The Denver Botanic Gardens is one of the attractions with free days in 2012

The Science and Facilities Cultural District recently released its list of 2012 free days at the Denver Art Museum, the Denver Zoo, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, the Denver Botanic Gardens, and the Denver Center for Performing Arts!

You’re probably aware that most museums and cultural institutions in Denver charge an admission fee, but you may not know that you already contribute to a special tax district called the Science and Facilities Cultural District, which helps pay for free days at some of Denver’s biggest attractions.  The SCFD is a 1/10 of 1% sales tax on purchases in the Denver metropolitan area, and it raises approximately $40 million dollars annually for hundreds of government and nonprofit scientific and cultural organizations.  It also helps fund free days at our biggest institutions to ensure that culture remains accessible to all.

Below is the list of 2012 free days at Denver museums and attractions!

The Good Life Denver is written by David Schlichter.  To stay in the loop, like The Good Life Denver on Facebook and follow @thegoodlifeden on Twitter.

A subscription to 5280 Magazine ($9.95): I’ve always enjoyed reading articles from 5280 online, but I couldn’t be happier with my decision to subscribe to the printed version of 5280 Magazine.  It is chock full of timely, informative, interesting, and relevant articles relating to Denver.  The quality of the writing is consistently Good.  And 5280 is similar to National Geographic–it’s the kind of magazine you want to have stacks of lying around the house for friends and visitors to read through.  Those who are just visiting will want to move here, and people who already live here will find useful information on local food, activities, events, people, and more.  Right now the magazine is offering a special holiday rate of $9.95 for 12 issues–give it to a friend and subscribe for yourself, too.  You won’t regret it.

An “upcycled” accessory made from used Colorado microbrewery 6-pack containers ($10-$20): Mindy Humphrey takes used 6 pack containers that would normally end up in a dumpster or recycling bin and “upcycles” them into neat accessories such as wallets and purses for her shop on Etsy.com.  The shop already includes many products derived from Colorado microbrewery 6-pack containers, but if she doesn’t have one from your giftee’s favorite brewery, just send her a 6-pack box and she’ll custom-make the product you request…and mail it to you with free shipping.  A great gift for the beer connoisseur, or for your buddy whose wallet is falling apart.

A bottle of Leopold Bros. booze ($20-$35): If there’s a friend or family member you’d like to give a nice bottle of liquor to, consider something from Leopold Bros. Distillery.  Todd and Scott Leopold grew up in Colorado and, after a brief stint in Ann Arbor Michigan, are back home distilling award-winning liquor and liqueurs.  Leopold’s Gin is the best gin I’ve had in my lifetime, the Rocky Mountain Blackberry Liqueur is phenomenal, and their American Small-Batch Whiskey is quite Good as well (for more on what distinguishes them from the pack, see my recent article about Leopold Bros. here).  Hopefully your giftee will not only appreciate the quality of the liquor, but will also share some of the holiday “spirit!”

The Eat Denver Dining Deck ($50):  Eat Denver is an independent restaurant association made up of some of the best independent restaurants in Denver.  They believe that camaraderie and collaboration is essential to elevating the unique dining scene and food culture in Denver.  Eat Denver has put together a Dining Deck featuring 52 $10 gift cards to local restaurants such as Root Down, Steuben’s, Luca d’Italia, Olivea, H Burger, Snooze, Wynkoop Brewery, and more.  Talk about a Good deal, the deck is a whopping $520 value, and it only costs you $50!

A gift basket from the Women’s Bean Project ($10-$66.50):  I’m a big fan of the Women’s Bean Project.  Located in downtown Denver, the organization takes a small group of chronically unemployed low-income women and provides them with a steady job, job skills, and a supportive environment.  “Since 1989 we have been helping women break the cycle of poverty and unemployment.  We are a nonprofit organization that teaches job readiness and life skills for entry-level jobs through employment in our gourmet food production and handmade jewelry manufacturing businesses.  Women come with the goal of transforming their lives and moving toward self sufficiency.”  The Women’s Bean Project is a Good cause to support, and, what’s more, their products are delicious!

A gift certificate to Mile-Hi Skydiving Center ($209 tandem): Has your friend or loved one ever gone skydiving?  How do you think they would feel about jumping out of a plane 17,500 feet in the air and free-falling at 130 MPH next to Long’s Peak and the Rocky Mountains?  Hopefully pretty Good if you’re considering getting them this gift.  Located in Longmont, Mile-Hi Skydiving Center is the only full-time skydiving operation within 100 miles of the Denver/Boulder metropolitan areas.  For $209, they’ll take your giftee for a flight he or she will never forget!

