Personal Trainer Certification & Fitness Training Career

Residents in the Metro-Denver area enjoy participating in many types of recreational and leisure activities. One of the best resources for entertainment and recreation information is the "weekend" section published every Friday in the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News newspapers. The following list identifies some of these activities as well as phone numbers students may call if they would like additional information. For a listing of competitive sports and other outdoor activities, please also see www.RockyMountainSports.com. More information is also available from our Adventures in Colorado document.

CAMPING AND HIKING Denver residents and tourists enjoy hiking, mountain bike riding, and camping in the majestic Rocky Mountains. Sporting goods stores such as EMS, REI, and Sports Authority have a variety of outdoor activity informational pamphlets.

SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING The Colorado Rocky Mountains provide the BEST skiing and snowboarding in the world. Located right off I-70 and at the base of Rocky Mountains, NPTI Colorado is less than two hours (drive time) away from Copper Mountain, Arapahoe Basin, Winter Park, Mary Jane, Keystone, Breckinridge, and Loveland Ski Areas. We are less than three hours away from Vail / Beaver Creek and four hours from Aspen, Colorado. Check out Skiing in Colorado, for more information.

COLORADO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA For information on Colorado Symphony performances students may call the following numbers:

• Colorado Symphony Orchestra: 303-986-8742
• Ticket Master: 303-290-8497
• Or at www.coloradosymphony.com

CONCERTS Concerts are held throughout the year at the following locations:

• Fiddler's Green Amphitheater 303-220-7000
• Pepsi Center 303-405-1147
• Mile High Stadium 303-458-4850
• Paramount Theater 303-825-4904
• Red Rocks Amphitheater 303-572-4792

For concert schedule information students should contact Ticket Master at 303-290-TIXS or visit their website at www.ticketmaster.com

MOVIE THEATERS There are numerous movie theaters located throughout the Metro Denver area. Students should consult the newspaper for information on theater location, show times and ticket prices. There are over 20 movie screens available within walking distance of our campus (see www.Moviefone.com, use zip code 80401).

NPTI Colorado provides students ID's for discount movie passes available at participating theaters. International films are commonly shown at these theaters:

• Chez Artiste 4150 E. Amherst Avenue 303-757-7161
• Esquire 590 Downing Street 303-733-5757
• Mayan 110 Broadway 303-744-6796

MUSEUMS The following list identifies a few of the more prominent museums in the Denver-Metro area:

• Children's Museum 2121 Children's Museum Drive 303-433-7444
• Denver Art Museum 14th Avenue and Bannock Street 303-913-0048
• Museum of Natural History 2001 Colorado Boulevard 303-322-7009

RESTAURANTS A list of recommended restaurants can be found every Friday in the Entertainment Section of the Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News. Book stores such as the "Tattered Cover" located at 2955 East First Avenue, phone number 303-322-7727, also carry books which rate local restaurants. Two of the best resources are: Gabby Gourmet's Restaurant Guide and Bill St. John's Rocky Mountain Restaurants.

SPECTATOR SPORTS (PROFESSIONAL) Denver is the home of three professional sports teams. For game schedules and ticket information, students may use the phone numbers listed.

• Colorado Rockies (Baseball) Ticket Office: 1-800-388-7625
• Colorado Avalanche (Hockey) Ticket Office: 303-405-1111
• Denver Broncos (Football) Ticket Office: 303-433-7466
• Denver Nuggets (Basketball) Ticket Office: 303-830-8497

THEATERS Theaters in the Metro Denver area hold a variety of stage productions such as dance performances, dramas, and musicals. Cats, The Nutcracker, Miss Saigon, and Phantom of the Opera are a few of the major performances that have been held in Denver. For more information about theater productions, students may contact the following theater ticket offices:

• Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities 303-431-3939
• Denver Center for the Performing Arts 303-893-4100
• Denver Civic Center Theaters 303-595-3800

AUTOMOBILES Some international students will want to own a car while they are studying in the United States. Since the purchase, registration, insurance and maintenance of a car can be quite expensive, students are urged to consider the matter carefully before purchasing a car.

NPTI Colorado has contacts who sell Subaru, Toyota, General Motors and other fine, used automobiles. For long term rentals, Enterprise leasing and auto rental is within driving distance of our offices.

