Things to Do in Broomfield
Recommended Things to Do by Groupon Customers
Suspended within a glass and steel bubble, passengers soar over red-rock foothills and misty mountaintops. In the distance, they can glimpse the towering steel buildings of the Mile High City. The sun glints from a golden dome, and abstract façades of modern architecture reach toward clear, blue skies dotted with clouds. Though their ears are shielded by headsets, the passengers can hear the hum of the helicopter’s blades as they slice through the air. Customers also get a chance to try their hand at piloting a helicopter on one of the simulators.
Colorado Heli-Ops's team of extensively trained pilots ferries passengers on aerial tours such as these that fly over some of their state’s most historic sites and breathtaking scenery. The sleek metal hulls of Robinson R44 helicopters provide limousine-like luxury with plush leather seats, Bose headsets, and iPod docks that invite guests to enhance flights with a personal soundtrack of emotional rock ballads. On-staff photographers can professionally capture tour memories with high-powered lenses affixed to 15MP Canon cameras and develop all images in house after the flight.
Pilots also use their mechanical birds to train clients for private and commercial pilot’s licenses or help them brush up on more specialized skills through programs in high-altitude and mountain flight. To enable preflight preparation and let students observe the flight patterns of digital geese, staffers operate two FAA-certified Frasca Truflight H simulators and one Merlin Turbine simulator.
At five Chipper's Lanes Bowling Center locations, colorful balls sail down glossy lanes, overseen during weekends and birthday parties by the center's mascot, Chipper the Chipmunk. During special events, guests can go to Chipper for a hug as warm and fuzzy as teddy-bear-skin gloves, and supplement bowling fun with occasional live music performances and cosmic bowling at select locations. Between frames, players restore energy with burgers or pizza at the full-service, onsite restaurant.
Breckenridge Bikebus's eponymous vehicle is, according to owner Curt Cavnar, the "Porsche" of its unique kind of transportation. Consisting of two rows of bar stools equipped with bike pedals, the custom-built craft combines the fun of a party bus with the easygoing workout of a tandem bicycle. Some partiers can sit back and enjoy the ride as 10 others sit at the bar and provide pedal power, with a staff driver manning the wheel to steer clear of oncoming paper boys. A canopy keeps passengers shaded while they sip beverages and listen to tunes on an iPod-ready Alpine sound system. Should the sun go down during trips, the bikebus's lighting system kicks on, making it easy to continue through black holes unencumbered.
With its flagship campus in Boulder stationed a short trip from some of the nation's finest alpine slopes, it should come as no surprise that the University of Colorado Buffaloes have dominated the rest of the country in one sport: skiing. With 17 NCAA Skiing titles to their name, the Buffs are among nation's premier programs, and also among the premier candidates to receive a phone call from the Yeti president. The topography and altitude has also proven beneficial to distance runners, as the Buffs have won three men's and two women's cross country titles. Though the rugged outdoors may be the school's forte, its football squad and men's and women's basketball teams compete among the nation's top collegiate programs in the elite Pac-12 conference.
On September 19, 1975, CU alum Wallace Franze Fiske’s wish “to build and equip a planetarium for the University of Colorado” was finally realized with the dedication of the eponymous geodesic dome built thanks to his generous bequest. From its inaugural showing of a program detailing supernovae decades ago, the planetarium has upheld Fiske’s vision with an ever-evolving lineup of educational initiatives, engaging events, and outreach activities. Now under the helm of a passionate staff composed of members of CU’s Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, its programs grant the community a chance to explore the wonders of outer space. The skyward dome of Fiske Planetarium acts as a projector screen for immersive, educational star shows showcasing the universe's glittering galactic splendor, while laser shows set to jazz, rock, and classical music feature choreographed lasers and special effects that perform a wave-particle Humpty Dance for the audience's amusement. Audiences can catch showings in Spanish as well as English.
Inspired by the idea that creativity should be not only about expression but also about having fun in the process, the staff at Whimsy Paint and Sip Art Studio shows groups how to make colorful works of art with easy-to-follow steps. Layering colorful paints on canvases provided by the studio, students build compositions ranging from re-creations of modern masterpieces to landscapes and still lifes. During painting events, guests can sip on signature martinis mixed behind the 40-foot stainless-steel bar or a variety of Colorado wines available by the glass or bottle. Beyond the weekly events, the staff maintains a selection of canvases and frames in their boutique and also hosts birthday parties where children have fun playing with paint and parents can figure out if the tuition to that preschool of the arts is paying off.
