Downtown Denver is very walkable, and there is frequent bus service to most destinations. Denver blends mountain views with big city attractions. A one-day transit pass, good for both local buses and light rail, costs just $6.75 and can be ordered by phone (303/299-6464) or online. (Unfortunately, passes are only mailed out twice each month: around the 10^th and 22nd of each month.) Weekend visitors arriving by air can purchase this pass at Level 5 on the west side of the Main Terminal.

Getting Here and Once You Arrive

Because Amtrak is operating out of a temporary terminal, with limited public transportation, and the once-per-day train is frequently late, we recommend arriving by bus or plane. From Denver International Airport (DIA), RTD’s (Regional Transit District) hourly Sky Ride service to downtown Denver costs $11 each way. The Greyhound Bus Terminal, at 19th and Arapahoe, in the downtown district, is served by several RTD buses, and is just a three-block walk from the Free 16^th Street Mall Shuttle.

Getting Around After You Arrive

As you plan your weekend getaway to Denver, take time to read this article (written by a Denver writer, and recommended by Visit Denver: the official travel and visitor bureau for Denver): http://www.denver.org/transportation/get-around-denver-without-car

If you are a cyclist, check out Denver’s bike-sharing program: B-cycle. A 24-hour membership is $6, and 510 bikes are available at 51 area sites. Pick up a bicycle at one station and drop it off at another one. There is no charge for the first 30 minutes; 30-60 minutes costs $1. Each additional ½ hour costs $4. The B-cycle system is closed in winter. For more information, visit http://Denver.bicycle.com, call (303) 825-3325, or e-mail infor@denverbikesharing.org. Denver has over 850 miles of off-street trails. For more information about Denver’s bicycle trails, visit http://www.denver.org/what-to-do/sports-recreation/denver-bike-trails.

Many visitors may not want the hassles of choosing which of Denver’s many attractions to visit. If you are one of these people, an organized tour may be the best solution. For information about local tours, visit http://www.denver.org/transportation/colorado-tours

Non-drivers should focus on downtown Denver, and use RTD buses and free 16^th Street mall shuttle to get around. Visit RTD’s website: http://www.rtd-denver.com, or call (303) 299-6089 for live customer service from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. weekdays, and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. weekends and holidays (all times are mountain time).

Visit http://www.denver.org for information about Denver attractions, transportation, and accommodations. Or call (toll-free) 800/273-6837 or (local phone) 303/892-1505, or e-mail visitorinfor@visitdenver.com.

Attractions You Should See While You Are Here (For convenience, all directions are from the Greyhound Bus Terminal at 19^th St. and Arapahoe.)

Denver Art Museum. 100 West 14^th Ave. Parkway, Denver, CO 80204 www.denverartmuseum.org., or Phone: (720) 865-5000)

Check out the museum’s American Indian, African art, and Western American Art collections. Directions: walk 3 blocks to 16h Street. Then take the free 16^th Street Mall Shuttle to Civic Center (comes from right). Then walk across two blocks across the park to the Museum (100 West 14^th Ave. Parkway).

I want to thank Daria Serna from RTD for recommending the following attractions and these descriptions:

City Park: Denver's largest park has several lakes, spectacular mountain views, flower gardens and a hiking/jogging trail that is exactly one mile high. (Directions: walk 3 blocks to 17^th Street & Lawrence. Then take RTD bus route 20 to 17^th & York. (Approximate time: 30 minutes)

Denver Museum of Nature & Science: 2001 Colorado Boulevard, Denver, CO 80206 http://www.dmns.org, or Phone: (303) 370-6000

The fourth largest museum in the U.S. is a maze filled with treasures of the earth – dinosaurs, dioramas, space exhibits, science experiments, a digital planetarium, IMAX theatre and touring shows. (Directions: RTD route 20 to Colorado Blvd. and Montview Blvd.)

Denver Zoo: 2300 Steele Street, Denver, CO 80205-4899 http://www.denverzoo.org, or Phone: (303) 376-4808

Lions and tigers and bears – and so much more, on lovely grounds make this the fourth most popular zoo in America. Go underwater with polar bears at Northern Shores, or eyeball-to-eyeball with a gorilla in Primate Panorama. Predator Ridge recreates the plains of Africa with a pride of lions, while Tropical Discovery is rainforest teeming with crocodiles and gila monsters. Coming soon: Asian Tropics, a new 10-acre home for the Zoo's elephants and rhinos. (Directions: walk one block to 17^th Street and Arapaho. Take RTD route 32 to Zoo entrance. This bus runs hourly on weekends: 35 minutes after the hour going, and 19 minutes after the hour returning.)

Denver Botanic Gardens: 1007 York Street, Denver, CO 80206 http://www.denverbotanicgardens.org, Phone: (720) 865-3500

This 23-acre oasis in the middle of the city has 45 different gardens (some 33,000 plants), as well as one of the nation's top 10 conservatories. Relax in the Japanese Garden, climb through the Rock Alpine Garden and explore the new Mordecai Children's Garden. Don't miss Native Roots/Modern Form: Plants, Peoples and the Art of Allan Houser, a phenomenal open-air art exhibit on view through Nov. 13, 2011. (Directions: walk 3 blocks to 16^th Street. Take free 16^th St. Mall Shuttle (coming from the right) to Civic Center. From Civic Center, it’s just a 10-minute ride on RTD route 10 to 12^th and York Street The entrance to the Botanic Gardens is at 1005 York Street.)

Sometimes, you get tired of sightseeing, and just want to relax and enjoy shopping, visiting art galleries, and window shopping and browsing. When that time comes, consider a visit to Cherry Creek. Cherry Creek is a tree-shaded neighborhood just two miles from downtown and easily accessible by bike on the Cherry Creek Bike Path.

Cherry Creek Shopping District www.shopcherrycreek.com, or www.cherrycreeknorth.com
More than 500 department stores, boutiques, galleries, spas, and one-of-a-kind shops grace this browsing paradise – the largest concentration of stores between St. Louis and San Francisco. Cherry Creek Shopping Center is an ultra upscale mall with Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Tiffany's, while across 1st Ave., Cherry Creek North offers tree-line streets with cafes, spas and galleries amidst fountains and public art. (Directions: From Civic Center station (after taking the free 16^th Street Mall Shuttle from 16^th and Arapahoe), you have two choices:

RTD route 83 operates every half-hour to Cherry or RTD route 1 runs hourly from Civic Center.

If you still have time and energy, take time to check out a few of Denver’s restaurants, theatres, and other evening attractions. For more information about Denver restaurants, places to stay, and almost everything else a visitor wants to know about Denver, visit: www.denver.org. And remember to check www.rtd-denver.com or call (303) 200-6089 for current directions about how to get where you want to go in Denver without needing to drive.

Steve Atlas spotlights where to visit or live without depending on a private automobile. Visit Steve’s website: http://carfreeamerica.org. View past Car Free Journey columns, and special reports about good places to live without a car at www.pubtrantravel.com. E-mail Steve with your comments or ideas for future columns at steveatlas45@yahoo.com.

New At

Pubtrantravel

Pubtrantravel welcomes Steve Atlas founder of carfreeamerica.org as its newest contributing writer.

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