CAR REGISTRATION Once an automobile has been purchased, it must be registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles. Students may contact the Colorado Department of Revenue: Motor Vehicle Division for more information on car registration. Details are located on the state of Colorado Website at www.state.co.us.

CAR INSURANCE It is mandatory for anyone who owns and operates an automobile in Colorado to carry liability insurance on that vehicle. It is illegal to drive an uninsured vehicle. A list of insurance companies can be found in the Yellow Pages of the phone book under "insurance" (automobile). It is suggested that several companies be contacted so that the most reasonable premium rate can be identified.

DRIVER'S LICENSE Students who will be driving a car must obtain a Colorado Driver's License or have a valid International Driver's License. A driver's license permits the student to operate an automobile. Students can apply for a Colorado Driver's License at the following Drivers License Bureaus in Denver:
1550 Broadway - Telephone: 303-839-1829
1935 West Mississippi Avenue - Telephone: 303-937-9507

There are other Drivers License Bureaus located in the Denver-Metro area. Addresses and phone numbers for these offices may be found in the Blue Pages of the phone book the under "Government Offices - Driver's License" section or at the state of Colorado website at www.state.co.us.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Public transportation in and around the Denver-Metro area is provided by the RTD bus and light rail system. NPTI Colorado is located on a major RTD bus stop route. For additional information students may contact RTD at 303-628-9000 or visit their website at www.rtd-denver.com.

Bus service to other cities is provided by Greyhound Bus Lines. For fare and schedule information students may call 303-293-6555. The Greyhound Bus Station is located at 1055 19th Street in downtown Denver. Office hours are: 6:00 a.m.- 10:00 p.m.

TAXI SERVICE Taxi cab service in the Denver Metro area is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The standard current rate for taxi cab service is an initial $1.60 and then an additional $1.60 for each mile traveled. It is also customary to tip the taxi cab driver 10% of the total fare. Two taxi cab companies in Denver are:

• Yellow Cab: 303-777-7777
• Metro Cab: 303-333-3333

TRAIN SERVICE Denver's train station is located in downtown Denver at 1701 Wynkoop Street. For fare and schedule information students should call (800) 872-7245.

AIRLINE SERVICE Denver International Airport is located at 8500 Pena Boulevard. Students should call 303-342-2000 or 1-800-AIR2DEN for airline information and flight schedules. DIA website is www.flydenver.com, which also provides flight schedules and updates. For airline reservations students may consult the Yellow Pages under "Airline Companies" or "Travel Agencies."

Students who need short-term housing accommodations should contact the NPTI's Lakewood office for listings of hotels, individuals, and apartment complexes who provide short-term housing.

The National Personal Training Institute of Colorado does not provide on-campus housing available. However, there are 10,000+ apartments, hotel rooms, and other short term (six months or less) living arrangements within bicycle, walking, or a bus ride of our school. The current listings of apartments for Colorado Springs and Lakewood are available here.

LEASES Leases are binding contracts between the landlord and the tenant. The terms of the lease should be read carefully before the lease is signed. Students are advised to watch specifically for the following items:

• Lease Terms (How many months is the tenant required to pay rent?) The standard length of a lease is typically six, nine or twelve months.
• The amount of the damage deposit and conditions for refund of the deposit. A damage deposit is a monetary deposit collected by the landlord/leasing agent from the lessee to financially protect the landlord/leasing agent against property damage caused by the lessee. When the lessee vacates the rental unit, damage to the unit is assessed and repair fees are deducted from the damage deposit. If no property damages are identified, the entire amount of the damage deposit is typically returned to the lessee. Damage deposits are typically equal to or less than one month's rent.
• Rental rate. (What does this rate include? Who is responsible for paying for the gas/electricity, water, garbage pick-up, etc.?) Some rental agencies/landlords require the first and last months rent at the time the house or apartment is initially rented.
• Rental payment due date.
• Who handles repairs? (Example - If the sink is clogged, who fixes this and who pays for the repair service?)

Students should make a list of all the permanent damages to the rental unit/furniture before moving in to avoid being charged for the damages. A dated and signed copy of the list should be given to the landlord, and the student should retain a copy. Students should also keep a copy of the lease agreement.

Other factors that may be considered before signing the lease are:

1. Proximity to public transportation service (buses)
2. Proximity to grocery stores, Laundromat, and bank

If an international student has concerns regarding the terms of the lease, he/she should not sign the lease until all terms are agreed to.

