Don’t Get Tourist Trapped! We Can Help.
There are lots of glitzy attractions around Denver — but which ones are really worth it? Which destinations are just tourist traps, and which ones are the real gems, you know — the tourist treats? In this final installment of our Summer Entertainment Guide, host Bree Davies is joined by newsletter editor Peyton Garcia and producers Paul Karolyi and Olivia Jewell Love to break down their can’t-miss and definitely-pass attractions from downtown D-town to ski towns of the Rockies.
We want to hear from you, too! What are the Denver-area tourist attractions that you really unabashedly love? And which made you feel empty inside? Leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood on the Tourist Trap Hotline, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418
Here are links to all the places we mentioned:
- Royal Gorge
- Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave
- The Denver Zoo
- Downtown Aquarium
- Water World
- Manitou Cliff Dwellings
- Tiny Town
- Winter Park
Peyton mentioned a 2022 Westword investigation into the Downtown Aquarium — we chatted with reporter Catie Cheshire about her findings. Bree also mentioned our tour of Water World last summer. Paul brought up Raven Payment’s Twitter thread on the Manitou Cliff Dwellings
Every weekday, you can get even more recommendations for fun stuff to do in our Hey Denver newsletter! Subscribe here or by texting “Denver” to 66866
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