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Denver, Colorado

Where else can you visit the home of Molly Brown, the Red Rocks Amphitheatre and the Colorado Rockies, and still get great dialysis care? Denver, Colorado—the home to seventeen DaVita dialysis centers. Learn how easy it is to plan your adventure in Colorado’s capitol city.

Thinking you’re long overdue for a vacation, but you can’t go because you’re on dialysis? Not a problem! With just a little planning, you can leave town and still get the dialysis care you need at DaVita centers nationwide. So, maybe it’s time you plan a visit to the Rocky Mountain state. John Denver sang about its magnificent mountain peaks and even took his last name from the state capitol. Denver, Colorado is a city of breathtaking mountain views that you wouldn’t want to miss. Schedule your dialysis at a DaVita center in Denver, and then start planning your adventure in one of America's most beautiful cities.

Nestled up against the spectacular Rocky Mountains, Denver is the perfect destination for anyone who enjoys the great outdoors, as well as the city scene. Head downtown and you’ll find a Victorian-style historic district featuring museums, galleries and shops, along with 300 restaurants and a unique Six Flags® amusement park. Check out Denver's growing music scene and experience some of the best concert venues around, including the famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre, a 9,000-seat arena carved out of gigantic red rock boulders.

The great outdoors

If you’re a nature lover, prepare to be “wowed” by the beauty of Denver’s Rocky Mountain National Park. Travel above the timberline on Trail Ridge Road, then ride the Aerial Tramwayto take in the panoramic view of Long's Peak and the park.

Book a night or two at the Stanley Hotel, the 1909 historic hotel that inspired Stephen King’s The Shining, and venture out to Estes Park, a small resort village at the edge of the park, with flower gardens, shops and restaurants.

Garden enthusiasts will definitely want to visit the Denver Botanic Gardens with more than 15,000 plant species from Australia, South Africa and the Himalayas, as well as the western United States. Enjoy special events like afternoon tea in the tranquil Japanese garden and the summer concert series with famous folk, blues and jazz artists.

For another chance to mix music with the great outdoors, attend a concert at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Located just 15 miles west of Denver in the Rocky Mountain Foothills, Red Rocks is a one-of-a-kind geologically-formed amphitheatre that provides acoustic perfection at every performance.

Historical attractions

While Denver is a thoroughly modern city, it celebrates its Old West heritage with museums and carefully restored century-old buildings.

The Lower Downtown Historic District, also known as LoDo, has been transformed into the city's cultural center by its resident avant-garde artists, retailers, and loft dwellers that have taken over the old warehouses and red brick buildings. Designated a Historic District in 1988, this 26-square block Victorian neighborhood is now home to upscale art galleries, shops, nightclubs and restaurants.      

Close by, you’ll find Larimer Square located on the oldest street in the city, immortalized by Jack Kerouac’s book, On the Road. During the day, you can explore Writer Square, Denver's most charming shopping district lined with arched redbrick courtyards. At night, the Square becomes a late-night “party district” with Colorado Rockies fans flowing from the nearby baseball stadium.

If you’ve seen the movie, Titanic, you’ll definitely want to stop by the Molly Brown House, a tribute to the life and times of the "unsinkable" Molly Brown. This Victorian house—and museum—displays artifacts that once belonged to Brown, as well as pieces dating from 1894 to 1912, when the Browns lived there. Women in period dress, lead you on a tour through the three-story home while educating you on some of the “scandalous” dame's exploits.

To learn about another one of Denver’s famous past residents, visit the Byers-Evans House built in1883. Sprawling and detailed, this elaborate Victorian home was constructed for the Rocky Mountain News publisher, William Byers. Now restored to its pre-World War I condition, it contains actual furnishings purchased by the Evans family during the 80-plus years they lived in the house.

Museums

Did you know that nearly one-third of the cowboys and many pioneer teachers and doctors were African-Americans? You will if you visit the Black American West Museum and Heritage Center. This museum explores the vast contributions African-Americans made to the West, with one floor devoted to black cowboys and another to military troops like the Buffalo Soldiers.

Of course, no survey of Denver history would be complete without stopping by the Buffalo Bill Museum to see exhibits of Sitting Bull's bow and arrows, Buffalo Bill's show outfits and Frederick Remington's Portrait of a Ranch Hand.

Art aficionados will want to check out the Denver Art Museum, known for its impressive collection of Asian art and Native American art, while science and natural history buffs should head over to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. As the largest natural history museum in the western United States, this museum houses a rich combination of traditional collections and intriguing hands-on exhibits. The expansive complex also includes an IMAX movie theater and the Gates Planetarium with a Space Odyssey exhibit that simulates a trip to Mars.

Government

Since Denver is the state’s capitol, you might want to add the Colorado State Capitol to your itinerary. With its gold, bell-shaped dome, the capitol building has taken its prominent place in the Denver skyline since it was first built in 1886. Visitors are welcome to sit in third-floor viewing galleries above the House and Senate chambers when the legislature is in session from January through May.    

You’ll also find a branch of the United States Mintin Denver. Originally opened at the turn of the last century to meet the needs of gold miners and prospectors, the Mint now produces more than 14 billion coins yearly.

Free tours are available through a Congressional representative or senator with arrangements made two weeks in advance.

 Family fun

Whether you’re into fish, furry friends or amusement park fun, Denver has you covered.

The Downtown Aquariumwill keep you and your kids busy for hours with an expanded stingray touch pool, a gold-panning area, an interactive shipwreck and animatronics creatures. Take a rest from the activities with a meal at the Aquarium Restaurant built around a 150,000-gallon tank teeming with fish and sharks. With that kind audience watching you eat, you may want to order a burger!

If you’re looking for the total amusement park experience, you’ll love Six Flag Elitch Gardens.Located just 5 minutes from the downtown excitement, Elitch Gardens is filled with hair-raising rides for the thrill-seekers and plenty of gentler rides for the younger kids and squeamish parents. Climb onto the100-foot-high Ferris wheel for a sensational view of downtown and then make your way to the 10-acre water-adventure park included with your ticket.

The Denver Zoo is the nation's fourth-most-visited zoo and once you go there, you’ll see why it’s so popular. First, there are the man-eating Komodo dragons. You’ll find Ginseng, the Asian black bear cub, and the nursery for baby animals. There is the 7-acre Primate Panorama, which houses 31 species of primates in their natural habitat environments. And, of course, there is the world's only painting rhinoceros, which you will not want to miss!

Start planning early

Under most circumstances, visitor DaVita and non-DaVita patients are all welcome to dialyze at the seventeen DaVita centers in Denver. It is recommended to let your social worker know about your plans to travel as he or she can provide information and assist in making dialysis arrangements for your trip. In-center hemodialysis patients should make arrangements at a Denver dialysis center at least two weeks in advance of their visit. Planning ahead improves chances that there will be availability at the DaVita center that is most convenient for you. Also be sure to bring all relevant medical documents with you. Call 1-800-244-0680 and DaVita will help with your dialysis plans. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients are advised to call a Denver-based PD center ahead of time to guard against running out of supplies or to have a back up if your supplies are lost. 

Many tourists enjoy the comfortable temperatures of May through September. However, keep in mind that summer is a busy time for Denver and hotels tend to fill up, especially in July and August. Advance planning for lodging and dialysis treatment is especially important if you’ll be visiting during those busy summer months.

Get a list of Denver centers on DialysisFinder.com »

This site is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice from a physician. Please check with a physician if you need a diagnosis and/or for treatments as well as information regarding your specific condition. If you are experiencing urgent medical conditions, call 9-1-1.