Posted: Tuesday, August 4, 2009 10:17 am

 131 Fun Things To Do

(1)    Enjoy an adventure with indoor skydiving at Lone Tree’s SkyVenture Colorado. You’ll actually be flying, thanks to the vertical wind tunnel. The experience of a lifetime that your entire family can enjoy! www.skyventurecolorado.com or 303-768-9000.

(2)    Rock out at the 2009 Festival on Main in downtown Longmont, Friday, August 28, from 6 - 9:30 p.m. FREE live music and family enter­tainment make this a hometown favorite! Visit www.festivalonmain.com

( 3 )    Visit a memorial to a saint at the Mother Cabrini Shrine in Mt. Vernon Canyon. den-cabrini-shrine.org 

( 4 )    Hike the Mesa Trail. ci.boulder.co.us/openspace 

( 5 )    Expand your view at the Conference on World Affairs. Hundreds of lectures from arts to politics are free. colorado.edu/cwa 

( 6 )    Snuggle up in the five cabins for year-round enjoyment at Golden Gate Canyon State Park. http://parks.state.co.us

( 7 )    Fly up and away at Chatfield State Park’s special area for hot air balloonists. http://parks.state.co.us

( 8 )    Even beginners are welcome at Tree Climbing Colorado. treeclimbingco.com

( 9 )    Swim at the Splash at Fossil Trace Waterpark in Golden. 303-277-8700 

(10)    Learn how your great-grandparents lived in the West by visiting the Hiwan Homestead Museum. co.jefferson.co.us 

(11)    Lookout Mountain Nature Center, a fine natural history museum, is ready to explore. co.jeffersonco.us/openspace 

(12)    Have a picnic or go fishing at Crown Hill Park in Lakewood. trails.com 

(13)    Hop on a caboose at the Colorado Railroad Museum, one of the country’s best. crrm.org 

(14)    Stop by the Humphrey Memorial Park and Museum in Soda Creek. hmpm.org 

(15)    Lakewood’s Historic Belmar Park shows how folks lived on the land. trails.com 

(16)    Sing along to Handel’s Messiah at the St.John’s Episcopal Church in downtown Boulder. messiahsingalong.org

(17)    Lose yourself in 16 acres of maps at the U.S. Geological Survey Map Office at the Denver Federal Center, one of only two in the country. usgs.gov 

(18)    Spend time in Olde Town Arvada and check out the Arvada Flour Mill Museum. historicarvada.org 

(19)    Hike the trails in Arapahoe National Forest. 

(20)    See how the pioneers lived at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum. cspm.org

(21)    See the mausoleums and graves of Colorado notables and pioneers at Crown Hill, Mount Olivet, Golden Hill and Golden cemeteries. colorado.uscity.net/cemeteries 

(22)    See the latest energy research at the National Renewable Energy Lab Visitors Center. nrel.gov 

(23)    Look at the native plants and trees at the Chatfield Arboretum and get lost in the Corn Maze in the fall. coloradogardening.com 

(24)    The history of the Gold Rush can be seen at the Clear Creek History Park in Golden. 

epodunk.com 

(25)    Get away from the crowds and take a hike at Pine Valley Ranch Park. co.jefferson.co.us/openspace

(26)    Look under the hoods of Clive Cussler’s car collection in Arvada. cusslermen.com/museumevent.htm 

(27)    The kid-friendly Morrison Natural History Museum has the first giant Jurassic dinosaurs found in North America and the only real T-Rex skull in Colorado. www.mnhm.org 

(28)    See what’s shakin’ at the National Earthquake Information Center in Golden. earthquake.usgs.gov

(29)    Explore the heritage of quilts and quilting at the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum and Quilt Market. rmqm.org 

(30)    Find yourself surrounded by butterflies while walking through the lush, tropical conservatory at the Butterfly Pavilion & Insect Center. butterflies.org 

(31)    Get out of the ordinary — stay in a yurt in State Forest State Park. parks.state.co.us/parks/stateforest

(32)    For a unique meeting or wedding site, visit the historic Boettcher Mansion. mansion.co.jefferson.co.us 

(33)    Hop on a horse at Bear Creek Lake Park in Morrison. lakewood.org 

(34)    Visit a fishing “hot spot” at Lake Pueblo. parks.state.co.us/parks/lakepueblo 

(35)    Get in touch with your inner rock hound at Eggers Lapidary in Golden. 303-279-3952 

(36)    Tackle the Lariat Loop on your bike, or leisurely cruise it by motorcycle or car. For more scenic curves, include Clear Creek Canyon on Highway 6. lariatloop.org 

(37)    Golden Pioneer Museum in historic Golden offers 2000 years of history. goldenpioneermuseum.com 

(38)    Take a walk west along the Beaver Brook Trail from Windy Saddle and admire the mountains of the Front Range. denvergov.org/mountain_parks/template2259.asp 

(39)    Sail on the cool blue waters of Chatfield Reservoir. parks.state.co.us 

(40)    Ride your bike from Golden to Genesee and back again on Highway 40.

