How to Get Away without Leaving the Denver Area
When we first started planning for this winter, we began a roundup of beautiful stays in and around the Denver area. Given the increase of COVID-19 cases nationally and locally, highlighting many of these regional destinations no longer made sense.
We’re all for staying Safer at Home, as we believe that doesn’t mean giving up on finding the downtime you need when you put down your work phone for the day.
We understand that taking a staycation has never sounded less like a change of routine for those who are still working from home, but whether you’ve gotten into a new routine of going to a proworking space every weekday or you’re still working at a makeshift desk in what used to be your guest room, it’s time to think about taking a break. A real break.
Because making space for relaxation is critical for deep work and a balanced life, even if you can't actually change which space you're relaxing in day-to-day. Here are a few ideas to help you plug into the best of Denver arts, culture, and outdoors (and beyond) without straying far from home.
Get Outside and Find Space to Breathe Easy
Wondering how to relax in Denver this winter? This may not surprise you, but the best activities may just be the socially distant options available to you in the great outdoors.
Ski and ride Colorado. As ski resorts are opening their trails to the public, snowboarders and skiers should review any updated COVID-19 rules and sign up for a day on the slopes (or a full week of commuting to the slopes from your house).
Visit a less-trafficked state park. State Forest State Park has 80 miles of trails and on-site equipment rental at the Moose Visitor Center, where most visits start. Skip crowded trails and pick up a set of cross-country skis or snowshoes for a day outdoors.
Head to the Frisco Adventure Park with your family. Not all outdoor activities are designed for young kids, but nearby Frisco has long been billing itself as a family-friendly town where young winter explorers can tube and play. Great for those who don’t find the backcountry or crowds relaxing.
Of course, you can also plan a local walk or put your favorite hikes on the calendar. Half the challenge of getting outside is making the plan, gathering your gear, and getting yourself out the door. As we look at the next month of socially distancing at home and in the workplace, having a short-list of Denver winter activities that you’re already excited about may help you get outside.
Throw Down for a Premium Fitness Experience
You already know that staying fit matters and that it can be especially challenging when your local gym has reduced capacity or is closed outright. At this point in the year, you may be ready to put down a few extra dollars to try out an in-home premium fitness experience, and we’re all for it.
Whether you’re intrigued by Mirror’s group classes or coaching, or you’re already a part of the Peloton universe of fitness equipment, consider making a commitment to a month of daily workouts (or even just two weeks).
If you’re not eager to add a new piece of workout equipment – however sleek – to your home, local gyms like Endorphin and Big Power Yoga offer online classes at all levels. Or, you can try to get your zen on with these Denver-based free yoga and meditation classes online.
Skip the Lines and Play Tourist with a Digital Visit
Google’s Arts and Culture efforts have expanded to encompass what may look like an overwhelming array of Virtual Museum Tours around the globe. But if you want to get started closer to home, the Denver Art Museum has a robust virtual program for all ages.
Airbnb Experiences offers a broad range of experiences for groups and individuals. Rather than sitting passively on a Zoom call with friends during another cocktail hour, AirBnB experiences can take you into the wine cellars at Bordeaux or to shear a lamb. More than a stroll through a museum – although you can do that too – Airbnb Experiences offer a fantastic array of touristic experiences around the globe and in the Denver area.
Buy a New Toy and Travel the World in VR
If you missed the 2014 Oculus Kickstarter and scoffed at the price of VR headsets for the past several years, now is the time to put down a few hundred bucks and try this tech out for yourself.
There are a variety of great VR headsets on the market, and they’re not just for gamers. If you’re looking to escape your daily grind and having trouble relaxing in front of your laptop, VR offers a different physical and mental experience.
From Google Maps’ addition of augmented reality in their mobile apps to the increase in 3D configurations, shoppers see online every day, all signs in the tech industry indicate that we’re on the brink of popular VR adoption. And that’s because it’s fun.
If you’re tired of walking local streets, stroll along the Seine in Paris while you sip a glass of red wine. Visit a fjord without getting wet feet. If you’re looking for a way to forget the pandemic outside your door, VR may just be your window into a calmer world.
When You’re Not at the Office, Stay Home
In moments when it’s not safe to travel between states or to visit with friends indoors, it’s easy to stop feeling enthusiastic about downtime. But that doesn’t mean rest and relaxation aren’t vital right now.
You need to relax in order to accomplish deep work when you are in the office, and you’re lucky to work in a city that understands why people choose to live here – Denver winter activities are half of the appeal for those of us who love to ski and ride.
For days off the slopes, the city has set up Virtually Denver to help direct residents to locally streamed events, and the variety of options available each week speaks to a fact that’s hard to ignore: we can all get something out of a digital connection to arts, culture, and our communities.
So, on days when you can’t go into the office or escape the stresses of the world, give digital events a try. And if you are still in search of a place where you can get work done remotely, book a tour of Firmspace Denver to see if our day office offering could be right for you.
Photo by Emmanuél Appiah on Unsplash