Travel Diary: Three-Day Weekend in Denver, Colorado
This weekend itinerary is for the solo traveler, couple, or group who wants to see and taste the best of what the Mile High City has to offer!
My boyfriend, Matt, and I recently traveled to Denver, Colorado to celebrate his birthday. Before you visit the Mile High City, there are some things you should know:
Denver is a bustling city with a thriving arts and cultural scene, four professional sports teams, and fantastic restaurants. It’s near the mountains, not in them.
If you’re from out of town, you’ll most likely feel the difference in altitude. Follow these tips to stay healthy.
Bring SPF and drink water! Denver is known for having 300 days a year of sunshine, and because you’re closer to the sun, there is 25% less protection from it.
FRIDAY
8 AM Getting Here
A bright and early 6 AM CT flight from Chicago to Denver got us in at about 8 AM MT. The Denver airport is the largest in the US, so we had to take a train from the terminal to baggage claim and then a bus to the rental car pickup location.
8:30 AM Rental Car Pick Up
To easily access the hiking trails from Denver near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, a rental car is a must! At Budget Rent a Car, we received a free bright red Jeep upgrade perfect for our outdoor adventure. (Totally not necessary but very fun!)
If you’re planning on only having an urban adventure, the A Line commuter train runs every 15 minutes between DEN and downtown Denver.
9:00 AM Pre-Hike Breakfast
Post-flight, it was important to fuel up for the day and upcoming hike. Halfway through our 45-mile road trip from the airport to Red Rocks, we stopped at Prosper Oats for smoothies and avocado toast.
10 AM Red Rocks Hike
Ten miles west of Denver, near Morrison, Colorado, is Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre. This open-air concert venue has hosted some of the most famous names in music. Admission and parking to the venue and park are free except when there is a scheduled performance.
We parked in the upper south lot and hiked the Trading Post Trail loop. This fairly easy trail is about 1.5 miles with views of rock formations, valleys, and a natural meadow.
12 PM Lunch in Golden, CO
Most famously known as the home of the Coors Brewery and the Colorado School of Mines, Historic Downtown Golden has an adorable strip of eateries and shopping.
For lunch, we went to D’Deli, a local sandwich shop. I always trust the restaurant with the line out the door!
2 PM CBD Massages
As a vacation treat, we headed to Body Massage Wellness Spa for CBD massages… when in Colorado, right! But really, CBD is the non-psychoactive part of cannabis and hemp. When infused in oils and creams, CBD calms inflammation, soothes anxiety, reduces chronic pain, and melts tension. I felt the calming effects about 30 minutes after.
4 PM Hotel Check-In
Our hotel, Le Méridien Downtown Denver, was in the heart of the city, just one block from both the Colorado Convention Center and the 16th Street Mall. The rooms were small but bright. Also, how cool is the champagne vending machine?! #moetmoment
Hotel check-in is usually at 4 PM. But luckily, a room was ready right before our massages.
5 PM Rooftop Happy Hour
On the 20th-floor roof of our hotel, 54thirty’s delicious craft cocktails and globally-inspired bites couldn’t compete with the breathtaking Rocky Mountains view. I was surprised because this (along with most of our other food and drink stops) was a first-come, first-serve waitlist-style eatery.
6:30 PM Dinner Around The World
For less than $10, we Ubered from our hotel to Avanti Food & Beverage in the LoHi neighborhood. This modern-day food hall houses seven different restaurant concepts, so so whatever you’re in the mood for, you will be sure to find it.
8 PM Sunset Scooters
To close out a wonderful day, Matt and I walked from dinner over the Highland Pedestrian Bridge through Commons Park. Near Union Station, we picked up electric scooters and road back to the hotel. Bird, Lyft, and Uber scooters are an easy way to get around in Denver.
Saturday
7:30 AM Downtown Morning Walk
What do you get when two early birds go on vacation together? Pictures without many tourists! On Friday night, we zoomed through Lower Downtown (LoDo) and the Central Business District (CBD), so this was our chance to actually explore what downtown had to offer.
The 16th Street Mall is an outdoor promenade that offers various shops, restaurants, and art installations. Also, a free bus runs down the mile-long strip to connect passengers from the capitol building to Union Station.
Larimer Square is a historic block with a mix of independent shops, restaurants, bars, and wellness and beauty services. Colorado flags usually hang off the signature canopy of lights. But during our trip, the CO flags were replaced with Avalanche hockey flags because the team was the best in the NHL.
8:30 AM Pre-Breakfast Breakfast & Coffee
Little did Matt know, I had arranged a special birthday breakfast surprise for him at 10 AM. But to hold us over until then, we visited Hotel Teatro’s restaurant, The Nickel, for coffee.
10 AM Biscuit Surprise
During my research of where to eat in Denver, Denver Biscuit Co always made the list. Even the rental car associate recommended it!
This is another waitlist-style restaurant. When I joined the list on their website at 8:30 AM, one of the locations had a 2-3 hour wait!
About a week before our trip, I reached out to Matt’s college friends who had just moved to Denver. With their recent move, they told him it would be hard to meet up during our trip… It ended up being a great surprise when they just so happened to be at the same restaurant as us! I also brought candles to the restaurant. The hostess treated us to a cinnamon bun larger than a softball covered in cream and bacon celebrate.
12 PM Stroll through City Park
We were stuffed from breakfast but had scheduled a food tour at 1 PM. So, to kick digestion in, we walked from breakfast to the food tour’s meeting location. If I were to plan this trip differently, I would have put DBC and the food tour on different days. But you live, and you learn!
1 PM Denver Food Tour
I’m a big fan of food tours in new cities because you’re able to try the best of what the city has to offer and learn about the city’s history from a local along the way. We went on Delicious Denver Food Tours’ Downtown Denver Food Tour, and it did not disappoint! For five food tastings, three alcoholic drink pairings, and a guided walking food tour, it was $94 per person ($69 per person without alcohol).
We sampled:
Authentic Neopolitan pizza and limoncello at Marco's Coal Fired
Fluffy baked empanadas and wine at Lazo Empanadas
Exotic hot dogs at Biker Jim’s
Southwestern fusion tacos and margs at Kachina
Locally-made ice cream at Milk Box Ice Creamery
4:30 PM ET LoDo Night
Our tour ended at Union Station’s Grand Hall, which was revitalized in 2014. The Denver landmark’s 65-foot ceilings, soaring windows, and stunning chandeliers are complete with award-winning chef-driven restaurants, bars, boutiques, and The Crawford Hotel.
Just a few blocks away from Union Station is the Dairy Block. Once home to Windsor Dairy, this alley is now a stylish urban complex with a range of shops, eateries, and bars.
Sunday
8 AM Golden-Domed State Capitol Visit
After checking out of the hotel, we stopped by the Colorado State Capitol Building. On the west side of the building the 13th step is 5,280 feet above sea level – one mile high.
8:30 AM Lattes for the Rinos
To wrap up our long weekend in Denver, we drove through RiNo, the River North Art District. This neighborhood is known for street art on industrial buildings, galleries, and good places to eat and drink.
We stopped a Lekker Coffee for lattes and split a delicious ham and cheese croissant. Their mission is to spread awareness about issues the rhino population is currently facing, and 10% of profits go to Care For Wild, the largest rhino orphanage and sanctuary in the world.
