This post is sponsored by Capital One Venture Card. As always all thoughts an opinions are my own.
Capital One Destination Venture Denver
I attended Capital One Destination Venture at Belmar this past December in Lakewood. I had seen the giant Destination Venture Dome at Grandoozy this past Fall so I was stoked to go check it out! Honestly, I thought it was an exclusive air-conditioned dome for cardholders and I was so jelly I didn’t have a Capital One Card to go escape the 90-degree heat! Turns it out it was for everyone – whoops!
The main feature of the event is the giant Venture Dome, which houses some fun interactive experiences. Inside the dome are video projections wildlife and nature shots in a full 360 giving the Venture Dome a planetarium experience.
Chef Carrie Baird from Denver’s Bar Dough and of Top Chef fame, was serving up one of her famous “fancy toast” creations. I may or may not have had multiple toasts throughout the day…
Capital One did a great job of pulling together local artist, chefs and restaurants for the event. Denver street artist Pat Milberry from So-Gnar was on site creating a life-size mountain scene that will go in one of the Capital One Cafes around town. We chatted for a while about his past in snowboarding and how he got into art. Fun Fact he did the amazing Denver wall in RiNo!
We devoured some samples from Rioja and sipped beer from Crazy Mountain Brewing. Rioja has been a Denver staple on Larimer Square and one I have been to in years but after that yummy risotto, I need to take a trip back!
Check out more of the event in the video at the bottom of the post!
Speaking of trips now that winter is in full swing and its time to pack the bags and plan a ski trip! I have the perfect post to help you pick the right Colorado ski resort but first, let’s talk about how to get here.
Vacation on Miles with Capital One Venture Card
Colorado’s DIA airport continues to grow with direct flights to basically every major metro. One might think flying to Denver during ski season is expensive but it’s easy to find deals and to book when you use miles from your travel credit card like the Capital One Venture card.
Capital One Venture Card Perks
With the Capital One Venture card, you earn 2x miles on every purchase! Wine night with the gals = double the points. New ski jacket = double the points!
Plus, you can earn 50,000 bonus miles when you sign up and spend $3,000 in the first three months. That is by far one of the best sign up bonus around. 50,000 miles is a lot, you easily get two round trip flights with that. Plus, when you book your hotel through Hotels.com you get 10x the miles. Say you get a slope side spot for you and your pals for $250 a night for 3 nights, that’s 7,500 miles!
One final perk really sets the Capital One Venture card apart, a $100 application credit for Global Entry or $85 TSA Pre. I applied up for Global Entry last year and got it right before my trip to Oslo an Iceland. Y’all, it made customs a breeze! Plus one you get Global Entry you get TSA Pre too! The application for Global Entry is $100 for five years, so that’s five years of breezing through the airport. Cha-ching!
Where to Ski in Colorado
For the perfect ski trip, I suggest, Vail, Breckenridge or Winter Park. If you love to ski, nothing beats the back bowls of Vail. For family-friendly skiing Winter Park, advanced skiers will love Mary Jane area of the mountain. For friend’s getaways, bachelor party’s or a mix of skiers and non-skiers, Breckenridge is the perfect ski town. Read my full guide here.
Don’t Forget Denver
Oh, and Denver is no longer a fly through city! Make plans to stay a night or two in Denver on the tail end of your trip (another 10x miles). Check out Union Station, see a show at The Fillmore and take a winter hike a Red Rocks. Read more about what to do where to stay and eat in Denver here.
Warm Weather, Please!
For those Denverites looking to escape the cold this winter, use your miles for a trip to New Orleans or Charleston for amazing seafood and of course sun!
So now ya know where to go this winter and how to get there on a budget! Thanks to Capital One Venture Card for making winter vacations a breeze!
