’Tis the season for holiday outings with friends and family. The Denver metro area is one of the best spots to enjoy the holidays with snow castles, light displays, skating rinks, sledding, snow sports and holiday-themed shopping excursions. In this edition of Stop Requested, the spotlight shines on one of Denver’s best places to enjoy the holidays – Belmar. Grab the coat, get your fare ready and hop on a variety of bus routes, such as the routes 1, 3, 9, 11, 14, and 76, to South Wadsworth Boulevard and West Ohio Avenue in Lakewood!  

Adventures

Just a short three-minute walk from the bus stop lies a Denver Christmas tradition like no other – Camp Christmas. This attraction, located at Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park, is a six-acre winter-inspired campground that will leave even Scrooge full of holiday cheer. Guests can explore the historical structures that occupy the park, each with its own unique decorations, displays and activities to enjoy. Kids (and kids at heart) can take a spin on the classic carousel. For the grown-ups, three themed bars around the camp serve special holiday-themed cocktails that will warm even the coldest of hearts. The camp is so big that Santa has set up an outpost there!

Camp Christmas is open daily through Christmas Eve. Tickets are required for entry and can be purchased at https://www.denvercenter.org/tickets-events/camp-christmas/#/camp_parking.

The adventures do not stop there. Belmar Park is a whopping 132 acres of rolling terrain, grasslands and a lake. The park offers two miles of paved trails, great for long walks, runs or bicycle rides. Bring the kids to the playground in the northwest corner of the park so they can burn off some energy.

Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park is not the only place to enjoy holiday adventures. Head just a couple blocks north to the Belmar shopping center Dec. 16-18 and enjoy the final weekend of the Downtown Lakewood Holiday Bazaar and skate with Bernie, the Colorado Avalanche mascot! Learn more about the Holiday Bazaar here.  

Shopping

Belmar, just a short five-minute walk north, features some of the best shopping experiences in the entire metro area. The eight-block outdoor mall has everything from big box stores to small boutiques, perfect for those who may have put off their holiday shopping until the very last second.

Shopping at Belmar cannot be mentioned without first talking about Garage Sale Vintage. The concept was founded in historic Larimer Square in downtown Denver in September 2020 with a focus on the social aspect of shopping, aimed at those who like simpler times. The Belmar store opened earlier this year at the corner of West Alaska Drive and South Teller Street and offers a totally unique shopping experience. Modern fashion is a no-no here, as everything sold in the store is vintage. Shoppers can find goods from the 1960s through 2009, or the “Y2K years.” Garage Sale Vintage is the perfect place for those determined to make bell-bottom jeans, jumpers and baggy pants relevant again. The store even features a bar with an astounding number of drinks and cocktails. Have some vintage clothes that are longing for a new home? Bring them to the shop and keep vintage alive!

Across the street from Garage Sale Vintage is Centennial Cuts Mercantile, which prides itself on Colorado-raised and -butchered meats. Everything sold in the store is Colorado-based, down to the packaging and labels. A great place to snag gifts for beef-lovers, Centennial Cuts Mercantile offers handcrafted beef jerky, beef sticks and summer sausages, which are a holiday favorite. They also offer individually wrapped steaks, roasts and ground beef. Looking for bulk options? They offer curated 10- and 15-pound boxes, as well as bundles ranging from 30-to-250-pound bundles for delivery.

Need a personalized gift? Swing by Kustomized, just a few steps east of Dick’s Sporting Goods. Kustomized offers personal customized embroidery and screen printing on a wide range of products from shirts to hats to shoes and everything in between. Other notable stores to browse include Rock Your World, The Gift House and My Essential Objects.

Dining

Belmar has many dining options for those looking for a quick bite or a nice dinner, especially for those who are in the mood for Asian. Kick-start the day at The French Press, where customers can enjoy a variety of bennies, pastries, bagels, sandwiches and much more. Come back later in the day for a robust lunch menu featuring sandwiches and salads.

Speaking of lunch, stop by one of the many great Asian restaurants for a taste of Japan, Taiwan and Vietnam. Poké We allows guests to create their own unique poke bowls. Pho Saigon Basil offers Vietnamese cuisine right in the heart of Belmar, while Dcha Café offers a place to recharge, with a great selection of Thai, milk and fruit teas to enjoy before finishing that shopping run.

Before dinner, swing by the Locust Cidery and enjoy a number of ciders brewed in-house. These are not just any ciders, though – the cidery brews Vanilla Bean, Chai, Mojito and bourbon barrel-aged ciders.

Once the sun sets, visit GQue for some of Denver’s best barbecue. In the mood for a bit of variety? Check out Tstreet Roadhouse, where customers can enjoy a diverse menu of entrees, including steaks, burgers, flatbread pizzas, seafood, Mexican and more. In the mood for some ‘za? Try The Rock Wood-Fired Pizza, where pizzas are crafted in wood-fired ovens with some rock ‘n’ roll flair.

Make a day out of all the shopping, dining and family activities within walking distance from South Wadsworth Boulevard and West Ohio Avenue. RTD makes it easy for customers who want to enjoy a fantastic shopping experience. Check out the Trip Planner to learn more about the best options to get to and from South Wadsworth Boulevard and West Ohio Avenue, and make sure to sign up for Service Alerts in case there are any unforeseen service disruptions.