There's a reason for that, says Knopper: "My fiancée, Meredith, and I had a wonderful Saturday night at Lakeside, mostly geeking out on all those classic neon signs and flashing lights — somehow I’d never known that Lakeside is its own actual city of sixteen people. Upon leaving, we learned it closes for the season on September 2. I tried to include it anyway, but September 2 was too soon for a story that came out August 22. Sigh."
We're sighing, too, particularly since Lakeside will be open on the weekends through September 15! So if you haven't been there this season, you've still got time...even though a summer tourist might not.
Where else does the NYT tell you to go?
Otherwise, we're with Knopper on several of his key stops. Union Station is a must, of course (inevitable if you come in via train from the airport), but you might want to steer clear of the 16th Street Mall unless you hit the four-block stretch that opens this week. The Populus Hotel looks cool, too, but won't open until September.Other recommendations, in the words of the NYT (with Westword annotations):
The Museum of Contemporary Art is a four-story collection of provocative video installations, found art and interactive exhibits with a rooftop bar and cafe.
Red Rocks Amphitheater, where the Beatles, U2 and thousands of other stars have performed, has panoramic views of Denver and the Front Range in the background. Note: The Beatles played Red Rocks on August 26, 1964...and the show did not sell out!
Sloan’s Lake Park offers views of the Front Range to the west and the Denver skyline to the east, as well as the city’s biggest lake, with a surrounding paved loop that is perfect for running, walking and cycling. Note: Best viewed from the Lakeview Lounge, a classic dive bar that overlooks Sloan's Lake.
Meow Wolf’s Convergence Station, an imagination-run-amok immersive museum of Seussian animal mutations, video games and pastel-colored laundry machines, is a cosmic and entertaining way for families to spend three or four hours.
Attractions and outdoor activities. Bonus for Coloradans: The discount for residents of this state will return after all those pesky tourists who read the NYT disappear.
Where would you tell someone to go?
Knopper does give the obligatory nod to Rockmount Ranch Wear, but if you're at 16th and Wazee, be sure to stop at the nearby Oxford Hotel for a drink in the Prohibition-era Cruise Room and then take a break in the men's room in the basement, where Bat Masterson once made use of those massive urinals.Knopper reports that he's been criticized for some neighborhood omissions, but he tried not to duplicate the RiNo picks that figured heavily in the last NYT 36 Hours feature on Denver. And otherwise, he wants to remind people that "this isn’t a comprehensive guide to Denver, like a guidebook, just a suggested itinerary. A lot of my decisions were driven by route/timing logistics."
Where would you suggest someone go? Post your ideas in a comment, or email them to [email protected].
