LoDo (303-628-5424) is Denver's hip downtown historic district where restored Victorian buildings now house more than 90 sports bars, brew pubs, jazz clubs and restaurants. For good old fashioned fun, Comedy Works, Inc. (1226 15th Street, 303-595-3637) was named by USA Today as one of the Top Five Comedy Clubs in the country. For a unique night out, Sing Sing (1735 19th St, 303-291-0880) offers a rock 'n roll dueling piano bar where you are invited to sing, clap, laugh and be loud.

For more performing arts to enjoy in Denver, click here.

The Cherry Creek area, with nearly 500 stores and dining options is the largest shopping district between Chicago and San Francisco. Cherry Creek North (2960 E 2nd Avenue, Ste B, 303-394-2903) offers an eclectic mix of galleries, restaurants, shops, clothing designers and cafes, all on pleasant tree lined streets directly adjacent to the Cherry Creek Shopping Center (3000 E 1st Avenue, 303-388-3900) with 140 upscale stores including Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Lord & Taylor and Foley's. Beautiful restaurants, architecture and events make this a premiere shopping experience.

The Shops at Northfield Stapleton is an open air shopping district featuring specialty shops and restaurants including Macy's, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, and Harkins Theatres 18. Located in north Stapleton and minutes from downtown Denver, The Shops At Northfield Stapleton is a pedestrian-friendly gathering place for shopping, dining and entertainment.

The City of Denver and Jefferson County, which own and operate 40,000 acres of open space parks, make it easy to enjoy the mountain peaks of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains and the high plains prairie below. Denver Mountain Park System (720 913-0696) consists of 31 named parks and 16 unnamed parcels with 16.4 miles of marked hiking trails, two bison herds and one elk herd, and natural, wilderness areas. Mount Evans, the highest paved auto road in North America, snakes its way through city parklands to the 14,260 foot summit with a view from the top of the entire Front Range.

There’s plenty of whitewater on the Clear Creek, Yampa, Arkansas, Colorado and Green Rivers and plenty of guides to get you through it safely. For information on other outdoor activities including flyfishing, hot air ballooning, horseback riding and outward bound experiences, click here.

The following golf courses are open to the public and operated by the City of Denver:

City Park (E 25th Ave & York St, 303-295-4420)

Evergreen Golf Course (executive) (29614 Upper Bear Creek Rd, Evergreen 303-674-4128)

Harvard Gulch (Par 3), (E Iliff & S Clarkson, 303-698-4078)

Kennedy (10500 E Hampden Ave, Aurora, 303-751-0311)

Overland Park (S Santa Fe & Jewell, 303-698-4975)

Wellshire (3333 S Colorado Blvd  303-692-5636)

Willis Case (W 50th and Vrain, 303-458-4877)

Denver has an impressive collection of museums devoted to the wonders of planet earth. The Denver Museum of Nature and Science (2001 Colorado Blvd, 303-322-7009) is one of the largest museums of its kind with engaging exhibits, discussions and activities that include interactive children’s discovery centers, Egyptian mummies, wildlife exhibits, colorful gems and minerals, the Hall of Life health center and Gates Planetarium. The Denver Zoo (2300 Steele St, 303-376-4800) is the fourth most popular zoo in the nation and home to over 4,000 animals. Ocean Journey Aquarium (700 Water Street, 303-561-4450) takes visitors on two undersea journeys, from the Continental Divide in Colorado to Mexico's Sea of Cortez and from an Indonesian rain forest to the Pacific Ocean. At Garden of the Gods Visitor Center (1805 N 30th St, Colorado Springs, 719-634-6666) you can take in spectacular views and learn all about the area’s red rocks, animals, plants and Native Americans. To enjoy over 32,000 plants and 240,000 flowers, visit The Denver Botanic Gardens (1005 York St, 720-865-3500). Recognized as one of the top five botanical gardens in the United States, the park features a large conservatory, an alpine garden with rare tiny flowers, a Japanese tea garden, and a water garden with hundreds of water lilies that bloom in late summer.

