32 APRIL 6-12, 2023 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC & VENUES | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SHOPPING & SERVICES | CONTENTS | Best Gift Shop Dog The Local General 1502 Kearney Street 303-388-8805 thelocalgeneral.com Walter, a Great Pyrenees rescue, greets customers in this carefully curated, vin- tage-vibed store that stocks handmade pet accessories, cocktail kits, soap, retro kitchen goods, baby gifts, animal-themed tarot cards and jewelry. Many items are created locally, including artisan caramels made in Wheat Ridge. Best Dog-Friendly Shopping Mall Aspen Grove 7301 South Santa Fe Drive, Littleton 303-794-0640 aspengrovecenter.com Does your dog go wherever you go, no matter what? You’re in luck: Every Fido and Fifi is admitted inside participating Aspen Grove businesses displaying a de- cal picture of mascot dog “Croix” in the window. There are rules that dog owners must follow, but the whole shopping cen- ter goes out of its way to welcome leashed or carrier-bound canine visitors with wa- ter dishes placed by shop doors, compli- mentary treats and even poop bags neatly stashed in the decorative planters lining the sidewalk. Next stop, dog park? Best Dog Park Barnum Dog Park 360 Hooker Street If you have a particularly rambunctious pup, head for this hill. Barnum Dog Park is somewhat bare-bones, with pebble land- scaping rather than grass that tends to wear out your dog sooner, and it’s consistently clean. With a gated area for small dogs, you won’t have to worry about any larger dogs backing yours into a corner. What we love most about this park, though, is its clear view of the Denver skyline. The nearby gazebos present a chill place to kick back, and if you’re looking to get some human exercise, you can walk Fido down to the Barnum Park Lake Reservoir. Best Denver Park Washington Park South Franklin Street and Louisiana Avenue Craving the outdoors, but don’t want to drive to the mountains? Get your nature fi x at the 160-acre Washington Park. With two lakes and sprawling lawns with pristine trails, the park makes for an ideal outing any time of the year. There are two fl ower gardens (one a replica of George Washing- ton’s) that burst with color in the spring, and come summer, there are multiple recreational options, with tennis and bas- ketball courts, grills for barbecuing, pedal boat rentals and several trails, including a 2.3-mile path circling the park. And don’t forget your binoculars: Wash Park is a fa- vorite for bird watching in Denver. Best Place to Play Pickleball Apex Pickleball Courts 11706 West 82nd Avenue, Arvada 303-467-7120 apexprd.org/activities/pickleball At the Simms Street Recreation Center in Arvada, pickleball enthusiasts have their choice of playing the game indoors or out- doors, with the Marquardt-Miles Outdoor Pickleball Courts outside the rec center, and indoor drop-in games available from November through March. Players will appreciate the low cost and the chance to bring a group of friends to enjoy every dink, swoosh and thwack of the energetic game. Best Disc Golf Course Wondervu Disc Golf Course 136 Camp Eden Road, Coal Creek 303-717-3267 facebook.com/highaltitudediscgolf Enjoy the views while you throw your disc at Wondervu Disc Golf Course. The course is just a quick jaunt into the foothills from Denver, providing a variety of holes not often seen at mountain disc golf courses and covering plenty of distance for those looking to escape into a game. Wondervu is making major improvements for the 2023 season, including adding more pic- nic tables and redesigning holes to make play even better. Best Farm Experiences for Children and Adults Yetman Family Farms 2995 South Estes Street, Lakewood 303-519-7611 yetmanfarms.com The Yetman family — the same crew that started the Horseshoe Market in Denver — made their next dream come true in 2021, when they restored an abandoned farmhouse on four acres in south Lakewood, near the Bear Creek Greenway, in search of a sim- pler, earthier way of life. Since then, they’ve created a sustainable Shopping and Services continued from page 30 continued on page 34 GETT Y IMAGES
