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Best Religious Experience

Shabbat Service on Skis/Boards

The problem with the Colorado lifestyle is that it's hard to cram everything into the weekend. It's Saturday: If you're Jewish, do you trudge off to synagogue or hit the slopes to ride the freshies? Blessedly, Rabbi Jamie Korngold -- aka the Adventure Rabbi -- has found a way to blend both. Her Shabbat Service on Skis/Boards is held the second Saturday of the month at mid-mountain, either at Copper or Vail. After a short service -- about fifteen minutes at lunchtime usually does it -- it's back to the powder. "I know the rabbis would love us to go to synagogue, but the truth is, we moved to Colorado for the skiing," says Korngold. "This tweaks what we're doing out there in a beautiful way." Amen.

Best Religious Pilgrimage

Shrine of the Stations of the Cross

Colorado's oldest town lies just about twenty miles from the New Mexico border and cherishes its deep Hispanic roots. Local sculptor Huberto Maestas created fifteen bronze statues -- the fourteen traditional depictions of Christ's final journey up Calvary, plus his own interpretation of the Resurrection -- for tiny San Luis's Hill of Piety and Mercy. You can follow in Jesus's footsteps with an easy hike along a series of switchbacks up the mesa. For a really good Good Friday, begin your pilgrimage at La Capilla de Todos los Santos - All Saints Chapel -- and end at the grotto of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Best Religious Pilgrimage

Shrine of the Stations of the Cross

Colorado's oldest town lies just about twenty miles from the New Mexico border and cherishes its deep Hispanic roots. Local sculptor Huberto Maestas created fifteen bronze statues -- the fourteen traditional depictions of Christ's final journey up Calvary, plus his own interpretation of the Resurrection -- for tiny San Luis's Hill of Piety and Mercy. You can follow in Jesus's footsteps with an easy hike along a series of switchbacks up the mesa. For a really good Good Friday, begin your pilgrimage at La Capilla de Todos los Santos - All Saints Chapel -- and end at the grotto of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Best Secular Pilgrimage

Rocky Mountain Audio Guides

There's a whole lot of history between Cherry Creek and Coors Field. If you'd like to impress your out-of-town guests with how much of it you know, pick up a copy of the CD Walking Tour of Denver's Historic Lower Downtown (LoDo), a self-guided tour of the neighborhood where our fair city began. For just $15.95 at the Tattered Cover, the Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Center and other locations around town, you can explore the 2.25 miles from Union Station to Skyline Park at your own pace. An enclosed map -- along with a printable version on the CD-ROM -- coordinates landmarks with tracks on the disc. Or just strap some headphones on your guests and let them wander from the Cruise Room to the Wynkoop on their own.

Best Secular Pilgrimage

Rocky Mountain Audio Guides

There's a whole lot of history between Cherry Creek and Coors Field. If you'd like to impress your out-of-town guests with how much of it you know, pick up a copy of the CD Walking Tour of Denver's Historic Lower Downtown (LoDo), a self-guided tour of the neighborhood where our fair city began. For just $15.95 at the Tattered Cover, the Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Center and other locations around town, you can explore the 2.25 miles from Union Station to Skyline Park at your own pace. An enclosed map -- along with a printable version on the CD-ROM -- coordinates landmarks with tracks on the disc. Or just strap some headphones on your guests and let them wander from the Cruise Room to the Wynkoop on their own.

Best Place to Sweat Out Last Night's Binge

Bikram Yoga Denver

Instead of the hair of the dog or a big, greasy breakfast to cure your hangover, try sweating it out at an early-morning class at Bikram Yoga Denver. Just walking into the 100-degree-plus yoga studio is enough to make beads of perspiration pop up on your brow. And as you attempt to bend and contort into 26 different postures, holding each one for a solid thirty seconds, last night's booze will flow out of your pores faster than it went down. Bikram's staff, trained by Bikram Choudhury, will guide you through the invigorating practice. The two spacious Asana rooms can be filled to the brim during peak hours, so the 6 a.m. class is the perfect way to start the day. Okay, 10 a.m. if it was a really late night.

Best Place to Sweat Out Last Night's Binge

Bikram Yoga Denver

Instead of the hair of the dog or a big, greasy breakfast to cure your hangover, try sweating it out at an early-morning class at Bikram Yoga Denver. Just walking into the 100-degree-plus yoga studio is enough to make beads of perspiration pop up on your brow. And as you attempt to bend and contort into 26 different postures, holding each one for a solid thirty seconds, last night's booze will flow out of your pores faster than it went down. Bikram's staff, trained by Bikram Choudhury, will guide you through the invigorating practice. The two spacious Asana rooms can be filled to the brim during peak hours, so the 6 a.m. class is the perfect way to start the day. Okay, 10 a.m. if it was a really late night.

Best Alternative to Corporate Yoga

Samadhi Center for Yoga

The yoga fad is at its peak, and it seems every neighborhood in Denver now has a studio that promises to turn you into a flexible new-age Gumby. But what gets lost in all the hype is yoga's roots in India, where it was developed by Hindu religious instructors -- yogis -- as a way to calm the mind and move followers closer to enlightenment. That purpose hasn't been forgotten at Samadhi, which manages to offer a broad range of yoga classes while honoring the practice's traditions. You can't help but notice the statue of Laxmi (Hindu goddess of prosperity) in the corner, with offerings of flowers and incense at her feet, or the serene mural of the Buddha on one wall. And as your instructor moves you through countless Down Dogs, the prayer flags and lanterns that hang from the ceiling will serve as a reminder that yoga is more than just a physical activity. Now, take a deep breath and relax...

Best Alternative to Corporate Yoga

Samadhi Center for Yoga

The yoga fad is at its peak, and it seems every neighborhood in Denver now has a studio that promises to turn you into a flexible new-age Gumby. But what gets lost in all the hype is yoga's roots in India, where it was developed by Hindu religious instructors -- yogis -- as a way to calm the mind and move followers closer to enlightenment. That purpose hasn't been forgotten at Samadhi, which manages to offer a broad range of yoga classes while honoring the practice's traditions. You can't help but notice the statue of Laxmi (Hindu goddess of prosperity) in the corner, with offerings of flowers and incense at her feet, or the serene mural of the Buddha on one wall. And as your instructor moves you through countless Down Dogs, the prayer flags and lanterns that hang from the ceiling will serve as a reminder that yoga is more than just a physical activity. Now, take a deep breath and relax...

Best Yoga Retreat

Shambhala Mountain Center
Red Feather Lakes,

For a weekend of Ashtanga, Iyengar, Hatha or any other flavor of yoga or meditation, head for the hills about 45 minutes northwest of Fort Collins. The 600 acres of Shambhala Mountain Center have provided a setting for contemplative Buddhist retreat since 1971; after three years of expansion and development, the good folks there are reaching out to non-sectarians in search of a mindful resort. Weekend yoga and renewal retreats are offered about twice a month during the summer, with a range of accommodations available. The spectacular mountain setting and the wisdom of the staff welcome all into the nurturing atmosphere. In addition, the Great Stupa of Dharmakaya -- the largest Buddhist shrine in North America, fourteen years in the making -- is now open for tours on weekends.

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