Fun in Denver--with two kids and too little cash!

The Hammond's Candies factory tour is VERY popular! The free tours depart every 20 minutes, and about 3 dozen people are allowed on a tour. The day we went, every tour was full---people just kept streaming through the doors!

Nevertheless, be warned that the Hammond's factory is a bit hard to find. First of all, we went to the address listed in my 2004 guidebook---only to find that the factory was no longer at that location. After making a phone call, we learned the new address (at 5735 N. Washington St., where they moved about 14 months ago). We still couldn't find the factory easily, and, as it turned out, it's set back from Washington Street behind another building. But, we're glad that we persevered, because my grandchildren loved the tour.

If you go, you will start out in the reception/waiting rooms. While waiting for your tour group to be called, you can look around at the displays---antique candy-making equipment and memorabilia---or get a snack at the snack bar. When your group is called, you will first go into a screening room to see a short film about the company and the candy-making process. Next, the tour group gets a look (from behind a long row of windows) at the candy-makers performing their craft. All the while, the group's tour guide gives interesting facts about candy making---all very interesting, but there are way too many facts to remember them all! Myself, I was particularly interested that the cooks have to work with the candy on heated tables during the candy-shaping process---or else the candy would cool too fast and no longer be pliable. There can be no air-conditioning, either, because the cool air would also prematurely harden the candy. Therefore, temperatures in the candy-making room are generally 90°F to 100°F, and can get even hotter on a toasty summer day! After watching the candy makers at work, you will move into the packaging and shipping room. The day we were there, workers were putting wrapped candy into boxes by hand. Then the tour was over and we were led into the beautifully decorated gift shop. It was fun just to browse and explore! There were so many attractive and colorful displays---and items to purchase, of course! There's also an area with various hard candies you can sample, but, sadly, none of the chocolate candies are included in this free-sample area.

The Celestial Seasonings (herbal tea) factory tour is oriented toward adults, but my grandchildren enjoyed it nevertheless. (I had also taken this same tour in the mid-1990s with my two sons--who were teenagers at the time--and they enjoyed it too. First of all, I'll warn you that the Celestial Seasonings plant is a bit hard to find. Luckily, they have a pre-recorded "directions" line, which we called several times on our cell phone as we drove toward the factory. When we arrived at Celestial Seasonings, it didn't look too crowded, but still, we had an hour-long wait for our tour! About three dozen people can tour in each group, but there's only one tour given each hour. (One exception--tours are sometimes added at the end of the day to accommodate people who have arrived before the last tour of the day--which is at 3pm--only to find that the tours are already filled up. On the day we went, a tour group was added for 3:15pm because of the crowd.)

During our hour-long wait, we did have several interesting things to do. First of all, we headed for the free "tea sampling" area. There's a wide choice of tea samples to try. Several teas are pre-brewed and waiting in dispensers. On the other hand, hot water is also provided, so you can select your own favorite tea from several dozen boxes set out for you. My grandchildren--neither of whom have ever enjoyed herbal teas--"went crazy" trying out the different flavors! Next, we enjoyed looking at the cute decorations in the building. My granddaughter, age 5, particularly enjoyed snuggling in the life-sized stuffed "Sleepytime Bear." Next, we strolled about the herb garden and learned what some of our favorite herbs actually look like when they're growing. Finally, it was time for our tour. First, we saw an introductory film about the history of the company. Next, we got to enter the factory--but, alas, we were disappointed. We were touring on a Saturday, and no tea is processed over the weekend. So the bulk of our tour--besides looking at machinery lying still--was a question-and-answer session held by our tour guide.

I was particularly interested to learn that "Sleepytime" tea is the company's #1 best-seller, and that my personal favorite (peppermint tea) ranks #5 in sales. A part of every tour is a journey into the "mint room" where the peppermint is stored away from all of the other herbs, to keep the mint's strong flavor from tainting the other, more delicate, ingredients. My, how that room clears up a stuffy nose! When the tour was finished, we each received a packet of four sample tea bags and then were led into the gift shop. The displays were beautiful, and the products were intriguing. I thought the prices were a bit steep though. The deck of cards I had wanted was $6, so I just didn't buy them.

I've been to a number of historical replicas throughout the USA, and this is one of my favorites. The museum--which is largely outdoors--showcases pioneer life during two time periods, the 1860s and the 1890s. In addition, a new visitor center (which just opened in February 2005) houses exhibits of antiques and art, plus a children's hands-on play-and-learn center. My grandchildren loved the kid’s center, with its 1890s play kitchen, computer games, and other touchable exhibits. Yet, they also loved the 1860s farm every bit as well. This is one museum where kids don't need to "stay still." They can rove from the old-fashioned cabin to the barn, to the sheep fold, to the garden... and there isn't anything they can break or harm.

