Beaches Near Denver

Denver sits in the middle of a landlocked state, at the confluence of the dry Southwest, the Great Plains and the massive Rocky Mountains. It comes as no great surprise then that the city is not a tropical, sugar sand beach destination. Nevertheless, there are some appealing beaches in close proximity to the city. Their under-the-radar status means they won't be crowded with spring breakers and other revelers. Instead, you'll likely find a few families and sun worshipers taking advantage of a warm day by the water.

Cherry Creek State Park

• Cherry Creek State Park is a favorite summer destination for Denver residents hoping to beat the heat. The park is located in Aurora, just 15 miles south of Denver on I-25. The main attraction is an 800-acre reservoir surrounded by golden prairie and backed by the towering Rocky Mountains. The park has a small sand beach for sunbathing or diving into the lake's refreshing water. The beach is backed by trees that provide some shade if the afternoon sun becomes too intense. Visitors come for a range of other activities, like sailing, boating, fishing and jet skiing. Hikers can access more than 12 miles of trails through the rolling landscape.

Bear Creek Lake Park

• Bear Creek Lake Park surrounds a small lake in Lakewood, 14 miles southwest of Denver. The lake, situated in rolling terrain, sits close to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. There is a small, semicircular swimming beach on the lake surrounded by deciduous trees that burst with color in the fall. The lake is popular with fishers, who angle for rainbow trout, saugeye, small-mouth bass and yellow perch. The park hosts a water ski school in summer, and visitors can take lessons or rent equipment for their own use. The park's 2,600 acres are crisscrossed by multi-use trails for hikers, bikers and horseback riders.

Chatfield State Park

• Also southwest of Denver, Chatfield State Park encompasses a horseshoe-shaped lake that backs up to the Rocky Mountain foothills. The lake is about 20 miles from Denver, in Littleton. The narrow beach, open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, leads gently to the shallow lake, making it ideal for visitors with small children or dogs. Other lake activities include water skiing, boating, fishing and model airplane flying. Visitors can rent boats or park their own at the marina. The park also features a floating restaurant in the middle of the lake; kayaks, canoes and motorboats can moor at the restaurant.

Farther Afield

• There are several beaches in Colorado located farther away from Denver. Blue Mesa Reservoir, a 20-mile-long lake near Gunnison, is a welcome oasis in this dry part of the state. Grand Lake, near Rocky Mountain National Park, is a scenic spot for swimming in warmer months, after the lake has thawed from a cold winter. Medano Creek, in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, sports a seasonal beach among the sand dunes; it is accessible after the snow melts. Boulder Reservoir, near the town of Boulder, is backed by the stunning Flatirons, a series of rock formations. Jackson Lake State Park offers one of the few places to swim in arid eastern Colorado.

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Things to Do in Denver in December That Don't Involve Snow

Denver sits within striking distance of the impressive Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The vibrant Mile High City has plenty to offer visitors, even during the frigid winter. Travelers who are unfamiliar with -- or uninterested in -- snow-related activities can keep busy with museum and brewery visits, shopping and exploring Denver's neighborhoods.

Museums

• Denver's many museums keep travelers occupied on many a snowy day. Top picks include the Denver Art Museum, which stands out among the staid glass-and-steel buildings of downtown. The futuristic, angular building houses a massive collection of Native American art and artifacts, along with 68,000 other art pieces. The U.S. Mint, still active today, offers free tours showing the money-making process. And the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, the country's fourth-largest museum, houses exhibits that range from gemstones to Colorado wildlife dioramas to dinosaur and space exhibitions. The museum also features an IMAX theater showing multiple screenings a day.

Shopping

• Denver's shopping ranges from large malls of major brand-name retailers to small boutiques with handmade goods. The Cherry Creek Shopping District, with its 500 department stores, is one way to shop away a snowy December day. The complex includes upscale retailers like Nordstrom and Tiffany, plus numerous cafes, spas and galleries. Denver's renowned Tattered Cover Bookstore sits in the LoDo -- or Lower Downtown -- district. The bookstore's staff write comment cards for various books to help readers make informed purchases. Downtown's bustling Larimer Square is packed with restaurants, cafes and shops that include upscale home decor, fashion and jewelry stores.

Other Attractions

• Beyond museums, Denver's other major attractions include the golden-domed Colorado State Capitol building, whose west steps stand at precisely 5,280 feet -- 1 mile -- above sea level. Visitors can explore the historic building on free weekday tours, climb the rotunda for views of the snowcapped Rocky Mountains and sit in on a legislative session. Denver also has a zoo and aquarium, both located downtown. The Downtown Aquarium holds over 1 million gallons of aquatic exhibits, and the Denver Zoo consists of exhibits with 3,500 different animals.

Breweries

• Denver -- and Colorado as a whole -- is renowned for its breweries. Downtown's Wynkoop Brewery is a large restaurant and brewpub. Patrons can sample from a long list of beers made on site, including the unique Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout. In the nearby town of Golden, visitors can take the Coors Brewery Tour, which gives an overview of how beer is made at the world's largest brewery. Hit multiple microbreweries in one swoop with the Denver Microbrew Tour, a guided walking tour of the downtown area that mixes history with beer sampling.

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