Drupalgängers

Drupalgängers is the name of our program for companions to DrupalCon attendees. Although not attending DrupalCon, Drupalgängers will get to socialize with others and explore Denver.

If your spouse, significant other or friend is attending DrupalCon and you're looking to have some fun outside of the conference, then Drupalgängers is for you. On the other hand, if you're attending DrupalCon and bringing a non-Drupal-nerd along to Denver with you, then let them know they can go have some fun with the Drupalgängers while you attend the conference.

Drupalgänger events are meant to be fun for adults and children alike.

DrupalGangers Schedule

Anybody wishing to participate should meet at the Colorado Convention Center Blue Bear Cafe near the Main Entrance at 10:00 am. Bus routes will be used for those places not able to get to on foot. Bus Fare is $2.25 per Ride but can Transfer from bus to bus in 60 minutes or less / Book of ten Tickets is $20

Tuesday, March 20th

Molly Brown House Museum/ bus route

This structure was home to the "Unsinkable" Molly Brown, who gained her nickname by surviving the sinking of the Titanic. The home is fully restored and furnished with period pieces. Known for her flamboyance, Molly Brown was a formidable woman in Denver society.

Cost: $8 for Adults / $4 for Children
** Reservations may need to be made. Please let me know if you would like to do this and I will make a reservation for a group.
Google Map

U.S. Mint/on Foot

Learn how to make money! The Mint produces 50 million coins a day, each one stamped with a little "D" for Denver. Free tours show every step in the process of turning a dull, blank, metal slug into shiny pocket change. Located Three Blocks from the Denver art Museum

Cost : Free
Google Map

Reservation has been made for 2pm for a limited number of people. (a reservation has been made for Monday at 2 pm for those who will be in town and wish to go on Monday, Tours are full for the rest of the week)

Denver Art Museum /on Foot

There are two buildings - one a fortress-like structure from Italian architect Gio Ponti, the other, a structure that resembles a titanium crystal with peaks and shards designed by Daniel Libeskind. Inside, find the world's greatest collection of Native American art and 68,000 other art objects, including works from European masters, Old West classics and phenomenal traveling exhibits.

Cost: $13 for Adults/ $5 for Children (CO residence $10 for Adults/ $3 for Children)
Google Map

The Clyfford Still Museum/ on Foot

Clyfford Still is considered one of the most important painters of the 20th century, was among the first generation of Abstract Expressionist artists. The museum, which opened at the end of 2011, was founded to promote the late artist's work and legacy. Still's estate - 2,400 artworks - has been sealed off from the public since 1980. Located next to the Denver Art Museum.

Cost: $10 for Adults/ $3 for Children
Google Map

Wednesday, March 21st

Cherry Creek Shopping District/ On Bus
www.shopcherrycreek.com, www.cherrycreeknorth.com

More than 500 department stores, boutiques, galleries, spas, and one-of-a-kind shops grace this browsing paradise - the largest concentration of stores between St. Louis and San Francisco. Cherry Creek Shopping Center is an ultra upscale mall with Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Tiffany's, while across 1st Ave., Cherry Creek North offers tree-line streets with cafes, spas and galleries amidst fountains and public art.

Cost: Free
Google Map

Denver Botanic Gardens, On Bus, weather Permitting

This 23-acre oasis in the middle of the city has 45 different gardens (some 33,000 plants), as well as one of the nation's top 10 conservatories. Relax in the Japanese Garden, climb through the Rock Alpine Garden and explore the new Mordecai Children's Garden.

Cost: $12.50 for Adults/ $9 for Children
Google Map

Chessman Park, On Bus, walkable from Botanical Gardens

In the late 19th century, the land that is now Cheesman Park was Prospect Hill Cemetery, which also included the land that is now the Denver Botanical Garden and Congress Park further east. The long-disused cemetery was converted to a park which opened in 1907. The little Denver park is rumored to be haunted.
Writer and playwright Russell Hunter said in a 1980 interview said he based many elements from The Changeling on experiences from his first months in Denver in 1968, while living in a large house at 1739 East 13th Avenue on the northern edge of Cheesman Park. The house was razed in the 1970s and a condominium building now stands on the site. The house the film centers on is called the Chessman House, a nod to the park's name.

Cost: Free
Google Map

The following is an alternate if weather is bad:

Tattered Cover Book Store/ 16th Street Mall/ on foot

The Tattered Cover Book Store began as a small store with only 950 square feet of retail space in the Cherry Creek North district of Denver, Colorado. It has grown for 40 years into one of the premier independent bookstores in America with 3 expansive locations in the greater Denver Metro area. Very Unique Book Store.

Cost: Free
Google Map

Lunch at Old Spaghetti Factory/ on foot

1215 18th Street, Denver, CO 80202

The uniqueness of an Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant's location is matched by the creativeness of its interior decor. Old Spaghetti Factory is dedication to serving exceptional food at affordable prices in an extraordinary atmosphere of antiques and fun.

Cost: $8-12 per person
Google Map

Sakura Square/ on foot

Sakura Square is a small plaza located on the east side of the intersection of 19th Street and Larimer Street in Denver, Colorado. The square contains busts of Ralph L. Carr, Governor of Colorado from 1939 to 1943, Minoru Yasui, a Japanese-American lawyer, and Yoshitaka Tamai (1900 - 1983), a Buddhist priest who lived in Denver. Sakura Square also has a small Japanese garden, and it serves as the entrance to the 20-story Tamai Tower apartment building that occupies most of the block. There are several shops and restaurants in the ground and first floors of the apartment building. As well as a very nice Pacific Mercantile Grocery and Japanese Shop.

Cost: Free
Google Map

Forney Transportation Museum/ on Bus

This facility began as the private automobile collection of J.D. Forney, a Colorado inventor and manufacturer who had a passion for all things mechanical. However, it soon became an assemblage of all things transportation-related, including horse-drawn carriages, locomotives, motorcycles, and bicycles. Forney finally decided that his collection was actually a museum and opened it to the public. Highlights include a Big Boy Locomotive, Denver's only cable car, Prince Aly Khan's Rolls Royce, and Amelia Earhart's "Gold Bug" Kissel.

Cost: $8 for Adults/ $4 for Children
Google Map

Thursday, March 22nd

Denver Museum of Natural Science/ on bus

This museum has the largest draw of any cultural exhibit in the region. Denver Museum of Natural History offers an exhilarating look at the history of life on planet earth and also provides an overview of the universe. Exhibits topics include insects, gems and minerals, wildlife of Colorado and the world, and North American Indian cultures. Combine the museum with a visit to the IMAX Theater located on the premises.

Cost: $12 for Adults/ $6 for Children
Google Map

The Denver Zoo / on bus, walkable from Denver Museum of Natural Science

The Denver Zoo, as it currently exists, arose from humble beginnings - the gift, in 1896, of a young black bear to the mayor. From this small start, the zoo has mushroomed into an 80-acre refuge housing approximately 4000 animals. Habitats that mimic in-the-wild conditions shelter animal residents, who include great cats, primates, reptiles, birds, elephants, fish, and no small number of endangered species. A painting rhino is one of the zoo's unusual denizens. The facility has also gained fame for its conservation efforts. Located in Denver's City Park, the main entrance is on 23rd Ave between Colorado Blvd and York Street.

Cost: $15 for Adults/ $10 for Children
Google Map

Friday, March 23rd

The Downtown Aquarium/ on bus or by foot

The entertainment and dining complex features a public aquarium boasting more than a million gallons of underwater exhibits that highlight fascinating ecosystems around the world. Downtown Aquarium houses over 500 species of animals, the interactive Stingray Reef touch tank, Aquarium Restaurant, Dive Lounge, the Nautilus Ballroom and amusements for the entire family.

Cost: $17 for Adults $10 for Children
Google Map

Children's Museum of Denver/ On Bus but next to Downtown Aquarium

Right next to the Denver Aquarium, The Children's Museum is an educational, creative and spectacularly interactive engaging museum for the younger set and it is chock-block with myriad exhibits, playscapes, and hands-on activities. Kids can shop in a makeshift grocery store and even play the part of the cashier, or brush up on their science quotient in the brand new Bubble laboratory. Curious toddlers have their own space in which to race around, while wide-eyed infants can let their imaginations come to life in the Center for the Young Child, safe, soft and quiet area that is the perfect place for playful interaction between you and your child.

Cost: $8 per person
Google Map

Other places of interest for those who wish to just see some sights without going to museums, The Park Meadows Mall is very nice and easy to get to from the Light Rail. It's a very nice indoor Mall with nice shops and a large mountain retreat interior atmosphere. Lots of little rock places and large animal statuary for kids to play on or to sit and relax, indoor and out. Boulder Pearl Street walking outdoor mall with unusual and unique Shops. Take the B or BX RTD bus route all the way to the end of the line. Colorado State Capital Building, Free tours off of the 16th Street Mall.

Colorado mountains