A GoPro HD Hero 2 ($299):  GoPro video cameras can be attached to you ski helmet, your mountain bike, your car, your surfboard, your arm–pretty much anything, and they shoot incredible videos.  See this one of a skier setting off an avalanche as he skis off a cliff, launches a parachute, and is able to float safely to the ground and this one of a mountain biker in South Africa who gets rammed in the head by a gazelle while riding full speed down a single track trail.  I don’t know about you, but if I ever get rammed in the head by a gazelle while mountain biking or trigger an avalanche while skiing of a cliff, I want it on video.  This is the device to capture it.

A “gift that says you care” ($5-$300):  Nicholas Kristof recently posted an article in the New York Times highlighting organizations doing Good work all over the world that could benefit from a holiday gift.  For $5 you can buy a mosquito net that will protect people from getting malaria, for $25 you can buy a pair of glasses for someone in need, for $30 you can buy a flock of chickens for a hungry family, and for $300 you can stock a fish pond.  Why am I including these items on a Good Denver gift ideas list?  Because we, in Denver, care.

A dog…make that a BIG dog ($375 suggested donation): Denver is a dog city.  Everyone and their brother has a dog here, and if you don’t one, the holidays might be the perfect time to change that.  Two years ago I posted an article about Big Dogs Huge Paws, a local nonprofit that rescues, rehabilitates, fosters, and offers for adoption big dogs such as Great Danes and Mastiffs.  Similar to humans, the bigger and older a dog is, the harder it is to find someone to adopt it.  In spite of the difficulties associated with rescuing these dogs, Big Dogs Huge Paws is successfully implementing its program that ensures that their big dogs are given proper medical care, rehabilitated as necessary, placed with well-trained foster parents, and adopted by loving families that understand the unique needs of large breed dogs.  Right now BDHP has more than 50 big dogs awaiting permanent homes, such as Argent (see picture, above left), a seven year-old Great Dane.  Look at those ears!!

A pair of locally-made skis from Icelantic Boards ($475-$999):  Colorado is supposed to get between 100-115% of its average snowfall this winter, but that snow, needless to say, has been late to arrive to the I-70 corridor.  Though this is frustrating for all of us yearning for face shots of powder right now, it does mean that there is still time to get a friend or loved one a pair of locally-made Icelantic skis (or now a splitboard–see my article here) before the arrival of deep powder.  I have had a pair of the Shamans (see photo of this year’s version, left) since 2008 and can tell you with total confidence that few other powder boards would get your giftee more excited to shred the gnar.  If the new boards are out of your price range, look for boards from the ’10-’11 and ’09-10 lines online for steep discounts!

That’s all 10 Good Denver gift ideas, but I saved one more just for you since you read all the way to the bottom.  Give the gift of a Good home!  No, you don’t have to your friend a house, but if your friend or loved one is looking to purchase a home, I work full-time as a Denver real estate agent and would love to deliver an excellent homebuying experience to them.  Visit www.milehighpropertyguy.com for more information.

The Good Life Denver is written by David Schlichter.  To stay in the loop, like The Good Life Denver on Facebook and follow @thegoodlifeden on Twitter.

The Good Life Denver is written by David Schlichter.  To stay in the loop, like The Good Life Denver on Facebook and follow @thegoodlifeden on Twitter.

But as more and more deal sites pop up, deal fatigue is beginning to set in.  Those who give their non-junk email address to deal sites find themselves overwhelmed by 30+ deal emails per week, and many of those emails feature deals that have nothing to do with the subscriber’s interests (for instance, men getting offers for facials and mani/pedis).  Those who don’t give their non-junk email address but want to stay in the loop find themselves manually checking multiple sites per day, or being frustrated by missing Good Deals.

Some of the many choices you can make when selecting your deal preferences from yipit.com

I was surprised when Google entered the daily deal space as a deal source instead of sticking with its bread and butter: searches.  Considering the abundance of daily deal sites (with the number of sites only growing), I would have thought Google would prefer to serve as an aggregator, earning (tons of) revenue by being the central clearing house for all of the deals in a given city.  What’s Google’s loss is Yipit’s and consumers’ gain.

