If you want to experience the real old-town culture of the West, then Golden City in Colorado is the place for you to go.
It is Denver’s famous suburb region of Jefferson County. It is near the base of the Rocky Mountain Front Range in downtown.
Founded during the Pike’s Peak gold rush in 1859, it had a population that mainly consisted of miners and settlers. Now, it has become a popular hub for wayfarers.
It has a rich history, culture, nature, dining, and fun activities, providing a full package for you and your family.
One can never be bored while visiting Golden City, Colorado, because of the abundance of activities to be done here.
This article will show some of the fun things to do in Golden City, Colorado.
List of Fun Things to Do in Golden City
1. Coors Brewery Tour
Colorado is a go-to place for beer lovers as it is famous for its small craft breweries, which make rich flavor beers.
Although there are many breweries in Colorado, Coors Brewery, present at the heart of the Golden City, is a must-go.
Its establishment can be traced back to 1875, and since then, it has become the second-largest company to produce in the whole of America.
It is also the world’s largest brewery on a single site that is open for the whole year.
Visitors get an opportunity to have a first-hand experience through their self-paced, self-guided brewing tours, which are free.
They show you a lot about the brand’s history on tour. Historical archives and cans are displayed to show the packaging and brewing procedure of every can of Coors beer.
The best tour is the free and fresh sample beers to get the essence of the true Coors beer.
Parking space, which is one block away from the brewery, is also available for visitors, making it easier to visit with family.
2. Colorado Railroad Museum
If you are fascinated by railroads and vintage rolling stock, you should visit this place in the Golden City.
Railways have played a vital role in the development and history of Colorado. Here you get to explore different aspects of Colorado railroad history.
It contains locomotives from different eras to understand deeper history.
Along with gauge steam and diesel locomotives, freight cars, and passenger cars, the museum collection also includes different photographs, equipment, first-hand accounts, different parts of the railway, and much more.
There are also historic rail yards spread as far as 20 yards for all the history buffs. Made especially to fascinate kids, they also have a G-Scale garden railway yard.
You can find this museum on West 44th Avenue in Golden City.
It is open from Tuesday to Sunday, and there are train rides available on Saturdays. So you get to experience a trip on a train with a whistle and stream coming out, just like in the old days.
At the end, visit the famous depot general store with many variations on train gifts to get as a souvenir.
It also has introductory videos, which you can access before going to the museum for a self-guided and knowledgeable experience.
3. Lookout Mountain Nature Center
If you are looking to get mountain experience without spending a lot of time in a car, we have just the place for you.
This Lookout Mountain Nature Center is just a few miles away from the Golden City, and you can plan a day trip to enjoy the beauty of nature.
You will witness an amazing mountain view at this lookout and a lot of wildlife like mule deer, foxes, elk, woodpeckers, and raptors.
The beautiful view is possible because the world-famous Rocky Mountains are present throughout 100 acres of land with extensive trail networks. With nature and all its beauty, this place is also great for hiking.
So take a walk among the serene pine trees and beautiful meadows; you can also plan a picnic here with your family.
If you visit Lookout Mountain Nature Center during the winter, this place is best for skiing and playing with snow.
4. Boettcher Mansion
Boettcher Mansion is a 100-year-old villa that has been taken care of and maintained up to a great extent.
Due to this, it matches almost the original conditions. It is situated on Colorow Road in Golden City with quiet and far-off settings and a great mountain nature view.
This house was a summer getaway and hunting lodge of Charles Boettcher, an important and influential Denver citizen.
It remains nearly the same as built in 1917, with timber and stone conserved to its true essence.
Charles Boettcher hired Denver architects Fisher and Fisher, who made this villa true British and American art and craftsmanship style.
Nowadays, it has become a famous place to host events such as weddings and social events. It is because of its magnificent beauty and aesthetic environment.
It is also open for self-guided tours from 8 am to 4 pm on weekdays. It contains much historical information, art, furniture, and luxuries of the early 20th century.
You can also visit here to enjoy the true beauty that was prevalent a century back.
5. Golden History Museum
Among many museums present in Golden City, the Golden History Museum is a free museum showcasing the rich history of the Golden City.
You can find this museum in downtown Golden, a short walk from Central Colorado. The amazing thing about this museum is that the exhibit is both indoor and outdoor.
