15 Best Things to Do in Lone Tree (CO)

Lone Tree is a small municipality of about 14,000 residents that’s located in the south-central portion of the Denver Metropolitan area.

To the east of Lone Tree, the vast Colorado plains spread all the way to the Kansas border, and to the west lie the majestic Rocky Mountains, as well as a myriad of state and national parks and ski resorts that are among the state’s most visited attractions.

Denver offers a variety of cultural, artistic, and historical venues worth visiting as well, so finding ways to occupy your time shouldn’t be an issue.

Below are 15 things to do in and around Lone Tree, Colorado.

1. The Links Golf Course

The Links Golf Course at Highland Ranch is a 18-hole, executive-style course that’s a great fit for those looking to squeeze in a round without taking up half.

The course plays between 3,400 and 4,800 yards, depending on which tees you play from. It’s appropriate for young players as well as those with little or no golf experience.

Rounds can usually be finished in just slightly more than two hours. There’s a pro shop and practice areas for putting and chipping as well for those who need a little pre-round warm-up.

2. Park Meadows Mall

Park Meadows Mall, Lone Tree — Park Meadows Mall

Previous visitors to Park Meadows Mall in Lone Tree have described it as more of a ski lodge with stores than a mere shopping mall. It’s one of the region’s most popular retail attractions.

Featuring big-name anchor stores, smaller shops, and a variety of dining options, it’s the perfect place to spend a few hours out of Colorado’s often harsh weather.

For those looking to dine on the cheap, there’s a food court that’s packed with fast and reasonably priced options. There are several sit-down restaurants too, offering everything from Italian and Chinese to burgers, steaks, and salads.

3. Lone Tree Arts Center

The Lone Tree Arts Center is a public arts and performance venue that’s owned and operated by the city of Lone Tree.

The facility features seating for 500 and is designed in such a way that no seat is farther than 60 feet away from the stage – so as the saying goes; there’s not a bad seat in the house.

The center attracts local, regional, and national talent that’s usually reserved for larger venues in more metropolitan areas, and their schedule is full year-round with dramatic theater, live music, and recitals.

With so many options, it’s wise to check their calendar of events and purchase tickets before heading out.

4. Hacienda Colorado

Hacienda Colorado is a favorite local dining establishment that’s especially popular with lovers of Mexican cuisine. Though they offer traditional favorites, many of their most-loved dishes include contemporary Colorado twists that make them truly unique. It’s a new twist on Tex-Mex that they refer to as Mountain Mex.

In addition to their great food, they offer more than 100 varieties of tequila and an assortment of beers, many of which are made locally.

Nearly everything on the menu is made fresh on-site daily, and there’s both indoor and outdoor seating, the latter of which has a fire ring that’s perfect for cool fall evenings.

5. Lone Tree Brewing Company

Beer lovers visiting Colorado could spend weeks visiting craft breweries and never run out of options.

Lone Tree Brewing Company is located in a rather indistinct industrial area, but its outward appearance is misleading, because inside it’s contemporary and comfortable.

Their beer offerings range from pleasantly hoppy IPAs to ales, ambers, and stouts; many of them are infused with natural flavors not typically found in beer, like vanilla and peach.

Though they don’t have their own kitchen, food trucks often set up shop in the lot outside and offer a wide range of culinary options, including lobster rolls, pizza, and Caribbean fare.

6. Schweiger Ranch Fall Festival

Fall in Colorado is often characterized by mild days, chilly nights, and some of the most fantastic foliage you’re likely to see anywhere.

The Schweiger Range Fall Festival is produced by the city of Lone Tree in conjunction with a local ranch and includes a variety of fun and family-friendly activities that are big hits with those of all ages and interests.

The event takes place during the first week of October and includes pumpkin carving lessons and contests, hayrides, arts and crafts, and even guided tours of the ranch and historic downtown area.

Expect great live bluegrass music and a huge variety of tasty food and drink options too.

7. Monk & Mongoose Coffee

Though it’s anyone’s guess how they came up with the name, Monk & Mongoose Coffee sports a catchy and memorable moniker and have been serving coffee junkies tasty drinks at reasonable prices since 2016.

Due to its relatively small size, Lone Tree doesn’t have an abundance of coffee options, and Monk & Mongoose is a particular favorite of those who prefer to support independent local businesses rather than large corporate ones like Starbucks.

Previous guests have noted that Monk & Mongoose have a ton of drink options – both hot and cold – and that their fresh baked goods were excellent too.

