Don't just want to buy a tie or calendar for Christmas this year?
We've put together this list of super unique and 100 percent Colorado gift ideas for the person who already has everything or who you just want to impress:
Many of Colorado ski towns offer dog sledding tour through the winter months. It's a novel and quaint way to see the beautiful backcountry scenery while making friends with these energetic and friendly dogs. Most tours last one to two hours with two people rotating turns on the dog sled while the rest of the group rides next to it. Prices vary from just under $100 to over $200 depending on the company and time of year you book and coupons are often available through Groupon and Living Social.
This two and a half hour tour combines two things many Coloradans love: ghost stories and beer. Winding through the basements and tunnels underneath the Denver streets, guests will hear about brothels, prohibition and the city's old red light district. The tours last about two and a half hours and stop at four area bars. Tickets do not include the price of drinks but you're welcome to grab a cocktail or beer while you are there. Tickets are $25 per person and tours are held Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights.
Play with the penguins, get up close and personal with a sea lion or explore an pet a rhino all in the heart of downtown Denver. The Denver Zoo offers several different up-close animal encounter experiences where guests get to go behind-the-scenes and learn more about one of the animals in their exhibit. Each encounter is $50-75 (plus zoo admission) and is only offered once or twice a week.
Instead of buying the foodie on your list a restaurant gift card, get them the deck of cards that keeps on giving. This incredible deal features 52 $10 gift cards to some of the most popular restaurants in the city including Vesta Dipping Grill, Jax Fish House, Linger, Park Burger, Ace Eat Serve and more. Each card is valid from January 1, 2019 until December 31, 2019 and is good for $10 off $25 or more of food. The deck is $55 and is available for purchase online, at the Tattered Cover, or at Savory Spice Shops.
This Boulder-based puzzle company makes intricate wooden jigsaw puzzles. But what makes them truly unique is the shape of their pieces. In each puzzle, no two pieces are the same shape and about 15 to 20 percent of the pieces are in the shape of characters or objects that fit the theme of the overall design. All of these pieces and the puzzle patterns are hand drawn by an artist in Boulder. They range in price from $39 to over $100 and can be purchased online or in their retail shop on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder. They also offer free tours of the factory on 49th St in Boulder.
For the wine lover in your life, Denver winemaker Balistreri Vineyards can be sure they are never without a new bottle. As a member of the wine club, they will receive a new bottle of wine every month as well as 20% off all regularly-priced wines and invitations to special events at the winery. A membership is $29/month and you can get a 10 percent discount if the receiver wants to pick up each bottle at the winery instead of having it shipped each month. If you don't want to go for the full membership, Balistreri also offers free wine tastings and holiday gift baskets.
All of the United States' money is manufactured in only four places: Denver, Philadelphia, San Francisco and New York. And only two of those offer tours: Philadelphia and Denver. Tours at the Denver facility last about 45 minutes and take you through the history and process of producing billions of coins. And best of all, the tours are free. Tickets are distributed at the tour information office located at the Mint building starting at 7 a.m. Monday through Thursday. You can only pick up tickets for same-day tours.
The Denver Passport is similar to the EatDenver deck but for those who would rather sip their way through the city. The Winter Edition of the Passport program gives holders 2-for-1 drinks at 64 different bars, restaurants, breweries, distilleries and even coffee shops. Each passport is $25 and is valid until April 15. Don't live in Denver? There are also Boulder, Fort Collins, Boulder and Rocky Mountain editions available as well.
Another option for the beer lover is the Pub Pass. The nice part about this coupon-style gift is that it doesn't require the receiver to make a purchase. The Pub Pass is $25 and includes a free beer at 25 different breweries and bars throughout Denver or $15 for 15 beers in Boulder. Each pass is valid from January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019.
Want to hit the slopes in a completely new way? Ski bike lessons are the perfect gift for someone who is veteran skier or snowboarder who would enjoy trying something new or for someone who has never been on the mountain before but has always wanted to go. It's actually much easier to pick up the basics than it looks. Guided lessons are offered at several Colorado resorts (Keystone, Winter Park, Durango, Copper Mountain, etc.) and range from $49 - $160 for about a 2-hour class depending on whether you need a lift ticket, the time of year and the resort you go to.
Do you know someone who can't just can't get going without a morning jolt of caffeine? Make sure they're always energized with a subscription for coffee from Corvus, one of Denver's craft coffee roasteries. The receiver will get a different 12-oz bag of whole bean coffee delivered to their door every one, two or four weeks. Espresso subscriptions are also available. Prices start at $21 per delivery and shipping is included.
Candy isn't a particularly creative gift idea, but Hammond's has been hand-crafting candy canes, lollipops, peppermints, ribbon candy and Mitchell Sweets in Denver since 1920. Today, you can find their goodies in many stores throughout the state, but it's worth a trip to the factory to see how it's all made before picking up a few sweet treats for everyone's stocking.
