Denver isn’t the only place around here that has great parks. The Denver Tech Center (DTC) has a handful of green spaces that are enjoyable and pleasant. While a future post may expand on more than just one park, I only want to talk about Westlands Park for this post.
The park, which is off E Orchard Rd and S Quebec St, is well sized and has so many features that I can’t imagine there’s a single person out there who wouldn’t find something to enjoy about this place. For starters, their playground is giant and is basically broken up into two sections – a section for younger kids and one for older kids (and by older kids I also include myself because you know I had to try out their swings!). Now, from my admission just then of acknowledging that I swung on the swing set, I should note that those swings were not comfortable. The seats curved in a little too much and were a little too small that they hugged the hips too tightly for my liking. But, to be fair to this park, I imagine the swings were put in place for children and not adults so I’ll give them a pass. The playground also spouts this giant rock being held between two giant hands for kids to climb on. It’s not something I would want to climb myself for fear of not knowing how to get back down, but I have seen kids on it and they appear to be having an absolute blast.
Besides the playground, there is a neat little boardwalk section that doesn’t serve much of a purpose other than to get you from the lower level (where the playground is) to the upper level (where there’s lots of grass). Still, it looks cool and the structure is right next to picnic tables, of which you can reserve. There is another table section in a different part of the park as well that is also reservable.
There are two different ponds, right next to each other, in one corner of the park, and a bench looking right at the mountains in another. The park is a great mixture of green lawn and native Coloradan plants. It might also be the most well maintained park I have ever been to. It’s kept up so nicely. The grass on the giant lawn, which is used for picnics and a variety of outdoor activities, is such great quality. I really appreciate soft grass (I mean, who doesn’t), and this grass is soft and wonderful. There are flower beds and landscaped areas throughout the park and they are just as beautiful. Sandstone blocks create boundaries while other larger rocks create landscape features.
This park also has an entire music section that’s right next to a cute and fun fountain where rocks jut up and water pours from all different places. If it had been hotter when I went I would have run through that without hesitation. I know children must love the feature. But the music section itself was fascinating that I tried almost every instrument. There are 6 or 7 giant instruments strewn throughout the area for visitors’ delight. I played almost every one of them because how could I not? And I was dumbfounded that Shari and I were the only ones over there. Who doesn’t want to play music on a xylophone or tap a mallet on a large pipe organ? It was a blast.
This park is gorgeous, spacious, and a bit whimsical. Pack a picnic or bring just yourself and spend an hour in this agreeable expanse, you won’t regret it.
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Just Lauren 