Golden, Colorado

The life and times of the legendary Buffalo Bill (William F. Cody) are celebrated and showcased at the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave in the Lookout Mountain Preserve. Cody was born in 1846 and became famous for his unique buffalo hunting skills, which earned him the name Buffalo Bill. Later, Cody became an actor and staged his own award-winning stage show, The Wild West. Buffalo Bill was buried on Lookout Mountain and his modest tomb is visited by thousands of people each year. Inside the museum you can watch an orientation video before going on a self-guided tour. There are several interactive exhibits, and children will love the Kid's Cowboy Corral. There is also an observation deck offering wonderful views as well as a museum shop.

Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave, 987 Lookout Mountain Rd, Golden, CO 80401, Phone: 303-526-0744

You'll find the historic 100-year-old Boettcher Mansion in a quiet and secluded setting in the lovely Lookout Mountain Nature Preserve. The lovely old residence was built in 1917 using timber and stone, most of which was sourced on site. Originally intended to be the summer getaway of prominent Denver businessman Charles Boettcher, the home was certainly opulent, and the style incorporated the best of both English and American Arts and Crafts elements. Today, the mansion is mainly used as an event venue, but most of the original rooms have been carefully maintained in their original state.

Boettcher Mansion, 900 Colorow Rd, Golden, CO 80401, Phone: 720-497-7630

Located just a short walk from central Golden, Golden History Museum and Park will transport you back to the homesteading days of the 1800s. The history park is a part of the Golden History Museum and showcases many original 1800s cabins and other farm buildings that have been sourced from all around Colorado and brought to their present location. A stroll through the park will give visitors an idea of what life was like during the homesteading era – you will see an original school, barn, chicken house, and even a two-seater outhouse. On certain days you can enjoy cooking and blacksmithing demonstrations presented by costumed guides.

11th and Arapahoe Streets, Golden, CO 80401, Phone: 303-278-3557

Clear Creek White Water Park is an innovative and fun water park that gives you the chance to practice your kayaking skills as you make your way through three levels of rapids. If you're not into kayaking, you can enjoy the ride on a tube – it is easy to avoid the more hectic rapids if you stick to the middle part of the course, which is a broad section with flatter eddies. The third section is probably the most exciting and features more extreme rapids and drops. There is no fee to come and enjoy an afternoon of fun in the park and there is plenty of free parking available at both ends of the 800-foot course.

Clear Creek White Water Park, 1201 10th Street, Golden, CO 80401, Phone: 303-384-8100

Train spotters can have the time of their lives at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, where you can see a great collection of vintage rolling stock and other railroad-related exhibits. A stroll through the museum's 15-acre rail yard will give you plenty of time to admire over 100 locomotives, cabooses, passenger coaches, and freight cars. There is also an extensive G-scale garden railway to fascinate the kids. You can tour the roundhouse, where maintenance was carried out, and visit the Depot Museum, which has been re-constructed to resemble a small-town railway station from the 1800s. The museum offers introductory videos and hands-on interactive exhibits.

Colorado Railroad Museum, 17155 W 44th Ave, Golden, CO 80401, Phone: 303-279-4591

One of the highlights of a visit to Golden is the chance to go on a tour of the famous Coors Brewery, where one of America's most popular beer producers has been in business since 1873. The Coors brewery is the largest single-site brewery in the world and a tour of the premises will give you an insight into the labor-intensive methodology required to produce a bottle of your favorite brew. You will see the entire brewing process, from the malting of the barley through the mashing process to the final fermentation and aging process. At the end of the tour you can see some memorabilia from the early days and enjoy a tasting.

Coors Brewery Tours, 13th Street & Ford Street, Golden, CO 80401, Phone: 800-642-6116

At Golden Gate Canyon State Park, you can leave the hustle and bustle of the city far behind you and get back to nature amid some of the best scenery in the whole of Colorado. The park is located just 30 miles from Denver and encompasses over 12,000 acres of mountain, forest, and meadows, offering visitors a wide variety of outdoor activities all year round. The best way to immerse yourself in the park would be to set up camp in one of the campgrounds or rent a cabin or yurt to be your base for a few days. There is a wide network of hiking trails to be explored, you can fish on any of the ponds or rivers, and biking, horseback riding, picnicking, and rock climbing are just some of the activities on offer.

Golden Gate Canyon State Park, 92 Crawford Gulch Rd, Golden, CO 80403, Phone: 303-582-3707

Located in the heart of historic downtown Golden, the Higher Grounds Cafe is an ideal place to relax with friends over a tasty cup of coffee or a light meal. The café is just a short walk from the Foothills Art Center and the Colorado School of Mines Campus, and is a favorite place for students to meet in a relaxing and laidback atmosphere. While you are sipping an espresso or latte, you can make use of the free Wi-Fi to plan the rest of your day in Golden. Besides serving great coffee you can also grab a breakfast burrito to get your day off to a great start. When the weather is good you can enjoy your meal and coffee alfresco on the deck.

Higher Grounds Café, 803 14th St B, Golden, CO 80401, Phone: 303-271-0998

State 38 Distilling is a boutique artisan distillery where you can learn all about the intricate art of producing fine liquor by hand, from scratch. State 38 welcome visitors to come and see how their famous products are produced, using the finest locally sourced ingredients and pure Rocky Mountain water. Your tour of the distillery will take you through the entire process, from the acquisition of the raw materials to the bottling process, and you will then have the opportunity to sample two of the liquors (over 21s only). The company currently produces five drinks distilled using organic blue agave as well as a bourbon and peat-smoked Scottish whisky.

State 38 Distilling, 400 Corporate Circle, Golden, CO 80401, Phone: 720-242-7219

Forming part of the foothills of the mighty Rocky Mountains, Lookout Mountain is located just 12 miles from downtown Denver, making it a popular destination for day trips out of the city. A good place to start your tour is the Lookout Mountain Nature Center, where you can view several interactive exhibits that will give you a good overview of the 110-acre Lookout Mountain Preserve. You can explore the preserve on foot along a network of hiking trails that meander through scenic ponderosa pine forests and pretty meadows, which are home to several species of wildlife including black bears, bobcats, mountain lions, mule deer, and elk. There are several scenic spots perfect for a picnic and the trail is suitable for snowshoers and cross-country skiers in winter.

Lookout Mountain Nature Center and Preserve , 910 Colorow Rd, Golden, CO 80401, Phone: 720-497-7600