Indoor exhibits are presented through educational tools, while outdoor ones are exciting. It is featured through Golden History Park and is a homestead reproduction of the 19th century.
Here, the living style of Colorado people during the 1800s is showcased, including the cabins and farms of that time. Visitors will also witness structures like a barn, chicken house, original school, two-seater outhouse, etc.
This museum helps support Golden’s local business while educating everyone about Colorado’s deep-rooted culture and history.
The museum is open for visitors only on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, so plan your trip accordingly.
6. Golden Gate Canyon State Park
Golden Gate Canyon State Park is away from all the hustle-bustle and has a few of the best scenes of Colorado. It is a very vast park covering 12000 acres of mountains, meadows, and forests.
The park allows visitors to engage in many outdoor activities when visiting here, and you can not complete the whole experience this park has to offer in a day.
So, plan to stay here for a few days to embark on a serene environment and adventure-filled days, and a good way is to start by looking for accommodation nearby.
You can rent a cabin or yurt; you can also set camp on the campground as your base to enjoy backcountry camping.
Some of the widely enjoyed activities here are hiking, fishing on any of the rivers, streams, and ponds, horseback riding, biking, rock climbing, and, of course, a peaceful picnic.
The above-mentioned activities are great for summer, but don’t worry; you can have equal fun if you plan to visit Golden Gate Canyon State Park in winter. So gather your snowshoes and enjoy the snow.
The best trail to visit is the Snowshoe Hare Trail near the lake Dude’s Fishing Hole passes; you will enjoy it here greatly. They are comparatively plain and moderate, being the same for your children, too.
7. Clear Creek White Water Park
This water park is a unique recreational place in Golden City, and if you are looking for a place to enjoy your canoeing and kayaking, this is the place for you.
If you don’t know about these sports, then you can enjoy the water on a tube. Clear Creek White Water Park is an 800-foot-long course divided into different parts.
The top section has dropped for different experience levels, and anyone can enjoy the middle part because it is flat and shallow surf, and the bottom one is for water sports enthusiasts with extreme surfs.
You visit here with your safety equipment as the course is unsupervised, due to it, which is free of cost. Even if you don’t want to go in the water, you can enjoy the waterside at sunset and soak your feet.
If you start with water sports and want to learn, you can provide yourself with guided lessons at the indoor pool.
This course also has free parking available, so feel free to drop by in the afternoon and enjoy yourself in the park near the water.
8. Bonfire Burritos
After a long day of exploring the Golden City, it is a must to take care of your stomach, too, so why don’t you stop at this Mexican place that has been fulfilling Golden City visitors and regulars for many decades?
These burritos are best for some midday or mid-travel cravings. Find this rustic food trailer at 2221 Ford St., Golden, Colorado.
You can also enjoy proper breakfast, lunch, and dinner from this place too.
They have designed menus with various burritos and drinks; their best and most famous dish is green chili, which is widespread in Colorado.
This place is usually crowded, so wait patiently for your heavenly treat.
If you like these burritos way too much, they also have options for catering for your next event or party, so don’t miss out on this chance.
They have their merch, including T-shirts, hoodies, and others; grab one of these along with your tasty Mexican burrito.
9. Windy Saddle Café
Another great food joint in the Golden City is the Windy Saddle café. It is known as a meeting place for friends and acquaintances and has been enjoyed by locals and visitors since 2007.
The restaurant offers free library books so that you can grab a book and enjoy some relaxation.
They are famous for their homemade food made from fresh ingredients. Enjoy a tasty cup of coffee, wine, beer, or whatever you prefer with your meal in this comfy environment.
Their menu is very extensive and has something for everyone. It has a special menu for little kids with attractive and colorful food enjoyed by children.
They also have play areas for children to keep them engaged.
They also have a bakeshop for enjoying some desserts with a wide range of delicacies, including puff pastry, pies, cookies, cinnamon rolls, cakes, etc.
All these varieties are available daily, and they also have options for gluten-free and fresh vegan options for those who want to keep their health in check.
They try to make you as comfortable as possible with options to serve meals on deck during summer for fresh air. In winter, they have a cozy log fire to keep their customers warm and happy.
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End Note
These were some of the fun things to do in Golden City, Colorado. There is much more to the Golden City, and it can offer you many fun activities for all seasons.
So, if you are out in Denver, don’t forget to plan a trip to the Golden City, as it will be very memorable for you and your family.
