Google map "Sixteenth Street Mall Denver", and zoom out. You want to stay between 15th and 17th for the most part, and anywhere from the Capitol to Wynkoop Street.

The Sixteenth Street Mall is the pedestrian mall that "defines" downtown. If you stay on the northwest end of the mall you're closer to restaurants and bars and it's livelier but more noisy. If you stay on the southeast side you're closer to the tourist attractions like the museums and the Capitol, but it's more business oriented. There's a free mall bus that runs the whole length, so it's not really a big deal on which end you pick.

I looked for a few images, and the annual zombie crawl route is a pretty good target for your efforts.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3481/...1f60582544.jpg

I work downtown, so if you see a hotel you like, I can give you the lowdown.

Cool - that's why I asked. I got the email today and was considering going as well. I've followed Nate since his old days with The Format and have seen Fun the past three times they came to town (including 1.5 months ago). So, as much as I'd love to see them at Red Rocks, I think I'm in for a breather on this one.

Anyway, as others have said, there's a lot to do around downtown Denver, so I'd try and get down there at some point if you can. However, you're going to be out late over on the west side of the metro area on Thursday night, so you might consider saving a few bucks by staying out that direction somewhere instead. There are lots of options, but if you're looking for something more than random chain along the highway, think about the Golden Hotel (in Golden). Golden's got a great little downtown area, and the scenery can't be beat. There are a number of cool restaurants down there as well.

If you're up for a mountain-y day, I'd do it on Friday to avoid the weekend crowds. Consider heading to Idaho Springs (about 30 minutes through a cool canyon on highway 6) for a mountain town experience (albeit a touristy one in the summer). If you're up for a bit of a driving adventure, you can head from there up Mt. Evans road. It's not for the faint of heart, but you can't get better views from a car in this state anywhere else except maybe Trail Ridge Road.

After that, you might think about making your move to downtown Denver (though you could just drive in instead if you'd rather not have to move locations while you're here). Friday/Saturday nights downtown are a lot of fun, and you're perfectly safe along the 16th Street Mall. It will be MUCH quieter down there during the day on Saturday, so I'd take that time to shop if that's your thing, or head to the Art Museum, History Museum, etc. If you're into good beer, we have a million microbreweries, so you could do something like tour Great Divide while you're downtown. If you're still not beyond your budget, you could even catch a show at the Denver Center (the broadway tour of Peter and the Starcatcher opens in Denver during that time if that kind of thing is up your alley).

There ya go. Vacation planned. :D

(Or at least I hope that helps to get your thinking going.)

I've gotta say, I do miss downtown Denver. :sulk:

You can drive to the top of Mount Evans.

Park in the North lot at Red Rocks when you go to your show.

Increase your water intake prior to coming here, and drink plenty of water.

Remember at altitude alcohol gets you quicker.

In that neighborhood, no one would think anything of it even if you were noticed.

rep for great tips. what time should we stop by for dinner? :thumb:

The one-legged beggar asks about you all the time. Would it kill you to drive down once in a while and give him a dollar when he shakes his cup?

Ha...you don't want me to cook. :)

Hell, I've got shoes that need shining!

Are you a lifetime member? If so, they're free.

I got the best Nerf gun in the world for Christmas, by the way.

Link?

I love shooting the shit out of my kids.
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It's not quite nerf, but it shoots similar missiles. You can do a 360 degree rotation, change elevation, and it's got a camera that you can use for aiming. While I haven't tried this part yet, you can also control it remotely over the Internet.

http://www.brookstone.com/usb-desktop-missile-launcher

Out of stock. Lol

My luck. I could have fun with that
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recreational

can't ****ing wait to move there. I wanna say, maybe 2 or 3 more years.