Costumed guides give demonstrations (although the museum really needs more of them than the four who were there when we visited). We were able to see a weaving demonstration and horses being hitched to a wagon and taken for a ride. When we got to the 1960s one-room school house, the kids enjoyed playing school, tending the wood stove and using the real McGuffey's Reader. Next, we went to the 1890s area, where we toured the home, the barns, and the workshop. The grandkids particularly enjoyed watching the antics of the pigs wallowing in their mud hole and getting to see two cows up close and personal. Myself, I enjoyed musing about what it would be like to have to cook meals on the home's old-fashioned wood-fired stove!

The bulk of the Colorado Railroad Museum consists of a large outdoor area featuring scads of railroad engines and cars. (Their website says that there are over 70 cars on 14 acres.) As we drove up, all the railroad cars were plainly visible. Of course, my grandkids, ages 5 and 9, were clamoring to get right to them. Well, I was glad the kids were excited---I wasn't sure that they'd enjoy this attraction. But indeed they did! They wanted to physically climb onto each and every engine and car. I couldn't keep up with them! After awhile, we got to the picnic and children's play area. There was an engine on display with a bell to ring, knobs to turn, and things to push and pull. There, my grandkids met up with other visiting children and got involved in a game of make-believe. The whole purpose of the visit was to make them happy, so I just sat on a nearby bench and enjoyed watching the group of youngsters get "into" their game. (As I sat on the bench, an adult railroad enthusiast strolled by me. He was telling someone on the other end of this cell phone that he was "in heaven" here at the museum!)

After my grandkids' playmates left, we steered them into the museum building, because, if we left them to their own devices, they would have kept climbing onto and off railroad cars forever. Inside the building, we saw displays of railroad historical info and memorabilia, a working HO scale model railroad (which seemed to be a favorite of adult and child visitors alike), a Morse code exhibit, and a "penny squisher," which, for a $0.50 fee, stamped a drawing of a locomotive onto my grandson's penny. We missed seeing the introductory video, the library of 10,000 books about railroading, and the train ride (which wasn't running that day.) As we left, we toured the gift shop, which sells a wide variety of items, both for kids and serious train buffs.

By the way, the museum is easy to find. Signs on I-70 tell you which exit to take, and other signs guide you once you leave the interstate.

While many adults are aware of the famous Red Rocks Amphitheater, not everyone realizes that this amphitheater sits in the middle of Denver County's Red Rocks Park. Red Rocks Park is a great destination for scenery buffs (who enjoy the beautiful rock formations), athletes (who enjoy hiking the park's trails), and, of course, kids. We started this trip by exiting route C-470 at the town of Morrison. Morrison is a cute, old-fashioned village that's popular as a strolling and shopping area. Just driving through this quaint, tiny town is a pleasure. Past the village center, we took Park Entrance no. 3, which, I feel, leads to the most beautiful of the park's red-rock formations. (Once you enter, follow the signs to the "upper south parking lot," where you'll see some gorgeous views.)

After enjoying the natural scenery along this road, we made our way to the "top circle parking lot," which is the closest parking lot to the visitor center. The center, like the park itself, is free. My favorite exhibit was discovering which musical groups have played at the famous amphitheater. My grandkids, ages 5 and 9, most enjoyed seeing the dinosaur exhibit. (Red Rocks Park sits adjacent to Dinosaur Ridge, an area where many fossils have been found.)

Next, we toured the amphitheater itself. It's a gorgeous venue. One doesn't need a musical performance in order to enjoy it--it's just a joy unto itself. We climbed down the zillions of stairs to explore the stage itself. It was fun standing where the musicians stand, imagining what it would be like to play there in that spot! Climbing back UP the zillion stairs to the parking lot... now, that was a workout! We certainly didn't feel the need to find a hiking trail after that!

Next, we headed to the picnic shelter to eat our little feast. The views on all sides were spectacular. After eating, the kids enjoyed exploring the little trails around the picnic area.

Last, we headed to the Trading Post. We enjoyed looking at the wide variety of Red Rocks souvenirs on sale. We checked out the snack bar, too--and we were glad that we had picnicked! A 20-ounce bottle of soda sells there for $2.50 (which is funny, because I noticed the same bottles for only $1.50 at the visitor center)!

We left the park with happy kids, and we hadn't spent any cash, except for the gas to get there!