2001 Blake St., Denver
303/762-5437
http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com

HOURS: Tours April–Sept. Mon.–Sat.,
non-game days 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m.,
evening game days 10 a.m. and noon,
afternoon game days no tours;
Oct.–Mar. Mon., Wed., Fri., and Sat. noon and 2 p.m.

COST: $7 adult, $5 child, $6 senior

Even in the off-season, there’s a chance to tour Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies baseball team, and see parts of the ball field that are off-limits during games. The ballpark has been a major part of the redevelopment of LoDo from neglected warehouse district to hip urban neighborhood with expensive condos and dozens of bars and restaurants.

Since opening in 1995, Coors Field has been noted for its modern yet classic architecture. The 75-minute tours at Coors Field include the field, going up to the higher deck where a purple row of seats marks 5,280 feet above sea level, the guest locker rooms, and suites. From the upper seats there’s a great view of the Central Platte Valley and the Rocky Mountains.

After the tour, you can walk around the stadium and check out some of the public art on display. To the north is Erick C. Johnson’s Bottom of the Ninth, which shows a neon baseball figure sliding into home plate, and to the south is Lonnie Hanzon’s The Evolution of the Ball, which is like an arched gateway to the stadium.

There is a large gift and souvenir shop on the Blake Street side of Coors Field, where just about anything in the team’s purple and black can be found—blankets, hats, jackets, T-shirts, and more.

Colorado Rockies

Even after losing the World Series in 2007, the Colorado Rockies continue to attract committed fans to their home games at Coors Field. The Rockies played their first game in 1993 at the original Mile High Stadium (now Invesco at Mile High and rebuilt) to such huge success that architects working on the new Coors Field expanded the seating capacity to over 50,000 for the 1995 opening game.

The “rockpile” cheap seats and attractive stadium keep the fans donning the purple-and-black team colors even when the Rockies aren’t winning a lot of games. An on-site playground and Buckaroo snack bar make the baseball field popular with families.