Make A Mile High City Summer Getaway

DENVER, April 26, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Mile High City is the place for your 2013 summer vacation. Whether you're looking to have some fun with the whole family, to get away from it all with your girlfriends, or experience an unforgettable weekend with the guys, there's a hotel package designed just for you.

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There are more than 100 amazing ways to spend your time this summer in The Mile High City, from getting to know five-ton Asian elephants to exploring the wonders of the Rocky Mountains. We dare you to discover them all at DenverDares.com!

Here are some ideas to get you started planning your ultimate summer getaway in Denver.

FAMILY SUMMER VACATION
The whole family will love Denver, where you'll experience everything from roller coasters to rhinos.

Stay
Check out a wide array of Family Fun hotel packages in Denver, starting as low as $79. 

Play
Denver transforms into a giant playground during the summer months. Head to Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park for roller coasters, water slides and much more! Splash into Water World, one of America's largest family water parks, with 64 acres of water adventures. Get inspired at the Children's Museum of Denver, an attraction with dozens of innovative and interactive "Playscapes" (hands-on exhibits).

Discover
Denver's backyard playground, the picturesque Rocky Mountains, are just a short drive away. Drive to the top of the continent on the Mount Evans Scenic Byway, the highest paved road in North America. Explore the wonders of Rocky Mountain National Park, one of the top outdoor attractions in the world, with 416 square miles of unspoiled mountain beauty. Ride the Georgetown Loop Railroad, an unforgettable journey on a restored, narrow gauge steam locomotive.

Explore
There are countless opportunities to get up-close-and-personal with all kinds of animals in Denver. Denver Zoo is home to polar bears, rhinos, lions, gorillas and tigers.  Don't miss the Zoo's new Toyota Elephant Passage, the largest bull elephant habitat in North America. Next door, get prehistoric at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, where you'll find the fossils of T. Rex, Triceratops and more. The Downtown Aquarium is an aquatic wonderland, with more than one million gallons of extraordinary exhibits. By evening, take in the view at the awe-inspiring Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre for "Film on the Rocks," an outdoor film festival that runs all summer long.

GIRLFRIENDS' WEEKEND
Get away with the girls! From spas to shopping, from dining to dancing, Denver has everything you need for an unforgettable girlfriend getaway weekend.

Stay
First things first… Book a fantastic (and affordable) hotel package at a Denver hotel, including such luxurious spots as The Ritz-Carlton, Denver and Hotel Monaco Denver – a Kimpton Hotel.

Play
You're sure to find retail bliss in Denver. The historic Larimer Square in Lower Downtown (LoDo) offers cutting edge boutiques offering trendy clothing, handcrafted jewelry, chic bags and to-die-for shoes. Denver Pavilions is an open-air mall in the heart of Downtown with dining and shopping, including Banana Republic, H&M and Forever 21. The Cherry Creek Shopping District is the biggest retail adventure between Chicago and San Francisco, including Cherry Creek North's 16-blocks of independently owned shops, boutiques, galleries, restaurants and spas and Cherry Creek Shopping Center's upscale options like Tiffany & Co., Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Nordstrom and Ralph Lauren.

Discover
What's a girls' getaway weekend without a trip to the spa? The Spa at the Brown Palace welcomes visitors with a soothing waterfall from the hotel's exclusive artesian well, which is located 750 feet below the lobby. The Oxford Club at the Oxford Hotel's unique "Herbal Steam" includes a lymphatic dry brushing of the body followed by time spent in the spa's detoxifying steam tent. The Four Seasons Denver offers relaxing spa treatments that infuse local products into their menu for an only-in-Denver experience.

Explore
Get out and enjoy Denver's fresh summer air by checking out a B-cycle and having an adventure on the city's 850 miles of paved, off-road bike paths. Discover world-class arts and culture at the Denver Art Museum (including Nick Cave's incredible Sojourn exhibition) blossoming delights at the Denver Botanic Gardens, and get inspired by the incredible array of fine and decorative arts – including "Mad Men"-style designs – at The Kirkland Museum. Savor a farm-to-table dinner in LoHi (Lower Highlands), one of Denver's hottest neighborhoods, with rooftop patios and innovative eats. Then, top it all off with a handcrafted cocktail at one of the city's classy lounges, like the Cruise Room or Green Russell, or a night of dancing at Chloe and Suite 200.

GUYS' GETAWAY IN DENVER
Beer, baseball, and the great outdoors – what more do you need?

Stay
Find your perfect guys' getaway hotel package, including a Weekend Sports Package at the Denver Marriott City Center, a Micro Brew Walking Tour Package at the Grand Hyatt Denver and several others.

Play
The Mile High City is a sports lover's paradise. Root, root, root for the home team at downtown's classic Coors Field, where the Colorado Rockies play all summer long. Or check out the Colorado Rapids, Denver's Major League Soccer team, at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The NFL's Denver Broncos don't get going 'til September, but you could always get a steak at Elway's, the Denver restaurant owned by quarterback legend John Elway. Live music dominates the Denver nightlife scene with such renowned venues as The Gothic, Soiled Dove Underground and The Bluebird, recently noted as one of the top rock clubs in America by Rolling Stone.

Discover
Denver is the nation's craft beer capital. From downtown, you can walk to several breweries, including Great Divide, Breckenridge, Wynkoop, Denver Beer Co. and tap houses that serve even more local brews. The surrounding area is a beer lovers' dream come true – some have dubbed it the "Brewmuda Triangle" – where you'll find such beloved brewers as New Belgium, Oskar Blues, Avery and Left Hand. Cheers!

Explore
Outdoor adventure is the name of the game in Denver. Rent a B-cycle and explore the city's 850 miles of bike trails, or hike the trails surrounding the legendary Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre. Mountain bike in the Rocky Mountain Foothills, brave the whitewater in Clear Creek Canyon, or fly fish in a Gold Medallion stream – all within an hour's drive from Denver.

For even more ideas on what to do in The Mile High City this summer, visit DenverDares.com and start creating your personalized itinerary.

About VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau
Celebrating more than 100 years of promoting the Mile High City, VISIT DENVER is a nonprofit trade association that contracts with the City of Denver to market Denver as a convention and leisure destination, increasing economic development in the city, creating jobs and generating taxes. Tourism is the second largest industry in Denver, generating $3.3 billion in annual spending in 2011, while supporting nearly 50,000 jobs. Learn more about Denver on the VISITDENVER website and at TOURISMPAYSDENVER, on Twitter @iknowdenver and the VISIT DENVER Facebook page, or by phone at 800 2 DENVER.

With press or photo inquiries, please contact:
Rich Grant: (303) 571-9450 or [email protected]
Debbie Park: (303) 571-9451 or [email protected]
Katie Converse: (303) 571-9418 or [email protected]

SOURCE VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau