 30 young American restaurant professionals. Handcrafted Colorado-style entrees are served up, with an emphasis on hickory-smoked meats and locally-sourced produce. Delicious entrees are available at lunch and dinner daily, including squash Bolognese gnocchi, short rib pastrami, and Colorado striped bass Veracruz. Brunch is also available on the weekends, along with an extensive wine list, a selection of local draft beers, and a signature craft cocktail list.

8001 Arista Place, Broomfield, CO 80021, Phone: 720-390-4400