Yipit.com is a website that consolidates hundreds of deal sites and allows you to customize the type of deals you’d like to see based on your interests. Not interested in getting a facial?  No problem.  Getting enough sun in the Mile-High City?  You can ensure that tanning deals never show up.  Yipit is a simple, easy-to-use site that eliminates the hassle of trying to keep up with the overabundance of deal sites and ensures that you get only the kinds of deals you like, as often as you like getting them.  You can choose between getting an email once a day, twice a week, once a week, or never.

Instead of checking multiple deal sites a day or getting multiple deal emails per day, make your life easier and try out www.yipit.com–you’ll have more time to live The Good Life Denver!

[Note: Just as there are many deal sites out there, there are several deal aggregators out there as well.  I think Yipit offers the most user-friendly interface, but two other notable deal aggregators are www.thedealmap.com and www.dealsurf.com.]

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10/27/11 UPDATE:

While this article was being published Google announced that it has partnered with 14 online deal sites to offer more deals and also is adding a deal personalization feature.  Though this new expanded service is only currently available in San Fransisco, it seems Google has started to wisen up.  I believe the site that aggregates the most deals in the most user-friendly way will be the most successful.  Yipit and Google, let the games begin!  From Google:

We’re making improvements to Google Offers that help address this challenge. First, we’re delivering more amazing deals from a bunch of new categories including outdoor adventure sports, luxury experiences, family-friendly events, classes and more. We’re also introducing a personalization quiz to help you find just the deal you want, all in one place.

Google Offers subscribers in the San Francisco Bay Area will have access to these new deals, and the quiz is now available in all cities. We’ll gradually roll out an expanded offers inventory to new cities in the months to come.

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11/16/11 UPDATE:

Making its service even more user-accessible, Yipit released an iPhone/iPad app today.  The app can be downloaded for free here.

Every time a new article is posted on The Good Life Denver, you’ll see a link pop up on Facebook or Twitter.  Save yourself some hassle and follow TGLD!

LivingSocial has a Good Deal and Event available right now for a bouldering party with barbeque and beers at The Spot, a climbing gym in Boulder. For $25, you get a two hour bouldering session with blacklights and music, two drink tickets, and a barbeque dinner.  There also will be a costume contest with prizes.  Through LivingSocial, your ticket is %50 off at $25, and given that a day pass to The Spot normally costs $16, this is definitely a Good Deal.  This party takes place this Sunday, October 23rd.

But if you’re really into climbing, parties, or climbing parties, on Saturday (the day before the LivingSocial deal) The Spot will be hosting Psychedelia (see the video above), a bouldering competition with free beer and food that is “more like a party than a comp.”  Owner Dan Howley says has grown and gotten better with every year, and over a thousand people are expected to show up for this black-lit climbing fiasco.  Entrance to Psychedelia is $35.

Enjoy!

For more Good Deals and Good Events in and around Denver, be sure to follow The Good Life Denver on Facebook and Twitter.

From Neptune: “No joke! We’re making way for new merchandise and you reap the benefits of getting half off previous markdowns of sale items in the store! Also, take advantage of our Gear Swap this Saturday from 3 – 5 p.m. and Loveland Ski Ticket sales on Saturday and Sunday!”

For more Good Deals in and around Denver, be sure to follow The Good Life Denver on Facebook and Twitter!

Blue Lagoon in Reykjavik, Iceland (www.visitreykjavik.is)

You might have read the article title and be asking yourself: “Iceland? Surely he meant Ireland, right?!”  My Guiness-drinking lads, Iceland was no typo.  Starting in May, Icelandair will be offering non-stop service between Denver and Reykjavik, the capitol of Iceland.

Currently there are only two non-stop flights between Denver and Europe: to/from London via British Airways, and to/from Frankfurt via Lufthansa.  This partnership between Icelandair and Denver International Airport will bring more visitors from Europe to and through Denver, it will enable travelers from Denver to connect to more than 20 destinations in Europe via Reykjavik, and if your final destination is somewhere other than Reykjavik, you can stop to spend time in Iceland at no additional charge.

Icelandair is also offering a Good Deal called the “Mile-High Getaway to Iceland” to celebrate the partnership. From $679*,  the deal includes airfare, two nights at a hotel in walking distance to a thermal beach, free breakfasts, a tour of the Reykjanes peninsula (where you’ll see lava fields, ocean coasts, bird life, fishing villages, and Blue Lagoon [see photo above left]), and a tour of Golden Circle (where you’ll see a national park, mountains, a waterfall, hot springs, and more villages).  A sample itinerary from Icelandair is below.

For other Good Ideas and Good Deals, be sure to follow The Good Life Denver on Facebook and Twitter!

