Short, scenic drives from Denver?

Two suggestions - go out I70 west to Breckenridge it's a great all season ski town with lots going on, great dining and fun.  Or drive up to Estes Park for a bit of national forest fun and a smaller town environment.  The Stanley Hotel grounds are a must see.  

Pretty views and easy hikes can be had Red Rocks Amphitheatre or a drive up Lookout Mountain Rd for views of the city.  There are better spots that are further into the mountains Estes Park or the mountains west of Boulder.  SW of town down 285 to Pine (Colorado) or Deckers are a couple of my favorites.

Depends on how much time you have this is a full day trip. Drive down to downtown Parker (Colorado) (Mainstreet and Parker Road) it's a nice town to have breakfast or lunch, (many local restaurants to choose from Parker Garage Shop a historic landmark that just open, Elev 5900 Kitchen & Bar and don't forget the local coffee shop Fika Coffee House ).   Before you leave, I suggest you take a walk through town, you may just feel like your in a modern day Mayberry R.F.D.  Plenty of local business owners chatting in the streets plus you will find the drivers actually stop and smile to let pedestrians pass. Stop by the Mainstreet General Store for real old time candy. Then back in your car to Castlewood Canyon State Park.  Beautiful place for pictures and a hike. There is a dam that broke in 1933 causing the second worst flood in Denver. http://coyotegulch.wordpress.com/2014/07/31/castlewood-canyon-state-park-dam-day-august-2/ If you're lucky you might see a mountain lion, I did once! 

If you go to Breckenridge suggested below, return via Boreas Pass if its open to Como and go back to Dtown via below.  

If not head south via Route 9 over Hoosier Pass to Alma stop off South Park Saloon.  In Fairplay go a block west and its "old time" west, stay on the main drag and take your pic as a "South Park" character, Kartmen Kenny etc.  Then headback to Denver via 285 through Jefferson (Colorado) over Kenosha Pass.

Go out to Golden (Colorado) go to the 2nd largest brewery in Golden then head North on 93 towards Boulder and head up Clear Creek Canyon right before Rocky Flats.  Then hit the Peak to Peak Hwy to either Black Hawk (Colorado) for some gambling.  Or my preference to Nederland (Colorado) grab a meal at Neopolitan's Restaurant (now closed). Either head up to Estes Park or down to Boulder check out Pearl Street Mall Mork And Mindy's House (You may have to ask where its at and many people will not even know what you are talking about, they owners actually took down the ten foot high fence that used to keep out fans).  Then back south on 93 go to Rocky Flats Lounge especially if you are a Packer fan on a Sunday and get some Olde Style.

A pretty short drive with a cool view would be Lookout Mountain Rd or head to Red Rocks Amphitheatre.  Red Rocks was voted best amphitheatre in the USA by Rolling Stone.  It's an amazing place to catch a concert, but you can go there for the view or a workout(run the steps!).   Other great day trips would be any small towns on I-70. Idaho Springs and Georgetown (Colorado) are old gold mining towns.  Or for a slightly longer drive you could check out Breckenridge or another ski town.  Have fun!!!

Drive the Peak to Peak highway from Idaho Springs to Nederland (Colorado), then cruise down Boulder Canyon Dr, pull off anywhere in the canyon where you see people climbing, for your hike.

The drive up to Estes Park is a can't miss (take the route through Boulder, Nederland (Colorado), Allenspark on the way there and head back through Lyons).

When we visited my uncle in Brighton, he would either take us to Boulder or else we would go down to Colorado Springs and then to Silver Cliff in the Wet Mountain Valley.  You could do a loop and come back by Fairplay  Of course going to the Wet Mountain Valley would not be a SHORT drive, but Uncle Harry drove very fast and it didn't take him very long.

Take highway U.S. 285 toward Morrison to Red Rocks Amphitheatre and spend the day hiking around the rocks.  It's an absolutely beautiful vantage point that overlooks all of Denver.  Not to mention the rocks are gorgeous and worth a day of pictures.