Denver also has many unique museums. The Molly Brown House and Museum (1340 Pennsylvania St, 303-832-4092), home of the “unsinkable” Molly Brown, was restored to its original Victorian splendor and honors the Titanic heroine. For a better understanding of the African American men and women who helped settle the West and an exhibit on African American cowboys including Bill Pickett, the Black American West Museum (3091 California Street, 303-292-2566) is located in the former home of Dr. Justina Ford, the first African American woman doctor in Denver. Forney Transportation Museum (4303 Brighton Blvd, 303-297-1113) will spark the imagination with its one-of-a-kind collection of over 500 exhibits showing the history and development of vehicles of all kinds.

For a complete list of Denver museums and galleries, click here.

One of America's largest family water parks features over 41 aquatic attractions on 64 beautifully landscaped acres. Attractions include two giant wave pools, white-water rapids, speed slides, Voyage to the Center of the Earth, Lost River of the Pharaohs, Wally World for tots and much more. Parking is free and picnics are welcome

The majestic valleys of Colorado's Rocky Mountains are blessed with warm days, cool nights and low humidity — perfect conditions for the cultivation of wine grapes with the complex character and chemistry required to produce award-winning wines. All of these Front Range wineries are an easy trip from Denver. For a map of Front Range wineries, click here.

Augustina's Winery (4715 North Broadway B-3, Boulder, CO 80304, 303-545-2047)

Avanti Winery (9046 W. Bowles Avenue, Littleton, 303-904-7650)

Balistreri Vineyards (1946 E. 66th Avenue, Denver, 303-287-5156)

BookCliff Vineyards (5501 Aztec Court, 303-499-7301)

Boulder Creek Winery (6440 Odell Place, #2A, 303-516-9031)

Creekside Cellars (28036 Hwy. 74, 303-674-5460)

Medovina (308 Third Avenue, Niwot, 303-845-3090)

Old Town Winery (7505 Grandview Avenue, Arvada, 888-990-WINE, 303-901-2648)

Pikes Peak Vineyards & Winery (3901 Janitell Rd, Colorado Springs, 719-576-0075)

Redstone Meadery (4700 Pearl Street, #2A, Boulder, 720-406-1215)

Spero Winery (3316 W. 64th Avenue, Denver, 720-519-1506)

Spruce Mountain Meadery (1218 Yarnell Dr. Larkspur, 719.351.4909)

Tewksbury & Co. (Tasting Room) (1512 Larimer Street, #R-14, Denver, 303-825-1880)

The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey (3011 E. Hwy. 50, Canon City, 877-HCA-WINE, 719-276-5191)

Trail Ridge Winery (4113 West Eisenhower Blvd. (Hwy. 34), Loveland, 970-635-0949)

Valley of the Wind Winery (411 N. Railroad Ave., Loveland, 970-461-1885)

Denver has an impressive collection of museums devoted to the wonders of planet earth. Denver Museum of Nature and Science (2001 Colorado Blvd, 303-322-7009) is one of the largest museums of its kind with engaging exhibits, discussions and activities that include interactive children’s discovery centers, Egyptian mummies, wildlife exhibits, colorful gems and minerals, the Hall of Life health center and Gates Planetarium. The Denver Zoo (2300 Steele St, 303-376-4800) is the fourth most popular zoo in the nation and home to over 4,000 animals. Ocean Journey Aquarium (700 Water St, 303-561-4450) takes visitors on two undersea journeys, from the Continental Divide in Colorado to Mexico's Sea of Cortez, and from an Indonesian rain forest to the Pacific Ocean. At Garden of the Gods Visitor Center (1805 N 30th St, Colorado Springs, 719-634-6666) you can take in spectacular views and learn all about the area’s red rocks, animals, plants and Native Americans. To enjoy over 32,000 plants and 240,000 flowers, visit The Denver Botanic Gardens (1005 York St, 720-865-3500). Recognized as one of the top five botanical gardens in the United States, the park features a large conservatory, an alpine garden with rare tiny flowers, a Japanese tea garden, and a water garden with hundreds of water lilies that bloom in late summer.

This festival is noted as one of the largest cultural events in Colorado, with more than 300,000 visitors each year. Fun for the whole family, it features a parade, fabulous live cultural entertainment on four stages, an art gallery, great food and drink, and many children's activities.

Road racing hits the Rockies in August with the Grand Prix of Denver. The cars and stars of the Cart FedEx Championship series bring their special brand of open-wheel racing to Denver’s Downtown streets. It’s three days of world-class auto racing, concerts, food and fun for all ages.

For more Denver annual events and festivals, click here.