I went to the Civic Center STARGAZE event with my mother-in-law, and we had the best time. It's…read moresuch a neat way to see the city in a different light! Atmosphere: Super easy to get to. We parked on Bannock for $2/hour and it was a very short walk. It's family-friendly but also makes for a unique date night. The Food Truck: They have food on site separate cost and the ginger tea and empanada I had were the perfect waiting for my turn snacks. The Guides: This was my favorite part. The people running the telescopes are so friendly and informed. They aren't just reciting facts; they are genuinely passionate about what they do. They explained how Jupiter has 70+ moons and showed us four of them. I'll never forget the rotten egg moon the one that smells like sulfur! Price & Timing: It's only $5 per person. You get a 30 minute timeslot, which is plenty of time to rotate through all 8 or 9 telescopes and see the Moon's craters and the planets. Overall: If you're visiting or just live nearby, go check this out! It's cheap, fun, and you learn so much without having to drive far out of the city. Check their website for their next event locations!

The romanesque gem is actually laid out similar to Rome's forum. Civic Center Park is a great…read moreneoclassical style setting with a wonderful list of civic landmarks bounding it in. The majestic Denver Public Library, Denver Art Museum, State Capitol, Supreme Court, City Hall, city buildings as well as various monuments. Continued efforts to clean up its unsavory elements will be beneficial to the city's upright citizens and visitors.

There are so many resources here at the Denver Library, I wish they had better ways of getting the…read moreinformation out. You can print here, both black & white and color. There's a limit, I can't recall off the top of my head, but it was a fair amount per day. You can get the Kanopy app and watch movies with your valid library card. They have reduced book sales throughout the year, I believe is 3 times. I volunteered at the last one and it was really fun checking people out with their books. I can't believe how many books some people got! The prices ranged from $1 to $5, so it's a great sale. Sometimes they show movies. I was recently told you can check out museum passes -- whattttt!?!? They also have a wood burner machine thing, no idea where it is or what all the random things are that can be checked out here. I need to ask more questions next time I'm at this library!!!

I visit the main Denver Public Library regularly to read The Denver Post, the Wall Street Journal…read moreand The Economist magazine. I also check out books. The main library is now open 7 days a week, except for City & National holidays. The elevators are on the east side from the Broadway entrance. Free restrooms on each accessible floor. There is a children's area on the first floor.

Four and 1/2 stars for this wonderful addition to the Sloane's Park neighborhood. This branch is…read morelarge enough to provide lots of space for reading, meeting or surfing but not so large that you get lost or can't find anything. Love the separate area on the second floor with the uber-modern chairs (see photo) and tons of natural light. Lots of books (both hardcover and on tape), DVD's and CD's for children and adults. The DPS staff are very friendly and helpful. On a Saturday morning it was lovely to see so many kids enjoying the Children's section. Well done DPL and DPL supporters!

I Love libraries. This one does not have a friendly staff. Though 9 people worked here I had to ask…read moreeach for assistance till I found someone helpful. I won't revisit this one.

This is a nice little park that is located on the Highland neighborhood side of the Millennium…read moreBridge and right next to Commons Park. There is metered street parking out front of the park and commercial parking lots within walking distance. The park begins at the foot of the bridge and primarily consists of a small plaza area with some tables and chairs set up. This is where you will also find the wings that can be used for a photo opportunity with the bridge in the background. The plaza area is surrounded by some shops and eateries and is attached to a new neighborhood. Additionally there are sidewalks that feed into other nice trails, so you can get an extended run in. The park was rumored to be developed on the site of an abandoned rail yard by East West Partners. This is set up more as a neighborhood plaza than a park. You will find a more traditional park right across the street called Commons Park (which many mistake for Riverfront Park), so, I guess you get the best of both worlds in the area.

For a master-planned neighborhood, Riverfront Park is pretty damn great. The homeowners get a slice…read moreof what I imagine to be every urban dweller's dream -- city living with nature surroundings. RP has lush rolling hills with loads of sidewalks and paths zig-zagging through, and it's always full of life; you will find joggers, dog-walkers, outdoor fitness classes, portrait photographers, and more at all hours. And on the topic of four-legged children, doggy bags and rubbish bins are plentiful. Perfect! There are also multiple bridges which will take you anywhere you wish - LoDo, REI, the Highlands, etc. Whoever planned this definitely put a lot of thought into it as RP is a living, breathing - and, most importantly, functional - bit of urban paradise. Hats off to the developers for making this a space which works for people. Where I come from, "master-planned" just means, "Who cares what the residents want? Make us (developers) the most money humanly possible."

My friend and I were visiting Denver for the weekend and I leaned about this Art Walk in the RiNo…read morearea of Denver. I had seen pictures of the murals along the way and I love art walks, so I decided we had to go. The reviews all seem pretty positive here, but I noted that they are from many years ago when perhaps it was different. We did not have a positive experience. I looked on the website and found the address of a gallery that said there was a showing that night, and decided to get dropped off there. We figured we would then walk to nearby galleries and follow the festivities. Well, we walked into the first gallery which was really large. There were several artist's workshops inside with artists walking around. However, nothing was displayed, it was more just works in progress and no one said hello or welcomed us. They pretty much looked at us as though we shouldn't be there. After that, we decided to move on the next. The only other gallery we could find was more of a strange bar/club with a few pieces of art hanging up. We wound up in a distillery nearby and talked to a couple who had been trying to go on the art walk as well. The woman said, "We found more bars than art". Those were my sentiments exactly. After that, we spent the evening bar-hopping. I'm giving it two stars instead of one, as it did get us out to a part of town with cool bars and restaurants. As far as the art walk, perhaps it is best not to return.

