MDTrip Report: Denver, CO

Lights of Denver at 16th Street Mall

Got the urge to go West?  We recommend a visit to Denver, Colorado.  This vibrant, thriving city situated in the midst of the Rocky Mountains is an eclectic mix of arts, outdoors, culture, history, food, shopping and more.  Widely known on the East coast as a winter sports destination - there is far more to do and see while in the Mile High City.

Denver Art Museum

We encourage you to check out a few of the prime spots we visited on our recent trip to Denver.  Starting with the Denver Art Museum located on 13th Avenue in the Civic Center Cultural Complex.  The museum architecture is as much of a work of art as the timeless pieces housed within its many facilities, galleries and studios.  We'd recommend at least the good part of day to tour the facility and to get your fill of artwork.  And, for the readers in our blog audience, conveniently located right across the Complex from the Museum is the Denver Public Library.  

Denver Public Library

So, you've had your fill of art and now it's time to decide what's for dinner!  Hop in the car and drive over to Larimer Square situated between 14th and 15th Streets in downtown Denver.  Larimer Square is district of Denver dedicated to one-of-a-kind chef-owned restaurants, unique boutiques and the like - all within a beautiful historic backdrop. So, what's on the menu?  Choose from a few examples [or go visit and see for yourself]:

Larimer Square

• Lime - features fresh Mexican food
• Corridor 44 - Denver's only champagne bar and restaurant
• Tag - continental social food from chef/owner Troy Guard
• Rioja - Mediterranean cuisine by chefs Beth Gruitch and Jennifer Jasinski

16th Street Mall

If you've still have daylight on your side after dining, spend some time wandering around the Square taking the Historic Walking Tour.  The self-guided tour introduces you to 10 historic properties within a loop around Larimer that are some of the oldest in Denver.

You've studied some artwork, read few books, enjoyed fine dining, and basked in some of Denver's amazing history - so now it's time for a wee bit of shopping!  Where's the place to be to shop while in Denver?  None other than the 16th Street Mall.  This mile long district is dedicated to small shops, restaurants and big name retailers.  It's a pedestrian foot-traffic area, other than that it's open only to the free shuttles that run the length of the Mall district all day long.  

REI at Confluence Park

Before we depart Denver, we cannot miss out on the outdoors culture of the city.  Visit the flagship store of REI (Recreational Equipment Inc) in Confluence Park to try your hand at kayaking and indoor rock climbing and to supply your every outdoor activity whim - biking, hiking, trailing, backpacking, running - the list goes on!  Once you're geared up there are Open Spaces (parks) in every corner of this 2.5 million person metro area.  Biking, walking, running and similar are a daily routine for the residents of Denver.  Be prepared to adjust your activities levels to the altitude difference though.  If you're not a regular visitor or resident of Denver, you may be at risk for altitude sickness - so take it easy and allow your body and your expectations to get acclimated to being at 5,280 feet above sea level.

REI Rock Climbing Wall

Do you have other interests about Denver that we've not covered?  Ask us!  We'll be happy to look into it for you and/or point you to the right location for more information.  Or, you can take in more about the city on your own by visiting www.VisitDenver.com or actually flying there [NONSTOP!] on Frontier Airlines from MDT!

Nonstop, seasonal service to Denver resumes on April 22, 2013.  Book your flight today! 

HIA Discovers Local Students' "Dream Destinations"

When Milton Hershey, the man known worldwide as the creator of the Hershey’s Chocolate Bar, passed away; he did something very sweet. Founded in 1909, Hershey and his wife Catherine began the Milton Hershey School by donating 100 percent of their fortune to underprivileged children. The school, originally created for orphaned boys, is now home to more than 1,800 boys and girls from families in need.


Harrisburg International Airport recently partnered with the Milton Hershey School to create the “Dream Destinations” project. Fueling the students’ creative engines, boys and girls from the kindergarten through fourth grade drew pictures of themselves at a place they wish to one day visit. Each with a different dream location in mind, the students depicted a variety of vacation spots from the magical Disney World in Orlando, FL, and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, CA, to the Egyptian Pyramids and the Parisian Eiffel Tower.


Thirty pieces of student artwork currently hang in the HIA terminal

Soaring above our expectations, we will proudly be displaying the “Dream Destinations” artwork on the first floor of the HIA terminal beginning today through May 18th. Please stop by to admire the students’ work and find out a little bit more about the Milton Hershey School as you’re traveling through our facilities.


The partnership between the airport and the Milton Hershey School represents the first of its kind for HIA. The goal of this effort is to share local school students’ creativity and enthusiasm for travel with the wider community that HIA serves. The airport looks forward to continuing this program for years to come with many schools (elementary through post-graduate) throughout the midstate region.


If you’d like to learn more about the Milton Hershey School’s students or ways you can work with The Milton Hershey School to open new doors for children in need, please visit http://www.mhskids.org/.