Looking for a great place to visit on a budget? Denver just might be your answer. It can be expensive but, if you play your cards right, you can have a great time without spending an arm and a leg.
First, sleep cheap. This means you probably won’t want to stay in a downtown hotel. For example, a one-night stay for a family of four at a typical downtown Denver hotel such as the Tabor Center Westin (the area where the prices of Denver real estate has sky rocketed) will set you back about $259 per night. In comparison, your family can stay at a Comfort Inn in Aurora for about $80 or at the Four Seasons by Sheraton Cherry Creek for around $85 a night.
Denver’s Zoo, the Museum of Nature and Science, the Denver Botanic Gardens, and the Denver Art Museum are all reasonably priced. If you hit on the right day, you can even get into these city-supported attractions free. Otherwise, the Zoo will cost you about $36 for a family of four, and the Museum around $42. The museum has a great planetarium and, for a few dollars extra, you can watch a film in its IMAX Theater.
Denver’s 17th Street Mall is a great place to people watch. You can usually catch some street entertainers and, if you hit the mall the right week, you’ll find a fun event called Buskerfest.