8. Cherry Creek State Park

Cherry Creek State Park is located on South Parker Road in Aurora, and its most prominent feature is the nearly 900-acre reservoir that offers visitors an abundance of warm weather activity options.

Hiking, horseback riding, picnicking, and flying remote-controlled aircraft are popular options in the natural environments around the reservoir. Fishing, paddling, and swimming are perfect pastimes during the late spring and summer months.

Due to its proximity to Denver, Cherry Creek can get downright crowded during peak times, especially on the weekends and holidays.

If you’re inclined to avoid the hordes, consider a weekday or early morning visit.

9. The Plains Conservation Center

The Plains Conservation Center is located in Aurora and traces its roots back to the middle of the 20th century, when it was created to educate the local citizenry and work toward conserving Colorado’s prairies.

Though most visitors associate the Rocky Mountain State with majestic, snow-covered mountains, the eastern portion near its borders with Kansas and Nebraska is largely comprised of seemingly endless stretches of prairie.

The center’s attractions include two distinct areas featuring historic barns, a schoolhouse, and a blacksmith’s shop. The West Bijou site is focused on the skeletal remains of dinosaurs that went extinct in the Cretaceous Period.

10. Aurora History Museum

For those with limited vacation time who prefer to visit sites that pack lots of value into one location, a trip to the Aurora History Museum on East Alameda Parkway would be a great place to spend an hour or two.

The museum was founded in 1979 and is home to a variety of exhibits that include items like Native American artifacts, clothes, weapons, documents, and first-hand accounts of those who lived in the area as much as a century and a half ago.

Though many of the exhibits are historical in nature, there are ones that touch on contemporary topics too, like the state’s world-class craft brew scene.

11. 17 Mile House Farm Park

Located on South Parker Road in nearby Centennial, 17 Mile House Farm Park is one of the area’s most significant historic sites.

The park includes a renovated farmhouse located near the convergence of two trails; these trails once carried wagon trains full of families and supplies from the east during the gold rush and pioneer eras in the early and middle parts of the 1800s.

A barn, silo, and windmills are located adjacent to the home and include historical information about the harshness of life for the rugged people who called the frontier home when it was unexplored, dangerous, and unforgiving.

12. Downslope Distilling

Englewood’s Downslope Distilling is one of the area’s most awarded producers of spirits, and it was founded in 2009.

Downslope produces ten distinct varieties of liquor using only the highest quality natural ingredients, like sugarcane, wheat, barley, and agave.

Vodka, rye whiskey, rum, and tequila-like spirits are among their most popular products. For those who’d like to get a behind the scenes look at how their tasty and intoxicating beverages are made, tours are offered during the week.

Tour reservations must be made prior to your visit, and they offer multi-day courses in distilling as well that are popular with home producers.

13. Topgolf

For active travelers and golfers looking for a truly unique experience, Topgolf is the perfect place to spend a few hours.

An indoor golf and game facility that’s been open since 2015, it’s located in nearby Centennial.

Topgolf features 100 individual golf bays spread over numerous levels, making it a driving range experience unlike any other.

The range is appropriate for those of most ages and levels of ability, and there are drivers and irons available to rent.

There are plenty of food choices that run the gamut from burgers and fries to salads and sandwiches, and they offer an extensive array of beers, wine, and cocktails as well.

14. Snöbahn

Snöbahn in Centennial is another popular area attraction that brings the great outdoors inside. For those in need of a little practice before hitting the state’s world-class ski resorts, a few hours on their humanmade slopes would be time well spent.

Though it’s no substitute for being on the real slopes, the Snöbahn experience is safer, less expensive, and less time consuming than a day at a ski resort; as such, it’s perfect for those traveling with kids.

The cost of admission includes equipment and assistance from an experienced instructor, and guests can choose whether they prefer to use skis or a snowboard.

15. Stanley Beer Hall

The Stanley Marketplace in Aurora is a trendy destination popular with diners, shoppers, and lovers of great beer.

The marketplace is housed in an industrial area that was once home to an aircraft factory, and the Stanley Beer Hall is one of its biggest draws.

The beer hall is unique in that it’s set up to allow visitors to pour their own brews. Before they decide which they’d like to try, they’ll have access to relevant information such as flavor profile, calories, and alcohol content.

Stanley’s menu includes German, American, and Asian food that ranges from burgers and barbecue to curry, bratwurst, and fish and chips.