Best Swimming Hole 2009 | Devil's Punch Bowl | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
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Best Swimming Hole

Devil's Punch Bowl

Tucked away on the other side of the Continental Divide, on the headwaters of the Roaring Fork River about seven miles above Aspen, lies one of the state's singular treasures: the Devil's Punch Bowl. It's not just a swimming hole; it's Nirvana with a river running through it. Imagine a cool, refreshing stream (okay, it's Ice Station Zebra cold), a glorious, in-the-raw alpine setting (um, would it be too much to ask for a bathroom?) and numerous launching sites for flinging your body into the abyss of a watery embrace (as long as you're not afraid of dizzying heights). Best of all, this mountain-stream madness is but a Frisbee throw from Highway 82 — just close enough to run back, naked and screeching, when Mr. Bear comes stumbling out of the woods looking for an easy meal.

Best Terrain Park

A51 Terrain Park

Terrain parks seem to get bigger and badder with each passing season as ski resorts try to find new ways to attract the snow-bro crowd to their lift lines. Colorado certainly has no shortage of Olympic-sized Superpipes, big air jumps and rainbow rails for the young and the reckless to choose from. But sometimes girls and guys just wanna have fun, which is why Keystone's A51 takes the cake. Voted among the top in the nation by both Transworld Snowboarding and Freeskier magazines, A51 balances the heart-pounding mega-features against an assortment of smaller offerings such as wall rides, spine-ramp boxes and culvert tubes. The layout maximizes flow, giving riders more bang (and fun) for their buck.

Best Urban Motorcycle Ride

32nd Avenue from Speer Boulevard to the foothills

Trying to find a great place to ride without leaving the city can be a challenge. That's why we love this long stretch of 32nd Avenue. Meet your friends in the Highland neighborhood and then head west. You'll pass through some of Denver's oldest, most picturesque neighborhoods before crossing into Wheat Ridge and zipping by Crown Hill Regional Park. From there, 32nd takes you into Golden, where you end up on the back side of the sprawling Coors brewery and at the base of Colorado's lovely foothills. Let's ride!

Best Year-Round Playground

Paul Derda Recreation Center

Broomfield's swanky Paul Derda Recreation Center has the answer to all those crummy winter days when the little ones are going stir-crazy — courtesy of its indoor playground. We're not talking about some lousy jungle gym. Think a McDonald's PlayPlace on steroids: a multi-story climbing structure, a labyrinth of rope ladders and fun-house tunnels, even tandem super-long slides. Best of all, you don't need to throw down for a Happy Meal, because the whole thing is free for families. And since it's all swathed in safety padding, the only tears you'll see are the ones that start when you tell them it's time to go home.

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