Understanding Denver’s Seasons

Before diving into trip planning, it’s essential to understand Denver’s seasonal variations. Denver experiences four distinct seasons, each offering its own unique charm and activities:

Spring (March – May)

• Mild temperatures make spring ideal for outdoor activities like hiking and biking.
• Enjoy blooming wildflowers and budding trees in Denver’s parks and gardens.
• Be prepared for occasional spring snowstorms, especially in March and April.

Summer (June – August)

• Warm days and cool nights make summer perfect for exploring Denver’s outdoor festivals and events.
• Take advantage of extended daylight hours for hiking, camping, and outdoor dining.
• Plan ahead and book accommodations early, as summer is peak tourist season in Denver.

Fall (September – November)

• Experience Denver’s breathtaking fall foliage as the aspen trees turn golden in the mountains.
• Enjoy fewer crowds and lower hotel rates compared to the summer months.
• Pack layers, as temperatures can vary greatly between day and night.

Winter (December – February)

• Embrace winter sports like skiing, snowboarding, and ice skating in the nearby Rocky Mountains.
• Explore Denver’s indoor attractions, including museums, art galleries, and cozy cafes.
• Be prepared for cold temperatures and occasional snowfall, especially in December and January.

Understanding Denver’s seasonal nuances will help you plan your trip accordingly and make the most of your time in the Mile High City.

Must-See Attractions in Denver

Denver boasts a wide array of attractions that cater to every interest. Whether you’re a history buff, art enthusiast, or outdoor adventurer, here are some must-see attractions to add to your itinerary:

1. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre

Experience the natural beauty of Red Rocks Park, known for its iconic red sandstone formations and stunning amphitheater.

Catch a concert or simply hike the trails and take in the panoramic views of Denver and the surrounding mountains.

Pro Tip: Check the concert schedule in advance and book tickets early for a memorable evening under the stars.

2. Denver Art Museum

Explore one of the largest art museums between Chicago and the West Coast, featuring a diverse collection of artwork from around the world.

Don’t miss the impressive Native American art collection and the stunning architecture of the Frederic C. Hamilton Building.

Pro Tip: Visit on the first Saturday of the month for free admission and special programming.

3. Union Station

Immerse yourself in Denver’s history and culture at Union Station, a historic train station turned bustling transportation hub and entertainment destination.

Grab a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants and cafes, or sip cocktails at one of the stylish bars.

Pro Tip: Take a guided tour to learn about the station’s rich history and architectural significance.

4. Denver Botanic Gardens

Escape the hustle and bustle of the city and explore the serene beauty of the Denver Botanic Gardens.

Wander through themed gardens, including a Japanese garden, a tropical conservatory, and a native plant collection.

Pro Tip: Visit during the summer months for special events like outdoor concerts and yoga sessions in the gardens.

5. Rocky Mountain National Park

Embark on a day trip from Denver to Rocky Mountain National Park, located just a short drive away.

Explore over 350 miles of hiking trails, spot wildlife like elk and bighorn sheep, and marvel at breathtaking mountain vistas.

Pro Tip: Start your day early to beat the crowds and have the trails to yourself.

Navigating Denver’s Neighborhoods

Denver is a city of diverse neighborhoods, each with its own unique character and charm. From trendy urban enclaves to historic districts, here are some neighborhoods worth exploring:

1. LoDo (Lower Downtown)

Experience Denver’s vibrant nightlife and dining scene in LoDo, known for its historic buildings and lively atmosphere.

Explore the iconic Larimer Square, home to upscale boutiques, art galleries, and award-winning restaurants.

Pro Tip: Take a stroll along the 16th Street Mall and hop on the free shuttle for easy access to shops and attractions.

2. RiNo (River North Art District)

Discover Denver’s creative side in the RiNo Art District, where colorful murals adorn the walls and industrial warehouses have been transformed into art galleries and studios.

Sample craft beers at one of the many breweries or browse local artisan shops for unique souvenirs.