SAMPLE MILE-HIGH GETAWAY TO ICELAND ITINERARY

From $679*

Day 1: Evening departure from North America

Day 2:  Early morning arrival in Iceland.  On own transfer to hotel in Reykjavik.  Guaranteed check in by 9am.  Enjoy a delicious, complimentary breakfast from the hotel.  Rest of the day open for your own activities.  Perhaps you’ll take the free shuttle bus to the Old Town Reykjavik where you can enjoy the many museums, art galleries and restaurants!  We also suggest visiting one of the outdoor geothermal public swimming pools, unique to Iceland.  It’s a great way to shake off Icelandic and to meet Icelanders.

Day 3: Breakfast at hotel.  Morning departure on fantastic day tour introducing the special natural and historical features that make Iceland so unique! Head first for the Reykjanes peninsula where the Atlantic ridge rises above the ocean.  The peninsula is marked by active volcanism under its surface, and large lava fields, allowing little vegetation. You’ll pass the lighthouse on the westernmost tip of the peninsula which is a magnificent area with rich bird life. You can hear the surf crashing against the beautiful basalt cliffs.  You’ll also see some of the charming fishing villages that thrive along the Reykjanes coast. After a short stop at the Blue Lagoon, continue to Reykjavik. From there, join the Golden Circle Afternoon tour which leaves Reykjavik at 1pm.

Start by visiting Þingvellir, Iceland’s first National Park and site of the oldest Parliament in the world.  This is also where the tectonic plates of the European and North American continents meet in a curious ridge.  Then continue onwards to view the majestic and beautiful glacial waterfall Gullfoss and the incredible spouting hot springs of Geysir and Strokkur.  On our way back, we stop at Hveragerði village with its numerous greenhouses before travelling over the mountain heath Hellisheiði back to Reykjavik.   Tour is about 9 hours.  Return to Reykjavik, around 6pm.  Lunch is not included but the tour will stop in a place where there are various lunch options.

Note:  Since the emphasis is on experiencing the many wonders of the Reykjanes peninsula , the stop at the Blue Lagoon does not allow leisurely  time for swimming.  If you are interested in spending more time at the Lagoon, we suggest you add a transfer back to the airport on your last day that stops at the Blue Lagoon.  This includes admission and you can relax for a few hours before heading to the airport.

Day 4:  Breakfast at hotel.  Morning open for own activities.  On own transfer to airport for late afternoon departure to North America.

*See airline for applicable fees and taxes.

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Deal-seekers are already camped out over a block and a half for this year's SNIAGRAB sale

The thought of camping out for days outside of Sports Authority in downtown Denver doesn’t strike me as particularly appealing, it does remind me of how Good the Labor Day sales are going to be this weekend–particularly for winter sports gear.  With sales such as SNIAGRAB, SKI REX, and Powder Daze offering up to 75% off of last year’s winter sports gear, if you need to buy anything ski or snowboard related: this is the weekend to do it. If you want to buy flip flops or reserve a breakfast entree at Chick-fil-A, this is also the weekend to do it. Below are Good 2011 Labor Day Deals in Denver.  Happy shopping!

Good 2011 Labor Day Deals in Denver:

• REI (August 26-September 5): REI’s annual Labor Day sale features 30% off all camp furniture, 20% off Yakima and Thule gear, up to 50% off sandals/flip flops, up to 25% off selected bikes, 15% off selected kayaks and canoes, %15 off BOB strollers, and more.
• SNIAGRAB (September 1-September 18): SNIAGRAB is considered by many to be the best sale on winter sports gear in Denver–featuring up to 75% off 2010 and 2011 gear such as skis, snowboards, jackets, and gloves at Sports Authority (1000 Broadway).  SNIAGRAB starts on September 3rd, but (new this year to SNIAGRAB) you can get VIP access and go on September 1st or 2nd just by signing up for Sports Authority’s email list.  SNIAGRAB veterans know that getting there early means getting some of the best deals, so be sure to sign up for VIP access!
• Epic Pass (Price guaranteed through September 5th): The Epic Pass is the best ski pass in Colorado.  It costs $649 for unlimited access to Vail, Breckenridge, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, Heavenly (California), and Northstar (Lake Tahoe).  This year, $5 from each pass purchase will be donated to St. Jude Childen’s Research Hospital.  Buy the pass this Labor Day weekend in select stores and receive a $50 coupon to the store.
• SKI REX (September 3-September 18): Colorado Ski & Golf offers a huge sale featuring 30-75% off winter gear, similar to SNIAGRAB.  This sale features a Good program called Junior Trade-In, in which kids can rent a used snow board/set of skis, boots, and bindings for $114.99 for the season or rent a set of new equipment for $100 more.  Ski Rex’s signature event is located under a super-sized tent at Colorado Ski & Golf’s 2650 S. Havana location.
• Powder Daze (August 26-September 5): Christy Sports’ sale offers up to 70% off winter gear.  If you buy a Copper Mountain 4 Pack or Winter Park 4 Pass at this sale, they will give you an extra day free.  This year, the sale will be at a new location: 9555 East County Line Road, 80112 in Englewood.
• Wilderness Exchange (Ongoing): Wildyx doesn’t have a Labor Day Sale going on, but they currently have lots of closeouts and deals on Chacos, Smith helmets and goggles, and more.
• Chick-fil-A (September 6-September 10): If you like Chick-fil-A, you can “reserve” a free breakfast entree by going to Chick-fil-A’s website and selecting time and location that works best for you.

