First in a series of posts about traveling in Colorado & Wyoming.
Destination Wedding in Boulder, Colorado becomes a vacation
One thing that happens when you’re an empty nester and beyond is
Often there is travel involved, especially with the destination wedding trend.
And so it was that we received an invitation to a wedding in Colorado. A young cousin from New England, where we live, was marrying a lovely young lady from Montana. They had met at work in Boston and relocated to Boulder as she decided to change careers and pursue a masters in education in Colorado and launch her teaching career there. He arranged with his employer to telecommute.
All went well with their plans. They made the leap to solidify their commitment by getting engaged. We are friendly with his parents. Having intermittently watched the groom grow up alongside our children, we were on-board to attend.
Planning our trip
We decided to plan a vacation around the Welcome Party and Wedding days. We ordered visitors guides on Colorado.com. Using the guides and guide books borrowed from our local library, we plotted out a before and after the wedding itinerary.
Booking the flight came first, then the hotels, four in all, chosen by location and rewards.
The last hotel is close to the airport. This was so we could drop off the rental car early and use the hotel shuttle lessening the time and stress of airline check-in.
If you have ever been to the Denver International Airport, you will know that the rental car area is a distance from it, then you have to take a train to transport you to the terminals.
We didn’t have pre-check so we had to go through the regular screening/scanning process and the lines are long.
We landed in Denver mid-day and after picking up our rental car, proceeded to Downtown Denver in hopes of getting a ticket for a tour of the Denver Mint. This was one of our really-hope-to-see places. Unfortunately for us, there were no tickets left. They are first
Walk-able Denver
Next on the list was the (Unsinkable) Molly Brown house, maybe a
Like a tour guide, he pointed out, with pride, some other places close by that were on our list: The History Colorado Museum, The Capital with the steps marked to indicate where they were a mile above sea level, and the Denver Library, where he volunteers.
About Margaret “Molly” Brown
Margaret “Molly” Brown’s life was one of activism, philanthropy and passion. You might remember her as a heroine who took charge of a Titanic lifeboat. Early on in her life, she helped the homeless. When she and her husband became wealthy, she joined social reformers, embarked on larger scale philanthropy and even ran for office. She developed a passion for travel and brought home many souvenirs. Some are in her house.
When disaster struck, Molly offered money and her homes. She consoled the poor women who lost their husbands and everything they owned on the Titanic and took up a collection for them. Molly also supported the suffrage movement, and along with that rights for all. She received the French Legion of Honor for her World War 1 relief efforts.
If you visit the Brown’s house, you will learn all this and more about a remarkable woman who stepped into the 20th Century with gusto and a big heart.
The Molly Brown House: Historic Preservation in the midst of Urban Development
You can see the Molly Brown House by tour only. Luckily, we caught the last tour of the day. We saved $2 per ticket with the Senior (65+) Discount. There’s a gift shop in the former carriage house around the back of the house. In the lower part of the house there’s a small exhibit and video about mining in Colorado, Denver, Molly, and her husband, mining entrepreneur, J.J. Brown. You buy your tickets in the gift shop and the clerks direct you to the exhibit entrance.
Originally, occupants could enjoy the mountains from the front and upper porches and front bedrooms. Unfortunately, modern buildings now block much of the view.
The house has an interesting history of occupants and owners before and after the Browns. The newel posts, stained glass windows, polar bear rug, and the dining room ceiling are especially striking. The furnishings include some of the Brown’s original items, as well as period clothing displays.
Be aware that only the first floor and basement exhibit and video area are available by lift. You have to climb stairs to the second and third floors.
Some furnishings in the
Molly Brown House Museum
Closing out the Day
We walked back to our car detouring to the State Capital Steps. Our friendly “guide” had pointed out that Denver being the “mile-high city” has a marker on the capital’s steps so we went to check it out. Actually, there are three markers due to geographic changes and more accurate measurements. We then walked through a lovely park that was just below the Capital.
We returned to our hotel, which was in Westminster, just outside of Denver, to freshen up. Nearby we found the Sanitas Brewery in Boulder. The beer and the tacos from the food truck were just right. We enjoyed them on the outdoor patio as we contemplated the mountains in the distance.
*Colorado an inspiration for America the Beautiful
Katherine Lee Bates, a professor at Wellesley College in the 1890’s, took a train trip to Colorado Springs in order to teach a summer class at Colorado College. Her trip out west inspired her to write poetry, which evolved into the lyrics of America, the Beautiful. Check this link for more information.