Pro Tip: Join a guided art walk to learn about the district’s history and the artists behind the murals.

3. Capitol Hill

Immerse yourself in Denver’s history and culture in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, home to historic mansions, museums, and cultural institutions.

Visit the Colorado State Capitol building and take a guided tour to learn about Colorado’s political history and see the famous gold dome.

Pro Tip: Explore Cheesman Park and enjoy sweeping views of the city skyline and the Rocky Mountains.

Dining and Nightlife in Denver

No trip to Denver would be complete without sampling the city’s vibrant culinary scene and nightlife. From farm-to-table eateries to craft breweries, here are some dining and nightlife recommendations:

Dining:

• Farm-to-Table Fare: Indulge in locally sourced cuisine at restaurants like Mercantile Dining & Provision or Fruition Restaurant.
• Food Halls: Experience a variety of culinary delights at Denver’s food halls, including Denver Central Market and Avanti Food & Beverage.
• Ethnic Eateries: Explore Denver’s diverse culinary landscape with dining options ranging from Mexican street food at El Taco de Mexico to authentic Ethiopian cuisine at Axum Restaurant.

Nightlife:

• Stanley Beer Hall: There’s only one place to begin; the Stanley Beer Hall! Enjoy 51 self-pour beer, wine & craft cocktail taps! 
• Speakeasy Bars: Step back in time and enjoy handcrafted cocktails at hidden gems like Williams & Graham or Green Russell.
• Live Music Venues: Catch a live show at venues like the Bluebird Theater or the Fillmore Auditorium for an unforgettable night out.

Transportation Tips for Getting Around Denver

Navigating Denver’s transportation system is easy and convenient, thanks to a variety of options available to travelers:

• Public Transit: Utilize Denver’s extensive public transit system, including buses and light rail, to explore the city and surrounding areas.
• Biking: Rent a bike through Denver’s bike-sharing program, B-cycle, and explore the city’s many bike-friendly trails and paths.
• Ridesharing: Use ridesharing services like Uber or Lyft for quick and convenient transportation around the city, especially during peak hours or late at night.

Final Thoughts

Planning a trip to Denver is an exciting endeavor filled with endless possibilities for exploration and adventure. By understanding the city’s seasons, exploring its diverse neighborhoods, sampling its culinary delights, and navigating its transportation options, you can make the most of your time in the Mile High City and create memories to last a lifetime. So pack your bags, hit the road, and get ready to experience all that Denver has to offer!

The post Planning Your Trip: Tips and Tricks for Making the Most of Your Time in Denver appeared first on InstantELLA.

Memory

KEEPING MEMORIES ALIVE: HOW TO PRESERVE FAMILY HEIRLOOMS

To make sure family heirlooms are loved, respected and treasured for years to come, take the time to write out an explanation for the item. If the article is your great, great grandfather’s pocket watch that he received from his employer on his wedding day in Ireland, write that down. If you don’t and the story isn’t remembered, that watch just becomes an antique with no meaning.

Just take a note card and answer these 6 simple questions:

1. Who?
2. What?
3. When?
4. Where?
5. Why?
6. How?

If there is some emotional connection to the heirloom like a story, include that as well. If the family sewing machine traveled across the United States in the back of a wagon during the California Gold Rush, write it down. Any item that has been passed down from one generation to the next has stories to tell and it is up to you to preserve those as well.

Temperature

‘Time Is Running Out’: Museum Curator In Florida Races To Preserve Holocaust Items

Fluctuating temperature is a large factor for destroying family heirlooms. Old articles can’t handle incredibly hot or cold temperatures. For this reason, you should try and store your antiques in places that stay around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid storing your old items in the attic, basement, barn, shed or even near windows or heating vents.

Humidity

Basic Tips for Storing Family Heirlooms

Humidity can murder antiques, especially if it is furniture. If you bring an old piano or rocking chair from the dry desert of New Mexico over to the incredibly humid climate of Louisiana, you’re likely to have the wood split as it tries to pull in all of the moisture. Try to keep your antiques in relatively dry areas so they don’t begin to accumulate mold, but remember that too dry can also lead to things drying out and splitting. Keep heirlooms in an environment that they are used to being in and avoid intense humidity or dryness.

