Mile High Romance -- On A Budget

Valentine's Day in Denver This Year is Both Romantic & Affordable

DENVER, Jan. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Valentine's Day is all about the grand gesture – the biggest bouquet, the most expensive restaurant, the diamond ring that costs way more than three month's salary. But it doesn't have to be that way! Denver locals and visitors can have a perfectly romantic Valentine's Day without breaking the bank – and take advantage of great hotel deals. Here are ten ideas for 2012. 

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120131/DC44973 )

DENVER CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS: A Jim Brickman Valentine
Feb. 10
Tickets for this extremely classy concert start at the affordable price of $42. Don't miss this most romantic of artists on the most romantic of all holidays. If there ever was a perfect date night, this is it.

WASHINGTON PARK: Valentine's 5K
Feb. 12
Who says you can't mix love and exercise? Denver is routinely named one of the fittest cities in the country and one of America's healthiest cities to visit – so this event shouldn't be a surprise. Couples can get their pulses racing – literally – during a 5K trek around the scenic Washington Park neighborhood. Registration is just $30, and all proceeds help fight cancer.

SKYLINE PARK: Ice Skating at the Southwest Rink
Feb. 14
The magnificent – and free – Southwest Rink celebrates its last day of the season with a Valentine's Day skate, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Lace up and hit the ice with your sweetheart. The rink is free if you bring your own skates, and rentals are nicely priced at $2 a pair.

BOVINE METROPOLIS THEATER: Heirs of Hogwarts
Feb. 14
Indulge your inner geek at this hilarious Harry Potter-themed show from Denver's improv masters. All the things you love about the Harry Potter universe will be displayed on stage: charms, Hogwarts houses, transfiguration, and magical creatures. Returning to Hogwarts has never been this funny. Tickets are just $8. 

DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE: Hugs and Hisses
Feb. 16
They may not send chocolate or flowers, but lizards and snakes have spent millions of years doing whatever it takes to impress their mates. In honor of Valentine's Day, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science is taking a cue from these romance-savvy animals that understand the language of love. Learn the courtship dances of the monitor lizard and bearded dragon, tour the Lizards & Snakes exhibition, and head to the bar for The Snakebite. Tickets are just $8 for museum members and $10 for nonmembers.

DENVER ZOO: SCFD Free Day
Feb. 16
Take the day off and explore the wonders of the Denver Zoo for free. Gentlemen, take note – the Zoo is an increasingly popular spot for proposing!

MILE HIGH ROMANCE: Various locations
A fun (and cheap!) date idea – spend the day finding the spots in Denver that are exactly a mile high, 5,280 feet above sea level. Start at the Colorado State Capitol Building – the 13th step has a marker showing where to stand. The view of the Rocky Mountains isn't half bad, either. Next, head to City Park and walk the Mile High Loop, a trail that's – you guessed it – one mile high. Finally, take a free "Behind The Seams" tour of Coors Field, the downtown home of the Colorado Rockies. The upper deck's purple-painted 20th row is exactly 5,280 feet above sea level. 

THE BROWN PALACE HOTEL & SPA: "Affairs of the Heart" Historical Tour
Every Wednesday & Saturday in February
Led by The Brown Palace's resident historian, Julia Kanellos, visitors will hear stories about hotel founder Henry C. Brown, who at 74 took a 22-year-old for his third wife, and deeply romantic couples like Lowell and Frances Thomas; President Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower; the shocking affairs of Isabelle "Sassy" Springer; Mrs. Louise Crawford Hill; World War II love stories and more. Tours are $10 and start at 3 p.m. Reservations are required. Call 303-297-3111.

MILE HIGH PEDICAB: Downtown Denver Tour
Cruise the streets of Downtown Denver with your loved one in the cozy confines of a pedicab – a three-wheeled pedal descendant of the rickshaw. Generally the suggested rate is $2 per block.

DENVER'S BEST HOTELS: Valentine Deals & Packages
Make a night of it! Treat your sweetheart to a romantic stay at one of many Denver hotels offering deals for Valentine's Day.  Most are offering special spa packages, romance packages, put together just for a romantic Mile High weekend. 

Find more ideas and itineraries for romantic date nights in Denver, go to the VISIT DENVER website. 

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. A record 12.7 million visitors stayed overnight in Denver in 2010, generating $3 billion in spending, while supporting nearly 50,000 jobs, making Tourism the second largest industry in Denver. 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 Adamson- (303) 571-9418 or [email protected]

SOURCE VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau