What to do in Westminster and Denver during a COVID winter

Written by Rhiana Bilderaya

Photo by Joe Fisk

As we enter into the second year of the pandemic with a few months of winter left, we are all looking for activities to get us safely out of the house. Here are a few ideas that will keep us and others safe while also avoiding some stir craziness. 

1. You can check out the Denver Botanic Gardens on a nicer day. Everyone wears masks throughout the Gardens, and it can be a nice place to walk around.
2. We’ve been having an unseasonably mild winter, so if you want to do an outside but lower cost activity, you and some friends can have a picnic at a park. Wash Park in Denver or Westminster Center Park are both great options to have a picnic on a 50-degree or warmer day.
3. If you’re feeling really adventurous, you can try snowshoeing or hiking 20 minutes outside of Westminster or Denver. There are a lot of trail options for this, available at All Trails.
4. If you want to support local businesses, you can find a local coffee shop, grab coffee and pastries to go, and sit outside while you enjoy your treats. Navah Coffee House  or Zoe’s Coffee Shop  in Westminster both have great reviews. Coffee For The People in Denver is a nonprofit, and proceeds go to their owner Pangaea World Foundation, which works to help accelerate the rescue of people, animals, and natural ecosystems around the world.
5. You can head to the 16th Street Mall or Broadway in Denver and walk around window shopping. Westminster also has a small downtown area worth checking out. If you like anything you see, it’s probably available, as long as you wear a mask!

Even though a COVID-19 winter can be challenging at times, there are safe ways to get out of the house and support some local businesses while we wait for widespread vaccination.