Light

Preserve and Protect Family Heirlooms & Treasures

Ultraviolet light can be dangerous for your antiques because it breaks down the chemicals in the pigmentation of photographs, papers, plastics, and other valuables. If you have old pictures that have begun to fade they might have fallen victim to this decay. Just keep in mind that less light is typically better for preserving your family heirlooms.

Dust

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Not only is dust bothersome, but it can also be detrimental to your family heirlooms. Dust can be wiped away relatively easily, but if it is left to sit for too long it can trap in moisture, causing mold to grow. It can also invite bugs to make homes in old books or wood, and it can weaken materials. Just make sure to be diligent in your dust removal.

If you are especially worried about keeping a family heirloom in good condition you can visit a specialist to help you in the care of your article. Most jewelers should be able to help you with watches and jewelry. Visit your local library or college for help in preserving books and documents. Good luck with keeping your families’ memories alive and preserved.

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After Christmas, it can feel like just a couple of grey, cold, months that lie ahead with not a lot to do and a lot of cabin fever.

But the good news is there are things you can do to make you feel productive even in the winter time and also help you prepare for spring, and help the winter months pass by a little quicker.

Here are five ways to get through the winter even if all you want is for it to be spring already, and be that much more excited for when it finally comes.

Make sleep a priority

A Good Night’s Rest: Can Music Help You Fall Asleep?

Since it is cold and grey and the sun goes down a lot earlier it may be time for you to also go down earlier and catch up on sleep that you have probably been needing.

The winter is a great time to get more sleep and get in the habit of having an earlier bedtime, which will not only make you feel more rested but also help prevent the chances of you getting sick, which can be an issue in winter.

Organize your home

5 Tips for Interior Design Business Success

The one upside to being stuck in your house all day because it’s freezing outside is that you can use that time to do some organizing.

You can go room to room and write down all the things you’ve been meaning to do and then each day you can mark those items off of your list.

Not only will it be nice to spend time in an organized home, but you can also involve the whole family because they are also stuck inside and can help the house get into tip-top shape before spring.

Clear your driveway

How to Stay Safe During the Icy Season

Clearing your driveway of snow and ice is a great way to be motivated to actually leave your house, but also ensures that you actually will be able to if you ever need to.

It may seem silly considering once you clear the snow only more will come, but making sure to do it on a regular basis will ensure that it stays relatively clear and doesn’t become overwhelming.

If you are not in the mood to do it and want some professional help you can hire snow removal services to come and do it for you, and you can look for some in your area by visiting websites like ifyardbutler.com.

Go outside

4 Super Fun Winter Date Ideas

Although this may be the very last thing you want to do during winter and before spring comes, getting outside will really help your mood and give you something to do.

Even if it’s just for a short walk or if you are feeling more adventurous and go skiing or snowboarding, getting outside will get you moving and active and make time pass a lot quicker.

Have a nice fire

Another simple thing that makes a big difference, in the wintertime, there is nothing like building a nice warm fire and sitting by the fireplace, reading a good book, or watching a good movie.

It will make winter time a lot more bearable and help pass the time before spring finally comes.

The post 5 Ways To Get Through the Winter Even If All You Want Is Spring appeared first on InstantELLA.

Things To Do on a Summer’s Day

Is there anything you didn’t do last year that you wished you would have done? Now’s the time to make plans that you want to fulfill this year when the weather is nice again.

Top Summer Activities for All The Family

We’ve made a list of 50 things that you should do this year to take advantage of the beautiful warm weather.