RENTER'S INSURANCE Students who rent apartments or houses may want to purchase renter's insurance to cover the loss of their valuable personal property should it become damaged or stolen. Students should consult the telephone directory (Yellow Pages) under "Insurance" for a listing of insurance companies and agents.

If a student has just rented an apartment or a house, he/she may have to contact the appropriate companies to have the utilities connected. Below is a listing for each service

GAS AND ELECTRICITY Xcel Energy supplies all gas and electric service to Metro-Denver area residents. To connect gas and electrical service, students should contact Xcel Energy at 1-800-895-4999. Telephone hours are 6 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. There is an initial fee to start the new service.

TELEPHONE SERVICES Qwest Communications supplies local telephone services to all Colorado residents. To connect telephone service, students should contact Qwest at 1-800-896-1111. Some areas of the Denver Metro offer AT&T local telephone service as well. AT&T can be contacted at 1-800-222-0300. When local telephone service is connected, students have the option of selecting a long-distance telephone company. The three available long-distance companies are AT&T, MCI, and Sprint. If the student intends to make several long-distance/international calls, the long-distance company with the best international rates should be selected to provide the long distance service. Students may ask for brochures or informational pamphlets on each long-distance company so all features of the service can be reviewed and compared before a selection is made. There are initial hook-up and deposit fees for telephone service.

WATER Generally, water service is already connected for students living in apartments. If students are renting houses, they can check with the landlord/owner of the house regarding water service.

International students are advised not to carry large amounts of money with them or leave large amounts of money in their rooms, apartments, homes etc. International students are encouraged to open bank accounts. A bank account is a safe and convenient way for international students to protect their money. There are two banks within walking distance of our school, Chase Bank and KeyBank. U.S. Bank is within a five minute drive.

CHECKING & SAVINGS ACCOUNTS Money deposited in a checking account is generally used to cover day-to-day expenses. Checks are written to pay for utility bills, rent, groceries, and other daily living purchases. A check should not be written unless there is enough money in the checking account to pay the check.

Savings accounts are designed to secure large amounts of money for longer periods of time so that the money can earn interest. Interest rates may vary by bank and current rates vary due to market fluctuations. Money in a saving account is generally not withdrawn regularly. Accurate and detailed records of all banking transactions (deposits, withdrawals, checks written) need to be maintained.

ATM (AUTOMATE TELLER MACHINE) There is an ATM located in the lobby of the Key Bank and Chase Bank located directly across the street from our campus as well as in the Colorado Mills Mall (also directly across the street). This machine provides simple banking services such as cash withdrawals (for a fee of $1.50), transfers and inquiries. Students must obtain the appropriate access card and code from their bank to use the ATM.

The Colorado Mills Mall and the Denver West Village is directly across the street from our campus. The Colorado Mills Mall and the Denver West Village has over 200 retail stores, theaters, restaurants, and grocery outlets . all within walking distance of our campus.

GROCERY STORES There are several grocery store/supermarket chains (e.g., Wild Oats, Super Target, and King Soopers) all within walking distance of our campus.

Mail is typically delivered to and picked up at an individual's place of residence unless the person has opened a Post Office Box at the local Post Office. Students can mail letters by dropping them in the mail boxes located in our building. Additionally, packages and letters can be mailed through the U.S. Post Office located on Colfax Avenue and in Golden, CO (less than five minutes drive). There are also several Federal Express, U.P.S., and D.H.L. pick up boxes within walking distance of our offices. You can locate your local post office by visiting www.usps.com.

In the event of a life threatening emergency, which requires fire, medical or police assistance immediately, students should call 911 on the telephone. This emergency service will direct the required emergency support (e.g., ambulance, fire department, police) after assessing the nature of the problem and the address at which the emergency has occurred. Students on-campus should then call Denver West Security at 303.232.8100. Other emergency phone numbers are typically listed on the inside cover of the phone book.

In the event that an international student and/or spouse/dependent needs nonemergency medical treatment from a private physician off-campus, the student should look under, "Physicians" in the Yellow Pages of the phone book to locate names of physicians and specialists. The closest physicians in the Denver West Office Park are New West Physicians, www.nwphysicians.com Students who have health insurance coverage through the Regis University Health Insurance Plan should review their insurance literature before selecting a physician.