(41)    Take a road trip to historic Pine for Sunday brunch. epodunk.com 

(42)    Spend the day fishing in the Blue Medal waters of the South Platte River below Cheesman Lake. coloradodirectory.com 

(43)    Stroll along the South Platte River from Dome Rock to Deckers and take in the fantastic rock formations. localhikes.com 

(44)    Hike up Green Mountain to watch the sun rise over the Denver skyline. gravmag.com/jeffco 

(45)    Climb around the rock formations at Alderfer/Three Sisters Park in Evergreen. co.jefferson.co.us/openspace 

(46)    Have your family reunion or a picnic for two in Genesee Park. 

(47)    Follow the ghost of the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad through Waterton Canyon and points west. co.jefferson.co.us 

(48)    Hike about North and South Table Mountains in Golden. tablemountains.org 

(49)    Follow the dinosaur tracks at Dinosaur Ridge and Museum, a Natural National Landmark in Golden. dinoridge.org 

(50)    Gawk at the bison herd at Genesee. Exit 254 off I-70 in Golden. 

(51)    Watch the paragliders sail off the Lariat Trail. coloradodirectory.com 

(52)    Walk about The Foothills Art Center in historic Golden. foothillsartcenter.org

(53)    Huff and puff on your bicycle riding up Squaw Pass. 

(54)    Hunt for cool rocks up Deer Creek Canyon. trails.com 

(54)    Hike, bike, fish, camp, gaze at the stars on a summer night in Pike National Forest. fs.fed.us 

(55)    There’s a climbing rock in downtown Morrison. (They’re everywhere!) town.morrison.co.us 

(57)    Battle the rapids through Clear Creek Kayak Park in Golden. ci.golden.co.us 

(58)    Bike off-road at Matthews/Winters Park in Golden and Elk Meadow Park west of Bergen Park. dbtc.org 

(59)    Trek the 537-mile Colorado Trail that begins in Waterton Canyon. denverwater.org 

(60)    Organic flower and vegetable growers are everywhere at farmer’s markets from June until October. 

(61)    Stroll through the National Mountaineering Center in Golden, home of the Colorado Mountain 29 Club and American Alpine Club. cmc.org 

(62)    Learn about nineteenth century bicycling at the Golden Oldy Cyclery. goldenculturalalliance.org

(63)    Have a heart-to-heart with Mother Nature at Majestic View Nature Center and Community Park in Arvada. arvada.org

(64)    Visit of Christmas past on the Historic Boulder Christmas home tour. historicboulder.org

(65)    Play hooky! Go tubing down Boulder Creek in the summer … on a weekday! 

(66)    Watch the 4th of July or New Year’s Eve fireworks from the top of Flagstaff Mountain above Boulder.

(67)    Explore the world of atmospheric science at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. ucar.com

(68)    Cycle from Erie to Longmont along scenic County Line Road.

(69)    The Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave on top of Lookout Mountain is a wonderful memorial to the Old West hero. buffalobill.org 

(70)    Hike to Diamond Lake in late June and early July when wildflowers abound. resourceanalysis.com/trails

(71)    Kick your workouts into high gear and hike Mount Sanitas at the mouth of Sunshine Canyon in Boulder.

(72)    Swim, ski or sail the Boulder Reservoir. ci.boulder.co.us/parks-recreation

(73)    Attend a recording of Etown at the Boulder Theater. etown.org

(74)    Bone up on local history at the Boulder History Museum. boulderhistorymusuem.org

(75)    Check out an exhibit at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. bmoca.org

(76)    Dive into the icy waters at the Boulder Reservoir’s polar bear plunge.

(77)    Enter the ice queen pageant or the coffin race at the Frozen Dead Guy Days festival in Nederland. nederlandchamber.org/frozendeadguydays

(78)    Get out of this world at the Fiske Planetarium by attending a lecture or supercool laser show. colorado.edu/fiske

(79)    John Brisbane Walker’s Western White House is a ruin with a view. indianhillscolorado.com 

(80)    Shop for fresh produce and other goodies at the farmers’ markets of Boulder County. bouldercreekevents.com, boulderfarmers.org, longmontfarmers.com

(81)    Skateboard at Scott Carpenter Park at 30th & Arapahoe in Boulder.

(82)    Tour the historic Hover Home in Longmont. This 1914 English Tudor/Gothic revival home is maintained by the St. Vrain Historical Society. stvrainhistoricalsociety.org

(83)    Stroll through the Victoria Gardens at Astor House Museum for a refreshing look at the past. astorhousemuseum.org 

(84)    Attend one of the free wildlife programs offered year-round by Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Talks & Walks. osmp.org

(85)    Explore the interactive and informative educational and creative exhibits at the World of Wonder Children’s Museum in Lafayette. wowmuseum.com

(86)    Make art happen by attending one of the variety of performances at The Dairy Center for the Arts in Boulder. thedairy.org

(87)    Attend an art show opening at the historic Old Firehouse Art Center in Longmont. firehouseart.org

(88)    Enjoy a show or volunteer at Colorado’s oldest continually operating community theatre: the Longmont Theatre Company. longmonttheatre.org

(89)    Peruse the exhibits or attend a special program at the Longmont Museum and Cultural Center. ci.longmont.co.us/museum

(90)    Rollerblade the Boulder Creek path from just beyond Foothills to Eben G. Fine Park and back. A great workout on a sunny Colorado day.

