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City in Colorado, United States
Photo: via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Golden is a city in the Denver Area of Colorado. It sits at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, and distance-wise is roughly halfway between the cities of Boulder and Denver. It is the home of the Coors Brewery, the Colorado School of Mines, and the Colorado Railroad Museum.
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Each building on the compact Mines campus was considered modern architectural design when built, giving the campus as a whole a wide range of styles tied together by the use of the same sandy-colored stone for most façades.
Four permanent galleries and changing exhibitions of local history.
1800s mountain ranch recreated by relocating buildings about 15 miles from Golden Gate Canyon. Wander around the buildings any day, or visit on one of days when the buildings are open.
guests over 21 years old offered limited free samples, guests under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. The main tourist draw for the city, the Coors Brewery in Golden is also the largest beer brewing plant in the world on a single site. It is easily recognized for its sheer size and space consumption, and in particular, its plain grey walls and large, red "Coors" sign mural. If you visit Golden, you will undoubtedly notice the distinct fragrance of grains, hops, and alcohol wafting through the air at any point in town, any time of the year. The brewery is a popular attraction mainly because of the guided tours it offers. These tours last about 45 minutes, and guests over the age of 21 are treated to a free sample of the brewery's confectionery.
Open every day, excluding holidays, 9AM-5PM. Created in 1959 to preserve the history of Colorado's rollicking railroad era, this museum is now a haven for aficionados of heritage railways, antique cabooses, and steam locomotives. Railfans will want to check out the museum's periodic train ride days, where you could have a wine & cheese tasting on a train, or let the kids meet "Thomas the Tank Engine". Also, the museum is a non-profit establishment that publishes its own books about railroad history. It also has indoor and outdoor model train layouts.
Along 10th St in Clear Creek. Considered to be the heart of the Colorado kayaking social scene, the mile long course in Clear Creek provides a playspot for both playboaters and slalom kayakers, as well as a plethora of tubers and boogie boarders. Even if you don't want to get in the water, head down to the park to watch kayakers ripping it up in the holes some of the best kayakers in the state practice here on a regular basis. If you want to try kayaking, local kayak school RA Guides provides lessons here regularly during the summer months, or, if you having boating experience, kayaks can be rented from either of the two river stores in town, Golden River Sports or Alpenglow. The park is beginner friendly and folks are more than happy to help out newcomers, as long as you have some common sense and basic courtesy. Look but don't touch others' boats, wait your turn and be safe.
Friendly and elaborately-decorated Lebanese restaurant in the northern part of town.
Coffee, pastries, sandwiches, and other light fare. The locally-made muffins are excellent.
One of two adjacent sandwich shops.
Comfortable spot to grab a sandwich for lunch and watch the activity on Washington outside. Kid-friendly.
Family owned restaurant located a block from the Coors Brewery
If one bar is the locals' watering hole, this is it. Music is from the jukebox and the place isn't the prettiest, but on any night of the week this place will be full of college students and old-timers alike. Great place to drop in and get to know the residents of the town. Located on Washington next to Foss Drug.
A stereotypical biker bar on Washington Ave, with loud and often live music and plenty of Harleys parked out the front. It's big and hard to miss, with a large sign out the front.
Fairly generic, but in a good way: simple and well-maintained.
All-suites hotel, free breakfast, free Internet, a swimming pool, wedding event facilities.
Equipped kitchen with a refrigerator & microwave. Complimentary high-speed wireless internet access and in room cable TV, HBO, and pay-per-view movies.
Southwestern-style hotel in downtown Golden, right next to the Colorado School of Mines campus.
Metal detectors and gold prospecting gear.
By air
By car
Golden is served six major highways: Rental cars are available at Denver International Airport and Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport.
By rail
The Amtrak California Zephyr and Winter Park Express serve Denver Union Station.
By bus
Golden is served by the RTD light rail W line which connects to Lakewood and Denver, RTD bus routes 17 and GS, and the RTD GDFX FlexRide bus service.
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Denver · Regional · BJC
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