1. Plant a garden.
2. Go hiking.
3. Go camping.
4. Climb a mountain.
5. Run a 5k.
6. Lounge in a hammock.
7. Repair your asphalt driveway (call some paving contractors!)
8. Smell the flowers.
9. Swim in a lake.
10. Go horseback riding.
11. Do a nature photo shoot.
12. Have a barbeque.
13. Visit the ocean.
14. Go bird watching.
15. Have a picnic.
16. Play frisbee.
17. Try golfing.
18. Go fishing.
19. Watch the clouds roll by.
20. Go stargazing.
21. Climb a tree.
22. Go to a waterpark.
23. Make a slip-n-slide.
24. Volunteer to walk dogs at a local dog shelter.
25. Read a good book (outside!)
26. Do yoga on your lawn as the sun rises.
27. Go for a bike ride.
28. Visit a zoo.
29. Build a fence.
30. Watch fireworks.
31. Have a water balloon fight.
32. Play beach volleyball.
33. Try water skiing (or tubing).
34. Have a garage sale.
35. Make lemonade.
36. Build a fort outside.
37. Have a bonfire.
38. Throw a backyard party.
39. Have a luau.
40. Dive into a pool.
41. Make salsa.
42. Go berry picking.
43. Make strawberry jam.
44. Go to a farmer’s market.
45. Drive a four wheeler.
46. Go mudding.
47. Get lost in a corn maze.
48. Go apple picking.
49. Visit a haunted forest.
50. Go to a pumpkin patch.

All of this and more are waiting for you when the weather is nice again. Don’t spend all of your time this spring, summer, or fall indoors. Get out and experience the world. Take advantage of the local activities and sites around you.

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9 Vegetables you can grow indoors no matter what the weather

And not all of us just have a greenhouse lying around at our disposal. So, some friends at Sugar Producer Magazine, the pros in sugar producers, have compiled this awesome list of plants that you can grow right from your own kitchen.

Tomatoes

Small Space Indoor Vegetable Gardening

Tomatoes are a great food item to grow inside. All you need is a pot, good soil, and a source of light. Start the seeds for the tomatoes in a muffin tin or egg cartons, and then move them into a pot once the sproutlings are about 2 inches tall.

Carrots

The 16 Best Healthy, Edible Plants to Grow Indoors

Who doesn’t love carrots and a little ranch for a good healthy snack? Just make sure you have a deep enough pot for this crop. You’ll want about 8 inches of soil for short carrots, and about 12 inches for long carrots.

Leafy Greens

How to grow your own vegetables year-round without a garden

Leafy greens, like spinach and lettuce, are a great kitchen crop. You can start as many as 15 seeds in one wide pot (or a long pot that fits the length of a window sill). Once they are grown, you can pull leaves off as you need them and more will continue to grow back.

Yellow Squash

Growing Squash Indoors

A good source of light, a large pot, good soil, and plenty of water will make this plant a wonderful crop to grow in your home this winter. If it has everything it needs, you’ll be able to produce enough squash to last until the outdoor growing season.

Herbs

How to Grow Herbs Indoors

Herbs are a great window sill plant. They need good sunlight and an appropriate amount of water (this is dependent upon each variety of herb), and then you’ll have great flavor to add into your cooking. And let’s be honest, live herbs can get expensive at the grocery store, so growing them on your own is a great way to go.

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THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO KEEPING YOUR KIDS WARM ALL WINTER

Not only will these purchases make a practical addition to your little one’s closet, but they’re often a lot more economical post-christmas – thanks to the January sales. So wear your chunkiest knitwear and grab a cup of cocoa as we count down our top picks for children’s winter clothing.

Why have one coat when you can have two for the same price?! With this girl’s printed reversible jacket from Fendi. The silver quilted polyester on the once side adds a practical element piece while tapping into the metallic trend. The designer jacket is given the Fendi signature style through the pink monster print that covers the coat. This jacket is the perfect addition to any little girls winter wardrobe. Pick up this jacket at chocolateclothing.co.uk

Sometimes less is more. This BOSS Kids boys black padded jacket with detachable hood is the perfect example of this. The timeless black quilted coat makes for a versatile and practical addition to any boy’s winter wardrobe. While the detachable hood adds an adaptable nature that is ideal for unpredictable winter weather. The designer jacket is completed with a white trim on the hood adds a dynamic colour contrast.

