Nightlife in Denver

Though there's no sign near the entrance, as soon as the door to Wash Park Sports Alley swings open, it's pretty evident what goes on inside. Music pours like a liquefied conductor's score from an old jukebox, dancing with the clattering sound of pool balls and the constant chatter of sports announcers on 18 TVs. The bar gathers more than 20 draft and bottled brews, perfect for washing down the succulent Angus burgers, pulled-pork sandwiches, and vegetarian quinoa burgers gracing the kitchen's menu. After feasting, bar-goers can work off their meal in the game room, where billiards tables—left behind from the space's previous eatery—remain alongside foosball tables, dartboards, and Whac-a-Teetotaler.

Lining up his shot, the golfer draws a breath and putts his ball down the last green on the legendary Jubilee Course at St. Andrews in Scotland. He checks the clock—all 18 holes in one hour. This would be impossible at the real St. Andrews between walking from hole to hole or fighting off the rabid venus flytraps that guard the greens, but in the PGA Tour simulator, it’s par for the course. Visitors compete on more than 50 other championship courses from around the world with their own clubs or rented TaylorMade clubs, blasting golf balls toward the screens projecting the two simulators’ immersive 3-D worlds. Along with 18-hole games, patrons can practice their drive on virtual ranges and enlist video analysis to enhance their swing during private, custom lessons.

For nongolfers, the lounge stocks foosball and billiards tables, a dartboard, cornhole on the patio, and plenty of high-definition TVs to catch the latest sports. Card sharks and crooners can also show off their skills at weekly poker tournaments and karaoke nights. Throughout all their events, Swingers Sports Lounge and Grill keeps patrons satiated with upscale bar food, such as burgers topped with sriracha mayo and a pound of wings doused in ghost-pepper sauce, which chefs summon during a séance.

Mile High Spirits doesn't deal in half measures. The distillery uses an all-glass still to craft a dazzling range of spirits—including rum, gin, bourbon, whiskey, and vodka—from proprietary recipes and high-quality ingredients, serving up all its liquor straight up or in creative cocktails. Patrons can enjoy the housemade liquors and a selection of private-label beverages in a comfortable lounge. Mile High's signature Mule cocktail, is a classic blend of ginger beer and citrus, cucumber, or other fresh fruit that can be made with the drinker's base of choice, including the distillery's housemade Elevate vodka or Peg Leg rum, or the patron's housemade chocolate milk.