Looking to get away from the crowds?  Check out these flight deals:

• American Airlines (Purchase by September 5): Flights to the Bahamas and South America from $70 one-way and to Europe from $276 one-way.
• Frontier Airlines (Fly September 1-September 6): Labor Day fares from $49 one-way are advertised, but they are harder to find.  Maybe you’ll be more lucky?

Need a hotel room in Denver?

• The Travel and Visitor Bureau of Denver has lots of summer coupon codes to get you Good Deals at Denver hotels.

Know of other Good 2011 Labor Day Deals in Denver?  Post them on the The Good Life Denver’s Facebook page or tweet them to @thegoodlifeden on Twitter.

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3 Denver Labor Day 2011 Facts:

1. Denver is the fourth most popular Labor Day flight destination in the United States.

2. Residents of the Rocky Mountain region are expected to travel 2.6% less this Labor Day weekend than they did last year.

3. Travelers in the Rockies are expected to spend twice this Labor Day weekend as they did last year.

Chacos are currently on sale for more than 50% off at The Clymb

Since you read this blog religiously, you already know about the The Clymb (I put up an article about the site just after it launched).  In case you forgot, The Clymb is a website that offers members-only “flash sales” pricing of up to 70% off outdoor gear. If you’re not a member yet and you love the outdoors, sign up.  It’s free, and you will get access to discounts on outdoors gear from Patagonia, Merrell, Mountain Hardware, prAna, Camelbak, Victorinox, Smith, Native, DAKINE, Reef, and many more Good outdoor gear brands.

For the next couple days, The Clymb is offering more than 50% off of Chaco footwear.  If you like the outdoors, chances are you’ve heard of or own a pair of Chacos. You know, the sandals with straps that criss-cross over your foot; they are about as iconic in the Colorado outdoors community as are Subarus.  Chacos are great footwear for hiking, rafting, climbing approaches, relaxing at a campsite, or just walking around town.  Typically, they cost $90-95, but right now you can get them on The Clymb for $45.  Happy shopping!

For more Good Deals, be sure follow The Good Life Denver on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates!

The Denver Botanic Gardens

Admission is free today at the Denver Botanic Gardens.  Here’s why:

In the early eighties, the Colorado state legislature stopped directly funding our art museum, science museum, botanic gardens, and zoo. As a result, those facilities began to charge admission fees. In 1988, voters approved the creation of a Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, a 0.1% sales tax (a penny on $10 spent) to “provide for the enlightenment and entertainment of the public through the production, presentation, exhibition, advancement, or preservation of art, music, theater, dance, zoology, botany, or natural history.” Since it’s original passage, the program has distributed $628 million in revenue, and as a result, the facilities it supports are able to put on free days.

Free days are, of course, a Good idea.  As a state and a city, we probably could do even better.  St. Louis, for example, offers free admission year-round to its world-class zoo, art museum, history museum, and science museum.  Still, Denver is off to a Good start.  Below are the remaining free days in 2011 at our major scientific and cultural facilities.

REMAINING FREE DAYS

The Water Garden at the Denver Botanic Gardens

Denver Zoo
October 12
October 20
November 6
November 12

Denver Museum of Nature and Science
September 18
September 26
October 31
November 13
December 5

Denver Art Museum
September 3
September 10
October 1
November 5
December 3

Denver Botanic Gardens (York St.)
August 29 (today)
September 26
October 10

Denver Botanic Gardens (Chatfield)
November 4

For more Good Ideas and Good Deals, be sure follow The Good Life Denver on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates!