Getting There

DIA (Denver International Airport) is really the only option for getting to Denver. From there, it’s about a 40 minute car ride or a 50 minute light rail ride (the RTD A line) into downtown Denver’s Union Station. If downtown is where you’re headed, I’d highly recommend the light rail. If you’re headed elsewhere, be prepared to shell out a bit of cash to snag a Lyft/Uber (or better yet, have your pals pick you up).

Getting Around

One of the very few downsides of the greater Denver area is that there isn’t stellar public transportation. The mountain buses can be a good option if you don’t want to rent a car for your ski trip (which can be expensive and a hassle!), but otherwise I’d recommend renting a car if you plan to spend a good bit of time outside of Denver. We recently rented with Turo in Boston and had a good experience, so that could be a most cost-effective option.

Within the city, Lyft/Uber are ubiquitous. You can also take the RTD light rail to get around the perimeter of town – for example, if you want to hike in Golden, you can take the W line from Union Station all the way to the JeffCo Govenment Center – Golden station. Similarly, to get to Boulder you can take the FF line to Downtown Boulder. I’ve done that several times and it works perfectly well and is way more cost-effective than taking a rideshare all the way west.

And if you’re downtown, I recommend walking! 🙂

Staying There

In downtown Denver, there are several great hotels to really maximize your location and experience. Hotel Teatro is in a fantastic location and a lovely, historic hotel. The Art Hotel is one of my favorites for more reasonable nightly rates, a fun location right on Broadway, and a delightful rooftop bar. For a stay on the West Side in the lively Highland neighborhood, I’d recommend the Hampton Inn & Suites on Speer Blvd. The Rally Hotel at McGregor Square is the perfect spot to overlook all the excitement of Coors Field and the Dairy Block. Finally, the uber-hip Ramble Hotel is where you’ll want to be if you want to be the in the unofficial brewery, restaurant, and late-night bar hub of RiNo (it’s also great a great rooftop bar called Death & Co in the hotel).

Airbnb/VRBO is always another great option.

What to Eat/Drink

Ok, I know I just said there are only a few downsides to Denver… but the biggest one by far is the food scene. We have an amazing bar scene, but the food here is generally just really underwhelming. So if you’re looking for a life-changing meal on your trip, you’d be better off utilizing my weekend guides to St. Louis (seriously underrated town!!), Washington D.C., or Raleigh. There’s wayyy better food in all three of those towns.

So, now that I’ve successfully lowered your expectations for Denver… here are some of the best spots I’ve found around town, sorted by neighborhood:

RiNo (River North)

• Mister Oso: my favorite restaurant in Denver, hands down. This place actually has amazing tacos and guac, and their drinks are stellar – try the rotating Congelado (frozen marg) and the birria taco. Make a reservation!
• Improper City Brewing Co.: expansive indoor outdoor spot with great drinks and great vibes! The perfect pregame to a dinner at Mister Oso 😉
• Death & Co: beautiful, Instagram worthy rooftop bar within the Ramble Hotel! Great drinks and fun times.
• Beacon: ultra-hip bar for fun after dinner cocktails!

Highlands

• El Five: gorgeous rooftop bar/restaurant overlooking the mountains to the West, with great tapas and bevvies. Make a reservation!
• Avanti Food & Beverage: this place is borderline overwhelming, but in the best way. It’s perfect for a larger group because there are so many options to choose from – my personal favorite is Quiero Arepas!
• Linger: beautiful spot for rooftop drinks!
• Root Down: fantastic boozy brunch!!

Platt Park Neighborhood

• Sushi Den/Izakaya Den: actually really, really good sushi. Sushi Den is more relaxed while Izakaya Den is fairly upscale.
• Uno Mas Taqueria y Cantina: great street tacos in an unassuming small restaurant right on S Pearl St.

Washington Park

• Perdida: an Instagram worthy spot with great classic Mexican dishes. Amazing atmosphere!
• Wash Perk: perfect coffee and breakfast spot to stop in while on your morning stroll through the park!

Hale/Colfax

• Denver Biscuit Co.: the biscuit sammies are arguably as good as what you’ll find in the south… I said what I said. Note there’s also a location on Broadway (also note that if you’re a dairy free girlie like me, there is literally nothing here you can eat. I’m sorry!!).
• La Fillette Bakery: truly incredible croissants, breakfast BLTs, and great coffee (they keep it simple!). Worth the trip even if you’re in downtown.
• Nugg’s Ice Cream: great ice cream in the cutest old-school style shop! Amazing flavor choices and DF options as well 🙂 You have to try their double stuffed cookies n’ cream.

Golden

• Bonfire Burrito: great local burrito spot with good vibes!

Boulder

• Rincon Argentina: I ate here 8 years ago during my first Denver visit with some girlfriends who I studied abroad with in Argentina, and I’m not kidding that I randomly dreamed about it until moving here 6 years later. It’s such a unique experience and SUCH good food!!
• Lindsay’s Boulder Deli @ Haagen Dazs: staple for great post-hike sammies and lots of diverse choices. Their chickpea salad is fire. Then cross the street to visit Gelato Boy!
• Gelato Boy: extra yummy gelato with some classics and also some unique flavor options. My fellow DF gals, you’ll be happy too! 🙂

What to Do

The best activities in and around Denver really shifts depending on the season – there really isn’t a bad time of year to visit because there is so much variety!

