Things to Do

Platte River Trail: Have a bicycle adventure! The Platte River Trail is a 5-20 minute bike ride due East of Barnum and Barnum West. Add on a couple more minutes to reach the Art District on Santa Fe, a few more to the shops on Broadway, or follow the trail North for a night at Lodo -- all without having to pay for car parking.

(Image from trailsnet.com)

 

Barnum North Bike Park:
I'm not hip or athletic enough for this sort of thing, but help yourself.
3144 W 6th Ave. (on the North side of the highway)
Friends of Barnum North Bike Park

The Rink @ Belmar:
Go ice skating! Obviously, as an outdoor rink, this is a wintertime pastime only. This is pretty much the most charming thing you can do with a winter afternoon. See their website for details.
The Rink at Belmar










 


Ross-Barnum Branch Library:
Learn something, read a steamy romance, embark on an adventure story, check out a DVD, play on the computer. It's a library. The possibilities are endless. Denver has one of the best library systems in the nation. Explore it. Also, free wifi.
3570 W First Ave.
720-865-0145
Ross-Barnum Branch Library 

Light Rail, Perry and Knox Ct. Stations:
OK. Technically the light rail is in Villa Park, not Barnum. But let's not split hairs. It counts. Odds are, even if you're on the South end of the 'hood, you're probably still within a 30 minute walk of one of these stations. For many of you, it's much less. If it weren't so dang hilly on Perry, I could probably bike there in 6 minutes. Really, the moral of the story is that we have a train and Perry needs to stop being so fucking hilly all the time.

Get Sporty and Fit:
If hanging out on treadmills or picking up heavy things is for you, there are a couple of large gyms nearby. 24 Hour Fitness at Belmar is nice enough. Occasionally they let their equipment sit out-of-order for longer than I'd prefer, and it's absolutely packed after work. But, I go early in the day unless I'm going with friends, so it rarely bothers me. It's also pretty good, I hear, if you're into lifting. The new Planet Fitness might alleviate some of the crowding.



Get Sporty and Fit Pt. 2:
In addition to the preexisting Bally's at Belmar, Planet Fitness is opening a new location between Alameda and 1st on Wadsworth. I suppose if you really want to be an overachiever, you could ride your bike to either gym in about 15 minutes.
Planet Fitness

Get Sporty and Fit Pt. 3:
The Barnum Recreation Center is on the East end of the neighborhood in Barnum Park, off Hooker. They have lots of sports and activities for kids up through seniors (Silver Sneakers, anyone?). A word of warning regarding their awesome newly remodeled pool: The pool is free for Denver Public School students all summer, so it's packed. Really, really packed. Think hyperactive sardines.
Barnum Rec Center

Surfside Spray Park:
When I was a kid, we ran through the sprinkler. Now, there's an entire park of sprinklers to run through! Grills and picnic spots available.
5330 W. 9th Ave., Lakewood, CO 80215
303-987-7073
Surfside Spray Park

Wit's End Brewing Company:
Visit a brewery! Wit's End is technically in Valverde, not Barnum. But again, let's not split hairs. It's a 15-30 minute walk from anywhere in the neighborhood, or a 4-10 minute bike ride. I hereby claim it as our own. The staff is normally quite happy to give you a little tour and a bit of history. Super cool. (image from denveroffthewagon.com)
505 W 2nd Ave., Unit 13, Denver, CO 80219 303-459-4379
Wit's End Brewing Company




Visit a Gallery: We're a quick 15-30 minute bike ride from the Santa Fe Art District, depending on which side of the neighborhood you're on and how fast you pedal. That's close enough to never worry about First Friday parking ever again, but far enough away that we don't have to deal with hordes of drunken college students setting up drum circles on our lawns once a month.

Buy Weed, Legally and Locally: I feel a bit scandalous even mentioning pot on a public website. But, times are changin' and the Barnum area is certainly keeping up. The Grove, located at 1st and Federal is a classy looking shop and open for retail sales. The Green Solution, near Alameda and Bryant, is also nice and open for retail sales. Remember that until Federal law catches up with State law, these businesses cannot accept credit cards. So, bring cash or debit cards with you, along with your photo id.

Grow Your Own Garden: Sign up for a plot in the Barnum Community Garden and grow your own delicious food. Spend time getting to know your neighbors and your neighborhood as you nurture some squash and tomatoes. Or, simply stop by to visit and see what's happening all summer long.
   

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