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with prints! So many of us fall in the habit of swapping style of function during the colder seasons, but you can have both! This pink floral print padded jacket from Monnalisa creates the perfect balance between femininity and practicality to keep both you and your little princess happy. Pair the jacket with a classic pair of blue jeans for an instantly chic casual look.

When it comes to keeping your child bundled up this winter, accessories are just as essential as their coats. These navy wool gloves from Ralph Lauren are the perfect addition to any boys winter closet. The red Ralph Lauren embroidered logo and matching trimming add a bold colour contrast while confirming the quality of the designer gloves. Pair the gloves with a matching scarf and puffer jacket for a complete look.

Tips to Keep Kids Warm All Winter

So there you have it, my top picks for children’s winter wardrobe. I hope you enjoyed this look at the very best items on the market and found the perfect piece for your little one. All the products mentioned in this post can be found at www.chocolateclothing.co.uk.

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10 Ways to Be More Environmentally Friendly

To help us help you, our friends at BiologiQ, manufacturers of eco-friendly plastic resin pellets, have put together this list of tips for becoming more environmentally aware this fall.

Burning

Fall is the season for burning, whether it’s a bonfire, your wood stove, or burning your trash. Keep these two things in mind the next time you go to start that fire: only burn dry wood and never use burn barrels for trash or debris.

Never burn damp wood because it doesn’t burn completely and can release more pollutants in the air. These pollutants will settle around your home, or the site where you are burning, and have been known to cause asthma and other respiratory diseases. Burn wood that has been drying for at least 6 months to ensure that it is completely dry.

Don’t use burn barrels. They don’t burn efficiently and release a lot of smoke toxins, especially if you aren’t burning clean materials. Instead, try to recycle paper, plastic and glass materials; donate old clothing, and grind up old branches and leaves into a mulch or compost for your yard.

Always be aware of your state’s laws regarding burning and burn bans as well. These are set in place not only to prevent wildfires, but to help keep pollution down as well.

Donating Items

Does anyone use the fall as a time to clean out storage? Are you throwing out old toys, clothes, or other items you’ve replaced throughout the year?

Don’t just throw these items away. For one, they take up landfill space, and for two, valuable resources were used to produce those items, so by donating them to someone who needs them those resources are saved.

If you have clothing that your kids have grown out of, dishes you’ve replaced, old toys, find a place to donate them. Homeless shelters and rehabilitation centers are always looking for items to be donated. Search your community to see where that need lies and take in your donation.

If you have other items, like leftover building materials, paint, wood, pallets, nails, etc. there is a place to donate those things too. All it takes is a quick Google search to find where you can send the items that you want to get rid of. Not only will you help the environment, but you can feel good knowing you helped people in need too.

Conserving Energy

One of the leading causes of greenhouse gases that contributes to global climate change is energy production from coal, oil and natural gas. So, conserving and reducing energy usage will only help to lessen that pollution.

5 ways to become more environmentally-friendly for your New Year’s resolution

Some ways you can easily conserve energy in your home are through home heating, hot water, and lights and appliances.

When heating your home, reduce the temperature of the thermostat one degree at a time until you reach a temperature you and your family can be comfortable with – wearing sweaters or blankets to stay cozy. At times when you are away from your home, set the thermostat even lower – about 55 or lower.

Keeping hot water use limited. Take shorter showers, wash your clothes in cold water, and install low-flow showerheads and faucets. You can also turn the temperature on your water heater down or try a solar water heater system.

How To Be More Environmentally Conscious

Turn off the lights when you leave the room. This really does save energy. Use energy efficient light bulbs, turn off appliances and other electronics like computers and printers when they aren’t in use for a long time.

Keep these tips with you this fall as you go about preparing for holidays and family reunions. Help create a better world through these small and simple deeds.

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