Cool Season Activities

• Skiing!! Or snow tubing if skiing isn’t your jam (or if you have littles in tow)! My personal favorite mountain is Beaver Creek because it’s a little less crowded, but you can’t go wrong! There’s a really cute snow tubing spot near Breckenridge called the Frisco Adventure Park.
• Snowshoeing: you can rent a pair for the day at an REI, Christy Sports, and even at Estes Park Mountain Shop (for $5!) right outside Rocky Mountain National Park.
• Cross country skiing: my favorite place to do this is in Crested Butte (about a 4.5 hour drive from Denver – the town is SO cute), but you can find rentals and trails all over the state!
• Ice fishing on Lake Dillon: this is on my short list for winter activities! I always see folks out on the lake in their little tents on our way down the mountain. It looks like a blast!
• Brewery hopping (this is obviously a year-round activity 😉). Some of my favorites in and around greater Denver are Lowdown Brewery + Kitchen (they also have great food!!), Improper City, Denver Beer Co., Woods Boss Brewing, Zuni Street Brewing, Mountain Toad Brewing (in Golden), Avery Brewing (in Boulder), and Sanitas Brewing (also in Boulder). You really can’t go wrong wherever you end up!
• On a warmer day, you could even hit the trails for a hike via snowshoe in Rocky Mountain National Park!
• Coors brewery tour in Golden: This is a really fun activity year-round. Note you need to reserve a spot pretty far in advance!
• Walking down Pearl St. in downtown Boulder, and/or Main Street in Golden. So many cute shops, restaurants, etc. on both main streets to explore!
• Stopping by Red Rocks Amphitheatre to bask in all its glory. There’s also an interesting museum as well as several hiking trails all around the surrounding area.

Warm Season Activities

• Hiking!! Ugh, I could talk about Colorado hiking all day every day. It’s so good. You could never hike it all!! Here are some of my favorites:
• Mountain biking! I haven’t personally tried this before, but it’s on my short list and people love it! Breckenridge is probably a great place to start for this in terms of renting a bike.
• River floating through downtown Golden. This can be an organized activity through a rental agency, or you can bring your own inner tubes and hop on in near downtown!
• White water rafting on the Clear Creek. This is another one that’s high on my list!! A couple business I’d recommend going through include the Colorado Adventure Center and Clear Creek Rafting Company.
• Brewery hopping across Denver, Golden, Boulder, Idaho Springs… see above for some of my favorites.
• Coors brewery tour: see above!
• Having a picnic in City Park (or Cheeseman Park). These parks are truly beautiful and are great places to bask in a beautiful Colorado day.

Sample Weekend in Denver: Winter

Friday Arrival

Head straight into downtown from DIA and put your name on the waitlist at Mister Oso. Have a couple drinks at Improper City while you wait. After dinner, grab a night cap at the ultra-hip bar, Beacon before heading back to your hotel.

Saturday

Get up EARLY. Earlier than you think you need to. Like, 4am early. And try to be on the road into the mountains as quickly as you can. Head down i70W to spend the day on the mountain skiing, snow tubing, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, an/or sipping spiked coffees by the fire with a great book/ Whatever floats your boat!

After a day on the mountain, head back toward Denver. Note: please be patient on the road! There WILL be traffic. Make a stop in the idyllic Idaho Springs to grab post-skiing late lunch and brews at Beau-Jo’s pizza, Westbound & Down Brewery, or Big B’s Soup & Cheese. There is great food and there are great vibes in Idaho Springs!

Sunday

Head to Denver Biscuit Company for a brunch that truly *slaps*, and then make your way West again first to check out the awe-inspiring Red Rocks Amphitheatre followed by a stop in downtown Golden. See if you can fit in a Coors brewery tour, and enjoy the day at a couple breweries on your way to the airport.

Sample Weekend in Denver: Summer

Friday

Head straight into downtown from DIA and put your name on the waitlist at Mister Oso. Have a couple drinks at Improper City while you wait. After dinner, grab a night cap at the ultra-hip bar, Beacon before heading back to your hotel.

Saturday

Start your day early and hit the trails! Check out this blog post of my favorite Colorado hikes to find your perfect length, elevation gain, and drive time from wherever you’re staying. There are SO many incredible hikes – you truly can’t go wrong!!

After your hike, head back to your hotel/Airbnb for a shower and regrouping. Then head to Highlands (or any of the other neighborhoods listed above) for dinner and drinks at Avanti (or another restaurant near downtown). Hit the hay on the earlier side since it’s been a long day!

Sunday

Head to Denver Biscuit Company for a brunch that truly *slaps*, and then head into downtown to check out Union Station (maybe grab a drink at the Terminal bar!). Walk around past Union Station to the REI across from the South Platte River, crossing the Millennium Bridge. Then make your way West again first to check out the awe-inspiring Red Rocks Amphitheatre followed by a stop in downtown Golden. See if you can fit in a Coors brewery tour, and enjoy the day at a couple breweries on your way to the airport.

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Denverites – did I forget anything?! Comment with your favorite Denver-based activity! And visitors, let me know if this guide helped you on your trip!