(91)    Grab your pooch and head to Dry Creek Trail (part of Boulder open space on Baseline, just east of Baseline Reservoir). This trail is completely fenced with plenty of places for your four-legged friend to splash in the creek, and loads of open prairie for games of fetch.

(92)    Volunteer to spend some time with a Boulder County senior at a variety of cultural events and performances. circleofcareproject.org

(93)    Play like a kid with Frisbee® golf at Long­mont’s Sunset golf course. ci.longmont.co.us/golf/sunset

(94)    Pull up a lawn chair or enjoy crafts and games at the Conifer Mountain Festival. goconifer.com 

(95)    Go Geocaching at State Forest. Play high-tech hide-&-seek. Track down hidden “caches” in the park using GPS technology. parks.state.co.us/parks/stateforest/geocaching/

(96)    Take a guided walk through the Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center. gardenofgods.com

(97)    Try something really different — go mushroom hunting! Find these treasures in the higher elevations of Boulder and Larimer counties. Be sure to check if the mushroom is poisonous before ingesting! cmsweb.org

(98)    Pitch your tent and watch some wildlife at Mueller State Park. parks.state.co.us/parks/mueller/

(99)    Visit an “Oasis in the Plains” for swimming, boating, fishing and waterskiing at Jackson Lake. parks.state.co.us/parks/jacksonlake

(100)    Take a hike or ride a bike along the Poudre River Trail. poudretrail.org

(101)    Visit the setting that inspired the song, “America the Beautiful” at Cheyenne Mountain Park. parks.state.co.us/parks/cheyennemountain

(102)    Become a Geology buff at Florissant Fossil Beds. nps.gov/flfo

(103)    Take a scenic drive on the Peak to Peak Highway. 303-442-2911

(104)    Free hands-on history at the Pikes Peak Heritage Center in Cripple Creek. visitcripplecreek.com

(105)    Get your fill of art on the last Friday of the month — “Gallery Walk” in downtown Evergreen. galleriesofevergreen.org

(106)    Grab your lawn chairs and blankets for live music on Evergreen Lake every other Wednesday. heartofevergreen.com

(107)   Take a stroll down Pearl Street in Boulder.

(108)    Tour downtown Evergreen on a horse-drawn wagon trolley on Saturday afternoons during the summer. heartofevergreen.com

(109)    Enjoy a Friday night on the town! Ben & Jerry’s FAC Concert Series in Old Town Square Fort Collins. downtownfortcollins.com

(110)    Don’t like the sounds of motorboats? Visit the quiet serenity of Boedecker Reservoir in Loveland. loveland.org/visiting/parks_and_recreation.shtml

(111)    Take a look through a telescope at the Little Thompson Observatory. starkids.org

(112)    See an outdoor movie at the New Belgium Bike In Movies Series. downtownfortcollins.com

(113)    Take a wildlife walk around Barr Lake. parks.sate.co.us

(114)    Get out of the heat at the Colorado History Museum. coloradohistory.org 

(115)    Learn about dinosaurs at the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center. rmdrc. com

(116)    Visit the Centennial Village Museum in Greeley. greeleymuseums.com

(117)    Get an earful at the Colorado Music Festival. coloradomusicfest.org

(118)    Step back in time at Fort Vasquez Museum. coloradohistory.org

(120)    Get hands-on at the Discovery Center Science Museum — the kids will love it! 970-472-3999

(121)    Hang out and learn about the Anasazi Indians at the Manitou Cliff Dwellings Museum. cliffdwellingsmuseum.com

(122)    Been to LoDo lately? There’s plenty to do in Downtown Denver — just set out and see what you find. lodo.org

(123)    Visit the animals, swing at the park, or stroll beside the Poudre River at Lee Martinez Park in Fort Collins. 970-416-2489

(124)    Walk through the gardens while at the same time helping to feed the hungry at the Gardens on Spring Creek. fcgov.com

(125)    Enjoy the birding at St. Vrain State Park in Longmont. parks.state.co.us

(126)    Take a free tour of the Governor’s residence at the Boettcher Mansion. coloradohistory.org/join_us/volunteers/residencetour.htm

(127)    Live as a Victorian lady or gentleman for a day at the Miramont Castle in Manitou Springs. miramontcastle.org

(128)    Catch the best views in Colorado over Trail Ridge Road. 970-586-1399

(129)    Tour the Denver Mint. usmint.gov

(130)    Get back to basics at the Lookout Mountain Nature Center and Preserve. co.jefferson.co.us/openspace

(131)    Take in an outdoor exhibit at the Benson Sculpture Garden in Loveland. ci.loveland.co.us/parksrec/benson.htm