3 reasons to visit besides gambling

CRIPPLE CREEK • Las Vegas has Cirque du Soleil. Cripple Creek has racing donkeys.

Our nearby gambling town certainly has different cultural flavors than you'll find in Vegas or Tahoe. But we should celebrate the fact that any arts and entertainment has survived the slot machine onslaught, which promises to get even more intense after the transition from limited stakes to high stakes in July.

The amazingly good Thin Air Theater Company has expanded the theater scene beyond the classic melodrama to also include classic musicals. (See Todd Wallinger's review of "The Fantasticks" on Page 23.)

The town offers a host of fun historical and recreational diversions, such as a narrow-gauge railroad, a mine tour and a new heritage center.

Then, of course, there's the central activity: gambling.

Cripple Creek's 16 casinos, all on or near the main drag, Bennett Avenue, boast restored historical (or historical-looking) facades that give the town the look of a Western movie set.

Inside, the casinos jingle with the latest slots. (They're the biggest money-makers, so what do you expect?) But you'll also find plenty of poker, black jack and, once the high-stakes kick in that raise bet limits from $5 to $100, casinos will also feature roulette and craps.

Wildwood, the newest addition, looks like a giant mining operation from the outside and the equipment and furnishings inside give it a slightly swankier, more Vegas-y feel than the others. Several of the casinos also have hotel rooms and restaurants.

For more details, go to cripple-creek.co.us.

1. Go back in time

Although the shiny facades on Bennett Avenue tend to give the town an artificial sheen, you can find traces of the real historical mining town that survive.

Here are some of the highlights:

MOLLIE KATHLEEN MINE TOUR

Claustrophobia has never been so cool. Kids love this, the United States' only real historical gold mine tour. They get to descend 1,000 feet into the rock, as they learn about the hard-rock miners of the 1890s. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.

For more details, go to GoldMineTours.com.

CRIPPLE CREEK DISTRICT MUSEUM

Not as much fun for kids but a must for serious history buffs, the museum is housed in the former Midland-Terminal Railroad Depot. It boasts three buildings with six floors of mining memorabilia, art, furnishings, maps, minerals, artifacts and more. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.

OUTLAWS AND LAWMEN JAIL MUSEUM

Housed in the old Teller County Jail house, this quirky little museum has still-intact cells. Young kids love this place. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays

OLD HOMESTEAD HOUSE MUSEUM

This restored brothel honors Cripple Creek's shadier side. Maybe not a great one for the kids. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. daily.

CRIPPLE CREEK & VICTOR NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD

Although it would be better if it actually went all the way to Victor, this narrow-gauge railroad chugs through some of the prettiest mountain scenery in the west as well as a ghost town. Another sure-fire hit for kids. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

PIKES PEAK HERITAGE CENTER

This new free welcome center offers three floors of cool button-pushing exhibits and a well-produced documentary about the history of the region. We loved the nifty historical nuggets. (Did you know the Marx Brothers were stranded in Cripple Creek while touring their first Vaudeville show?) Kids will like the life-size stegosaurus. If you're looking for a great spot for a picnic, check out the back patio here, which overlooks the town and provides a prime view of the mountains beyond. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.

THE TREASURE HUNT

Victor and Cripple Creek attractions have teamed up to create a Treasure Hunt map that you can get at the Heritage Center or any of the other major attractions. Get your map stamped at 10 of the 15 participating locations and you get a stuffed donkey.
For more info about the hunt and the attractions, go to visitcripplecreek.com.

2. Stay old school

The Carr Manor

It's more than a place to stay in Cripple Creek, it's a reason to go to Cripple Creek. In fact, Carr resides among the top B&Bs in the state and boasts one of the most creative restorations anywhere.

Mixing styles

It used to be the turn-of-the-century-era Cripple Creek High School. OK, aside from snoozing through trigonometry, the idea of sleeping in a school doesn't sound all that attractive. But the old school has been so sliced up in the remodel that it's not immediately apparent that it's a school.

If you look at the wood floors in the conference room, you'll realize you're in what used to be a basketball court. And all of the rooms are adorned with the original chalk boards, which visitors use as giant guest books. These touches make reference to the school without slamming you over the head with a three-ring binder.

The manor smartly mixes new (modern TVs in armoires) with classic, turn-of-the-century furnishings. And, with brick walls all around, leather sofas and dark woods, it feels historical without being frilly.

Rates range from $100 to $350. It's located at 350 E. Carr Ave. For more details, go to carrmanor.com.

Other lodging options include standard chain motels, modern hotel rooms in casinos and classic B&Bs.

3. Get a bite

Cripple Creek's dining scene just isn't there yet. Maybe higher stakes will lure more money, and, ultimately, better chefs.

But we haven't yet found a restaurant there on par with the Swiss Chalet or the Cliff House at Pikes Peak (both on the way from Colorado Springs).

So much of the food is based on attention-getting value. The Wildwood's sophisticated-looking dining spot , Maverick's, advertises two pounds of ribs for $8.95. It's a safe bet that these won't be the best ribs you've ever had.

Worthy of a stop

We did find a couple of spots that are fine, if not outstanding:

Maggie's Restaurant, downstairs in the Colorado Grande

Well separated from the casino, Maggie's serves up a nice green chile burger and an accessible menu of sandwiches and salads.
300 E. Bennett Ave., www.ColoradoGrande.com

Chef Paul's Steakhouse at the Imperial Casino Hotel

You can count on a consistent steak, prime rib or crab legs at a reasonable price.
123 N. Third St., ImperialCasinoHotel.com

A spot of tea or cuppa joe

"People come for the atmosphere," said Edie Smith, who owns Creations Everlasting with her husband, Mike. "There's no chinga-chinga here. Don't get me wrong. I put my coins in. But sometimes, you want to escape from that."

Their escape is an antiques and collectables shop that hosts an art show upstairs and a oh-so-civilized tea shop in the back. The house-made baked goods, particularly the cinnamon-chocolate chip scones, are phenomenal. It's on the west end of town at 123 Bennett Ave. For more details, go to creationseverlasting.com.

Another fine hot-beverage stop is Cripple Creek Coffee and Internet Cafe, which is inside a cool community resource center done up in a mining theme. It's at 166 E. Bennett Ave.

For more info, go to cripplecreekcoffee.com.

Window shopping

The shopping scene, like the dining, isn't quite what it could be. My wife couldn't spend an afternoon there as she could in Breckenridge or even Leadville.

But there are a few antiques shops, candy stores, rock shops and T-shirt places, mostly on the east side of town. A few of the candy stores offer fudge samples.