First Friday's are not about the art, they are about the socializing. It is not a bad thing and the…read morewhole street lights up with all sorts of people. People seem happy and all the businesses stay open or move their stuff to the sidewalk. Very festive. While I am always about promoting art and artists (I am an art historian), most businesses are not set up to be gallery spaces recognizing flow, placement and lighting. I am leaving the name of one of these places out but as soon as you walk into it, you will know what I am talking about. Viewing and enjoying art is almost an impossibility. Hoping on the bandwagon just because it is going by does not an art gallery make and no, hanging art on the walls does not make a person a curator. The neighborhood has really been under going a renaissance but as we parked and walked toward Tennyson, a carload of kids yelled, "Look, white people!" Hey, dumb*&^% I am not all white and my friend is Native American. Scary teenagers on a dark street....yikes.

we drove to Larimer square from RiNo, but it's a 30 min walk of someone wants to do that. Larimer…read moreSquare is Denver's historic central block, where 19th-century Victorian brick buildings host chef-driven restaurants, outdoor patio dining, and local boutiques. Today, the street's signature overhead wires feature a rotating canopy art installation, famously displaying hundreds of vibrant, custom prayer-style flags that flutter above the pedestrian walkway. This colorful, artful display gives the city's oldest commercial district a fresh, dynamic feel both day and night.

Such a cute little area right off of the 16th free ride bus stop. It was about a 3 minute walk from…read morethe stop. They blocked off the block, so no cars can go through which makes it very easy for the pedestrians. On the block, there were a variety of shops from vintage stores, clothings, leather goods, pet store, and a book shops. There was also a coffee shop and a handful of restaurants.

Sculpture Park is very tiny, but I like coming here for the handful of movies in the park (called…read moreSunset Theater) they have here. I didn't even realize they did this until last summer. Put on by The Sie Film Center. The season is short, so get your movies in, but not too many of you cause the park is only yay big, lol. They also have a few food trucks and a bar to buy drinks during the movies, but the drinks are extremely overpriced. Even from this year compared to last they jacked them up, I believe. People need to stop charging so much for a 5-6% can of whatever or any kind of alcohol. Instead of making $$$ in sales you're going to make $ because no one wants to pay that price. But, anyway, you can also bring in sealed beverages up to 32oz, I think and snacks. I wouldn't even have recognized this park much if not for the movies they show in summer.

I went to the Sculpture Park for the free Christmas drone show and it was such a fun, festive…read moreouting! We bundled up, brought hot coffee in a thermos , and enjoyed every minute. The show starts at 7 PM every night through 12/31, and it's the perfect length not too long, so you don't end up freezing. Atmosphere: The park looked magical. They had lights wrapped around the trees, and the colors reflecting on the snow were absolutely gorgeous. It felt super cozy and Christmassy. The park was also very clean and well-maintained, which made the experience even nicer. I brought my dog along, and she loved playing in the snow! My mother-in-law told me that when it's warmer, there's even music that plays in the dancing sculptures section. Cost: FREE activity! This makes such a great holiday activity if you're looking for something festive without spending money. Tips: - Bundle up it's chilly! - Bring something warm to drink. - Watch out for a few icy spots on the path - Dogs are welcome and will probably have a great time! Overall Experience: Overall, a wonderful, family-friendly and dog-friendly holiday experience. Highly recommend checking it out before the season ends!

Woodbury Branch is a beautiful reflection of the history and character that make northwest Denver…read morespecial. It grew from three historic communities, Auraria, Denver City, and Highlands This library sits near the heart of that story. Highlands became known for its communities, historic homes, churches, and neighborhood pride. Even today, the area maintains historic charm and community. Woodbury Library fits perfectly. Welcoming. Peaceful. Connected to the neighborhood it serves. The staff are friendly, and the library remains an important gathering place.

I was on a mission to collect a set of DVDs of a French television series and made my first visit…read moreto this amazing, elegant branch to find one of the volumes. The Carnegie Corporation funded the construction of nine branches of the Denver Public Library. All of them are still standing, although only five retain their original function. This is one of them and it is an amazing building. It was constructed in 1912 in the Renaissance Revival style and is named for the first president of the Denver Chamber of Commerce. It was added to the National Register for Historic Places in 1986 and listed as a Denver historic landmark in 1989. The exterior of the building features extensive terracotta detailing, particularly around the dramatic clerestory windows; however, the most gorgeous feature is the striking, carved open truss ceiling in the main reading room. This looks like something out of Hampton Court (Henry VIII) and is just jaw-dropping. An absolutely wonderful space to lose yourself in a good book. The library sits in the northeast corner of Highland Park. There's a very tiny, cramped parking lot, but there's also lots of street parking surrounding the park.