United's low-fare service, Ted (tel. 800/225-5833; www.flyted.com) launches in Denver on April 3, 2005 with three daily flights between Denver International Airport (DIA) and Chicago's Midway International Airport.
Except for 3.2 % beer sold in supermarkets and convenience stores, Sunday sales of alcoholic beverages have been banned by Colorado state law. But that may be changing. A bill was introduced into the 2005 state legislature that would allow local governments the option of allowing liquor, beer, and wine sales on Sundays from noon to 8pm. Whether it passes this year or not, this is probably not the last we have heard on this issue.
Denver
Surprisingly, T-REX, the transportation project that includes a widening of I-25 and a light rail extension in southeast Denver, is on schedule and under budget. The light rail will be running from Broadway to County Line Road by the end of 2006; the work on the highway will be done even sooner.
There will be a number of new lodging places in downtown Denver within the next few years. Beyond the 1,100-room Hyatt convention center hotel slated to open in December 2005 at 555 17th St., a Hilton Garden Inn is planned for 14th and Welton sts. And slated to open in 2006, a Residence Inn by Marriott is underway at 18th and Champa sts., and a Four Seasons at 14th and Arapahoe sts. is slated for groundbreaking in 2005 with a grand opening in 2007.
Hotel Teatro (1100 14th St. tel. 303/228-1100l; www.hotelteatro.com), was named the top hotel in Denver in Travel & Leisure's annual Top 500 issue.
There are changes afoot in the Denver dining scene. After a year and a half, proprietor Gerard Rudofsky closed MAX Burgerworks and opened a second location of his longstanding Cherry Creek deli, Zaidy's, 1512 Larimer St., Writer Square (tel. 303/893-3600), in this prime downtown location. The New York-style deli serves specialties such as meatloaf sandwiches and potato latke sandwiches. Outside, the MAX Burgerworks kiosk remains in business.
New in Larimer Square downtown is Rioja, 1431 Larimer St. (tel. 303/820-2282). Lauded chef Jennifer Jasinski, formerly of the Hotel Monaco's Panzano, serves a menu of Mediterranean fare, working out of an open kitchen. Surrounded by exposed brick and hand-blown glass, patrons can choose from Spanish, Italian, and French dishes of all kinds, prepared with seasonal and local ingredients and Jasinski's light touch.
Unfortunately, Wolfgang Puck's, a dining anchor in the Denver Pavilions, 500 16th St., since it opened, closed in January 2005.
The Colorado History Museum, 1300 Broadway (tel. 303/866-3682; www.coloradohistory.org), unveiled its newest permanent exhibit, Ancient Voices, in late January 2005. Exploring the earliest days of human habitation in Colorado, the cutting-edge exhibit includes two films, several three-dimensional viewing stations, and numerous distinctive details, such as moving shadows, a flickering fire, and stories told in native languages.
The avant-garde expansion of the Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. at Civic Center Park (tel. 720/865-5000; www.denverartmuseum.org), by renowned architect Daniel Liebeskind, is well underway and on schedule, slated for ribbon-cutting in fall 2006.
Located in the Denver suburb of Lakewood, about ten miles west of downtown Denver, the first phase of Belmar (tel. 303/742-1520; www.belmarcolorado.com) opened in late 2004 at Alameda Ave. and Wadsworth Blvd. Dubbed "Lakewood's new downtown," the open-air retail/residential/office complex includes a full slate of hip retailers, a Whole Foods Market, and a 16-screen theater.
Downtown Denver's bustling nightlife continues to change with the seasons. The latest and greatest nightspots are Martini Ranch, 1317 14th St. in Larimer Square (tel. 303/534-6100), a three-level bar with billiards, plush lounge furniture, and 50 martini varieties; Hush, 1403 Larimer St. in Larimer Square (tel. 303/623-4874), a dimly lit basement dance club; and Beyond, 500 16th St. in the Denver Pavilions (tel. 303/623-9663), with a hot dance floor and a walk-in freezer converted into a bar for cooling off.
Colorado Springs
The City of Colorado Springs recently purchased Red Rock Canyon, south of U.S. 24 near 31st St., sitting at the base of Pikes Peak with rock formations comparable to the wonderfully scenic Garden of the Gods. The land completes a corridor of park, forest, and open space that runs from central Colorado Springs south to the Pueblo County line. For more information, contact parks and recreation (tel. 719/385-5940).
