If you can swing a last-minute trip, now is a great time to come to my home state of Colorado, where Denver Arts Week 2009 kicks off November 6th and ski areas are opening early for the season after last week’s storm blanketed the mountains with snow.

Denver Arts Week features special events all week long at most of Denver’s popular attractions, plus a FREE Night at the Museums on Saturday, November 7th. Many hotels are offering special rates for Denver Arts Week, starting at $52.80. Restaurants are also offering special deals, from 50% off to $52.80 for a two-person dinner. If you’re wondering what’s up with all the deals for $52.80, they’re based on Denver’s famous mile-high elevation (5,280 feet). It’s definitely a popular marketing tool around here.

Denver’s version of Paris’s La Nuit des Musées, The Night at the Museums is definitely the highlight of this weeklong event for me. Eleven museums will be FREE and each will host something special for the occasion. Last year, we hit the Molly Brown House Museum (OK if you’re a history buff, but nothing much for kids), the Denver Art Museum (the Bubbaloo exhibit is a must-do for young kids) and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (dinosaurs, astronauts, mummies and more). We had just moved to Denver and it was a great way to explore the city’s cultural offerings. Plus, I love free stuff.

There are free shuttles that will take you from event to event, departing from Cherry Creek Shopping Center, Denver’s upscale mall with ample free parking and every local baby and toddler’s favorite hangout–a large play area with giant breakfast food to climb on.

There are tons of other events happening throughout the week. Check out the official Denver Arts Week website for details.

If you find yourself in the hip Capitol Hill neighborhood (near the Denver Art Museum) around mealtime, I recommend City O’ City, a cozy, hip little place with a to-die-for pizza made with apricot sauce and brie, excellent coffee, local brews and amazing baked goods, like chocolate-mint cupcakes. We are usually the only people with kids in the place, as its generally a younger crowd, but they do have a highchair and everyone has always been really nice to Jack.