ISTE 2010 > Travel > Tour Descriptions Half Day

travel      half-day tours

Be sure to also check out the Full-Day Tours.

Registration for tours is done via our conference registration form.

Rafting Clear Creek [ top ]

Saturday, June 26, 12:30–5 pm
Tuesday, June 29, 12:30–5 pm

Clear Creek is one of the closest whitewater rivers to the Denver Metro area, an easy-to-get-to, fun and exciting experience for everyone. The river flows through one of the most famous mining towns in the Rocky Mountains, Idaho Springs, and offers lots of whitewater, history and abundant wildlife such as mule deer, big horn sheep and the occasional crusty-old miner.

Clear Creek is classified as Class II/III, meaning it is appropriate for beginners but offers enough thrills and excitement for more experienced rafters. You will receive all the gear needed, including wetsuits, splash jackets, booties and helmets to make the experience safe, comfortable and fun!

Includes: Roundtrip deluxe motorcoach transportation, professional tour guide, helmets (if needed), wetsuits, booties, splash jackets, beverages and snacks en route and all taxes and gratuities.

Note: Swimsuits, tennis shoes and a change of dry clothes recommended.

Hiking Roxborough State Park [ top ]

Sunday, June 27, 8 am–12 pm

Roxborough is a Colorado Natural Area and a National Natural Landmark for good reason. The 3,339-acre park is filled with dramatic red rock formations, distinct plant communities, and a host of wildlife ranging from black bears to mule deer.

The Fountain Valley Trail (6,100 ft) is a 2.3 mile loop that winds through the Fountain and Lyons rock formations with a moderate change in elevation. This naturalist-led hike takes you through some of the most magnificent land in the park. The trail winds through several different habitats for plants and animals, including mule deer, fox and a variety of birds. You may see a golden eagle soaring over the hogback hunting small mammals, snakes or birds. At the top of the loop are buildings built by Henry S. Persse at the turn of the century. Persse used Roxborough as a summer home and hoped to develop the land into a resort.

Includes: Roundtrip deluxe motorcoach transportation, professional tour guide, 2-hour guided hike in Roxborough State Park, admission to Roxborough State Park, park naturalist guides, water & snacks.

Note: Please wear comfortable shoes with good traction and dress in layers. Other recommended items to bring: hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, camera.

The Lights of LoDo [ top ]

Sunday, June 27, 7:30–9:30 pm

Our local historian guides this driving tour of the city, orienting you to downtown Denver and highlighting some of the illuminated buildings along the way!

The tour looks at the city from beginning to present, telling entertaining tales along the way of historic fiascos and follies, romance and rumors, and more! Contrasting the past and present, you also learn about future plans for this Mile High City. You might hear some things you knew, some things you did not know, as well as some things that you never imagined. Sit back, relax and listen as this trip through Mile High lore educates you on the best of Denver and outlines the history of the Old Western town from past to present.

Includes: Roundtrip deluxe motorcoach transportation, professional tour guide, evening city tour with local historian.

Denver Brewers Tour [ top ]

Tuesday, June 29, 1–5 pm

This afternoon you will understand why Denver is known to many as the Napa Valley of Beer. Colorado ranks among the nation's top beer producers and also boasts one of the largest concentrations of microbreweries in America. In addition, The Great American Beer Festival highlights the state's beer prowess, as the single largest domestic beer festival in the country.

For your tour this afternoon, a short ride takes you to the historic town of Golden for a marvelous tour of the Adolph Coors brewery—one of the nation's leading producers of fine beer. You'll see and taste traditional Rocky Mountain brewing at the largest single-site brewery in the United States. The approximately 35-minute, self-guided audio tour includes a walk through the malting, brewing and packaging processes. The tour concludes with an opportunity to sample Coors' beers or non-alcoholic products in the hospitality lounge and time to shop in the Coors & Co. gift shop.

We'll then take you from the 3rd largest brewer in the country to one of Denver's popular local producers of great beer, Breckenridge Brewery. Founded in 1990 in the town of Breckenridge, Colorado, the local brewery has grown from a homebrewed hobby to a 3,000-barrel-a year-brewpub to a 30,000-barrel-a-year operation, with beers available in fifteen states across the country. We tour the Denver facility of this growing craft beer producer and taste the brewery's freshly brewed beers during this approximately one-hour tour and tasting at the Breckenridge Brewery.

Includes: Roundtrip deluxe motorcoach transportation, professional tour guide, self-guided tour of Coors with sampling, guided tour of Breckenridge Brewery with beer sampling.

Haunted Denver [ top ]

Tuesday, June 29, 7–9 pm

This electrifying motorcoach tour includes a drive through many of Denver's most beautiful older neighborhoods where guests will view some of Denver's architectural wonders—both residential and otherwise. This backdrop will help to further explore the characters and events that have resulted in some of the city's best-known ghost stories. Guests will learn about John and Mary Elitch and their haunted amusement park; the imposing Lumber Baron Inn Bed and Breakfast; the ghost of Denver's influential Madam Mattie Silks; Sassy Springer and her lovers; Horace and Baby Doe Tabor; the ghosts of Capitol Hill and its mansions; the creepy buildings of Evans, Emerson and Moore Schools; and a tour of the city's old Mount Prospect Cemetery, known as Cheesman Park today. A final stop at Fairmount Cemetery, where many of Denver's pioneers are buried, is in order as well.

Includes: Roundtrip deluxe motorcoach transportation, professional tour guide.