Then there are two new Colorado Springs attractions that focus on reptiles past and present: Reptilian Adventure, 2416 S. Academy Blvd. (tel. 719/392-5101), an educational offshoot of the Colorado Gators alligator farm in the San Luis Valley; and the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center, 201 S. Fairview St., Woodland Park, about 20 miles west of Colorado Springs via U.S. 24 (tel. 719/686-1820; www.rmdrc.com), with an impressive collection of dinosaur fossils among its exhibits.
Boulder
Visitors have waited almost a century for a new luxury hotel to open in downtown Boulder, and now their wait is ending. The upscale 200-room St. Julien Hotel & Spa, 900 Walnut St. (tel. 800/323-7500; www.stjulien.com) is opening in March 2005 -- two months after its intended launch date -- promising world-class facilities and services.
Formerly the Coburn House B&B, the Bradley, 2040 16th St. (tel. 800/858-5811 or 303/545-5200; www.thebradleyboulder.com), has been extensively renovated and opened again in late 2004. All 12 rooms feature private baths; double rates range from $145 to $195.
There are a plethora of new eateries in Boulder. Two are located at One Boulder Plaza, 13th and Walnut sts. (www.oneboulderplaza.com): Acqua Pazza, 1801 13th St. (tel. 303/442-0378), offering health-conscious Italian fare and tapas during happy hour; and Bombay Bistro, 1800 Broadway (tel. 303/444-4721), specializing in traditional Indian cuisine and featuring a fountain with water from the Ganges River. Opening soon in the same complex is L'Absinthe, a French restaurant.
Other new standouts include The Kitchen, 1039 Pearl St. (tel. 303/544-5973), which focuses on organic ingredients and simple presentations with outstanding results; and, for a cup of coffee or delectable dessert, Blue Fine Pastries, 1918 Pearl St. (tel. 720/565-9092).
Construction is underway on Twenty Ninth Street, 29th St. and Canyon Blvd. (www.twentyninth.com), the long-awaited redevelopment of the Crossroads Mall, which will include a retail/residential district with a 16-screen movie theater, a Wild Oats flagship market, and many other retailers. The first phase is slated to open in late 2005.
At One Boulder Plaza, The Reef Piano Bar & Grill, 1801 13th St. (tel. 303/209-3740), features dueling pianos and sing-alongs for entertainment and Caribbean cuisine for food.
Bard fans, take heed: The Colorado Shakespeare Festival (tel. 303/492-0554; www.coloradoshakes.org) has announced its 2005 program, which features performances of Twelfth Night, The Winter's Tale, and Othello. The festival takes place on the University of Colorado campus from late June through mid-August.
Northern Rockies
Rocky Mountain National Park
For those who prefer to avoid traffic jams and delays caused by road construction -- and who doesn't? -- 2005 is a great time to visit Rocky Mountain National Park (tel. 970/586-1206; www.nps.gov/romo). Work on Bear Lake Road has been completed, and the planned repairs to the higher elevations of popular Trail Ridge Road -- a Must See for practically all park visitors -- has been delayed until 2006 and 2007.
Steamboat Springs
One of Colorado's top music festivals, Strings in the Mountains (tel. 970/879-5056; www.stringsinthemountains.com), is finalizing plans for its 2005 summer festival, which will include performances of all six of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, plus as part of its Different Tempo series, performances by Kathy Mattea, Hal Ketchum, Brent Rowan, and Asleep at the Wheel. Strings in the Mountains isn't just a summer program, though. Winter visitors should check out the Holiday Concert Series at Christmastime and the Winter Concert Series each January and February.
Winter Park
Major improvements are coming to Winter Park Resort, Winter Park (tel. 970/726-5514; www.winterparkresort.com), with construction scheduled to begin in 2006. The project, to be spread over 15 years, will include 1,500 residential units and some 42,000 square feet of commercial space for shops and restaurants. Of most interest to vacationers, however, will be the installation of another chairlift and open-air gondola, a new kid's area with an interactive museum, improved parking, and reclamation of the Fraser River, which runs through the middle of the village, with walking and hiking paths, a fishing/ice-skating pond, and a small concert stage.
Breckenridge
There's more to do at Breckenridge Ski Resort, Breckenridge (tel. 800/789-7669 or 970/453-5000; www.breckenridge.snow.com), with a new half-pipe and terrain park, which means it now has a total of four pipes and four terrain parks. Also new at Breckenridge is Beacon Basin, a mock avalanche site that offers a practice area for skiers and riders using electronic avalanche emergency locater equipment and probe poles.
Vail
A handsome new bridge over Gore Creek, that opened in late 2004, is only the first evidence of what will eventually be a $500-million redevelopment of the base areas of Vail Village and Lionshead at Vail Mountain, Vail (tel. 800/404-3535, or 970/476-5601; www.vail.com). The project will include additional lodging and dining, spas, and pedestrian areas.
Aspen
Not to be outdone by recent and planned improvements at Colorado's other ski resorts, Aspen Skiing Company, Aspen (tel. 800/525-6200 or 970/925-1220; www.aspensnowmass.com), which operates four resorts -- Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk, and Snowmass -- has recently spent $10 million on improvements to its ski facilities. This includes a new high-speed quad chair at Buttermilk and a new double chair at aspen Mountain. Scheduled for the 2005-2006 ski season are major improvements at Aspen Highlands, including additional acreage; and plans are also underway for a new base village at Snowmass.
Western Slope
Grand Junction
Fans of motor sports have a new venue in western Colorado. Grand Junction Motor Speedway, between I-70 exits 31 and 37 (tel. 970/216-6600; www.gjmotorspeedway.com) has opened with a go cart facility and a .9-mile asphalt sprint track, but plans call for the addition of an oval stock car track, a motocross track, trials course, and a paved 2.5-mile sports car track on the 143-acre site.
Looks like the busy vintners in the Grand Junction area are trying to compete with Napa. This wonderful grape-growing region now boasts 15 wineries. The newest is Whitewater Hill Vineyards, 220 32 Rd., Grand Junction (tel. 970/434-6868; www.whitewaterhill.com), which grows grapes for a number of Colorado wineries and also produces some wines of its own. It offers tastings daily (Saturdays and Sundays in winter) from 10am to 6pm, and by appointment. Although it was established in 2001, until recently Graystone Winery, 3352 F Road, Grand Junction (tel. 970/523-6611; www.graystonewine.com), was closed to the public. But now the winery, which specializes in fine port and also produces pinot gris, pinot blanc, and merlot, is open for tastings daily 10am to 6pm.
The names and franchises may change, but mostly the lodging scene remains the same. The former Adam's Mark Grand Junction has dropped the Adam's Mark connection and, at least for the present, is simply the Grand Junction Hotel, 743 Horizon Dr., Grand Junction (tel. 970/241-8888); and the former Days Inn is now Quality Inn, 733 Horizon Dr., Grand Junction (tel. 800/790-2661 or 970/245-7200).
Montrose
With the closing of the Lathrop House Bed & Breakfast, the only B&B in Montrose County is Uncompahgre Bed and Breakfast, 21049 Uncompahgre Rd., Montrose (tel. 800/318-8127 or 970/240-4000; www.uncbb.com). Fortunately, it's a fine facility with nine guest rooms in a renovated school building that dates to 1914. Nightly rates are $85 to $125 double.
The Southern Rockies
Crested Butte
Under new ownership, big changes are underway at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Mt. Crested Butte (tel. 800/544-8448 or 970/349-2390; www.crestedbutteresort.com), including a new lift, more snowmaking and grooming capabilities, and some additional terrain. Long term, the new owners want to add an entire new mountain -- nearby Snodgrass -- that will add about 400 acres of intermediate skiing.
Southeastern Colorado
Pueblo
Improvements are on the way at the Pueblo Zoo, in City Park, 3455 Nuckolls Ave. (tel. 719/561-9664; www.pueblozoo.org), with a major renovation of the Animal House and Monkey Island to create a new exhibit to be called Islands of Life. The $3.5-million project is scheduled for completion by 2007.
Talk with fellow travelers on our Colorado Message Boards.